This week we’re delighted to announce our Isle of Harris Gin has reached the end of its 10,500 mile journey and arrived in the city of Melbourne, Australia.
As of this week, beautiful bottles of our island spirit are now available to order through a new dedicated website at www.harrisdistillery.com.au
Supporting us in this long-distance endeavour are the talented team at Alba Whisky, owned and run by our new friends Ian and Laureen McKinlay.
Ian, who hails from here in Scotland, and his antipodean wife, are also joined by son Ross, daughter Shar and with Barry, Zac and Tim as other key players in their business.
They tell us…
“We were introduced to Harris Gin by whisky connoisseur Michael Fraser Milne, who shared his fascination and delight and quickly had us spellbound with the social distillery ethos. It was an easy decision for us to reach out and embark on this relationship with Isle of Harris Distillery."
Based in Melbourne, their family business imports and distributes a carefully curated portfolio of spirits and liqueurs and we’re proud to become part of their family through our Outer Hebridean gin.
“Though there are many gins available in Australia, there are few with as rich a story or equal dedication to the lives of folk who live, work and breathe its place of origin. The unique quality, consideration and flavour of this gin, packaged in such an enchanting vessel, had us quickly smitten. A love we are keen to sing about.”
In April of this year, Laureen and Ian visited Harris and were warmly welcomed to the distillery. They have toured many distilleries throughout Scotland and also around the world and have proclaimed Harris was one of the most enchanting.
“It is a lovely, welcoming place to visit and the island is as intensely beautiful as the spirits we were tasting”.
Even before these first carefully wrapped pallets of stock arrived, there has been a growing buzz amongst the Australian market. Our social media posts as the shipment crossed the oceans generated much excitement and our announcement of the arrival earlier this week did likewise.
"The ethos of Harris Distillery aligns with many here, and if supporting such an aim means enjoying a delicious gin then we are up to the challenge. At Alba Whisky, we’ve been flattered by those who were thankful Harris Gin would be in our hands. As we’re now just days after the Australian launch, we are ushering these bottles around the country to those who have been hunting for it for so long.”
We’re similarly excited about being there and we look forward to sharing more stories with you as our Isle of Harris Gin begins to be enjoyed in Australian homes, barbecues, bars and the best restaurants.
“In the coming years, we can see nothing but growth as news spreads and bottles are shared among friends… as our own bottles have been! We keenly await news of The Hearach whisky joining its sibling gin, but all in good time.”
Our thanks to Ian, Laureen and the Alba Whisky team for all their hard work and enthusiasm and we look forward to sending even more Isle of Harris Gin on that long journey from our shores to their down under doors soon.
Slàinte!