A drop of Skye: Exploring the unique whisky of Torabhaig Distillery
Only the second distillery on the Isle of Skye, Torabhaig is ready to make a splash with its Sound of Sleat whisky.
It may be the newest (and only the second ever) licensed single malt whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye, but Torabhaig is steeped in Scottish history.
Opening in 2017, it took the heart of a derelict 1760 farmstead, and built a traditionally-minded distillery with its foundations. But the history of the picturesque location runs older still — elements of the Torabhaig distillery house were built from the even earlier ruins of nearby Caisteal Chamuis, an Iron Age fort last held by Clan MacLeod as far back as 1402, and said to be haunted by ‘The Green Lady’.
But it’s a peninsula, not the paranormal, that’s brought Shortlist to the distillery. It’s among these ruins that Shortlist gets its first glimpse of the view over the Sleat peninsula. This Highland coastal bay acts as the inspiration for Torabhaig’s latest release, the salted, spiced maritime dram of the Torabhaig Legacy Series Ch.4: Sound of Sleat, retaining the gently peaty ‘Smoke with Taste’ character the distillery has quickly made a name for itself with.
“What we wanted to do was to use the Isle of Skye as the muse, the inspiration for the whisky,” says Torabhaig Global Brand Ambassador Bruce Perry of the distillery’s formative flavour plans.
“And so we had to define Skye for ourselves. Skye is very peaty. It's very wild, geologically and meteorologically crazy — but it doesn't matter how bad the weather gets, it's always beautiful. How do you capture the essence of that with whisky? So we went for very, very peaty barley, because that represented the peat and it also represented a little bit of the wildness, way more peaty than, for example, Laphroaig.
“But we did not want to make a searingly medicinal whiskey. We didn't want to make an iodine bomb. We didn't want to make a medicine chest, fireplace, a soot and fruit combination.
“We felt the beauty of the Isle of Skye deserved delicacy, elegance, finesse, nuance, subtlety. So that's what we went about making.”
Location, tradition, community
Training up and hiring a local team of first-time distillers into whisky masters now producing their own expressions, Torabhaig tries to keep all its processes as traditional as possible. Cuts are monitored by hand — there’s very little automation here — and traditional twin copper pot stills and douglas fir washbacks dominate what was once a cattle shed. Torabhaig also makes use of a natural water source flowing from a hill near the distillery to make its whisky — a key deciding factor in the distillery’s location.
“You think about every bottle of whisky, scotch whisky, in the world, and all of it is taken out of the ecosystem… and no one's noticed,” says Perry.
“It shows you how much water there is here. People come here, they complain about the weather, ‘Oh it's raining. It's raining!’ Don't worry about that. That's tomorrow's whisky!
“Here in Scotland, the water was really perfect already. So in the old days, going back 115 years, it wasn't going to clog up your copper stills. Buy a kettle in the south of England, and you hope it lasts five years. You buy a kettle here, it's a family heirloom.”
Now producing some 100,000 bottles of its delicate whisky each year, buying 4,500 casks annually, and employing 25 people plus seasonal staff, Torabhaig is ready to add a new chapter to the storied history of the Isle of Skye community — and is ready to join the veteran, elite distilleries that also call the Highlands home.
4 Torabhaig whiskies everyone needs to try
During our visit to the distillery, Shortlist had the pleasure of testing many of Torabhaig’s single malts and blends. If you’re planning a trip to the distillery — or simply just looking to stock up your drinks cabinet — here’s our four favourite drams that you can’t afford to miss, complete with Torabhaig’s own expert tasting notes.
Torabhaig Legacy Series Ch.4 : Sound of Sleat: 46% / £58
A complex and layered single malt worthy of the stormy seaway it takes its name from, the maritime influence, full of salinity, gunpowder smoke and honey, is clear.
Torabhaig tasting notes:
- NOSE: Notes of delicate orange lead followed by touches of apricot and popcorn lending sweetness to the maritime seaweed that echoes in the glass. Subtle pipe tobacco adds to the elegant smokiness and is rounded out by honey, vanilla and boiled sweets.
- PALATE: Light and zesty oak spice is joined by the rich and sweet bonfire smokiness that is so unmistakably Torabhaig spirit. Subtly waxy with hints of honey and vanilla balancing sea salt and seaweed that ebbs away to white pepper and sweet spice.
- FINISH: Like a sunset over the Sound of Sleat, this is lingering and elegant with notes of honey, storms and the ocean.
Torabhaig Legacy Series Ch.2 : Allt Gleann: 46% / £58
As strong with spice as it is with forward peaty and cereal notes, nuttiness and vanilla elements join the briny and smokey characteristics at Torabhaig’s core.
Torabhaig tasting notes:
- NOSE: Woody tobacco, crumbly vanilla shortbread, earthy peat smoke, lemon zest, smoked shellfish, heathery smoke, blossom honey, barley sugars, and salty sea air.
- PALATE: Bolder peat, coastal tar, oily texture, roasted, salted nuts, light fruit salad, heather, fennel, metallic pepper spice, oily citrus, hints of tropical fruit, vanilla biscuits, and a medicinal undertone.
- FINISH: Sweeter fruit notes, apples and kiwi, vanilla oak, peat smoke, sea breeze, briny harborside character, a touch floral, with orchard fruit, savoury peat smoke, and sea salt, notes of tobacco and a gentle peat influence.
Torabhaig Legacy Series Ch.3 : Cnoc Na Mòine: 46% / £58
Dominant spiciness, matured in Bourbon American Oak, Oloroso, and Pedro Ximenez casks, there’s a sherry-forward sweetness with a sprinkle of pepper and citrus.
Torabhaig tasting notes:
- NOSE: Gentle peat smoke underlines aromas of citrus zest, vibrant fruits, and a faint echo of smoldering ashes. There's a layer of vanilla sweetness, enriched by nuances of freshly cut oak.
- PALATE: On the palate, the smokiness evolves with a hint of grilled barbecue, paired with spicy black pepper, a subtle balsamic zest, added sweetness, and a whisper of spice. Hints of cedar and leather emerge, deepened by the sherry cask's contribution.
- FINISH: Sherry cask influences gracefully emerge, maintaining a balanced interplay with Torabhaig's signature peat and spice blend, highlighting its intricate and harmonious nature.
Caisteal Chamuis Blended Malt Scotch Whisky: 46% / £42
A “gateway to peated whisky”, as Bruce Perry describes it, the Caisteal Chamuis blend is a great introduction to the smokier end of the whisky scale. A touch of sherry, avoiding medicinal qualities, with vanilla and honey notes from its first fill bourbon cask.
Torabhaig tasting notes:
- NOSE: The nose opens with bold, smoky aromas typical of island malts, intertwined with subtle medicinal notes and a hint of brine. The influence of the double cask finish introduces layers of sweet vanilla and mellow oak spice, softening the initial peat intensity.
- PALATE: On the palate, the whisky is full-bodied and characterful, with pronounced smoky flavors complemented by sweet notes of vanilla and caramel. The additional maturation in first-fill bourbon barrels brings out a rich, creamy texture, with hints of fresh oak and a touch of spice.
- FINISH: The finish is long and warming, with the smoke lingering alongside a delicate balance of oak spice and sweetness, leaving a smooth, satisfying aftertaste that invites another sip.
Main Image credit: Torabhaig Distillery
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