Isle of Harris Distillery

One of our most favorite places on earth has to be the Isle of Harris Distillery. Simply because they make the best spirit I have ever tasted. At the time, I was not the biggest fan of gin, but Harris gin is not like most gin. It is so unique and just delicious.

The Harris Distillery is in the town of Tarbert on the Isle of Harris. They are in the process of creating the first official whisky on the Isle of Harris in over 170 years. Their whisky is currently aging in rows of casks and they don’t have an end date for when the whisky will be ready for the world.

While they patiently wait for the whisky to age to perfection, they make delicious gin. Unlike whisky, which takes years and years of aging, it only takes about 3 days to make & bottle gin.

If you tour the distillery, you’ll get to see their whisky making process along with the gin making process. It was really interesting to see the differences in the processes between the two spirits all in one place. Their tour felt so unique, interactive, and artistic.

You can really feel the heart & soul of the islands within the walls of the distillery.

Every design choice exuded a piece of the land & sea surrounding you. The entire building is a work of art - and so is their gin. Ohhh, the gin.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about a gin tasting. I had visions of pine tree perfume flavor because that’s what gin has always tasted like to me. I was shocked at how smooth, delicious, light & flavorful their gin was. It was unlike any gin I’ve ever had. That harsh pine flavor was no where to be found and instead it was a wonderful & complex blend of citrus, sweetness & spice.

They use nine ingredients to create this masterpiece spirit - the most unique of them being sugar kelp seaweed that is sustainably harvested locally by their seaweed expert and diver.

The care and intention in every detail makes this gin truly unique and, still to this day, the best gin I’ve ever had.

At the end of the tour they have bottles of gin and glassware that matches their beautiful bottle. Like their gin, the bottle has so many intricate details that all speak to the islands. From the coordinates of the distillery in Tarbert, the colorful flecks of sugar kelp & copper on the label, the bright blue tones of the sea, and the imperfectly perfect lines around the bottle. It’s a work of art, just like the gin inside.

If you’re taking a tour, do not hesitate to pick up a bottle (or several) to take home.

Currently, they don’t export this gin outside of the UK. So get it while you’re there!

We cherish our bottle and only have a glass on special occasions. Once we run out, I guess we’ll need to make a trip back to the magical Isle of Harris.

Adventure Always.
Mary Kate

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