Isle of Harris bottles inaugural whisky
The first single malt Scotch whisky to be released from the Hebridean Isle of Harris will be unveiled this month via a live stream ceremony.
Isle of Harris Distillers has invited people from across the world to join a ‘historic tasting’ of The Hearach, the Scottish distillery’s first single malt whisky, and the first to be released from the island. The Hearach has been named after the Scottish Gaelic name for a native of Harris, and has been handcrafted by a team from the local area. Simon Erlanger, managing director at Isle of Harris Distillers, said: “The Hearach has been many years in the making, so we’re delighted to be able to share it with the world later this month. “A delicious single malt, it encapsulates the feel and flavour of life on Harris, bringing the island to lovers of fine spirits in much the same way as our ever-popular gin does. Most importantly though, as with our gin, it has been created with the future growth of the island in mind – from employment opportunities to wider support of the island economy. “We look forward to marking the occasion in true Harris style, with a cèilidh joined by friends from near and far.” The online event, which will include the first reveal of the bottle and the whisky it holds, will be held on Friday 22 September. Live Gaelic singing performances will mark the occasion, alongside speeches from a number of the team, before the first dram is tasted. Having been distilled, matured, married and bottled by Hearachs, the whisky’s flavour has been ‘strongly influenced’ by its island home, and it is described as a spirit of complexity and character. The first seven batches of The Hearach single malt will be available to purchase on Saturday 23 September at 10am local time, both online via the Harris Distillery website and at the distillery itself. The whisky will then be made available from October in bars, restaurants, and specialist retailers across the UK, and more than 20 countries globally. Last year, Isle of Harris Distillers agreed a £10 million (US$12.46m) funding package to expand globally.
