A Remarkable Lebanese Debut for Isle of Raasay at Club Mareva Beirut

Club Mareva Beirut was proud to host the Lebanese launch of Isle of Raasay, marking the first time the acclaimed Scotch whisky was officially poured in Lebanon.

The intimate evening brought together 20 guests for a guided tasting of five distinctive expressions. From the first pour to the formidable cask-strength finale, the whisky was exceptional—and the tasting proved to be a memorable introduction to one of the most exciting names in modern Scotch.

Our journey was expertly guided by Jean Paul Abdallah, who shared the story behind the distillery, its island origins and the character of each expression. For the first time in one of our presentations, we also used our map of Scotland, giving guests a visual journey to the Isle of Raasay and placing the distillery within Scotland’s remarkable whisky landscape.

Isle of Raasay is the first legal distillery on its namesake Hebridean island, home to just 161 residents. Every bottle is distilled, matured and bottled on the island using mineral-rich water drawn from a Celtic Iron Age well. Naturally filtered through volcanic rock and Jurassic sandstone, the water contributes to a whisky deeply connected to its remote island home.

The distillery produces both peated and unpeated spirit, maturing it in a carefully selected range of casks before bringing the different components together. The result is a house style that feels rooted in Scotch whisky tradition while remaining fresh, creative and unmistakably modern.

Five Expressions, One Island

The tasting explored the full range through five 30ml pours, progressing from delicate and nuanced expressions to whiskies of remarkable intensity.

We began with The Draam, Isle of Raasay’s flagship expression. Lightly peated and layered with rich dark fruit, it is created from the distillery’s six-cask Na Sia recipe, incorporating rye whiskey, Chinkapin oak and Bordeaux red-wine casks.

Next came The Chinkapin, an exploration of the influence of a single variety of oak. Peated and unpeated spirits matured in fresh and refill Chinkapin oak revealed a distinctive interpretation of the Raasay character.

Dùn Cana, named after the island’s highest peak, brought greater richness and depth. Matured in sherry quarter casks and finished in Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez, it delivered generous layers of dried fruit and complexity.

The limited-release Marsala Cask followed. Its lightly peated spirit, matured in ex-Marsala barriques, demonstrated how an unconventional cask choice can produce an elegant and memorable Scotch whisky.

The evening concluded with Cask Strength, bottled at an impressive 61.1% ABV. Presenting the six-cask recipe at full intensity, it was a powerful and fitting finale—with nothing held back.

Cheese and cold cuts accompanied the whiskies throughout the evening, allowing guests to explore each expression at a relaxed pace.

The tasting was a tremendous success. Under Jean Paul Abdallah’s guidance—and with the map of Scotland enriching the presentation—our guests discovered not only five outstanding whiskies, but also the landscape, history and people behind them.

It was a privilege to introduce Isle of Raasay to Lebanon for the first time. Club Mareva Beirut was delighted to share this remarkable island spirit with our guests and celebrate a memorable new chapter for Scotch whisky in Beirut.