One night in Raasay – my stay at a whisky distillery

Welcome to the charming Isle of Raasay, an island off the coast of Scotland, where one of the most unique whisky experiences in the country awaits you – a stay at a whisky distillery hotel. The Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel features 6 luxurious rooms inside the distillery itself, where you can indulge in a fine dram of whisky produced in-house and enjoy stunning views of the rugged mountains on Skye.

This one-of-a-kind exclusive whisky experience combines the best of both worlds – the delightful taste of Scotch whisky and a comfortable, upscale hotel with all the amenities you could wish for. While I don’t have a whisky bucket list (or any bucket list) per se, a stay at the Isle of Raasay Distillery is a fun experience and an absolute must for any whisky fan! Don’t get me wrong – I have a home in a whisky village on a whisky island and I’ve stayed at hotels with famous whisky bars before. But staying on site at a distillery (with a delicious restaurant) was a truly unique and wonderful experience!

1. Whisky Distilleries with Accommodations in Scotland

Before I go about telling you all about my stay at the Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel, I’ve done a bit of research on the matter and there are a handful of Scottish distilleries with accommodations that can be rented out. In Scotland, you’ll find:

• Bowmore Distillery has Bowmore Cottages and the Harbour Inn, in the same village, adjacent to the distillery. Some units like the Maltman’s Cottage, were formerly staff cottages;
• Glenmorangie Distillery has Glenmorangie House – a luxury boutique hotel with rooms and cottages, located about 10 miles away from the distillery.
• Ardbeg Distillery has the Seaview Cottage, which is located on distillery grounds in a separate area from production. Currently the website says its not available for booking, so not sure if Ardbeg has any sneaky plans!
• Dornoch Distillery was started on the grounds of the Dornoch Castle Hotel, so it kind of deserves a place on this list… (it’s funny, they market this as one of the only hotels in the UK with a distillery, as opposed to the way I am marketing this post as one of the only distilleries with a hotel! I think it’s an interesting distinction)
• Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown has The Still Guesthouse as part of their 3-day Eat, Sleep, Dram, Repeat retreats. The guesthouse is not onsite, but 3 minutes walk away from Springbank Distillery. I’ve not been, but a whisky writer I follow has, so check out his review!

There are a few lists online that would also include whisky hotels in Scotland like:

• the Jura Distillery / the Jura Hotel, which is next door. But, the hotel isn’t owned by the same company as the distillery, so just being next door doesn’t count!
• the Craigellachie Hotel in Aberlour (Speyside) or the Fife Arms in Braemar – both are considered as a whisky tasting hotel with vast and memorable whisky bars. So does that make them a whisky hotel in Scotland? Maybe… but also, maybe not.

All of the above would be great for any whisky tasting weekend breaks. However, all of my research has led me to this conclusion:

Of all the Scottish distilleries with accommodations, the Isle of Raasay Distillery is the only whisky distillery with a hotel on site in Scotland. You can walk from your room over to the production side for your tour without needing to brave temperamental Scottish weather. The restaurant and bar (with Raasay whisky of course!) are just located downstairs from your room.

This was confirmed by the Isle of Raasay Distillery, as well!

2. Introducing the Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel

The Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel is housed in Borodale House, a former Victorian villa on Raasay. The hotel includes six en-suite rooms, a restaurant, and a bar and lounge to enjoy. Of course, Borodale House is also home to the Isle of Raasay Distillery (opened in 2017) and houses its 1 spirit still and 1 wash still. Currently, this yields 188,000 liters per annum of peated and unpeated spirit annually, so not a very big operation! In their signature single malt release, Isle of Raasay whisky is lightly peated with rich dark fruit flavors and bottled on site at 46.4% ABV.

The Borodale House Restaurant, available to overnight guests and visitors alike, sources its produce as locally as it can, with their culinary highlights including Raasay venison and fresh seafood from its shores. The dining room has uninterrupted views of the Cuillin Mountains over on Skye, so look forward to stunning views over breakfast and dinner!

