About Abhainn Dearg Distillery

We are the most Westerly of the Scottish distilleries and can be found in Uig, on the west coast of the Hebridean Isle of Lewis, the Outer Hebrides. Abhainn Dearg, (pronounced Aveen Jarræk) or Red River Distillery is a very new distillery in an ancient landscape.

The spirit we produce today might be new to the market, but the philosophy and history of our distilling goes back hundreds of years.  At Abhainn Dearg that age old experience has been garnered for the knowledge of distilling fine whisky never left our shores,  it’s just taken till now to re-claim our heritage and produce a true Outer Hebridean Whisky for the rest of the world to enjoy.

Last year 2010, for the first time in almost 170 years Abhainn Dearg New Spirit, The Spirit of Lewis, left our shores.  This year 2011, will see the launch of a limited edition of three year old single malt.  This is the first legal single malt produced not only by Abhainn Dearg Distillery, but from the Outer Hebrides!

Abhainn Dearg Single Malt will be launched at the Royal National Mod also known affectionately as the "Whisky Olympics". This festival of Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture will be held in Stornoway in 2011 and for the first time in history some participants will be able to enjoy a Single Malt distilled and bottled on the Isle of Lewis. 

Mark Tayburn the founder of Abhainn Dearg was determined to produce a whisky that was unique to Lewis and to be able to have it available for the 2011 MOD. It seemed ridiculous that the Outer Hebrides couldn't supply its own whisky, which is as much a cultural heritage as the MOD and as a tradition is much older. The waiting is over, we have reached our third year and are ready to go!

There will always be limited amounts of Abhainn Dearg, the aim is to produce a quality Single Malt for those who take the trouble to visit us, support us via the Internet and, like the Shoeburn Distillery before us, supply local demand.