Isle Of Raasay Marsala Cask Single Malt Scotch Whiskey 700ml

The Isle of Raasay Distillery was founded in 2017 by Alasdair Day and his company R&B Distillers, making it the first legal distillery on this small Hebridean island, which sits just off the eastern coast of Skye and is home to only about 161 people. The operation is based in a converted Victorian manor house that also houses a small hotel and visitor centre, and it prides itself on being entirely self-contained: every step from distilling to maturing to bottling happens on Raasay itself, using a mix of island grown barley and grain sourced from Campbeltown and Orkney.

This Marsala Cask release was distilled in July 2021 from Raasay's signature split-batch spirit, made by distilling peated and unpeated barley separately before marrying the two. The whisky was fully matured in ex Frazzitta Marsala Vergine barriques from Sicily, casks seasoned for decades in a traditional oxidative style and rarely used in whisky production. Bottled in July 2025 at 50.7% ABV, it carries its natural color and was left non-chill filtered, with the release limited to just over twelve thousand bottles worldwide.

The nose brings grape must and a gentle sharpness alongside delicate parma violet florals. On the palate, stewed apples, sweet pear, and warming ginger meet rich maple syrup and a touch of balsamic vinegar. The finish runs long, carrying a delicate wisp of smoke that lingers nicely alongside roasted pork belly.