The Hearach Is Coming

THE HEARACH IS THE FIRST, HISTORIC SINGLE MALT WHISKY FROM THE ISLE OF HARRIS, A SMALL ISLAND SAT OFF THE FAR-NORTHWEST COAST OF SCOTLAND.

IT IS THE RESULT OF A CONSIDERED CONVERSATION BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PLACE, COMING TOGETHER TO CREATE A SPIRIT OF COMPLEXITY AND CHARACTER.

THE WORK OF OUR ISLAND'S MEN AND WOMEN INTERTWINES WITH THE NATURAL WORLD TO WEAVE TOGETHER AN OUTER HEBRIDEAN WHISKY OF DISTINCTION.

EVERY DROP OF THIS NEW DRAM IS BEING DISTILLED BY LOCAL PEOPLE TO PRODUCE A SPECIAL SPIRIT WHICH HAS BEEN MATURED, MARRIED, AND BOTTLED HERE IN THIS ELEMENTAL PLACE, AND NOWHERE ELSE.

THE HEARACH IS BOTTLED AT 46% ABV, NON-CHILL FILTERED, AND FREE FROM ARTIFICIAL COLOURING.

OUR RECIPE USES SPIRIT MATURED IN EX-BOURBON CASKS, OLOROSO AND FINO BUTTS.

THE CLOSE-KNIT HARRIS COMMUNITY IS DEEPLY ROOTED WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE.

A CULTURE OF GAELIC LANGUAGE, STORYTELLING, AND SONG HAS LONG BOUND GENERATIONS OF HEARAICH NOT ONLY TO EACH OTHER BUT ALSO TO THEIR HOME VILLAGES, FAMILY CROFTS, MOUNTAIN, MOORS, AND MACHAIR.

THIS SPECIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PLACE CONTINUES TO THIS DAY AND SO WE’RE PROUD TO PUT OUR ISLAND’S NAME ON EACH NEW BOTTLE, WITH EVERY DROP OF THE HEARACH MADE WITH HARRIS HANDS.

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH THIS ELEMENTAL ISLE AND ITS INHABITANTS THROUGH OUR WHISKY, QUIET CONTEMPLATION, AND A SLOWER SENSE OF CEREMONY.

JUST AS IN LIFE, THE TRUE NATURE OF THE HEARACH AND OUR OUTER HEBRIDEAN HOME WILL REVEAL ITSELF OVER TIME, ALLOWING YOU TO, FROM TIME TO TIME, BE HERE.

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BE HERE FOR THE FIRST DRAM

“OUR MISSION FOR THE HEARACH WAS TO CREATE A DRAM OF BALANCED COMPLEXITY AND CHARACTER, ONE WHICH WOULD REFLECT THE PEOPLE AND THE PLACE. WE HARNESS THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE HARRIS ELEMENTS TO THIS END, WITH THE HUMAN TOUCH OF OUR LOCAL DISTILLERS PROVIDING THE FINAL DEFINING PART.”
Dr. Gordon Steele

GNEISS

THE RIVERS AND STREAMS OF NORTH HARRIS FLOW OVER LEWISIAN GNEISS, SOME OF THE OLDEST ROCKS ON EARTH, DATED BY RADIOMETRIC TECHNIQUES AT BETWEEN 2.4 BILLION AND 2.6 BILLION YEARS OLD. ITS HARDNESS HELPS ENSURE THE EXTREMELY LOW MINERALITY OF OUR SOURCE WATER.

WATER

WE BELIEVE OUR WATER SOURCED FROM ABHAINN CNOC A’ CHARRAIN IS THE SOFTEST OF ANY SCOTTISH DISTILLERY. THERE IS VERY LITTLE CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, OR CARBONATE PRESENT. ONLY VERY LOW SODIUM AND CHLORINE MINERALS ARE MEASURED, LIKELY DERIVED FROM THE SEA SPRAY THAT BLOWS OVER OUR VILLAGE ISTHMUS.

CLIMATE

DESPITE OUR NORTHERLY LATITUDE, OUR ISLAND’S OCEANIC CLIMATE BENEFITS FROM THE CURRENTS OF THE GULF STREAM WHICH TRANSFERS EQUATORIAL WARMTH TO OUR SURROUNDING SEAS. THIS SYSTEM ALSO BRINGS PLENTY OF WET WEATHER WITH IT BUT IN RETURN OUR SEASONAL TEMPERATURES REMAIN REMARKABLY STABLE.

OAK

WE TAKE OUR CHOICE OF WOOD SERIOUSLY AND HAVE INVESTED EVERY EFFORT IN SOURCING THE BEST CASKS WE CAN FOR MATURATION. WE HAVE SPENT TIME IN KENTUCKY TO SELECT OUR THREE PARTNER BOURBON DISTILLERIES, AND TRAVELLED TO SOUTHERN SPAIN TO FIND OUR OLOROSO AND FINO SHERRY BUTTS.

COPPER

OUR WHISKY STILLS WERE MADE FOR US BY THE COPPERSMITHS OF STILL-MAKERS FRILLI IN SIENA, ITALY. RENOWNED SINCE 1912 FOR THEIR SKILLS IN MAKING GRAPPA DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT, WE COMMISSIONED A 7,000L WASH STILL AND A 5,000L SPIRIT STILL NAMED EVA, TO AN EXACTING SPECIFICATION.

PEAT

THESE DARK, FRAGRANT FÀDAN OF DECOMPOSED ORGANIC PLANT MATTER HAVE A LONG CULTURAL HISTORY HERE IN THE OUTER HEBRIDES. WE STILL CUT LOCAL PEATS FOR OUR DISTILLERY FIRE AND HAVE USED THEM TO MALT OUR SCOTTISH BARLEY FOR FUTURE SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS OF THE HEARACH.

THE FINAL, HARD TO DEFINE, ELEMENT OF OUR WHISKY MAKING IS OUR NATURAL WAY OF WORKING WHICH BRINGS PATIENCE TO WHAT WE DO, FROM FERMENTATION TO MARRYING AND MATURATION. OURS IS A SLOW WHISKY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING IT AT A DIFFERENT PACE.