Isle of Harris launches whisky with Sunspel
The Isle of Harris Distillery has partnered with British luxury clothing brand Sunspel on a limited edition whisky.
The clothing brand’s executive chairman Nicholas Brooke is said to be a long-standing admirer of the Scottish distillery, and its connection to Harris tweed.
With that said, Brooke and his design director David Telfer visited the distillery to experience its culture and whisky making, leading to the creation The Hearach x Sunspel Single Cask Whisky.
Brooke worked with Isle of Harris’s blender, Shona Macleod, to select a single cask, number 1152, and then design the final product.
He said: “I was fascinated by The Isle of Harris Distillery’s unique story, set in one of the most beautiful locations in Britain. Like Sunspel, they are deeply committed to craft and place, and this collaboration celebrates that shared spirit.”
The whisky is a seven-year-old single cask release, which was matured in a first-fill, ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon cask.
The profile is described as ‘spiced and vanilla-led with rich layers that unfold slowly’.
There are 243 bottles available exclusively at Sunspel’s UK stores for £95 (US$125).
The partnership between the two brands will be supported by an immersive campaign of film and photography, which intends to ‘transport’ consumers to Harris in Scotland to experience its untouched natural beauty and meet the distillery team.
Seasonal whisky tasting events will also be held in Sunspel’s stores in London, Edinburgh and the US.
Ron MacEachran, executive chairman at Isle of Harris Distillery, said: “Working with Sunspel is such a natural partnership built on shared values of quality and integrity, and one we see as the continuation of a long-lasting relationship.
“We’re proud to bring this whisky crafted as a true collaboration into Sunspel’s beautiful stores, and to share a story that connects people with both our communities in an authentic and lasting way.”
This year, Isle of Harris is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
In January, the distillery’s whisky was included in the Golden Globes gift bag.
Besides The Hearach whisky, the Hebridean distillery also makes a gin infused with hand-harvested sugar kelp, and it released a Tidal Strength variant for travel retail in June.
However, the distillery has been forced to make job cuts and scale back production this year amid challenging headwinds in the whisky industry.
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