Updated: 8/1/20 | August 1st, 2020
Whisky as well as I got off to a rocky start. The very first time I tried it was in college. It tasted like rocket fuel. I only drank it when I had no other choices — as well as drowned what bit I poured into my glass under a ton of Coke.
Then I satisfied my buddy Dan, whose house collection of different Scotches as well as whiskies rivaled any type of bar I knew. He as well as Choun, the manager of Rye home in NYC, slowly walked me with the world of Scottish whisky. From wonderful to smoky to heavy to peaty, I tasted everything.
I went from whisky hater to whisky lover, as well as soon I discovered that there was nothing I liked more than the smoky, peaty whiskies that come from the Scottish island of Islay. I concerned like their campfire odor as well as strong bite at the end.
When I lastly had the possibility to see Islay with Sean, one more of my whiskyphile friend, I took it. found off the west coastline of Scotland, Islay is a big island battered by the sea, wind, as well as rain. (The weather condition is so poor that planes can’t land frequently sufficient that the island’s provider FlyBe’s nickname is “FlyMaybe.”)
Islay’s history stretches back to the Mesolithic period however the very first major settlers were Celts. In the mid-12th century, locals rebelled against Islay’s Scandinavian settlers, putting the island back in Scottish hands. In the middle ages, the powerful Campbell had the island and, acting like an absentee landlord, didn’t invest in the island.
After the potato famine in the 18th century, the lands were split up as well as offered off to personal individuals.
Whisky has a long history on Islay. It’s been made right here because the 16th century — very first in backyards as well as then, starting in the 19th century, in huge distilleries. Over the years, whisky from the island concerned be thought about a specialty as well as was utilized to flavor a great deal of other blends on the mainland. It wasn’t up until the early 2000s that Islay whisky ended up being world-famous in its own right as well as was a “must” for all major drinkers. The island creates mainly single malt Scotch, which implies they only utilize one type of grain (barley).
As we landed, Islay looked as I imagined. with the cloud cover, I might see a large eco-friendly island with rocky shores, unlimited farms, grazing sheep, as well as rolling hills dotted with diminutive stone houses. The land looked pastoral as well as untamed. It was difficult to picture that so much of the world’s whisky originates here.
Sean as well as I went to seven of the eight distilleries on the island (sorry, Coal Ila, see you next time!). We began our very first day at Bowmore (Sean’s favorite), famous for its mildly peaty whiskies. Bowmore was established in 1779 as well as is one of the oldest as well as largest distilleries on the island, creating 1.5 million liters per year. found on the shores of Loch Indaal in the town that bears its name, the white painted buildings behind the walls of Bowmore made it seem less a factory as well as more like a housing complex. (All however one of the distilleries are found near the water since it was simpler to get supplies in as well as out of the bays rather than overland.)
Whisky production is a easy process: first, you take barley, soak it for 2-3 days in warm water, as well as then spread it on the floor of the malting house, turning it routinely to preserve a constant temperature. These days, only Bowmore as well as Laphroaig do their own maltings, though they create only a fraction of what they requirement (used to make the tourists happy, I suspect); many of the malt as well as smoking process for all the distilleries on the island is done at a huge plant in Port Ellen or on the mainland.
After the malting, the barley is then smoked in peat, an earthy fuel from the bogs that cover the island. It is this process that provides the whisky the flavor that has made Islay famous. After that, it is fermented, distilled, as well as then put in casks, where it ages.
In Scotland, many distilleries reuse American bourbon or Spanish sherry casks (some utilize French oak, however that’s extremely rare). By law, Scotch whisky has to be made in non-virgin oak — they can’t make their own barrels. It’s not Scotch if it’s made any type of other way! It’s in these casks that the flavors of the whisky mix with the wood to ended up being what they are. The longer the alcohol stays in, the smoother as well as mellower it becomes. (So if you like a genuine smoky, peaty whisky, get a young one!) Unlike wine, which continues to modification with age, when the whisky is out of the barrel, it’s done maturing.
The highlight of our trip to Bowmore was when the attendant let us bottle our own whisky right from the cask! let me introduce you to the Nomadic Rebel (blending our site names):
After Bowmore, Bunnahabhain followed. found at the extremely far end of the island, its remote place offered the chance for the most beautiful drive of the trip: across the island as well as then down a small road, with the sea as well as mountains of the close-by island of Jura to your right as well as farmland to your left.
Our second day was full of three many famous distilleries on the island: Laphroaig, Ardbeg, as well as Lagavulin.
Laphroaig sits on a beautiful, wide, as well as rocky inlet that opens as much as the sea. The odor of salt as well as sea fills the air, fighting for manage against the peat odor of the distillery. This distillery is thought about one of the prettiest on the island, with its little historic buildings as well as viewpoints of the bay. The highlight of the trip was seeing the malting process in progress, in addition to the peat terminate as well as smoke as it filled the kiln.
