Isle of Barra Distillery: Crafting Whisky and Community

Isle of Barra Distillers is transforming its island home one spirit run at a time. This is the story of one family-owned maker, and how you can help secure a vibrant future for the Hebridean island.

“It all goes back to Barra,” says Michael Morrison, Isle of Barra Distillers managing director and co-founder. He’s giving an update from his wildly remote Outer Hebridean base. The island is so marginal that it takes a five-hour ferry from mainland Scotland to get there, or a tiny plane that lands on a sweeping white sandy beach. From its dramatic rocky outcrops to breathtaking seascapes, it’s as ruggedly beautiful as it sounds.

There’s strength to Morrison’s words — a force that underscores both purpose and ambition. Because the family-owned distillery is more than just a gin, vodka, rum, and now a future whisky maker. It’s a beacon of employment and enterprise for the island’s population.

A Vision Born from Returning Home

Just 1,200 people live on Barra — and with a lack of careers, many leave for the mainland. They simply don’t see a future for themselves in the place where they were born. “We founded the distillery to give people a chance — that’s the legacy we want to leave,” Morrison explains.

Morrison and his wife, Katie, experienced that push to leave themselves, spending nine years establishing careers in Glasgow. When they decided to move back to start a family, the lack of opportunities spurred them to create their own solution. It was from this tension that the idea for the distillery flourished.

“The hope was always to open a whisky distillery,” Morrison details. The initial success stemmed from their gin, which was first released in 2017. Every drop is made and bottled on the island, using a bespoke Forsyths still named Ada (after their daughter). This proven concept—an appetite for spirits-making on Barra—has now allowed them to switch focus back to their original dream: creating a single malt whisky that is uniquely Barra.

The Whisky Galore! Connection

While Barra might not have a whisky-making heritage of its own, it has long been associated with the spirit. The iconic 1949 film Whisky Galore! was shot on the island, telling the true-life tale of islanders salvaging a quarter of a million cases of whisky from a 1941 shipwreck. The film’s locations are a major lure for tourists, and the new distillery aims to capitalise on that narrative.

To realise the dream, Isle of Barra Distillers is currently raising the funds needed to construct a bespoke distilling site and a full visitor centre, with a vision to open in early 2027. The first whisky is anticipated to be ready by 2032 or 2033.

To ensure quality, Morrison has secured Alan Winchester as a whisky advisor. The whisky legend, who spent much of his career with Chivas Brothers, will oversee the development of the spirit, providing a near-guarantee that Isle of Barra single malt will be top quality.

Transformative Impact on the Community

The planned distillery will be small by Scottish standards, aiming for up to 200,000 litres of spirit a year. However, its community impact will be seismic. Once fully operational, Isle of Barra will create as many as 38 full-time roles and become the largest ever private investment made on the island.

To put this in context, Morrison explains, a project of equivalent size relative to the community in Glasgow would create 23,000 jobs from day one. “It will change Barra in so many positive ways,” he says. “It’ll be transformative, to be honest.”

Invest in the Future of Barra

To help bring this vision to reality, Isle of Barra Distillers is inviting ordinary people to invest. The goal is to ensure that everyone has the option to feel part of the story and the ownership structure.

The investment offer is unique: a cask plus equity.

• Minimum Investment: £5,000.
• What it Includes: An ex-bourbon barrel (£3,995) and £1,005 equity in the business.

“You’re not just buying a bottle. You’re buying into the future of the island, the sense of community,” Morrison says. “It’s a huge opportunity to actually build something.” It’s a compelling prospect — and one that will resonate through whisky for generations to come.

Discover more about whisky casks and promotions at whiskybulletin.com.