Separating the hotel section and production is the bar and tasting area, with a lush living wall leading you into production, marking the boundaries. The bar serves Isle of Raasay whiskies and gin, as well as beer from Cuillin Brewery. When I visited, the only food option at the bar was the charcuterie platter, but it seems they’ve expanded to a full (and quite delicious looking) bar menu. From a quick inspection of the menu online, I spotted oysters, fried squid, langoustines and venison burgers. All local to Raasay or Skye, no doubt.

For those staying at the hotel, there is also a resident’s lounge for you to enjoy a quiet dram. It’s perfect for an after dinner drink before retiring to your room upstairs.

Let’s not forget about the whisky at the Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel

Whisky is the main reason you’re here, is it not? Guests to the hotel get a complimentary distillery tour for their stay. You’ll get one dram (single cask release) or a gin for the normal tour. For those on the Winter Whisky Retreat, you get upgraded to Whisky, Gin, and Chocolate Tour and Tasting. You’ll get the Raasay Single Malt, a single cask release, and the gin to pair with chocolates from the Glenshiel Chocolate Company.

For those super whisky nerds, there is a variety of other tours and tastings you can take. The first two of these include the “normal production tour” plus an extra!

• Distillery and Bottling Warehouse Tour – You’ll truly get to witness the whole production cycle through to bottling, and sample 2 Raasay drams and the gin.

• Dunnage Cask Warehouse Tour – Pop behind the scenes into the dunnage warehouse, with an exclusive tasting of their Na Sia range, straight from the cask! After 6 cask strength whiskies, you’ll be glad you’re staying at the hotel!

• Cask Strength Tasting – a tasting featuring the Na Sia range, 6 whiskies both peated and unpeated, at cask strength no less!

Explore Isle of Raasay whiskies

3. My Stay at a Whisky Distillery – the Room

I visited the Isle of Raasay Distillery and stayed as part of their Winter Whisky Retreat promotion. Now for 280 GBP per room, the package included the following for two persons:

• accommodation in one of their luxury rooms
• welcome drink in the lounge (Isle of Raasay G&T or dram)
• whisky production tour with whisky and gin tasting, paired with chocolate
• pre-dinner cocktail and canape
• 3-course tasting menu, with mountain views of Skye
• Scottish breakfast in the morning.

The 2023/2024 Winter Whisky Retreat Promotion is valid from November 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024

Even for one person, it was a great deal. And so when my travel plans were derailed and I suddenly found myself with an extra day in the north, I jumped on it and made a slight detour to Raasay!

For me, it was a Small Double Room, with a partial Cuillin view. The room was draped in tweed, wool, and extremely cozy furnishings. Although it was cold and there was snow on the mountains in the distance, the room was so comfortable and warm!

In terms of amenities, there was a TV on the wall, a tea and coffee tray with Raasay Gin and Raspberry shortbread biscuits from Isle of Skye Baking Co expertly stationed at the window reading nook, and of course, a bottle of Isle of Raasay single malt whisky, just in case! The coffee comes from Caora Dhubh, a local Skye coffee roaster, and is a welcome addition to the cozy room.

The bathroom was petite, but included a lush terry cloth robe, the perfect rain shower and handmade soap from Isle of Skye Soap Co.

Unlike other hotels, do note that the Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel is not staffed after hours. There is of course emergency phone numbers should you require assistance in the evening hours.

4. Food and Drink at the Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel

In my humble opinion, food can make or break any hotel stay… which is why I’m so pleased that the food at the Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel is absolutely delicious, and I’m sure there is more excitement to come from the kitchen there!

The Borodale House Restaurant offers lunch and dinner to the public and guests alike, and for those staying at the hotel, it’s also where you’ll have breakfast. For me, it was a full Scottish with locally sourced ingredients, that included haggis, black pudding, bacon, egg, mushrooms, and a tattie scone.

Dinner was a slightly more lavish affair, as you do, with a 3-course tasting menu included in the Winter Retreat package.

