Our water comes tumbling down from the Uig Hills where the many rocky mountain streams converge into Loch Raonasgail, from here it runs as Abhainn Caslabhat till it reaches the valley. It's this part of the river, hundreds of years ago that local people named Abhainn Dearg, or Red River in English.
The river water, like most in Scotland, is soft and rich in minerals, clean and clear, fast flowing it doesn't carry a lot of peat as it runs onto Cappadale Sands, part of Traigh Uuige. Uig is famous for its beaches and their miles of golden sands, non more so than Traigh Uuige which is more commonly known as 'Uig Sands' .
The water taken from Abhainn Dearg is as pure as it's naturally possible to get, there is no industry, no villages, not even a house along its banks, only the distillery at the mouth of the river. The land has never seen chemicals, is unsuitable for farming and is home to wild deer, not quite so wild sheep and an occasional enthusiatic walker. This pristine mountain water is what goes into the making of Abhainn Dearg Single Malt. Is this unique? We don't know, possibly. What difference will it make to the Whisky? Wait and see!
