Pabbay: A Toast to 8 Years and a Taste of What’s to Come

This August marks a milestone for us at Isle of Barra Distillers, eight years since our journey began. What started as a dream to bring world-class spirits to our island home has grown into a story of resilience, community, and passion. Today, that story is entering a new chapter, as we progress with our very own Single Malt Scottish Whisky Distillery which is taking shape on Barra.

Before we open the doors to create our own single malt, we are proud to share a special series of limited-edition blended Scotch whiskies. Each small-batch release offers a preview of the coastal character and maritime Scotch whisky style you can expect from us in years to come.

The first of these whiskies will be released at the end of August, and fittingly, we begin with an island that embodies resilience, haunting beauty, and story: Pabbay.

Pre-order Tales of the Tides, Release No. 1: Pabbay, now

The Island of Pabbay

Lying just south of Barra, Pabbay is the third most southerly island in the Outer Hebrides. Once home to a small community of fewer than twenty people, life there was sustained through fishing and agriculture. It was a subsistence existence, challenging but deeply connected to land and sea.

In May 1888, tragedy struck when the Lizzie, a fishing boat belonging to Pabbay, was caught in a sudden south-westerly storm in the waters known as the Sea of Ghosts. All five men aboard were lost, four of them from Pabbay. Though the islanders endured for another thirteen years, Pabbay was eventually abandoned in 1912.

Even today, the ruins stand in silence, including the “House of Ghosts”, believed to be haunted. Stories tell of strange noises that drove later fishermen away, adding to the mystery of this island already etched with hardship and resilience.

To us, Pabbay is more than history. It is a reminder of the strength, fragility, and spirit of island life, the same elements that inspire our whisky.

Pabbay – Release No. 1

Our debut release, Pabbay, is a premium whisky blend of carefully selected malts:

• Blair Athol, finished in a rich 1st Fill Ximénez-Spinola PX Sherry cask, bringing depth, sweetness, and sherried elegance.
• Islay Single Malt, a bold whisky drawn from a coastal barrel, adding raw smoke, peat, and coastal whisky flavours.

Together, they create a dram that is both decadent and energetic, a whisky with a soul as complex as the island it honours.

Tasting Notes

Nose
Immediate wafts of bonfire smoke and sea spray from the Islay malt, softened by Blair Athol’s PX influence: sticky dates, figs, and dark chocolate. Smoked raisins, salted caramel, and singed orange peel weave through earthy notes of damp moss and walnut shell.

Palate
Oily and mouth-coating. Treacle toffee and espresso from the PX cask meet maritime peat and black pepper. Flavours of smoked prunes, cherry jam, and sweet pipe tobacco mingle with roasted hazelnuts. The Islay element adds a vibrant, almost mezcal-like kick that keeps the richness lively.

Finish
Long and layered. Smoke drifts into molasses sweetness, cocoa powder, and leather, with a whisper of seaweed. The PX leaves behind spiced fruitcake dusted with cocoa.

Overall Impression
A rich, smoky interplay where the Islay malt’s coastal firepower meets Blair Athol’s deep sherried elegance. Think Christmas pudding by a seaside bonfire, the essence of a true island Scotch whisky.

Bringing Pabbay to life

To bring the island to life visually, we’ve partnered with Scottish contemporary artist Ellis O’Connor. Her bespoke artwork will adorn the labels for our first two releases, capturing Pabbay’s wild essence and transforming every bottle into a collector’s piece.

Looking Ahead

Pabbay is just the beginning. Each release in this series will take inspiration from the uninhabited islands surrounding Barra, with new editions twice a year. Together, they form a bridge between today and the future, when our own whisky from Isle of Barra Distillers will be flowing.

This launch is also a celebration of how far we’ve come. Eight years ago, we began with a vision. Now, with our new Scottish island distillery underway, we raise a glass to the past and to the future of Scotch whisky on Barra.

Join Us on the Journey

We invite you to share in this milestone as we release Pabbay – Release No. 1. A whisky that honours an island, celebrates our story so far, and offers a taste of what’s to come.

Here’s to 8 years.
Here’s to Pabbay.
Here’s to the future of Scotch whisky from Barra.

Pre-order Tales of the Tides, Release No. 1: Pabbay, now