Isle of Skye Distillers launches first vodka produced on the island
PROVENANCE is at the heart of what’s said to be the first vodka to be produced on the Isle of Skye.
Misty Isle Vodka was launched by Portree-based Isle of Skye Distillers late last year – the fourth small-batch spirit in a portfolio which comprises three craft gins.
Triple-distilled in small batches, the 40% ABV vodka is made using water from the Storr Lochs, three miles away from the distillery.
The new spirit is described as having a light, refreshing taste, while the bottle features a ridge design inspired by the rugged Cuillin mountains on Skye.
Misty Isle Vodka is the fourth release from Isle of Skye Distillers, which was founded in 2016 by brothers Alistair and Thomas Wilson, and joins Misty Isle Gin, Tommy’s Gin and Misty Isle Mulled Christmas Gin.
Alistair said producing a vodka has been an ambition since they set up the distillery three years ago.
“While gin is our signature product, the launch of Misty Isle Vodka helps show not only how diverse our small-batch distillery can be, but also the quality of the spirits which can be created with local botanicals harvested in Skye,” he said.
“Our distillation and filtering process makes Misty Isle Vodka less harsh than many traditional vodkas – it’s smooth enough to sip neat.
“As with our Misty Isle Gin, provenance is everything to us; every part of the production process for Misty Isle Vodka, from distilling right through to bottling and labelling, takes place in Portree.”
Isle of Skye Distillers was built behind the family home of Alistair and Thomas, who have backgrounds in the hospitality and construction industries respectively, and released its first batch of Misty Isle Gin in February 2017. Later that year it launched Tommy’s Gin in memory of Alistair and Thomas’s late father, who was a soldier; a donation from every bottle sold is made to local military charities.
Last August, Isle of Skye Distillers opened its Gin School, which features six mini-stills enabling groups of up to 12 to learn about small-batch distillation and produce their own spirit.
