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Isle of Raasay Crowned “World’s Best Scotch Whisky” at Global Spirits Awards
Scoring an incredible 99 out of 100 – one of the highest in the competition’s history – the island distillery’s Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky walked away with a coveted Platinum Medal.
Founded in 2017 as the first legal distillery on the Hebridean isle, Isle of Raasay has quickly gained a devoted following among whisky lovers. Known for its lightly peated house style and innovative cask combinations, the distillery has built a reputation for quality and creativity well beyond its size.
This award-winning release is the Cask Strength edition of Raasay’s flagship single malt, crafted using the distillery’s distinctive six-cask recipe known as Na Sia (“the Six” in Gaelic). Both peated and unpeated spirit are matured separately in a trio of cask types – Rye Whiskey, Virgin Chinkapin Oak, and Bordeaux Red Wine – before being expertly married together.
The result is a lightly peated whisky that delivers a powerful, complex profile, brimming with rich dark fruit, spice, smoke, and sweetness. Bottled at natural cask strength, this limited-edition dram is the Isle of Raasay at its most expressive.
On the nose, there are candied fruits, wood smoke, apricots, and glacé cherries, while the palate offers oily layers of sweet spice, cinnamon, black pepper, heather, honey, and black cherry. The finish is long, dry, and intricate, weaving together faint smoke, dried fruit, and a delicate touch of sea salt – a true reflection of the island’s rugged maritime character.
Co-founder and Master Distiller Alasdair Day shared his delight:
“This whisky represents the Isle of Raasay at its purest, vatted straight from the cask to capture the full complexity and depth of our six-cask maturation process. We’re thrilled that it’s been recognised on the world stage in Las Vegas.”
He added:
“We chose to submit Cask Strength because it’s our signature single malt, The Dùraam, dialled up to eleven. To see it named among the world’s best is a huge honour for our island distillery and the dedicated team behind it.”
As Eddie Rivkin, CEO and founder of the LVGSA, noted:
“Each winner tells a story – of place, patience, and passion – capturing the soul of Scotland in every sip. These extraordinary expressions remind us why Scotch remains one of the most revered spirits in the world.”
With this remarkable achievement, the Isle of Raasay Distillery continues to prove that even a small island can make waves across the global whisky stage – one exceptional dram at a time.
Follow the links below to find out about the Isle of Raasay Distillery:
Isle of Raasay Distillery: The Island Way of Life
Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Limited Edition
