Berry Bros & Rudd has released the first single cask Scotch from Isle of Raasay Distillery, and it’s the oldest whisky from the brand yet. Based on the Hebridean Isle of the same name, the distillery started production in September 2017 and launched its first single malt in November 2020.
For the release, Berry Bros & Rudd selected the 2017 Raasay single cask #23 from the distillery’s peated distillate. The whisky spent three years in a first-fill ex-Bourbon barrel, then was split for six months into two quarter casks–ex-oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry–before being vatted back together.
“We are delighted with this first-ever independent bottling of our Isle of Raasay single malt,” said Alasdair Day, co-founder and master distiller at Isle of Raasay,. “A single cask bottling from the 23rd cask filled at the Isle of Raasay resulting in the oldest whisky bottled to date from the distillery. This is a bold, balanced, complex single malt combining ex-Tennessee whiskey barrel maturation with oloroso and PX Sherry finishing.”
Bottled at 56.1% ABV, the whisky offers notes of apricot, Sauternes wine, and coastal peat smoke, along with hints of spice, orange syrup, and dried fruit.
“The last few years has seen a small but meaningful movement by a few Scottish startup distilleries to create interesting and characterful distillate; not jumping on the bandwagon of Scotch whisky’s current global success but pursuing true innovation with local barley varieties or unusual yeast strains – Isle of Raasay is one of these distilleries which is going above and beyond to create a whisky with its own unique identity,” said Jonny McMillan, assistant reserve spirits manager at Berry Bros & Rudd.
The 2017 Raasay single cask #23 is available to buy from Berry Bros & Rudd, Master of Malt, and The Whisky Exchange for £120 ($156 USD). Only 240 bottles have been produced.
Last month, Berry Bros & Rudd launched a limited-edition Good Ordinary Claret for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.