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Isle of Tiree releases inaugural single malt
Scottish independently-owned Isle of Tiree Distillery has launched the island’s first legal whisky in more than two centuries.
Tiree Whisky Company was founded in 2012 by traditional folk musicians Alain Campbell and Ian Smith.
Once a hub of 50 illicit distilleries, the Hebridean island of Tiree became home to its first distillery in more than 200 years in 2019.
Isle of Tiree Distillery is one of Scotland’s smallest whisky distilleries and uses traditional whisky production methods to produce 2,000 litres of pure alcohol per year.
Alain Campbell, co-founder of Tiree Whisky Company, commented: “We created our distillery to bring whisky production back to the island, and this will be the first single malt whisky from Tiree in over 200 years. The distilling heritage of our island has inspired us since we were kids, and we are immensely proud to bring whisky back to Tiree.
“We have strived to keep our production methods true to our ancestors – we use most traditional methods along with grain, water, fire and gravity – that’s all we need.”
Campbell continued: “We hand mash laureate malted barley in mesh mash bags – hoisted high on wooden blocks to lauter clear the wort into our oak mash tun. This is followed by an extra-long fermentation in our oak washbacks. First, distillations take place in our wide copper wash stills, followed by carefully distilling the spirit in our 300-litre spirit still. And then age our whisky in small casks, and our maturation happens on the rocky Tiree coastline.”
The First Release displays aromas of candy sweetness, a touch of wax and honey, ginger, cinnamon and dark sugar on the nose, followed on the palate by spice, wax, pepper and herbal notes on the palate.
The inaugural single malt is limited to 800 bottles, 400 of which were sold in less than two hours last year in a pre-sale.
The first 10 bottles will be reserved and sold at auction on 31 January, with 10% of the profits donated to local island charities.
Offered at 47% ABV, the whisky is now available on the distillery’s website for £199.99 (US$247).
Isle of Tiree Distillery will also offer a limited number of private casks in the spring.
Ian Smith, co-founder of Tiree Whisky Company, said: “This is an important moment in the island’s history as we reconnect with an industry that was once such an important part of island life. As well as providing local employment, we hope that our distillery will encourage visitors from all over the world to come to our home on Tiree.”
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