Torabhaig is a relatively recent addition to the whisky scene on the Isle of Skye, following the trend of traditional farm steading conversions into distilleries. The distillery is designed to produce a classic island-style malt whisky, characterized by a medium weight and medium peatiness. It features long fermentation in wooden washbacks, allowing for plenty of copper contact during distillation, which contributes to a fruit-forward spirit.
Initially, all of Torabhaig’s spirit is earmarked for bottling as a single malt, although there are plans to potentially siphon off some for blending in the future. The project’s origins date back to the 1970s when Sir Iain Noble, founder of Scotland’s first modern merchant bank and independent blender Pràban na Linne, moved to Skye. He purchased 20,000 acres of land, including Isle Ornsay, part of Lord Macdonald’s estate, and envisioned converting a 19th-century farm steading at Torabhaig into a distillery.
Noble obtained planning permission for the distillery in 2002 but tragically passed away in 2010 before he could see his vision come to fruition. Around the time of his death, Mossburn Distillers, a subsidiary of Dutch drinks group Marussia Beverages BV, sought a distillery site on Skye. Mossburn chose the Torabhaig steading as the ideal location, despite initially not considering the renovation of a historic building. In 2013, Mossburn began restoring the dilapidated farm steading, completing the infrastructure work over three years. A unique removable slate roof was designed to allow for easy access to the stills for maintenance.
Production at Torabhaig began in early 2017, and the distillery’s visitor center, including a café and retail shop, opened to the public in July 2017.
