Isle of Raasay Distillery Debuts Its First Ever Marsala Cask Single Malt

21 Aug

Leading new wave distillery, Isle of Raasay is proud to announce the launch of their first ever Marsala Cask Single Malt whisky

This new whisky from the Hebridian distiller is matured exclusively in rare Marsala Vergine casks sourced from the historic Frazzitta winery in Sicily. Bottled at 50.7% ABV and limited to just 12,300 bottles worldwide, this limited release also introduces a new look packaging, adding distinctiveness and clear identity to the distillery’s growing portfolio.

Offering a unique meeting of two coastal terroirs: Sicily and Raasay. What sets this release apart is not just the cask type, but the provenance and pedigree of the wood itself. The casks used are Marsala Vergine DOC barrels from Frazzitta, one of Sicily’s oldest Marsala producers, known for aging their wines for decades in traditional oxidative environments. Marsala Vergine wines are known for their nutty, dry, and deeply oxidative profile, much like a dry sherry.

Master Distiller Alasdair Day explains, “Marsala Vergine casks, particularly from a historic producer like Frazzitta, are rare in the whisky industry, and the cask characteristics have brought an exceptional depth of flavour to our Raasay spirit. The casks we’ve used to mature our whisky have been seasoned with the bone dry Marsala wine for up to 30 years. This adds beautiful layers of dried fruit, toasted nuts, and an oxidative depth. The result is a whisky that is rich and complex, with baked apples and maple syrup on the palate, balanced with dried pear, apricots, and a balsamic sweetness that all lingers into a long smoky finish with echoes of roasted coffee. It’s one of the most distinctive cask maturations we’ve ever released, elegant and assertive all at once.”

The Marsala Cask Limited Release also features a new addition to the distillery’s packaging portfolio. The colour scheme is inspired by the island’s geology where the cool slate grey tones are reflective of the rugged volcanic landscape of Raasay, as well as the indentations of fossils which can be found on the bottle itself.

“This new look is about giving our range a clearer identity,” says William Dobbie, Managing Director of the distillery. “We’ve rapidly grown in the last few years and have released many truly exceptional whiskies, this new packaging will help differentiate our limited releases from our core range whilst still telling the story of where we come from and what makes our whisky so unique.”

As with all releases from Raasay, the whisky was distilled and matured entirely on the island. The distillery’s spirit and distinctive lightly peated character is achieved by the combination of using peated and unpeated barley in the distillation process and maturing separately before being married together.

The Marsala Cask Limited Release offers whisky lovers an experience of Sicilian and Scottish heritage in a single dram. It will be available at independent retailers across the UK and to buy on their website from Thursday 7th August with shipments heading to key global markets including the UK, Germany, France and the US.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Grape must, violet, nutty oxidative tones, light sharpness.

Palate: Stewed apples, maple syrup, dried pear, ginger, balsamic sweetness.

Finish: Long and gently smoky, with echoes of smoked toffee and dried apricots.

About R& B Distillers

Co-founders Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day met in 2013 and founded R&B Distillers with a shared vision of building Scotland’s leading new wave spirits and drinks business. In 2015, they had identified the Isle of Raasay as providing the ingredients for the perfect spirit, and planning permission was granted to transform the island’s historic 19th century Borodale House into a state-of-the-art distillery, visitor centre, and luxury accommodation.

Their goal was to create exceptional whisky that develops elegance, complexity, and depth early on in the maturation process, and a handcrafted Hebridean gin that encapsulates Raasay’s style, character and impressive geological variety. Since its establishment, the Isle of Raasay Distillery has brought job opportunities, supported local businesses, and become embedded in the island’s tight-knit community.

Part of the distillery’s ethos is to produce, mature, bottle, and market every drop of spirit directly from the island, maximising the influence of the island on the spirit, and the distillery on the island. The distillery now employs more than 25 people, with an average age of 30, an early indicator of creating inter-generational values and making sure this special island of 161 people continues to thrive.