This week we are very happy to introduce you to a new member of the Isle of Harris Distillery family.
As our former Scottish ambassador Emma undertakes exciting new opportunities with Scotland Food & Drink, we’re delighted to have found the perfect person to continue her work.
Please join us in welcoming 23-year-old marketing graduate Iona Cairns to her new role as she begins a new year of sharing our spirit and story with customers and gin lovers far from our island shores.
Originally from the Argyll town of Dunoon, Iona has Outer Hebridean connections through her grandmother who is from the Isle of Barra to our south, and her boyfriend also hails from South Uist. So, she’s no stranger to our island ways!
“I’ve been visiting Barra since I was a wee girl and can appreciate how vital an industry like this can be for a small island community. I’ve always admired what the distillery has set out to achieve and really wanted to be a part of it.”
This week we’ve made sure she feels a part of our work, inviting her to join us for an immersive week in the Isle of Harris meeting the distillery team and connecting with every aspect of our spirit-making and social distillery ethos.
It’s actually Iona’s first trip to our island home so we’re pleased to say that even in the darkest days and depths of January the elemental nature of Harris can still make a profound and positive impact on the new visitor…
“I had always heard about the beauty of the Isle of Harris but the scenery, the beaches are just so incredible even in the cold and windy winter weather. I’m really looking forward to seeing the island in the summer months too…”
Iona will soon be returning to the mainland of Scotland as she sets to work meeting our extended family of great bars and restaurants who stock Isle of Harris Gin, as well as our network of Click & Collect friends.
Although a qualified teacher of Highland dancing, we can’t guarantee she’ll be throwing too many traditional ceilidhs but please look out for her at all manner of gatherings and get-togethers, helping people to discover and sample the contents of our beautiful bottles.
We wish Iona every success as we begin another exciting year. There is much still to come as 2019 gets underway with this positive start, including a second ambassador for Scotland who we’ll also be meeting very soon…