Isle of Raasay Scottish Dry Gin | 46% ABV, 70 CL | Distilled On Scottish Isle of Raasay

Product Information

The Isle of Raasay is located off the east coast of Scotland. To get there, you can take a ferry from the village of Sconser on the Isle of Skye, operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, which takes around 25 minutes. From the village of Clachan (near the distillery) the road winds its way through mixed woodland and up a series of steep hills before finally plateauing at a barren expanse of moorland. Meanwhile, anyone who prefers getting active will have a great time kayaking around the island’s secluded bays or romping across the wild moorland that covers the majority of its centre, and that’s before they’ve hiked to the summit of the 440-metre Dun Caan or taken a boat trip out to nearby Rona. The Isle of Raasay Distillery welcomes visitors from around the globe with any level of whisky knowledge, from the curious to the connoisseur. Enjoy a guided whisky tasting tour through the distillery and into the tasting room, where you’ll be offered a complementary dram of Isle of Raasay Single Malt Scotch Whisky or Isle of Raasay Gin. The main reason for taking this detour wasn’t to see the ruin, but to whip out my binoculars (see my guide to recommended budget binoculars) and look for marine wildlife as this part of Raasay is renowned as a favourite spot for grey seals.

In fact, the landscape is so varied that Raasay has become something of a Mecca for geologists worldwide and it has been said that the island is one of the most geologically diverse on the planet. Raasay’s roads are in generally good condition (for a west coast island) but they’re as prone to the weather as anywhere else in Scotland, so expect lots of potholes. They’re also very narrow with few passing spaces – which is another reason to choose a mountain bike over a car during a visit.The distillery runs organized tours as well as tasting sessions, but my main intention was to reserve a bottle of their highly recommended gin and single malt whisky for later collection. The Isle of Raasay is one of those places that many tourists have heard of, but few will ever visit. The lower coastal road on the west side of the island is relatively flat and offers stunning views of Skye.

This grand hotel was built in the 1740s as the home of the MacLeod Chief of Raasay, but it’s now privately run as the island’s biggest attraction. The wee isle of Eilean Tigh is immediately to the north and the isle of Rona looks like an easy paddle in a kayak – although by all accounts the currents between the two islands are very strong.At just 24 square miles, Raasay is nowhere near as big as the Isle of Skye but it has a much smaller population and far fewer tourists, meaning you can explore it from top to bottom (14 miles) and side to side (5 miles) in almost guaranteed peace and quiet. Raasay Distillery Visit: Explore the Isle of Raasay’s first legal Scotch whisky distillery. Enjoy a guided tour and learn about the distillation process and the history of ‘the water of life’ on Raasay. It’s the perfect destination for whisky enthusiasts. Raasay House is a much bigger place than you’d expect to find on such a small island and it’s surprisingly luxurious, with a very nice dining room, friendly staff, and delicious food. Still, if you’re of reasonable fitness I guarantee you’ll enjoy the ride and the views across the water to Skye are nothing short of breathtaking.

In addition to the scenery, Raasay is a paradise for nature lovers – especially around the coastline – where it’s not uncommon to see golden and sea eagles, dolphins, otters, seals, and even the occasional basking shark and minke whale. Raasay is a good place for cycling – as long as you don’t mind lots of hills. The roads are narrow but in fairly good condition and there’s hardly any traffic on them, meaning you can set off and lose yourself in the scenery in total peace and quiet. For day-trippers, there are a handful of destinations to choose from, with the highlights being Raasay House, Raasay Distillery, and Calum’s Road, but in my opinion, the best way to enjoy the island is to just set off on foot – or two wheels – and bathe in the peaceful off-the-grid experience. From the ferry terminal it’s a 5-minute cycle ride to Raasay House which I’d decided would be an ideal place to grab breakfast while examining my OS Map #24 of Raasay (link to the OS Maps shop).

Isle of Raasay Gin

The majority of the houses on the island are located around Churchton Bay near the ferry terminal which is also the location of the community store.