Isle of Harris Distillers secures funds to boost exports

A Scottish gin and whisky distillery is to launch an export drive after securing £10m in funding from HSBC.

Isle of Harris Distillers plans to expand the distribution of Isle of Harris Gin to more than 20 markets around the globe.

They include the USA, Canada, France and Germany.

The company will also begin overseas distribution of its new malt whisky The Hearach, once a launch date for the product has been confirmed.

The funding will also allow the company to build two new warehouses about two miles from its Tarbert distillery.

The extra 2,000 sq m of warehouse space will hold 9,000 casks - equivalent to about 2.75 million bottles of spirit.

Isle of Harris Distillers currently employs 45 people, making it one of the island's largest employers.

Executive chairman Ron MacEachran said: "As a business focused on the future, we're excited to venture into new markets and expand our international footprint - and to introduce more of the world to the bottled spirit from our special island.

"Achieving ongoing commercial success stimulates global interest and visitors to this beautiful island, assisting it to survive and flourish in the 21st Century."

The distillery was established in 2015, initially producing a gin made using sugar kelp seaweed harvested from around the Harris coastline.