ISLE OF HARRIS - The Hearach - Oloroso - 46%
The Isle of Harris Distillery is located on the Isle of Harris, in the heart of the famous Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Officially opened in September 2015, this distillery is the first commercial whisky production facility on the island, although its history began several years earlier. Initiated by the passionate musicologist and entrepreneur, Anderson Bakewell, owner of an estate on the neighboring island of Scarp, the project aimed to combat the progressive depopulation of Harris, an island to which he was deeply attached. His goal was to create an integrated local business that would stimulate the island's economy and offer sustainable and rewarding jobs to the inhabitants of Harris. Selecting a strategic location on the main road connecting the north and south of Tarbert, Bakewell's project benefited from the largest public grant ever awarded to a food and beverage company in Scotland. Many other private funds and international aids quickly supplemented this investment. At its opening, the Isle of Harris distillery employed 10 people; by 2023, this number had exceeded 50 skilled employees, a clear testament to its success and its driving role in the local economy.
The Hearach Oloroso Cask Matured is an iconic whisky made from rigorously selected Scottish barley, grown from recognized varieties: Concerto and Laureate. The production relies on two distinct fermentations: a long fermentation of 120 hours representing 60% of the production, and a shorter fermentation of 70 hours covering 40% of the volume. The unique aromatic richness of this single malt is explained by its exclusive maturation in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks, carefully chosen by the master cooper José Miguel Martín. These casks come from the Bollullos Par Del Condado region in Spain, renowned for its finest sherries. After careful maturation in the village of Ardhasaig, the different batches were expertly blended over 16 weeks, thus ensuring consistent quality and exceptional aromatic complexity at bottling.
Slightly Peated (12-15 ppm)
