Hebridean distillery Isle of Raasay has released its first ever Marsala Cask Single Malt whisky, a limited-edition expression matured exclusively in Marsala Vergine casks sourced from the Frazzitta winery in Sicily. Bottled at 50.7% ABV, only 12,300 bottles are available worldwide.
While wine casks in whisky maturation are nothing new, Marsala Vergine is a more elusive choice, bone dry, and far removed from the sweeter Marsala most drinkers may know. These casks have been previously seasoned for up to 30 years with wine from Frazzitta, one of Sicily’s oldest Marsala producers.
“This is one of the most distinctive cask maturations we’ve ever released,” says Master Distiller Alasdair Day. “Marsala Vergine casks, particularly from a historic producer like Frazzitta, are rare in the whisky industry. They’ve added beautiful layers of dried fruit, toasted nuts, and an oxidative depth to our Raasay spirit.”
Marsala Vergine is a more elusive choice, bone dry, and far removed from the sweeter Marsala most drinkers may know…
Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Single Malt tasting notes
The Isle of Raasay house style is achieved through a blend of peated and unpeated spirit, both matured separately before being married for balance and complexity. Distilled May-July 2021, the Marsala influence here adds extra intrigue.
In the glass, the liquid is a golden amber. On the nose, there’s light, sweet smoke, undercut by the aroma of baked fruit, raisins and pine nuts.
The smoke doesn’t dominate the palette (the peat level is an approachable 8-10ppm), but mingles politely with the aforementioned fruits, syrup, and salted caramel toffee.
The exit is long and dry, with echoes of burnt toffee and a fleeting hint of lemon.
In design, the bottle introduces a new aesthetic to the Raasay range, drawing inspiration from the island’s slate-grey volcanic rock and fossil-marked shorelines. It’s a visual cue to the whisky’s origins, meant to give more distinction to Raasay’s limited releases, and it looks quite splendid.
“Our range has grown quickly,” explains Managing Director William Dobbie. “This new look helps mark out our special releases while still telling the story of where we come from.”
Priced at £75, Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Single Malt is available from the distillery’s website and selected UK independents, with shipments also heading to the USA, Japan, France, Germany, and Australia.
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Bowmore has joined forces with design studio Snarkitecture for a pair of 20 Year Old single malts. This is Snarkitecture’s first venture into whisky; the design studio is better known for its experimental, arty approach to architecture. Co-founder Alex Mustonen travelled from New York to Islay, drawing inspiration from the island’s landscape and Bowmore’s historic…
The Luxe Review 
Hebridean distillery Isle of Raasay has released its first ever Marsala Cask Single Malt whisky, a limited-edition expression matured exclusively in Marsala Vergine casks sourced from the Frazzitta winery in Sicily. Bottled at 50.7% ABV, only 12,300 bottles are available worldwide.
While wine casks in whisky maturation are nothing new, Marsala Vergine is a more elusive choice, bone dry, and far removed from the sweeter Marsala most drinkers may know. These casks have been previously seasoned for up to 30 years with wine from Frazzitta, one of Sicily’s oldest Marsala producers.
“This is one of the most distinctive cask maturations we’ve ever released,” says Master Distiller Alasdair Day. “Marsala Vergine casks, particularly from a historic producer like Frazzitta, are rare in the whisky industry. They’ve added beautiful layers of dried fruit, toasted nuts, and an oxidative depth to our Raasay spirit.”
Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Single Malt tasting notes
The Isle of Raasay house style is achieved through a blend of peated and unpeated spirit, both matured separately before being married for balance and complexity. Distilled May-July 2021, the Marsala influence here adds extra intrigue.
In the glass, the liquid is a golden amber. On the nose, there’s light, sweet smoke, undercut by the aroma of baked fruit, raisins and pine nuts.
The smoke doesn’t dominate the palette (the peat level is an approachable 8-10ppm), but mingles politely with the aforementioned fruits, syrup, and salted caramel toffee.
The exit is long and dry, with echoes of burnt toffee and a fleeting hint of lemon.
In design, the bottle introduces a new aesthetic to the Raasay range, drawing inspiration from the island’s slate-grey volcanic rock and fossil-marked shorelines. It’s a visual cue to the whisky’s origins, meant to give more distinction to Raasay’s limited releases, and it looks quite splendid.
“Our range has grown quickly,” explains Managing Director William Dobbie. “This new look helps mark out our special releases while still telling the story of where we come from.”
Priced at £75, Isle of Raasay Marsala Cask Single Malt is available from the distillery’s website and selected UK independents, with shipments also heading to the USA, Japan, France, Germany, and Australia.
Glendronach 14 Year Old Boynsmill House Edition is a sherry-matured whisky with a claret twist
The Glendronach is celebrating its 200th anniversary with a limited-edition, three cask single malt inspired by the Highland home where the distillery’s story began. The 14 Year Old Glendronach Boynsmill House Edition pays tribute to Boynsmill Estate, where James Allardice founded The Glendronach in 1826. The distillery sits in the Valley of the Brambles in…
Loch Lomond unveils its oldest peated single malt whisky to date, 31 years in the making
Loch Lomond Whiskies has unveiled a 31 Year Old single malt, the distillery’s oldest peated whisky to date. The new expression takes its name from the challenging trail between Inversnaid and Inverarnan on the north-east shores of the loch. The route forms one of the more demanding sections of the West Highland Way, passing through…
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Bowmore has joined forces with design studio Snarkitecture for a pair of 20 Year Old single malts. This is Snarkitecture’s first venture into whisky; the design studio is better known for its experimental, arty approach to architecture. Co-founder Alex Mustonen travelled from New York to Islay, drawing inspiration from the island’s landscape and Bowmore’s historic…
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