Isle of Raasay revisits Sherry casks
Scotch producer the Isle of Raasay Distillery has released the second edition of its Dùn Cana Sherry Quarter Cask expression.
Named after Dùn Cana, the highest point on the Isle of Raasay, the single malt whisky is a tribute to the island’s ‘rugged’ landscape and rich geological history. The Dùn Cana Sherry Quarter Cask Release is said to showcase the same lightly-peated house style found in the distillery’s inaugural Signature release, which debuted in 2021, while also exploring the impact of using alternative cask varieties. The expression sees Isle of Raasay peated and unpeated spirit first matured separately in ex-American rye casks before undergoing a second maturation in PX and oloroso Sherry quarter casks for six months. This second maturation in the smaller 125-litre casks accelerates the maturation process, offering the spirit a more intense depth of character, resulting in a whisky that is said to exude peppery spice, dried sultanas and hints of vanilla toffee, with a finish of lingering salty chocolate and a light hint of aromatic wood smoke. This release is the second in an ongoing annual series from the Hebridean distillery, the first of which was heralded as 2024’s best single malt Scotch whisky in the world by Forbes. Master distiller Alasdair Day noted: “The Dùn Cana Sherry Quarter Cask Release is a great addition to our core product offering at Isle of Raasay Distillery, as it allows further discovery into our style of whisky making whilst presenting the spirit with a distinctively different cask influence than our Signature single malt. “We were overwhelmed with the positive response [to the first release] last year, selling out in record time to our Slàinte Club and growing global audience. We look forward to bringing future editions of Dùn Cana to our loyal fans.” The Dùn Cana Sherry Quarter Cask Release: Second Edition is bottled in its natural colour, without chill-filtering at 52% ABV. The release is limited to 15,000 bottles worldwide and is available now in select markets and online, priced at £85 (US$114).
