Isle of Harris
Pair Isle of Harris with a round
Founded as a social enterprise to bring jobs to the Outer Hebrides, initially famous for its Isle of Harris Gin (with the distinctive sugar kelp botanical) while its Hearach single malt matured. The inaugural whisky release landed in 2023 — lightly peated, coastal, and very Hebridean.
Isle of Harris Distillery was founded as a social enterprise to bring jobs to the Outer Hebrides, and first became famous for its Isle of Harris Gin (the sugar kelp botanical is unique and extraordinary). The whisky (The Hearach, first released 2023) has been long anticipated and the initial releases show genuine quality: complex, maritime, and distinctive. The building in Tarbert is striking and the visitor experience is outstanding.
Visiting Isle of Harris
Tarbert, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides
HS3 3DJ
- Shop
- Café/Restaurant
- Parking
Tour options
30 min
Experience
30 min
Experience
75 min
Gin + whisky experience
Core range
The Hearach
46% ABV · Bourbon + oloroso sherry + STR red wine + Fino sherry; lightly peated
First whisky from Harris — released 2023 after 8 years' maturation. Layered four-cask vatting gives more complexity than most first releases.
- Nose:
- Soft peat, dried fruit, oak, salt spray.
- Palate:
- Complex — light peat, sherry, oak, faint citrus, mineral.
- Finish:
- Long, drying, gently smoky.
Isle of Harris Single Malt
46% ABV · Ex-Heaven Hill + Buffalo Trace bourbon casks and ex-Oloroso sherry casks; lightly peated
The distillery's new signature dram, launched July 2026 (on-island 14 July, online 22 July) at £50 RRP alongside The Hearach — a deliberately more approachable entry point to the Harris malts. Specs and price from the distillery's own launch announcement (10 Jul 2026, owner-supplied 2026-08-08) and product listing confirmed in the distillery site's own whisky range the same day; tasting notes are the distillery's stated profile, not an independent tasting.
- Nose:
- Butterscotch, floral sweetness.
- Palate:
- Lightly peated, butterscotch, gentle spice.
- Finish:
- Smooth, gently spiced.
Food pairings
| Whisky | Food | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The Hearach | Harris smoked salmon or Harris seafood | The Hebridean maritime character suits island produce perfectly. |
Getting there
CalMac ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway (Lewis, 2.5 hr) or Uig (Skye) to Tarbert Harris (1.5 hr). Tarbert is the main village on Harris.
Where to eat nearby
- The AnchorageRestaurant
Tarbert harbour — good seafood.
- Isle of Harris Distillery caféCafé
On-site café with Harris produce.
Where to stay near Isle of Harris
Isle of Harris Distillery is in Tarbert, Harris — the main settlement on this stretch of the Outer Hebrides. The Harris Hotel in Tarbert is the traditional stay; there are also Airbnb and self-catering options across the island. The Luskentyre beach (10 miles south) is one of Scotland's finest. Getting here requires CalMac from Ullapool (2h 45m to Stornoway, then 60 miles south) or from Uig on Skye (1h 45m to Tarbert).
Tarbert — main accommodation option.
Various cottages across Harris.
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Isle of Harris.
Booking links are affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Location
Tarbert, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, HS3 3DJ
View on map →Frequently asked questions
+How much is a Isle of Harris Distillery tour?
Tours at Isle of Harris start from £35. Book ahead through the distillery's own site — price checked against the distillery on 2026-08-17.
+What is the sugar kelp botanical in the gin?
Isle of Harris Gin uses sugar kelp (seaweed) harvested from the waters around Harris as a key botanical, creating a distinctive salty, oceanic quality unlike any other gin.
+What is The Hearach?
The whisky from Isle of Harris Distillery, named for a person from Harris in Gaelic. First released in 2023 after years of anticipation.
+Where is Isle of Harris distillery?
Isle of Harris is in the Islands. Postcode HS3.
+When was Isle of Harris distillery founded?
Isle of Harris was founded in 2015, making it roughly 11 years old.
Compare with similar distilleries
Most similar in social enterprise ethos to GlenWyvis (community owned). Spirit style closest to a maritime, coastal unpeated Hebridean.
Free: The Scottish Whisky Tasting Guide
How to nose, taste and find your dram — the five official regions explained, no snobbery. Sent straight to your inbox.
Free. No spam — unsubscribe from any email. You'll join the TasteSCOT list.
Related articles
8 min read
The Famous Grouse: An Honest Guide to Scotland's Favourite Blend
The Famous Grouse has been Scotland's best-selling whisky for decades. What's actually in it, how the range breaks down, and whether the bird deserves the shelf space.
7 min read
Whisky Glasses: What Actually Matters, and What's a Gimmick
Glencairn, tumbler, copita or highball — which whisky glass actually changes the dram, which is just habit, and which accessories are marketing. The honest guide.
10 min read
Coffee for Whisky Drinkers: One Palate, Two Scottish Crafts
If you can taste whisky, you can taste coffee — the same palate, the same vocabulary, and a surprising amount of shared Scottish geography. How to cross over without starting from scratch.