At Ardbeg, we had lunch before joining our trip guide, Paul. “You’ve most likely seen a lot of these now, huh? I’ll just show you what makes Ardbeg different as well as we’ll just drink,” he stated as he grabbed two bottles for the tour. “In situation you get thirsty!” he added slyly. (Narrator: We got thirsty.)
Paul provided us a quick trip of the facilities, highlighting their old mash tanks as well as distilling process, which creates alcohol at 62-75% alcohol by volume (ABV). Afterward, we explored the grounds, marveling at the old casks as well as original buildings still in use, before setting back to the primary house. Ardbeg is set back from the road as well as seems to take up a city block with its big white warehouses. Back at the tasting room, Paul let us sample many of Ardbeg’s famous brands, in addition to some special distillery-only blends discovered nowhere else, never seeming to care that we kept slipping in requests for the harder-to-find great stuff.
Like many people we met, Paul had grown up on the island, moved away, as well as come back. “City life was as well hectic for me,” he said. And, like many of his friends, he got a task at a distillery. Unlike many of his friends, though, he really liked whisky. A surprisingly big number of the young people we spoke with weren’t truly keen on Scotch (“it’s what my grandfather drinks”) however Paul was a huge fan as well as understood his method around the spirit.
After wanting Paul goodbye, we stumbled out of Ardbeg as well as strolled toward our final stop of the day, Lagavulin. With lots of time before our tour, we walked slowly down the path between the distilleries, awed whatsoever the cows as well as sheep on the rocky verdant hills that rolled across the island, then caught a few minutes’ snooze on one of the benches that line the way.
On our final day, Sean as well as I went to Bruichladdich as well as Kilchoman. starting early at Bruichladdich (which had been shut for decades before two personal investors reopened in 2000), our guide Jenn provided us the grand trip as well as history of the place. The grounds are mainly white industrial buildings in a little compound, though upon showing up we were struck by the cobblestone courtyard (parking lot). It was a gorgeous entranceway that harked back to days of old. She set seven different kinds of whisky in front of us, though I had to drink many of Sean’s as well since he was driving.
At Kilchoman, the see becomes a blur, after having drunk so much at Bruichladdich. Our trip moved quickly with the distillery, then we tried a few of the brands. I don’t keep in mind which ones, as I mainly turned them down because I didn’t want to be as well drunk as well early.
After a quick lunch as well as final dram, I hugged Sean goodbye, boarded the ferry back to Glasgow as well as quickly fell asleep in a happy, whisky-induced haze.
From the friendly people with their small-town appeal to the gorgeous landscape, distilleries, as well as sea air, Islay was an island of dreams. I had been to my alcoholic guaranteed land as well as it was whatever I had envisioned it to be.
Logistics
If you’re going to go to Islay, you can get there by a twice-daily airplane from Glasgow with FlyBe or through the ferry/bus combo from Glasgow.
For meals, I liked Yan’s Kitchen, Lochindaal (best seafood on the island), the café at Ardbeg, the Harbour Inn, as well as Bridgend Hotel.
Accommodations consist mainly of adorable bit farmhouses turned B&Bs. They are very awesome as well as old fashioned. There’s likewise an HI Hostel on the island (Port Charlotte youth Hostel), which is going to be the most affordable option.
Recommended Whiskies
Bowmore 13 – Nice, smoky taste with a strong finish. one of my favorites.
Bowmore 18 (sherry cask) – Smooth, fruity flavor.
Bowmore 25 (wine cask) – Smooth, with a peaty finish.
Laphroaig 21 – Smooth, light on the palette.
Laphroaig Cask stamina 16 Year – truly strong, extremely flavorful. Packs a punch.
Ardbeg Supernova – extremely strong with good, peaty finish.
Lagavulin double Matured Distiller’s edition – Delicious!
Lagavulin 8 – extremely strong smoky as well as peaty flavor. tastes like a campfire. one of my favorites.
Lagavulin 18 – Smooth, with a more subtle flavoring.
Bruichladdich 1989 – Smooth, with a subtle wonderful flavor.
Bruichladdich 2003 – truly strong, powerful flavor.
Kilchoman Machir Bay – fantastic smooth Scotch, with a subtle peaty finish.
Note: see Islay offered the vehicle as well as lodging (Rosemary as well as Don from Persabus were incredible hosts. Don cooks a mean breakfast!) for Sean as well as I, as well as they likewise linked me to distilleries so I might get the behind-the-scenes trips for this article. Meals, flights, as well as transportation to as well as from the island — in addition to all that whisky I purchased — were at my own expense.
Here’s a link to Sean’s article about our trip too!
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