A distillery in the Outer Hebrides is preparing to mark a year of "fantastic growth" in US sales by serving up its gin to the stars at a Burns Night celebration in Los Angeles.
Isle of Harris Distillery first entered the US market in 2021 and has expanded distribution of its award-winning gin to outlets in 26 states. Notable customers include The Carlyle Hotel and Noksu in New York.
READ MORE: Isle of Harris Distillery launches long-awaited first whisky
This was followed in October of last year with the launch of its inaugural single malt Scotch whisky, The Hearach, at an event in New York City. The Hearach is now available to purchase in 15 states, from Arizona to California, Texas and Washington.
Working with distributor MISA Imports, the distillery is planning further geographic and product expansion in the coming year that will be supported by its presence at the high-profile New York Tartan Week.
The distillery team will also be serving up their gin on Thursday night at Ross King’s charity Burns Bash in LA. This follows the success of last year’s event, which saw celebrities including Michael Douglas express their love for Isle of Harris Gin.
Taking place at Fairmont Miramar Bungalow in Santa Monica, guests will be treated to an Isle of Harris gin and tonic with a Burns twist of grapefruit and lavender garnish before enjoying an Isle of Harris martini.
“It has been incredible to be able to bring the taste of the Isle of Harris to so many people across the US," international brand manager Iona Cairns said. "Since we entered the market less than three years ago, we have been blown away by the incredible response to Isle of Harris Gin and more recently The Hearach.
"Taking part in events such as the Burns Bash allows us to bring that taste of Scotland to even more people, while also telling the story of our distillery and the passion for creating on-island opportunities and bolstering the island economy which sits behind everything we do."
The idea for the distillery was hatched by Anderson Bakewell, who has a 50-year relationship with Harris. It opened in 2015 with the ambition to create sustainable jobs for local people and support the wider island economy for generations to come. From an initial team of 10, it now employs 48 full-time staff.
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