Isle of Raasay Distillery: History, Owner and Visitor Guide
Updated: 5 hours ago
Isle of Raasay Distillery makes whisky and gin on the Inner Hebridean Isle of Raasay, off the east coast of Skye. It was the first legal distillery on the island.
In this guide
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Isle of Raasay at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Region | Islands, Scotland |
Ownership | R&B Distillers |
History | Distilling began 2017 |
Whisky and production | Island single malt with peated and sherry-led styles |
Named expressions | Isle of Raasay The Draam, Isle of Raasay The Full Monti |
Visits | Verify public access, current tours and opening times with the distillery before travelling. |
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Where is Raasay distillery?
The distillery sits on the site of a former hotel called Borodale House, on the southwest of the island, with views across to Skye. The official site says every drop of spirit is distilled, matured and bottled on Raasay.
Isle of Raasay Distillery history
R&B Distillers was founded in 2014 by Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day. The company began operations on Raasay in September 2017 after receiving its distiller's licence. Wikipedia says the visitor centre opened in January 2018 and received a five star VisitScotland rating in June 2018.
Before its own spirit was ready, the company released the While We Wait series, five independently bottled single malts, to signal its intended style. The first appeared in 2017 and the last in 2020. The first Raasay single malt was released in September 2020 as a run of 7,500 bottles, matured in Tennessee whisky casks and finished in Bordeaux wine casks. The gin was launched in July 2019.
Who owns Raasay distillery?
R&B Distillers.
How Raasay whisky is made
Stills: copper pot stills
Capacity: about 200,000 litres of pure alcohol a year (Wikipedia)
Water: from a Celtic Iron Age well with high mineral content from the island's volcanic and sandstone rock
Spirit: peated and unpeated spirit, matured separately, according to the official site
Casks: ex-American rye, virgin Chinkapin oak and ex-Bordeaux red wine, the official site's six cask recipe
Bottling: natural colour and non-chill filtered, per the official site
Raasay range
The Draam is the signature single malt, lightly peated, created by co-founder and Master Distiller Alasdair Day and bottled at 46.4% ABV, according to the official site. The site also advertises a limited release called The Full Monti, made from unpeated spirit with three years in ex-Amontillado sherry hogsheads and bottled at 100 Proof UK (57.1% ABV). Isle of Raasay Gin uses ten botanicals, including rhubarb root, and the same historic onsite well water. The official site shows a series of award badges, including Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year (2022) and London Spirits Competition Distillery of the Year (2024).
Visiting and staying
The official site lists distillery tours open seven days a week from March to October 2026, with advance booking recommended, plus a shop and bar and a restaurant that is closed Tuesday and Wednesday in summer. It says it is the only distillery in Scotland where visitors can stay in the same building as a working distillery, with rooms in the distillery and five hillside cabins called Na Bothain. Wikipedia reports that the distillery ranked third in a 2023 Cask Connoisseur ranking of popular distilleries. Check current tour times and prices before travelling.
Official website
https://raasaydistillery.com/
Sources
Cover image: Wikimedia Commons.
What makes Isle of Raasay distinctive?
Island single malt with peated and sherry-led styles
Isle of Raasay whisky bottle and expression comparison
Bottle / expression | Age | ABV | Documented producer expression |
|---|---|---|---|
Isle of Raasay The Draam | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Isle of Raasay Cask Strength | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Isle of Raasay The Full Monti | Check label | Check label | Documented expression; batch and availability vary |
Producer and release sources document these expressions. Historical bottles may be out of production or unavailable. Bottled sourced or blended whiskey is not always entirely distilled at this site.
This compares documented expressions, not live shop stock. Strength, age, casks and availability can vary by release; check the producer's bottle information.
More distilleries to explore
Frequently asked questions about Isle of Raasay
Where is Raasay distillery?
On the Isle of Raasay in the Inner Hebrides.
When did it open?
September 2017.
Who owns it?
R&B Distillers.
Where does the water come from?
A Celtic Iron Age well.
Can I stay at the distillery?
Yes. The official site offers rooms in the distillery building and cabins called Na Bothain.
Sources and editorial checks
Original historical research and source notes are preserved in this guide. Producer details, distillery access and releases may change.
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Whisky producer and release source: https://raasaydistillery.com/raasay-whisky/single-malt/
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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