The Islay Rum Company - Islay Rum - Barrel Aged - ex Islay Whisky Cask

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Islay Rum Barrel Aged owes its distinctive cask influence to oak casks previously used to mature heavily peated Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. They impart a light smoky note that combines with vanilla and maritime salinity. Maturation takes place entirely on Islay, where the cool maritime climate offers different conditions from the tropical regions traditionally associated with rum production.

Fermentation and distillation also take place in Port Ellen. Slow fermentation and small-batch production form the foundation of this cask-matured bottling. The rum is bottled at 46% alcohol in 0.7-litre bottles.

This bottling won gold at both the International Wine & Spirit Competition and Spirits Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in 2025. Double gold and 98 points at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition followed in 2026.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, green bananas meet caramel and leather, accompanied by light smoke.
• Palate: On the palate, sweet vanilla and salted caramel combine with tropical fruit and estery notes. Light smoke, a subtle medicinal nuance and maritime salinity complete the flavour.
• Finish: The long finish fills the mouth and gives the impression of a mature spirit.

Distillery/Bottler:

Islay Rum Distillery in Port Ellen is the island's first rum distillery. Its home is the Old Lemonade Factory between Kilnaughton Bay and Borraichill. The former Hastie's Lemonade building was restored for the distillery. The work was carried out by Scott Hastie, a descendant of the brothers who built the original factory.

Head Distiller Ben Inglis designed the copper pot still with two downstream retorts, which was built by Speyside Copper Works in Scotland. This equipment achieves an effect similar to triple distillation within a single distillation run and is designed to produce a smooth, ester-rich rum. The production approach draws on traditional Caribbean methods.

The distillery uses electricity exclusively from renewable sources and a closed-loop cooling system to save water. It reuses a substantial proportion of the liquid remaining after distillation in the next fermentation. This supports flavour development while reducing the need for water and heat energy.

Facts: