Isle of Harris Distillery

From, with and from the Isle of Harris

The Opens in new windowIsle of Harris Distillery is home to two exceptional spirits: the beautifully distinctive Isle of Harris Gin, infused with hand-harvested Sugar Kelp, and The Hearach, the historic first single malt whisky from the island. Though unique in character, both spirits are united by a shared ethos: Two Spirits, One Purpose, reflecting the distillery’s commitment to people and place.

Founded in 2015 in the village of Tarbert, it began with a simple but powerful idea from founder Anderson ‘Burr’ Bakewell: to capture the elusive spirit of the Isle of Harris in a bottle and share it with the world. Addressing years of population decline on this small island, the distillery has since become a beacon of hope and progress for the island’s future.

Encompassing more than the spirits it creates, it is the Social Distillery, dedicated to supporting the local community, bringing new life and opportunities to the island of Harris, and welcoming visitors to experience the magic of this remote corner of the Outer Hebrides.

Outer Hebridean Spirits that speak of the place

Isle of Harris Distillery create two spirits: the Hearach, a single malt whisky, and Isle of Harris Gin. The Hearach is the first, historic single malt whisky from the Isle of Harris - reviving old distilling traditions lost during the Pabbay clearances of the 1840s. The dram is the result of a considered conversation between people and place coming together to create an elegant spirit of complexity and character. The work of the island's men and women intertwines with the natural world to weave together an Outer Hebridean whisky of distinction.

Every drop of The Hearach is distilled by local people, producing a special spirit which has been matured, married, and bottled on Harris, and nowhere else.

These talented local distillers also created Isle of Harris Gin - the first gin offering from the island distillery, distilled in a small copper gin still ("The Dotach") which sits alongside her larger whisky-making sisters in the distillery's bright Spirit Hall.

The key local ingredient in Isle of Harris Gin is Sugar Kelp seaweed, gathered sustainably by hand from local sea-lochs and is the key botanical which expresses the island's unique maritime nature. Sugar Kelp works in harmony with seven other careful chosen botanicals: Juniper, coriander seeds, cubebs, cassia bark, angelica root, bitter orange peel, and liquorice root. Every bottle Isle of Harris Gin bears a paper seal with the distillery's geographical coordinates to show where it is made, your guarantee of a truly Outer Hebridean gin, distilled in the Isle of Harris and nowhere else.

Spend time with us in Tarbert

Isle of Harris Distillery can be found in the heart of the Isle of Harris, a small Outer Hebridean island off the far north-west of Scotland. In a harbour village, just yards from the waters of East Loch Tarbert, a white and copper-clad building holds a family of local men and women dedicated to making beautiful island spirits with pride and provenance. Inside, a burning peat fire is lit daily to welcome visitors and symbolise a deep sense of warmth and hospitality in the tradition of the generations which have gone before.

The distillery doors are open to all four days a week (Monday  - Thursday 10am – 5pm), with a true island welcome awaiting those who take the long road to visit. Go behind the scenes to witness the heart of the whisky and gin distilling operation at the working distillery in Tarbert.

The knowledgeable local tour hosts look forward to sharing a dram and a story or two with you. Discover the stories surrounding The Hearach single malt whisky, sample the award-winning whisky and gin, and even enjoy a jellybean or three!  A warm Harris welcome awaits you...'thig a chèilidh oirnn'.

Address: Tarbert, Isle of Harris HS3 3DJ

Link: Opens in new windowIsle of Harris Distillery