Isle of Harris Distillery

The distillery is set within a beautiful building in a nicely set location close to the Skye ferry. We arrived near closing when the staff were trying their best to serve everyone left in the shop. Yet they took the time to offer a sample and I also was able to buy a dram at the bar and enjoy it by their lovely welcoming peat fire. In the shop they sell their whisky releases and their wonderful gin as well as the sugar kelp that makes their gin taste uniquely delicious. Tours are available but we arrived too late. Hospitality was generous despite the hour, and the elderly members of our party were welcomed to sit inside while we fetched the car. The sample was served without water and to me the spirit still seemed pretty young and a touch too hot. I think the bar staff served the dram with tap water rather than spring water but maybe the local water is just that good. Whatever, the water did the trick, unlocking clean malty grain flavours in their bourbon cask offering. The whisky's finish is long and warming, like the sound of a bell that resonates long after it strikes the hour. (It is still ringing in my memory.) I didn't buy a bottle only because I found out that it was available at my local spirits shop. According to what I've read, this distillery has done everything right - serving the community, adhering to natural processes and flavours, building their whisky business on their gin business, and sticking to a strategy without gimmicks. It is difficult to judge the price, which is higher than Ledaig 10, and might strike some as unreasonable, but I think this unique whisky will compete very well once it reaches its first decade, if not before. When I returned home I found a delicious gift someone got for me: the Isle of Harris' first sherried whisky. This and the Cotswolds are now among my favourites of the "newer" distilleries along with Arndamurchan and Wolfburn. Among these, the Isle of Harris distillery stands apart in its laser focus on a smaller set of varieties rather than producing various special releases in a multitude of different casks. I appreciate this old school approach.

Had a lovely time at the Isle of Harris Distillery. The only had the gin on offer when I was here, but the gin bottle is possibly the most handsome bottle of gin I have ever seen (and I've seen many). The gin inside it is lovely as well. When I got back to the NYC I found the one liquor store in the city that carries it. More recently I saw their first Scotch release and had a pick up a bottle. Pricy for the age, but very tasty.

Had an excellent time here doing the Haerach tour. Our guide Mary was a wealth of information. I can highly recommend the tour, even if you have done a few already. The stills are something you will not see in other distilleries, and this is the only distillery using an abacus :) There's plenty of parking available, and you can get drivers drams should you be the unfortunate driver doing a distillery tour. As far as I can tell the tour is accessible. There is a lift , and the tour takes place on even floors, unlike in older distilleries where you'd walk up and down stairs.

We enjoyed the stories and history behind the distillery on the whisky tour. Not big whisky drinkers but really liked to try both whiskies for the first time.

Thoroughly enjoyed our gin tour. Mary was a fabulous guide and provided all kinds of interesting information about how the gin is made and the impact of the distillery on the local economy. We had not had Harris gin before and were struck by how good it was (and how beautiful the bottle is!). Facility is absolutely lovely with a comfortable place to sit before a real fire. Highly recommend!!

A great tour of the distillery whilst staying in Tarbert. Lovely location by the Marina, beautiful interior and of course tasty drinks. Fantastic experience during my trip to the Outer Hebridies

Better known for its gin production in distinctive bottles you'll see all over the Highlands and Islands they also produce a really nice single malt whisky which is a relatively new product and my reason for visiting their well appointed visitors centre. Very friendly and cheerful staff

LOVED visiting the Isle of Harris distillery was so quaint, warm and friendly. They have a lovely coffee shop that serves the drinks distilled there. The real fire was a welcome site. They have amazing tours to see what they do there and explain the processes of distilling the gin and whisky.

On Harris? Stop by. Not on Harris then make a trip. Like gin? Harris is great with a great story. Don't like gin? Give it a try. I'm a whiskey drinker, but I found a standby. This place is great with a great story. If you are on harris come by and check it out. Thanks Sam for the heads up. We stopped by during our trip to Lewis and Harris and it was exceptional. A great little shop. Check on their tours, they are limited.

When you first walk into this distillery, your breath catches in your throat because it is quite lovely. It's such a beautiful space, and the way they have the light coming in is just divine. There is a small little cafe off to the right. That my husband and I did not try and a little seating area just outside of that. You can see beautiful artwork along the wall as well as a book that you're welcome to flip through. That has all things scotland and gin. You can get the history without taking the tour and there was a really nice fella that gave us samples while he told us all about them and what was in the gin. We ended up leaving with gin and glasses, but not before we stopped in ay least 2 more times to visit the space. It really is lovely...

Excellent gin and outstanding client service. Wife and I popped in from the ferry and we're greeted warmly. Staff also went through how their gin is different and provided a tasting. Delightful! Recommend trying a few drops of concentrated sugar kelp. Wow!

Compared to the Isle of Lewis, the Isle of Harris feels a little more remote. Certainly no place felt more civilized than the Isle of Harris Distillery, about which we learned much from our enthusiastic young tour guide. The best part was the tasting, of course. When we bought our gifts and future consumables, I was struck by the display of perfect ruby-red grapefruits. The one we purchased was as delicious with the gin as we'd been told it would be. Thanks, IoHD.

Did not do the tour (it was full) but sampled the gin, bought 2 bottles, and had a scone and flat white in the cafe. What a beautiful , truly "social distillery!" The fiat white was delicious, the service exceedingly friendly, and the scone with clotted cream and jam was absolute perfection! The scone was warm and crumbly goodness. This is a lovely distillery and will be on my "must do" list every time I'm in Harris. Make sure you stop by the cafe.

Had a great experience from start to finish. Firstly - I was able to book the tour by one single message through social media, Shona was great help. Our tour guide was a local lady called MM, and she was excellent. I was born on the Isle of Lewis and knew a little about Harris but she told us a lot about the island and the community. The tour was informative and the distillery was beautiful and modern with a big emphasis on incorporating as much of the islands character as possible. Although like most distillery's, they don't have a big history behind them, they are definitely making it now. Everything from the building design, bottle design, to the flavours in the spirit, are unique to the Isle of Harris. I'm not a big gin fan, but my wife tells me that theirs is one of the best, and I hope their single malt is as good when it's released.

Bought & had delivered for Father's Day. Very good service, must admit ordered at the beginning of June, received within a couple of days. I believe it did not last till Father's day!