Production
R&B Distillers was founded in 2014 by Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day. [3] The company started its operations at the Isle of Raasay in September 2017 after receiving its distiller's license. [4] The water used during the distilling process in the production of whisky comes from a Celtic Iron Age well. [5] The water has a high mineral content derived from the island's volcanic and sandstone rock. [6]
The whisky is distilled in copper pot stills and is matured at the distillery on Raasay in a variety of oak casks. The distillery will produce approximately 200,000 litres of pure alcohol per year. [7] The distillery's flagship brand is Isle of Raasay Single Malt Scotch Whisky released since 2020. Since then, the distillery has also released a number of limited special and single cask whiskies. [8]
Location and visitor centre
The distillery is based on the site of a former disused hotel called Borodale House on the southwest of the island. [9] The Isle of Raasay Distillery also has a visitors’ centre that opened in January 2018. [10] It was awarded 5 stars by VisitScotland as a tourist attraction in June 2018. [11] [12] The distillery also features a six–bedroom hotel with views over the Isle of Skye. [13] In 2023, the distillery ranked third in a Cask Connoisseur ranking of the most popular whisky distilleries. [14]
In 2025, the distillery launched its visitor accommodation, incorporating five luxury cabins called Na Bothain, and six guest bedrooms inside the distillery itself. [15]
Products
The first bottlings to carry the Raasay name were the While We Wait expressions, a series of five independently bottled single malt whiskies that would indicate the future style of the distillery. [16] The first of these whiskies was released in 2017; the last in 2020. The final While We Wait release was subtitled Last Orders, in reference to the discontinuation of the brand. [17]
The first single malt to be distilled at Raasay distillery was released in September 2020, as a run of 7500 bottles. The whisky was matured in Tennessee whisky casks and finished in Bordeaux wine casks. [18] In 2025, a limited edition whisky was released in support of Skye Live Festival. [19]
In addition to whisky, the distillery also make Isle of Raasay gin. The gin uses ten botanicals, including rhubarb root and cubeb pepper. [20] It was launched in July 2019, pre-dating the first whisky release from the company. [21] The gin uses water from the distillery's historic onsite well, Tobar na Ba Bàine. [22]
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