For me, it was:

• Torched Burrata with beetroot, walnut and shallots – (a Lannie rule in life, always get the burrata!)
• Parmesan Gnocchi with mushroom, thyme, cherry tomatoes, and hazelnut
• Whipped Chocolate Delice with Raasay single malt (of course!), toasted nuts, and vanilla.

There are also drams for you to order to wrap up the meal, choosing from:

• Isle of Raasay Single Malt
• Distillery Exclusive Sherry Release
• Na Sia Single Cask Series
• Isle of Raasay Inaugural Release

A really wonderful 3-course meal, a Distillery Exclusive dram in the resident’s lounge, and that’s me sorted for the evening!

5. Things to do on Raasay

Despite being a small island, there are a number of things to do during your stay at the Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel. Personally, Raasay is one of those islands that I bask in its quiet moments and lush nature. My springtime walks around Raasay were sunny and brisk, filled with fairytale-like melodic birdsong. If I weren’t in my big puffy coat, with my beanie and wool scarf, I’d practically be Aurora singing and dancing with animals in the forest. (Sleeping Beauty reference anyone?)

– Explore Inverarish (Gaelic: Inbhir Àrais)

It didn’t take me long to walk from the distillery to Inverarish, the main settlement on Raasay. The walk was quiet, except for the birds chirping loudly. It was a brisk and bright spring day, with views of the Cuillin Mountains on Skye for most of the walk. I later learned that homes in the village don’t have full addresses, but rather are just referred to by number, i.e. “My grandparents live in 26,” etc. Not having full addresses is something an American can’t comprehend, but it seems to work on the wee isle of Raasay.

Be sure to stop by the Community Store for snacks and souvenirs, as well as the Raasay Gallery for local crafts.

– Be charmed at the Raasay Walled Garden

One of the more spectacular things about Raasay is its small, quiet woodland feel. A morning stroll out over to Raasay House walled garden is one place to enjoy the greenery and birdsong. Take advantage of the picnic tables located in the garden for a quiet moment. In the summer months, there is a fresh produce and flower honesty stall for all your local grows!

– Take a hike

If the weather is nice, hike up to Dun Caan, Raasay’s highest point (443 meters) and Raasay’s only extinct volcano. Upgrade to AllTrails+ before you head out, for up to date weather and ground conditions. This would have been useful during my hike up there last summer, when the weather was better. The wind raged so aggressively that we gave up part way through!

– Find the Mermaids and take a selfie

There are a pair of mermaids at the Battery overlooking the pier where the ferry arrives, which could be overlooked if you’re not paying attention. It’s a nice welcome which wasn’t really intended as such. According to local stories, the mermaids were built in the 1840s, intended to be placed along the entryway to Raasay House. Either they were to heavy to be moved along the road, or too ugly (as one story goes), they were left at the Battery at Clachan.

You’ll have to excuse the awkward angle of the selfie!

– Calum’s Road

Although I haven’t made it to the north of Raasay, I would highly recommend a little road trip up to the northern side of the island for a drive on Calum’s Road. Following the Highland Clearances in the 1800s, many of the residents of Raasay lived in the north of the island, which made access to the ferry port connection to Skye in the south very challenging.

Locals had been petitioning the council to build a road connecting Arnish in the north to the rest of Raasay to no avail. From the days of petitioning to when Calum finally took matters into his own hands, the population of the northern part of Raasay had declined from 100 to 2, leaving only Calum and his wife.

Finally, in the 1960s, one spring morning, Calum MacLeod packed a pick, an axe, a shovel, and his lunch box into his wheelbarrow, and began to slowly carve out his own road. He continued to do so for the next 20 years and eventually (and miraculously), built out Calum’s Road. The original motivation for the road was to make the journey easier for Calum’s daughter, who was away to school on Skye. But really, it served as a stunning example of the ingenuity and determination of locals in small communities, when the world seemed to have moved on or forgotten.

