Distillery
Raasay (Isle of Raasay Distillery)
Raasay is the distillery located on the Isle of Raasay (Inner Hebrides, Scotland) producing artisanal gin and single malt Scotch whisky; it is the island's first legal distillery and sells a range of gins and whiskies in bottles and gift packs.
- Borodale House, Isle of Raasay · Highlands / Inner Hebrides · United Kingdom
- Since 2017
- 4 products
The story
The project originates from R&B Distillers, founded by co‑founders Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day. After permissions were granted in the mid‑2010s, the distillery opened at Borodale House on the island on 14 September 2017. The island gin was launched in 2019, while the first single malt distilled on site was released from 2020. Since then the site has developed a tourism offering (visitor centre and accommodation) and a series of core range releases, limited editions and single cask bottlings.
Production philosophy
Local, traceable production with strong inspiration from the island's landscape and geology; an approach that combines tradition and contemporary techniques to express an 'Hebridean' character and style in the products.
Territory
Isle of Raasay, Inner Hebrides (Scotland)
Awards and recognition
Notable recognitions include: London Spirits Competition 2024 (gold medals and 'Distillery of the Year' 2024), Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2023 (Gold winner) and awards at the Scottish Whisky Awards (including Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year 2022).
Production method
Production in copper stills; whisky is distilled in pot stills and aged on site in a combination of selected casks; gin is made in small batches using some botanicals in vapour‑infusion in a copper basket and others in direct distillation, collecting the heart of the run. The water used comes from the distillery's well/spring.
Distillation
Whisky distilled in copper pot stills; gin distilled in small batches using a copper gin basket for vapour‑infusion combined with a portion of botanicals distilled directly; the heart of the run is collected.
Ageing
On‑site maturation using a multi‑cask recipe approach: the spirit (peat‑smoked and unpeated) is aged separately and then married, using barrels of different types to build complexity already in the early stages of maturation.
Characteristics
- Type
- Distillery
- City
- Borodale House, Isle of Raasay
- Categories
- Scottish gin
- single malt scotch whisky
- Hebridean distillery
- craft spirits
- Raw materials
- water (distillery well / spring)
- barley
- juniper
- sweet orange peel
- lemon peel
- rhubarb root
- angelica root
- coriander seeds
- liquorice root
- orris root
- cubeb pepper
- Casks and ageing vessels
- ex‑Rye whiskey casks (first‑fill rye)
- Virgin Chinkapin oak
- ex‑Bordeaux red wine casks
- Representative products
- Isle of Raasay Gin - 70cl
- Isle of Raasay Gin + 2 Glasses - gift box
- Isle of Raasay Single Malt - 70cl (boxed)
- Isle of Raasay Single Malt + 2 Glasses - gift box 70cl
What makes it distinctive
- First legal distillery on the Isle of Raasay
- Production of both gin and single malt distilled and bottled on site
- Visitor centre and accommodation (Borodale House) integrated into the tourism offering
- Use of water from a long‑established island well
- International recognition and awards in spirits competitions