Iona MacPhie
Distiller since 2017.
"I’ve learned small changes to the process can make a big difference to the spirit"
IONA MACPHIE
Iona discovered her love of whisky when she was a tour guide with Talisker, loving not only a dram but also the enthusiasm of everyone throughout the industry. When she saw a new distillery opening in Sleat advertising for distillers she jumped at the chance.
The Distillers' Series - Iona's First Edition
At Torabhaig, we believe whisky should tell a story of people as much as place.
The Distillers’ Series is Torabhaig’s experimental whisky range - where the people shaping the distillery are given the freedom to explore new ideas, flavours and techniques.
While each release reflects the perspective of its maker, every whisky remains rooted in the same stills, the same island and the same craft that define Torabhaig. Smoke with Taste defines Torabhaig’s house style. The Distillers' Series offers something different and explores what else is possible.
When Torabhaig was first planned, the ambition was not only to make exceptional whisky, but to bring new people into the industry. Local men and women of different ages and backgrounds were invited to join the distillery and trained from the ground up in the craft of whisky making.
For our distiller Iona, the whisky is inspired by her hill walks across Skye, shared with her dog, a dram & a bar of dark chocolate. Wild landscapes, quiet moments & a sense of indulgence come together in her deeply personal whisky.
IONA'S DISTILLERS' SERIES
Base malt : Concerto
Speciality malt : 10% Chocolate Malt
Yeast : Distillamax MG
Fermentation time : Long (90-120 hrs)
Fermentation temp : Warm (30-34 max temp)
Foreshots run : Long (15-30 minutes)
Spirit run : Long (3hrs30)
Spirit cut point : Low for unpeated (64%)
Spirit phenols : Unpeated
"My thought process behind my Journeyman’s began at Crisp maltings in Portgordon. I tried a variety of speciality malts, one of which was a chocolate malt that had a rich and slightly bitter taste, and it was definitely moreish – I managed to eat a couple of handfuls! When the opportunity came around to create my own whisky, I instantly knew I would be including chocolate malt, but I didn’t expect that my worts would come through almost entirely black and, once fermented for my chosen minimum of 120 hours, look more this Guinness than wash. I was pleasantly surprised with my spirit result, instantly smelling and tasting the chocolate malt after just 15 minutes of foreshots, so I cut onto spirit. I kept my final cut point low to include deep, rich flavours in the final dram."
