Torabhaig Sound of Sleat Batch Strength

Sound of Sleat Batch Strength represents a bolder evolution of the distillery’s signature Smoke with Taste style. Peated to over 78PPM, with an in-glass phenol level of 19PPM, this release amplifies intensity while preserving a sense of balance. Bottled at a robust 60.2% ABV, it stands as a true expression of the elements.

Crafted from Concerto and Laureate malted barley, the spirit undergoes a 72-hour fermentation using Pinnacle MG+ yeast before maturing exclusively in Quercus Alba American oak casks. These include a carefully selected combination of first-fill bourbon, refill bourbon, and freshly toasted virgin oak barrels from the cooperage.

About Torabhaig Distillery...

 Sir Iain Noble, the man who founded Noble Grossart, Scotland’s first modern merchant bank, moved to the Isle of Skye in 1972. He purchased 20,000 acres of land, including a hotel at Isle Ornsay, which had been part of Lord Macdonald’s estate.

Noble – who founded independent blender and bottler Pràban na Linne (Gaelic Whiskies) in 1976 – planned to convert a 19th century listed farm steading at Torabhaig into a distillery. He’d obtained planning permission for the project as early as 2002, though sadly passed away in 2010 before his plans could be realised.

Around the time of his death, Mossburn Distillers, a subsidiary of Dutch drinks group Marussia Beverages BV, was also seeking a site on the island to build its own distillery. While the group hadn’t previously considered the renovation and preservation of a historic building for its project, Noble’s Torabhaig farm steading proved the perfect location.

Mossburn set to work renovating the property, which had become little more than a ruin, in 2013. The steading’s infrastructure took three years to rebuild, while a bespoke removable slate roof was designed to allow access to the two stills for repairs.

Whisky production is due to commence at the distillery in early 2017, though a small visitor’s centre complete with café and retail shop will open to the public from July 2017.

The result is a whisky that’s bigger and bolder, yet unmistakably true to the distillery’s character. Expect deep layers of coastal smoke and toasted oak, complemented by rich notes of spice, salted honey, and charred stone fruit. The finish is long and tingling—evocative of standing at the water’s edge as a storm begins to roll in.