Isle of Raasay Hungarian Oak Oloroso Sherry Barrique 2021/2026

The Hungarian Oak Oloroso Sherry Barrique adds a special type of oak – one rarely used in the world of whisky – to the distillery’s Oak Species Maturation Series. The Quercus petraea used, sourced from the Zemplén Mountains region in north-eastern Hungary, is at the heart of this special release and highlights the influence of different types of wood on the development of a whisky. For this edition, the Hungarian oak casks were first pre-seasoned with Oloroso sherry. This combines the characteristic influence of the oak with the deep nuances of sherry maturation, creating a multi-layered foundation for the whisky’s further development. In keeping with Isle of Raasay’s tradition, peated and unpeated distillates were initially matured separately in the casks before being blended together. This approach allows the individual characteristics of both components to be carefully balanced, creating a harmonious Single Malt. Bottled at 50% vol., the Isle of Raasay Hungarian Oak Oloroso Sherry Barrique exemplifies the Hebrides distillery’s spirit of experimentation and its innovative use of different types of wood and maturation methods. This edition impressively demonstrates the influence that the choice of oak can have on the character of a whisky.