This is probably the top of my next visit to Raasay, to pay tribute to such an incredible spirit and determination!

If you’re looking for more ideas, there’s also:

• a wildlife cruise of the Sound of Raasay, where you may see puffins, dolphins, whales, sea eagles, orcas and more!
• The Raasay House – the other hotel on Raasay! Not only are there rooms to stay in, but also a delightful restaurant for lunch and dinner. They also have a variety of outdoor activities that you can arrange there, including archery, loch kayaking and sailing!
• or, just coorie up in your room or in the residents lounge with a dram and a book and call it a day!

6. Parting Thoughts on my stay at the Isle of Raasay Whisky Hotel

It may sound silly as a unique selling point – going to a whisky distillery for a tour and tasting, and then wandering up to your lovely, comfortable room for a rest and maybe a nap, but it is truly wonderful. Hands up if you’ve ever done a whisky tour or tasting and immediately wanted a nap afterwards! The winter whisky retreat fulfills that requirement!

Not only that, but the bar downstairs has an incredible view of the mountains for your cocktails and sundowner. Enjoy the view with your free pre-dinner drinks, before moseying over to the restaurant for a delicious 3-course tasting menu made with local produce. Chef’s kiss perfect!

For whisky fans, this is a lovely treat with wonderful hospitality and delicious food. Plus, Raasay is more of a niche whisky, not super well known, so it’s great to explore new whiskies and expressions.

Overall, it was a really fun stay that had everything that I look for in a mini-break in Scotland. Especially during the dark winter months, going on this winter whisky retreat was such a treat! Delicious food, incredible whisky, a charming small island to explore, and a warm and cozy atmosphere. In all honesty, what more could you ask for? It’s the perfect thing to break you out of the winter blues!

For more information on booking a winter whisky retreat to stay at the Raasay whisky distillery, visit the Raasay Whisky hotel website.

Until your next whisky adventure, I bid you adieu!

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7. How to get to the Isle of Raasay Distillery Hotel

Arriving to Raasay requires a short 25 minute ferry from Sconser (Isle of Skye) on CalMac Ferries. Don’t worry, you don’t need to book anything in advance, as this service is a Turn up and Go. An adult return ticket is 4.20 GBP, and to add your car, it’s an additional 14 GBP.

The distillery is located 0.4 miles from the ferry port, an easy 8 minute walk if you’re coming over on foot.

For those without a car, Raasay can be reached by train, then bus, then ferry. Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, would be your best starting point. The easiest way would be:

• Arrive to Inverness via Scotrail;
  • Glasgow to Inverness by train takes about 3+ hours, and costs 13.50 GBP one way, when bought in advance;
  • Edinburgh to Inverness by train also takes about 3 hours, and costs 19.80 GBP one way, when bought in advance.
  • Or, if you’re coming from London, consider taking the overnight sleeper train to arrive in Inverness around 8:45 am! (This does not have great connections to the bus, which leaves at 8:30 am, but at least I’m giving you options!)
• Connect to Sconser via Citylink bus 917 from Inverness. Check the times, as there are a few nonstop services with 0 changes, so be sure to book those. If you book a return ticket in advance, it costs 39.80 GBP, the same cost as a single ticket! (💡Expert tip)
• After you arrive to Sconser, it’s just a quick 25 minute ferry ride and a 10 minute walk to the distillery!

And there you have it, getting to Raasay on public transportation! Easy peasy!

– Hotel recommendations in Inverness

If you need a luxury hotel in Inverness to hang your hat for the evening before setting off toward Raasay, I can definitely recommend:

• Ness Walk – a 5-star luxury hotel on the banks of the River Ness

• or the Kingsmills Hotel – a 4-star luxury spa hotel, overlooking the Inverness Golf Club.

Please note that some products or referrals in this post are affiliate links (in green) and if you go through them to make a purchase or booking, I will earn a commission. I share these product and booking links because they are related to the post and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours whether to click through and make a purchase through these links.

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

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