A DAY ON RAASAY
Destinations: SKYE, RAASAY
Length of trip: 1 Day
Distilleries: ISLE OF RAASAY DISTILLERY
The Isle of Raasay is a hidden gem for visitors to Skye. Isle of Raasay Distillery offers a fantastic Whisky, Gin and Chocolate Tour and Tasting. After your tasting, you can walk about the local area visiting crafts, historic sites and having a meal at Raasay House before exploring the rest of the island.
A DAY ON RAASAY
Destinations: SKYE, RAASAY
Length of trip: 1 Day
Distilleries: ISLE OF RAASAY DISTILLERY
The Isle of Raasay is a hidden gem for visitors to Skye. Isle of Raasay Distillery offers a fantastic Whisky, Gin and Chocolate Tour and Tasting. After your tasting, you can walk about the local area visiting crafts, historic sites and having a meal at Raasay House before exploring the rest of the island.
Morning
The Isle of Raasay is known for its breath-taking natural beauty, exaggerated landscapes, impressive geology, and an incredibly diverse ecosystem. To truly soak up the Raasay-vibes, consider driving out to Brochel Castle and Calum’s Road.
From the pier one can drive or cycle out the single track road through the island, with stunning views across the Sound of Raasay to Skye. The road then veers off across the island to the eastern side, leading to the impressive remains of Brochel Castle. The seat of the MacLeods of Raasay up until it was destroyed by the Hanoverians in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. During his escape, Bonnie Prince Charlie spent two nights on Raasay, and for this the castle was destroyed. There is ample parking with footpaths that lead around the base of the castle and down to the shore, although the castle itself is now fenced off due to its state of disrepair.
Lying just beyond the castle is Calum’s Road. Since 1970, Calum’s Road has connected Arnish to the rest of the island. Calum’s Road embodies the character of Raasay. The road was built by Calum MacLeod with no more than a pick, a shovel and a wheelbarrow so that his daughter could visit home more easily whilst studying in Skye. Calum’s Road was completed over the course of a decade and its impressive scale still remains today.
Stormy Views from Distillery Still House
Afternoon
Rooted in centuries of illicit distilling, Raasay provides the ingredients for the perfect dram. Every drop of spirit is distilled, matured and bottled on the island using water from the Raasay Distillery well, maximising the influence of the island on the spirit, and the distillery on the island.
Experience first hand the fusion of tradition and contemporary thinking at the Isle of Raasay’s first legal distillery, on one of our immersive distillery tours. From the curious to the connoisseur – there is something for everyone on our distillery, warehouse, and mouth-watering chocolate tours. As you pass the all-important copper pot stills, you will catch sight of the #BestDistilleryView looking across to the Isle of Skye’s spectacular Cuillin mountains.
Dining at the Isle of Raasay Distillery restaurant
Accommodation and Dining:
Look no further – The Isle of Raasay Distillery has you covered! Raasay Distillery is also the only distillery in Scotland where you can stay overnight in the distillery. Offering a restaurant and bar, be sure to make reservations. If there’s no availability, nearby Raasay House Hotel offers food and accommodation.
Transportation:
The Isle of Raasay is a hidden gem for visitors to Skye. From the Sconser pier, it’s just a 25 minute ride across the waves to a sparsely populated world of its own. The CalMac ferry from Sconser is a turn up and go ferry with no advance booking.
Helpful tips:
When travelling with a car, the ferry from Sconser can get busy during the summer and is on a first come first serve basis, please allow plenty of time for your tour.
The distillery is within walking distance of the ferry