The May bank holiday is behind us and many in Britain have had
their first taste of Summer travel, whether it was off to Spain,
the South of France or any number of classic destinations, it will
surely have whetted the appetite for a summer packed with holidays
away. As great as it is to spend a sunny day on the beach with a
glass of rosé, some people might enjoy a more remote
experience. Swapping the sand for green hills and the rose for a
peaty dram; those looking for something a bit out of the ordinary
should consider a more northerly heading.
Approaching your destination is like a journey to another world.
It’s not mean feat getting here; after the trip to Glasgow,
you take a bus along the remote Kintyre peninsula and then a ferry
from the port of Kennacraig. The entire journey is beautiful once
in the countryside, however the ferry passes some of the
legendarily picturesque islands of the Inner Hebrides. Gigha on the
port side is tiny but full of turbulent clan history, while off
starboard you will see the the dramatic Paps on the Isle of Jura. A
noteworthy island in it’s own right, but as the ferry makes
it’s final approach into Port Askaig you arrive on the Queen
of the Hebrides; Islay>.
Remote as any in these islands is the spiritual home of
Single Malt Scotch Whisky. A small spit of land made up of peat bog
and barley fields; Islay is a place of pilgrimage for lovers of its
unique spirit and legendary reputation. Some will raise an eyebrow
as I suggest a remote Scottish island for a summer getaway, but you
may be surprised to learn that Islay enjoys a surprising amount of
sunshine and fair weather though the summer. Add to that the fact
that the sun never seems to set up here and its a wonderful place
to enjoy long summer days, delicious food and of course, sublime
single malt.
The main attractions once you're here are surely the
distilleries. The first stop on your tour will surely be the Port
Askaig-based Caol Ila. Gaelic for the “Sound of Ila” it
looks out across it’s eponymous stretch of water over to
Jura. Run by Diageo it’s a well-crafted spirit known for
it’s intensely phenolic and peaty style with a distinct
character of olive and oilskins. North of Caol Ila is Bunnahabhain
(pron. boon-a-have-in), a lightly-peated malt with more deep
richness than it’s neighbour.
Travelling west towards the island’s capital of
Bowmore is the well-known Bowmore Distillery which produces one of
the most balanced and approachable whiskies around. A gateway
whisky into the world of peaty malts, this is always a great visit
as well.
If you decide to make a jaunt around the northern shore of
Loch Indaal you’ll be going out of the way but you’ll
be delving into the heartland of Islay’s future. The
adventurous team at Bruichladdich (pron. brook-laddie) are known
for their experimental, uncompromising bottlings, including the
most heavily seated spirit in the world; the cultish Octomore.
Strangely this distillery is more known for it’s elegant
unseated malt; a more floral coastal approach to Islay. Since being
taken over by Cointreau they have expanded their efforts to include
a revitalised Port Charlotte distillery.
Further to the northwest is the first new distillery to be
built on Islay in over 100 years. Kilchoman, on the shores of
Machir Bay is an exciting place to visit. A classic farm
distillery, they grow their barley, malt their barley, distill,
mature and bottle all on site. Founded only in 2005, the spirit is
young but incredibly fresh, vibrant and dynamic. Reminiscent of
burned orange peal it is a truly unique malt.
Heading south from Bowmore to the southern shore is where
the most iconic distilleries lie. Those that put Islay on the map
and made it’s peat-laced style so recogniseable, line the
coast to the east of the village of Port Ellen. Laphroaig,
Lagavulin and Ardbeg all have their passionate devotees, while a
closed distillery draws arguably the most feverish adoration. Now a
malting, The Port Ellen distillery closed in the 80s and the
remaining barrels and bottlings are among the most collectible in
the world of wine and spirits.
Basing oneself in Port Ellen, this line-up of distilleries
is an ideal visit to the island in itself. Crawling from one to
another, it is very feasible to even spring for a hired driver so
no one in your party needs to abstain. Also, one can travel the
other regions of Scotland’s whisky simply by visiting the
whisky bar of the Islay Hotel, not to mention sampling the
exceptional local seafood at the hotel’s restaurant. Be sure
at least once on your trip to try a bit of the local oysters with a
splash of Ardbeg 10.
Sadly the trip must come to an end and Port Ellen is a
convenient location to take the ferry back to the mainland. Regular
CalMac services run to Kennacraig and as you leave the fairytale
island that is Islay, you’ll get a last look at the three
southern distilleries as you make your way back to reality.
