Raasay
‘A sensory time capsule”: The Maclean Foundation launches third charity whisky with Isle of Raasay Distillery
maclean whisky
Raasay
A new limited-edition single malt from the Isle of Raasay Distillery is the latest charity bottling from The Maclean Foundation – and every bottle sold will provide clean water for life for at least one person in Madagascar.
This five-year-old single cask whisky, matured in virgin Chinkapin oak and bottled at a cask strength of 61.1% ABV, is the third in a series of single malt releases by the charity, which was founded by whisky writer Charles Maclean MBE and his three sons – world record-breaking ocean rowers Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean.
Just 246 bottles are available, exclusively via Royal Mile Whiskies, priced at £115. As with previous Maclean Foundation whiskies – with Glen Scotia and Ardnamurchan – all profits will fund clean water boreholes in rural Madagascar through the charity’s local partner, Feedback Madagascar.
Charles Maclean MBE, who selected the cask at the Isle of Raasay Distillery, said: “This partnership is rooted in gratitude — to the industry that’s given me so much, and to a place with poetry and purpose in its bones.
“The island, the spirit, and the generosity of this cask reflect everything we hope to do – to connect people through whisky and turn drams into lasting positive impact. ”
Whisky & Clean Water
The Maclean Foundation was established after the brothers’ world record-breaking 2019/20 Atlantic crossing. It will be a few months before the brothers get to enjoy a dram of their new whisky – they’re currently on a 9,000-mile row across the Pacific Ocean to raise £1 million for clean water projects.
Flavour Notes
“It’s a sensory time capsule. The smell of sphagnum moss, dry peat hags and distant sea mingling with mellow, savoury notes of the whisky. The taste is bracingly salty with a long, spicy finish to warm the heart.”
The Process
The whisky is made using unpeated spirit and water sourced from the island’s ‘Well of the Pale Cow’ – which runs through some of the oldest geological formations in the world, including Archean gneiss and Jurassic sandstone. It is matured in a virgin Chinkapin oak cask, air-dried and heavily charred to develop aromatic complexity.
The distillery
Isle of Raasay Distillery – the island’s first legal distillery – was founded in 2017 by whisky blender and botanist Alasdair Day and entrepreneur Bill Dobbie. In the years since, it has won acclaim for both its spirit and its visitor experience, and now employs over 25% of the island’s population.
“We’re honoured to collaborate with The Maclean Foundation, whose work is transforming lives by providing something as fundamental as clean water. That mission resonates deeply with us at Raasay, where water is at the core of our whisky-making, it imparts a purity and mineral richness that shapes every drop of our spirit. Matured in a bold, characterful Chinkapin virgin oak cask, this whisky captures the essence of our island and process, and we’re proud that it will help bring lasting impact far beyond our shores.” said Alasdair Day