Isle of Raasay Distillery has revealed the latest addition to its single malt lineup. The new whisky has been aged in Marsala Vergine casks, sourced from Sicilian winery Frazzitta. The distillery says the whisky embodies the two island terroirs of Raasay and Sicily.

The Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Limited Release has been distilled and aged entirely on Raasay, made using a combination of peated and unpeated barley for a lightly peated character. The spirit bottled for the release has been exclusively matured in the Marsala Vergine casks.

Master distiller Alasdair Day said: "Marsala Vergine casks, particularly from a historic producer like Frazzitta, are rare in the whisky industry, and the cask characteristics have brought an exceptional depth of flavour to our Raasay spirit.

"The casks we’ve used to mature our whisky have been seasoned with the bone dry Marsala wine for up to 30 years. This adds beautiful layers of dried fruit, toasted nuts, and an oxidative depth."

One of Sicily's oldest marsala producers, Frazzitta ages its wine in "traditional oxidative environments", said Raasay. Marsala Vergine is known for a "nutty, dry, and deeply oxidative profile". 

Day added: "The result is a whisky that is rich and complex, with baked apples and maple syrup on the palate, balanced with dried pear, apricots, and a balsamic sweetness that all lingers into a long smoky finish with echoes of roasted coffee. It’s one of the most distinctive cask maturations we’ve ever released, elegant and assertive all at once."

Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Limited Release (50.7% ABV, RRP £75) is available via UK independent retailers, with rollout planned to global markets including Germany, France, and the US.