The Isle of Raasay Distillery, perched on the rugged Inner Hebrides island it calls home, has introduced a new expression that unites two distinctive island terroirs — Scotland’s Raasay and Sicily. The Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Limited Release is matured exclusively in Marsala Vergine casks sourced from historic Sicilian winery Frazzitta, a producer whose bone-dry fortified wines have been aging in traditional oxidative environments for generations.
Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask
Distilled, matured, and bottled entirely on Raasay, the whisky combines peated and unpeated barley to create a lightly peated profile. For this release, the spirit was laid to rest only in Marsala Vergine casks — a rarity in the whisky world.
Rare Casks, Distinctive Flavor
Master distiller Alasdair Day described the barrels as “particularly rare in the whisky industry,” noting that Frazzitta’s casks had been seasoned with Marsala for up to 30 years. “This adds beautiful layers of dried fruit, toasted nuts, and an oxidative depth,” Day said.
The result, according to Day, is a whisky with baked apples and maple syrup on the palate, balanced by dried pear, apricots, and a balsamic sweetness. The finish is long and smoky, with subtle echoes of roasted coffee — “elegant and assertive all at once,” as he put it.
Marsala Vergine Influence
Marsala Vergine, one of Sicily’s driest and most complex fortified wines, is known for its nutty, oxidative character and absence of added sweeteners. Its influence on the Raasay spirit brings richness and complexity without overpowering the whisky’s coastal DNA.
The whisky is bottled at 50.7% ABV and offered at an RRP of £75. Initial availability will be through UK independent retailers, with plans to expand to key global markets including Germany, France, and the US.
A Meeting of Two Islands
This release continues Isle of Raasay’s reputation for experimenting with distinctive cask finishes that reflect a sense of place. “It’s the embodiment of two islands — Raasay and Sicily — brought together through the craft of whisky making,” the distillery noted.
For collectors and flavor hunters alike, the Marsala Cask Limited Release offers a chance to experience an uncommon maturation that fuses maritime peat, Highland barley sweetness, and Mediterranean wine complexity into one balanced dram.
For more information, head over to the official website.
