Why Sam Heughan and Scottish water is a recipe for success for whisky in America
The award-winning whisky from Outlander star Sam Heughan and a company from the Isle of Lewis have come together for a special launch in America.
Larkfire, Wild Water for Whisky, has begun the first stage of its market roll-out in North America - and has done so in good company.
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Hide AdA “naturally-sourced” canned water from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, Larkfire is specifically for mixing with whisky - or whiskey - as the natural alternative to “chlorine-heavy” tap water and bottled water with high mineral content.
Hosting an event at Flatiron Rooms, Murray Hill in New York, Larkfire marked their official launch into the US market, with partners The Balvenie and Heughan’s Sassenach whisky.
The Outlander star has posted on social media about the canned water, so the collaboration with his award-winning whisky makes sense. Larkfire has been stocked on site at the Glenfiddich distillery for a few years - where customers can also buy the Balvenie.
Commenting on the launch, Allan Moffat, chief executive of Larkfire, said: “We are incredibly excited to be launching in the US. Whisky is a drink that is seen by many as a drink with rules. It conjures up images of leather back chairs, smokey rooms and being scorned for even daring to add a mixer to the drink.
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Hide Ad“Mixing this water with whisky creates a natural chemistry – the water complements the whisky, unlocking its hidden complexities and creating a drink that is even more enjoyable and has greater depth.
“We've spent considerable time identifying key venues and following the launch in New York, you will see Larkfire available in the very best whisky bars in each state. After all, great whisky deserves great water to enjoy every last drop of flavour.”
Of the whisky partnerships the brand has developed since its inception in 2020, Mr Moffat said: “Every whisky brand we work with wants to deliver a consistent, high-quality serve to their consumer, and Larkfire allows them to do that wherever they are in the world.
If you put poor quality water or a poor quality mixer - something with loads of preservatives or minerals - in, it's always going to be to the detriment of the whisky, and that's why we're a good partner for the industry. But we're also very, very aware that we don't actually really exist unless we have those partnerships.”
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Hide AdThe core messaging for Larkfire is getting people into whisky, and enjoy it their way - something the whisky industry is getting behind more and more in its approach to advertising and marketing. This message was reflected from Heughan when he launched Sassenach whisky in 2020. He said: "We want it to be for the outsider, for people that don't know about whisky, or ones that want to access whisky and need somewhere to start. The name fits really well with the brand.”
Larkfire was launched after a study by Swedish chemists, Björn Karlsson and Ran Friedman, in the Scientific Reports journal. The study helped prove that water boosts the concentration of flavour compounds at the surface of whisky, enhancing the flavour.
This prompted founder James McIntosh to search for the best water for whisky, testing over 200 water sources.


Of this, he said: “We started on the premise of why you add water to whisky and we looked at the scientific aspects of adding water to whisky, like what happens to the whisky and how the flavour compounds attach themselves to the ethanol.
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Hide Ad“The water in Lewis is very soft, it’s very low in minerals, because of the rocks in which the water sits in [in the Larkfire water source]. Larkfire is very low in minerals, which means you taste more of the whisky.
“After travelling the breadth of Scotland, consulting master blenders, professors, chemists and geologists, we think we’ve come up with the perfect solution.”
A percentage of Larkfire sales flow back into the Outer Hebrides via a partnership with the Stornoway Trust – a community landlord that looks after 69,000 acres of land on the Isle of Lewis, where the water is sourced.
As well as the American launch, the Larkfire team has also submitted plans for a visitor centre and bottling facility at their water source on the Isle of Lewis. The company has always had ties to the Stornoway Trust, which manage the land estate in and around Stornoway.
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Hide AdMr Moffat said of the plans: “That facility will be both a benefit to the community, but also really root our brand in its home. Our home is Lewis and the people of Lewis want to support that. We'll be able to create jobs. We'll be able to create tourism and revenue, and actually, the relationship with the Stornoway Trust means that the more successful we are, the more we can give back to the trust for projects on the island, and particularly around what helps the community develop and retain some of its best talent, rather than leaving the island just go and find work.”


The work will include extending the pipeline for the water, as well as a Lewis Heritage Centre that will include a canning line, packaging, processing for the water, a small amount of warehouse for stock, and a state-of-the-art visitor centre with an immersive experience.
Mr Moffat said: “We'll be able to tell the stories of the island and direct people to the various locations around the island for them to visit in person, or if they haven't got the time, we'll have a an experience that they'll be able to enjoy on site with us.
“There will also be a shop and a cafe and a resource for the whole community all year round, as well as a tasting room and a bar facility. And we're hoping to work with local distillers to support that as well and tell the story of whisky making on the island, alongside all of the other fantastic stories that there are to tell about Lewis.”
While the American launch was a glitzy affair with the backing of some wonderful drams, the future looks bright for a company that has dreams.
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