Isle of Barra Distillers Launches Investment Opportunity

Be a part of IOBD story as they launch their first Premium Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Editor , 15th November 2021 / 858

The Island of Barra is Scotland’s most westerly island facing the Atlantic Ocean and home to the isle’s first distillery, Isle of Barra Distillers. The weather, the storms, the sun and the sea all influence the natural surroundings, leaving the landscape rich in unique natural minerals and botanicals, directly contributing to the taste and flavours of Isle of Barra Distillers’ inaugural and award-winning spirit, Barra Atlantic Gin. From the outset, Isle of Barra Distillers looked to capture the special essence of the beautiful island and bottle it so it can be shared between friends and family.

The Isle of Barra Distillers story begins only as far back as 2016. Born from a desire to move home to the Outer Hebrides in the far Northwest of Scotland and build something that will evoke the community spirit, husband and wife team Michael and Katie Morrison started developing the plans for a gin and whisky distillery. This ambitious project is much more than a business; it’s a way to bring jobs, tourism and livelihoods back to the island for generations to come.

The forthcoming single malt whisky will be one that has Barra’s Island home in its core. Distilled on the edge of the Atlantic and matured with the salt in the air, the Barra single malt whisky will capture the essence of the unique island in each bottle.

The next planned expansion for Isle of Barra Distillers will be a new purpose built whisky and gin distillery as well as a Visitor Centre on the Isle of Barra. Committed to building strong ties to the island community, the new distillery is expected to bring at least forty jobs to the island and generate tourism both locally and further afield. The Isle of Barra Distillery team are thrilled to announce just this week the investment project has been Advanced Assured by HMRC and is EIS ready.

The whisky will be crafted by two industry heavy-weight talents, Alan Winchester and Dr Alan Rutherford OBE. This promises to be a very special whisky blend, combining the knowledge and expertise passed down through generations.

The Isle of Barra Distillers has chosen to open up investment opportunities, sperate to this, an exclusive IOBD Membership is available; whisky enthusiasts around the world can join the Isle of Barra Distillers family by purchasing a membership for £500.00 or separately, investing in the company is another route.

The membership package guarantees the individual 6 bottles of the first whisky to be distilled on the Island of Barra, home of the famous Whisky Galore. It also gives the individual the opportunity to taste, share and savour the whisky with the case offer as they can share a bottle with their family, keep a bottle for a collection and then enjoy a bottle (or two) for themselves. Although whisky is sometimes about the collection, it’s more important to the family distillery that IOBD is, that the whisky be shared between family and friends as each bottle will carry the essence of Barra’s Island home with every dram.

The estimated cost of the new build is £6m, which, once constructed. Once built, it is planned that the whisky distillery will produce 200,000 LPA per year (Litres Pure Alcohol), with expectations that production could double with the addition of an increased workforce.

“For our customers to have the knowledge that they will be investing in a cask that has been made with the guidance from Alan Winchester and Dr Alan Rutherford OBE, is a huge bonus. For investors, they have the knowledge that the company has talent of this calibre guiding us through the early stages, creating a whisky worthy of the land and our home. We are honoured to have a team with so much respect within the industry to help guide us through the process of making a truly remarkable single malt right here on the Isle of Barra. This truly is such an exciting time for our family distillery and also for the Island of Barra.” Michael Morrison, founder, Isle of Barra Distillers”

After years of working towards this goal and many months of planning, the aim is to begin work before the spring of 2022, with the doors opening to the new distillery by March 2024.

“Our distillery will house a one-tonne single malt installation and re-home our existing 300 litre gin still “Ada” with all necessary plans for bottling and bonded warehousing. Along with the production facilities to produce over 500,000 bottles of single malt, the distillery will also include a visitor centre incorporating a retail area, information centre, café/bar area that will welcome families into our unique distillery story, which is key to building a community environment welcoming both local residents as well as tourists.”

“Once the distillery is operational, the founders will open the Isle of Barra Distillers Foundation for the sole purpose of giving back to the Island of Barra. Each year, Isle of Barra Distillers will donate 1% of the total net profits back to the local community. We will present our shareholders with different needs that have been put forward and a shareholders’ vote will take place for the project(s) most needed for the Island, this could be anything from a new play park for the youth or a facility for the elderly.”