Uploaded November 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In the oldest copy of the Malt Whisky Yearbook I own (2007 - somehow a 2006 copy will come through for me one day!) it lists just five Highland malt distilleries located on an island: Scapa, Highland Park, Talisker, Tobermory, Jura and Arran. Today, that's grown somewhat.
Despite us never seeing the realisation of projects such as Blackwood on Shetland (remember that?) we have seen the appearance of Lerwick Distillery on Shetland. We've also seen the Orkney distillery count double, as well as 'brand new' distilling islands such as Harris, Lewis, Benbecula & Raasay. It's hard for anyone to keep up.
But what's available? What's new? And - with the rise of these newer players - what's happening to the distillates and offerings coming from the legacy distilleries?
I can't fit everything in on a single vPub, so we'll revisit this again I'm sure, but there are one or two brand new developments to share as we consider if there is still such a thing as an Island character to these malts from the remotest of places.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Opening
3:04 - Brief intro to topic
5:08 - Welcoming in the lounge
17:35 - Introducing Jeff Whisky and the English Whisky Awards
38:07 - The rise of Island distilling once more
39:40 - Highland Park
1:01:39 - Scapa
1:20:22 - Isle of Harris
1:41:25 - Isle of Raasay
2:04:03 - Summary and part 2?
2:08:00 - Quiz at the End
In the oldest copy of the Malt Whisky Yearbook I own (2007 - somehow a 2006 copy will come through for me one day!) it lists just five Highland malt distilleries located on an island: Scapa, Highland Park, Talisker, Tobermory, Jura and Arran. Today, that's grown somewhat.
Despite us never seeing the realisation of projects such as Blackwood on Shetland (remember that?) we have seen the appearance of Lerwick Distillery on Shetland. We've also seen the Orkney distillery count double, as well as 'brand new' distilling islands such as Harris, Lewis, Benbecula & Raasay. It's hard for anyone to keep up.
But what's available? What's new? And - with the rise of these newer players - what's happening to the distillates and offerings coming from the legacy distilleries?
I can't fit everything in on a single vPub, so we'll revisit this again I'm sure, but there are one or two brand new developments to share as we consider if there is still such a thing as an Island character to these malts from the remotest of places.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Opening
3:04 - Brief intro to topic
5:08 - Welcoming in the lounge
17:35 - Introducing Jeff Whisky and the English Whisky Awards
38:07 - The rise of Island distilling once more
39:40 - Highland Park
1:01:39 - Scapa
1:20:22 - Isle of Harris
1:41:25 - Isle of Raasay
2:04:03 - Summary and part 2?
2:08:00 - Quiz at the End
