Isle of Raasay Distillery "Oak Species Maturation" Tasting Pack 4 x 50ml 50.7% 

Celebrate the launch of the brand new Oak Species Maturation Series Tasting Pack! Four small (50ml), but mighty whiskies, each characterised by the virgin oak casks they have been fully matured in. Hand selected by Raasay Co-founder & Master Distiller, Alasdair Day, and bottled at 50.7% ABV. This year explore how Raasay spirit develops when fully matured in the following virgin oak casks: Quercus humboldtii, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, and Quercus muehlenbergii.

This unique tasting set from the Isle of Raasay Distillery offers a fascinating glimpse into the crucial role of wood in whisky maturation. It features the same lightly peated single malt spirit, but each miniature is matured fully in virgin casks made from a different species of oak (Quercus). This intentional experiment showcases how the individual characteristics of each wood—its origin, density, and chemical composition—impart a distinctly different flavour profile, allowing the taster to directly compare the subtle to profound influence of the cask.

The Isle of Raasay Distillery was founded by Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day on the small Isle of Raasay, 15 miles north of Skye in the Inner Hebrides. Spirit production began in 2017, and since then Isle of Raasay has become one of the most highly regarded of the new Scottish distilleries. 

Rooted in centuries of illicit distilling, Raasay provides the ingredients for the perfect dram. Every drop of spirit for Raasay Whisky is distilled, matured and bottled on the island using water from the Raasay Distillery well, Tobar na Ba Bàine, ‘Well of the Pale Cow’. Mineral-rich Raasay water and long fermentations of up to 118 hours (5 days) develop sweet blackberry characteristics in our spirit before it even touches the oak of the cask. 

Quercus humboldtii Colombian Oak - Crème Brûlée & Heather Smoke (Creamy vanilla sweetness, almost like a burnt sugar crust, with fragrant smoke)

Quercus petraea Hungarian Oak - Savoury Spice & Wood Smoke (A refined, tighter-grained oak giving intense clove and dried herb notes alongside smoke)

Quercus robur French Oak - Warm Rich Fruit & Lingering Spice (Dark, ripe fruit notes balanced by a deep, warming spiciness and leather)

Quercus muehlenbergii Chinkapin Oak - Dark Fruits, Maple Syrup & Bacon (A profile of rich, sticky dark fruit and caramel with a surprising, earthy, smoky-savoury kick)

4 x 50ml bottle 

50.7% ABV