Torabhaig Distillery, Skye: Maritime Peat on Sleat

Overview

Torabhaig is Skye’s second distillery — after the mighty Talisker — opened in 2017 in a beautifully-restored farmstead on the green Sleat peninsula in the island’s south. It makes a maritime, peated single malt, and set out from the start to be a “well-tempered” Skye peat, less fierce than Islay’s but full of coastal smoke.

The history

Torabhaig was created by Mossburn Distillers, who converted a derelict early-farmstead of around 1760 near Caisteal Chamuis (Knock Castle) into a distillery, opening in 2017; its first single malt followed in 2021. It was the realisation of a dream begun by the late Sir Iain Noble, the Gaelic revivalist who did so much to bring life back to Sleat.

The water & the land

Torabhaig’s water comes from two island burns, the Allt Breacach and the Allt Gleann, on the Sleat peninsula — the latter lending its name to one of the distillery’s bottlings. Peated malt and that soft Skye water make its coastal, smoky style.

Torabhaig sits in the heartland of Clan Donald / the MacDonalds of Sleat — “the Garden of Skye” that was the seat of Lord Macdonald’s estate. It stands close to the ruined Caisteal Chamuis (Knock Castle), documented as a MacDonald stronghold in 1632; the surrounding land was bought by Sir Iain Noble from the old Macdonald estate. Just up the road is Armadale, home of the Clan Donald Centre.

Visiting

Torabhaig runs tours — mainly at weekends — with a café open on weekdays; hours are limited and seasonal, so check the website and book ahead. It combines well with a visit to the Clan Donald Centre and Armadale Castle gardens nearby on Sleat.

Nearby & more whisky

• Skye’s original distillery: Talisker
• Just across the water: Isle of Raasay
• The whole picture: Scotch whisky — regions, distilleries & the oldest of all

Sources

• Torabhaig distillery — Wikipedia.
• Torabhaig / Mossburn Distillers; Scotchwhisky.com Whiskypedia.