The first ever Hebridean Whisky Festival is to take place across the islands of Skye, Raasay and Harris next month.
Taking place between 21-25 May and spread between the four distilleries along the Hebridean Whisky Trail, the festival will feature free
tours, tastings, music, casks and special events at Talisker, Torabhaig, Isle of Raasay and Harris distilleries and the Aros Centre, Portree.
Launched in 2018, the Hebridean Whisky Trail is a spectacular 115-mile route set amidst Skye’s stunning Cuillin mountains, Raasay’s beautiful coastline and seascapes and the famous white sandy shores of Harris.
At the Isle of Raasay Distillery on Thursday 23rd May 2019, whisky pilgrims can hop across the water to the youngest distillery on the Hebridean Whisky Trail for the launch of the exclusive new warehouse and whisky and chocolate tours.
This fantastic experience will take visitors to the inner sanctum of the distillery’s cask warehouse filled with the aroma of spirit maturing in Bordeaux, virgin oak and rye whisky casks.
Seasoned whisky connoisseurs and intrepid island explorers alike can enjoy the spectacular views from the warehouse terrace above the distillery across to the Cuillin mountains on Skye. Those with a sweet tooth can also enjoy the launch of the distillery’s new whisky and chocolate tour with delicious pairings of whisky and chocolate by Finlay MacDonald’s Glenshiel Chocolate Company.
The festival kicks off with two days on Skye at Torabhaig Distillery on Tuesday 21 May followed by events at Talisker, the oldest distillery on the trail, on Wednesday 22nd. Raasay Distillery on Thursday 23 and then you can follow the self-guided whisky trail route up to Isle of Harris Distillery on Friday 24 May.
Meanwhile in Portree the Aros Centre will showcase the distilleries at a special Hebridean Whisky Festival tasting stand for the duration of the festival.
The festival finale is the ‘Big Day at Slig’ taking place at the Sligachan Hotel on Saturday 25 May in Skye. Here all four distilleries will come together in one place for a day of whisky tastings, Hebridean Whisky cocktails, Distillery vehicles, cask displays, craft ales and a visit from the Isle of Skye pipe band.
The festival will offer a chance to try all the spirits, as well as other local brews from Cuillin Brewery, sweet treats from the likes of Chocolates of Glenshiel and delicacies from the Skye Smokehouse.
The festival will conclude in true Hebridean style with a ceilidh into the night at the Sligachan Hotel.
These events are free entry and festival-goers can or choose to experience part of the festival or follow the full trail over five days by land or sea.
The trail can be followed by land or sea with three CalMac ferry crossings linking the destinations as well as yacht berthing facilities near to each distillery. By sea, the Trail can be charted clockwise or anti-clockwise around Skye. Intrepid sea-farers can set sail from any of the four distilleries from points north, south, east or west.
Road travellers can begin their journey either by crossing over the Skye Bridge at Kyle, or start at the Trail’s northernmost point on Harris, or its southernmost point at Torabhaig on Skye’s Sleat peninsula. Raasay is only a short 25-minute ferry journey from Sconser on Skye and the distillery is a short stroll from Raasay ferry terminal.
The Hebridean Whisky Trail’s total length is 115.2 miles.
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