A Scottish island distillery has released its first whisky aged in rare Italian Marsala wine barrels, combining two distinct coastal regions in a single bottle.
Isle of Raasay Distillery has launched a limited edition single malt matured exclusively in Marsala Vergine casks from Sicily’s historic Frazzitta winery. The release, bottled at 50.7% ABV, is limited to 12,300 bottles worldwide and will retail for £75.
The whisky represents an unusual meeting of two coastal terroirs. The casks previously held Marsala Vergine DOC wine for up to 30 years at Frazzitta, one of Sicily’s oldest Marsala producers. Marsala Vergine wines develop nutty, dry, and oxidative characteristics similar to dry sherry through decades of traditional aging.
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Master Distiller Alasdair Day noted the rarity of such casks in whisky production. “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,” Day said.
According to the official tasting notes, the whisky displays grape must and nutty oxidative tones on the nose. The palate reveals stewed apples, maple syrup, dried pear and balsamic sweetness. The finish is described as long and gently smoky with echoes of smoked toffee and dried apricots.
The distillery creates its signature lightly peated character by using both peated and unpeated barley. These are distilled and matured separately before being combined. All production takes place entirely on the Isle of Raasay.
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New Packaging Design for Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Limited Release
The release also debuts new packaging for the distillery’s limited editions. The design features cool slate gray tones reflecting Raasay’s volcanic landscape, with fossil indentations embossed on the bottle itself.
Managing Director William Dobbie explained the significance of the packaging, saying: “This new look is about giving our range a clearer identity. 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.”
The whisky will be available from today (Thursday, August 7) through independent retailers in the UK and the distillery’s website. International shipments will reach markets including the USA, Germany, France, Australia, Japan and South Africa.
Isle of Raasay Distillery opened in 2017 in a converted 19th-century house. The facility now employs more than 25 people on the island, which has a total population of 161. The distillery produces, matures, bottles, and markets all its spirits directly from the island location.
