There’s something undeniably tempting about being first, a siren call to the inner child who wants to be first in line, first on the swing set, first with outstretched hands, eager to receive all the goodies life has to offer. That first slice of birthday cake always looks like the best, doesn’t it? The pop psychologist in me surmises that Fear-Of-Missing-Out is coded into our amygdala (word of the day!) aka lizard brain, echoes of a time when being last meant falling victim to a predator, famine or even just the elements. It’s as likely an explanation as any for that common, basic urge to be the first to try a new whisky, or at the very least to add it to our sideboard.
As a rule I normally bypass inaugural releases from new distilleries. Scotch whisky needs time to become interesting so first efforts, while essential milestones, don’t interest me from a drinking perspective, and even less so from an investment or FOMO standpoint. Too often the value proposition isn't there, bypassed in favour of a whisky’s ‘potential’ and dressed up with meaningless platitudes about “coming along nicely” or “just imagine this at X years!”
Harris Distillery was always going to be different in that it was conceived as a social project with a view towards sustainable employment that is badly needed on a remote island of Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. And given the runaway success of its now iconic gin, not to mention a healthy endowment from its founding investors, the financial pressure valve to release a whisky was considerably loosened.
While production began at Harris Distillery in 2015, The Hearach’s official launch was on Friday September 22, 2023 and we ferried over from Skye as innocent bystanders to witness the festivities. Batch 6 flowed steadily in the island’s pubs that evening, to the tune of 14 bottles in the Harris Hotel alone, and as my first taste of The Hearach it was a zesty, spirit driven dram full of minerals. Meanwhile Batch 3 was the one on offer at the distillery’s café when the whisky went on sale the next day, and for my money this was richer and more syrupy with a drizzle of peat, a session whisky that quickly begged for seconds, not to mention thirds — certainly sitting next to the peat fire in the visitor centre didn't hurt.
I won’t lie, it was tempting to snag a bottle of Batch 1 which was rumoured to be slightly older —inventory of all batches was still plentiful at the end of the day. But I tend to lean towards the old adage ‘try before you buy’ — though being human I’m often seduced by a pretty package or enthusiastic word of mouth. Batch 8 was the favourite of Shona, the distillery’s trainee blender and one of the Tarbert Ten, the nickname for the distillery’s initial recruits. Having married longer for 21 weeks, she found it richer and spicier and graciously offered us a lab sample at 48% abv.
But having already enjoyed a few drams of Batch 3 I opted for TNG’s Law 36 — “go with what works” — so I’m satisfied with this purchase, and look forward to opening it sooner rather than later, preferably in front of a fire if I can find one. The Hearach was always meant to be released in consecutive batches so this bottle isn’t ‘special’ or irreplaceable in any way. And somehow I take a particular comfort in that.