Torabhaig is a young distillery in an old setting. Built in a listed nineteenth-century farm steading at Teangue on the Sleat peninsula, it began making whisky in January 2017, making it only the second distillery in the island's history after Talisker, and opened its visitor centre the following year. The buildings are arranged around a cobbled courtyard with the stillhouse, the visitor centre and a café, and the views run across the Sound of Sleat to the mountains of Knoydart. Tours are small, with a maximum of around eight people, last about forty-five minutes and end with a tasting of the distillery's peated single malt. It is a quieter, more intimate alternative to Talisker and an easy stop on the way to or from the Armadale ferry.
The tour
Guides walk you through the whole process, from milled malted barley and mashing to fermentation in washbacks and distillation in copper pot stills, explaining what gives the island whisky its smoky character. Because the distillery is small, you see the equipment at close quarters. Longer, in-depth tours with extended tastings are offered on a limited schedule for enthusiasts, and need to be booked well in advance. Young people aged twelve and under cannot join tours, but families can still enjoy the café and courtyard.
Opening and booking
The visitor centre opens daily in the spring and summer months and on fewer days in the autumn and winter, with tours leaving at regular intervals through the day. Booking ahead is strongly recommended, particularly in summer, because group sizes are small. Parking is free on site, though there is no space for large coaches. If you are driving, ask about take-away samples so the driver can enjoy them later, as Scotland's drink-driving limit is very low.
Getting there and combining it
Torabhaig is on the A851 in Sleat, about twenty minutes south of Broadford and around fifteen minutes north of the Armadale ferry terminal, so it fits neatly with Armadale Castle and Gardens, a stay in one of the Sleat country-house hotels or a crossing to Mallaig. From Portree, allow about an hour. Whisky fans can make a day of it by visiting Talisker at Carbost in the morning and Torabhaig in the afternoon, which shows two very different sides of Skye whisky, one long-established and one new.
What to expect
The experience
A small-group guided distillery tour of about forty-five minutes ending with a tasting, plus a café and shop in a restored farm courtyard.
Best time
A weekday morning or early afternoon, booked in advance, especially in summer.
How long
About forty-five minutes for the standard tour, longer for in-depth tastings.
Tips
Book ahead, remember under-12s cannot join tours, arrange a designated driver or take-away samples, and pair it with Armadale.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Whisky lovers who want a smaller, quieter distillery experience than the island's best-known name.
- Families
- Children cannot join tours, but the café and courtyard are welcoming.
- Couples
- Take an afternoon tour, then dinner at a Sleat country-house hotel nearby.
- Pair with
- Armadale Castle and Gardens, Talisker Distillery and the Mallaig ferry.
- Time needed
- One to two hours with the café.
Good questions
When did Torabhaig start making whisky?+
Production began in January 2017, making it Skye's second distillery, and the visitor centre opened the following year.
Do I need to book a tour?+
Booking ahead is strongly recommended, as tours are small and fill quickly in summer.
Can children visit?+
Children are welcome in the café and courtyard, but young people aged twelve and under cannot join the tours.
Where is Torabhaig?+
At Teangue on the Sleat peninsula, on the A851 between Broadford and the Armadale ferry.
Is there parking?+
Yes, free parking is available on site, though there is no space for large coaches.
