Isle of Harris: Distillery releases four new batches of the long awaited Hearach whisky

Last year the first batches of the long awaited Isle of Harris whisky sold out in less than five hours – after more than 25,000 people queued online to get their hands on the dram.

Now, whisky fans have another chance to get a bottle of the liquid gold, as the island distillery has released the next four batches of The Hearach.

The first legal dram from the Outer Hebridean Isle of Harris, The Hearach offers an elegant single malt, with fruit and floral notes and a long, slightly smoky, finish.

Better known for its all conquering gin, the distillery’s release of the Hearach was long awaited from whisky enthusiasts around the world.

The Isle of Harris distillery is best known for it’s famous gin.

Handcrafted by a team of locals from Harris, the whisky has been distilled, matured – in first-fill bourbon, oloroso and fino sherry casks – married and bottled at 46% ABV on the island.

Batches, 9, 10, 11 and 12, remain true to its lightly peated, complex, and elegant flavour profile.

There are subtle variations in each release due to differences in individual casks, barley peating levels, marrying times and distillers’ cut-points.

‘Having just recovered from the whirlwind of our inaugural release in September, the team have been working hard to prepare the next batches,’ said Simon Erlanger, managing director of the distillery.

‘Selecting the casks to match the flavour profile is a painstaking process carried out by Shona and Harry, our distillery blenders. 

‘We are continuously surprised to discover how each batch differs subtly from the others- we look forward to reading the tasting notes from whisky lovers around the UK.’

The Isle of Harris Distillery has one of youngest distilling teams in Scotland.

There are around 12,000 bottles of each batch available to purchase for £65 each.

Last year the first batches of the island’s whisky sold out in less than five hours – after more than 25,000 people queued online to get their hands on the dram.

Islander Murdo MacLeod was the first to purchase the Scotch at the distillery, having camped outside since 2am on 23 September to purchase a bottle. 

Some 1,000 people waited outside the distillery for up to three hours to buy a first release bottle, with some travelling from as far away as Canada for the occasion. 

Opened in 2015 to create sustainable employment for their island community, the Isle of Harris Distillery has one of youngest distilling teams in Scotland.

Four local men and women with an average age of just 25 years old, work under the mentorship of Head Distiller Norman Ian Mackay.

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