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| Region:Island | |
|---|---|
| Location | Tarbet, Isle of HarrisHS3 3DJ, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 57°53′51″N6°48′14″W / 57.8976°N 6.8040°W /57.8976; -6.8040 |
| Owner | Isle of Harris Distillers Ltd |
| Founded | 2015; 11 years ago (2015) |
| Architect | Roy Montgomery Architecture John R. Coleman Architects[1] |
| Water source | Abhainn Cnoc a’Charrainn |
| No. of stills | 2 7000 litre wash still 5000 litre spirit still |
| Capacity | 230,000 L |
| Website | harrisdistillery |
| Location | |
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Isle of Harris Distillery is aScotch whisky andGindistillery inTarbert on theIsle of Harris,Scotland.[2] The distillery was the first legal distillery ever built on Harris.[2][3][4]
Plans for the distillery began in 2011 with submission to the local councilComhairle nan Eilean Siar.[5] With the support of a £2.8 million combined grant from the Scottish Government and theHighlands and Islands Enterprise fund, designed by John R. Coleman Architects,[6] building commenced in spring 2014.[2] The total investment for the original project was £10 million, with the remaining funding coming from private sources.[7][8] The distillery opened in October 2015 and commenced production on 17 December 2015.[2][9]
In 2016,BBC Alba produced a TV documentary about the first working year of the distillery.[10] By 2017, the distillery had welcomed over 144,000 visitors, includingCharles, Prince of Wales, as well as receiving 17 awards for their products.[4][11][12]
In 2020, the distillery began sponsoring a virtualCèilidh.[13] In January 2021, the distillery submitted plans to the Council for expansion, including a new maturation warehouse.[14]
In July 2021, the distillery launched an eco-friendly initiative to refill bottles.[15][16]
In autumn 2023, the distillery released its first single malt whisky.[17]
The distillery stills were made inSiena,Italy by Frilli Impianti.[2] There is a visitor centre.[4]
As well as a single malt whisky calledThe Hearach, the Gaelic word for a resident of Harris, the distillery makes a gin using botanicals including localsugar kelp seaweed.[2][18][19] As of 2017, over two tonnes of seaweed had been collected for the gin production.[4] Other botanicals in the gin includeJuniper,Coriander, Angelica Root and Cassia Bark.[9] The gin is sold in a distinctive blue bottle[16] which won a Gold Award at the World Gin Awards in 2021.[9][20] The gin bottles are manufactured inYorkshire by the Stolzle Glass Group.[11]
