Never did I think that my love for whisky would develop beyond a casual enjoyment or even a desire to travel to their places of origin, but here I sit on a train from Glasgow to London, reflecting on my time on the Isle of Islay.
First off, my wife and I were advised to not go to Scotland in Dec early January due to bad weather. The weather conditions were not enough of a deterrent to keep me from visiting whisky paradise. Being from Seattle, I see dark and gloomy, rain and storms 9 months out of the year; so for me to visit Scotland during this season was like a bit of home came with me.

Flying to Islay (pronounced I-LA) is not that tricky. We boarded a small 30 passenger plane in Glasgow and landed 25mins later on the island. If you don’t have the stomach for some of the turbulence you’ll encounter on the flight, you can take a ferry, but the ride can be well over an hour and be canceled due to bad weather. Once landed, I could smell the peat and salt air. It was magical. Our launching off point was The Seaview Cottage at The Ardbeg Distillery in Port Ellen. This area had three main distilleries on it, all within relative walking distance of each other. Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroig.

The Seaview Cottage at Ardbeg Distillery

We spent the first day just getting our bearings straight. Ardbeg itself is a massive distillery that has been around since the early 1800s and has gone through many ups and downs in terms of production and ownership. The distillery is currently owned by Glenmorangie.

Once we felt like we had a good understanding (or as best we could) of the island, we went out to explore. Most of the roads are quiet and life feels simpler. Lots of open green fields with sheep roaming around grazing. I can imagine this, along with the whisky, is one of the many allures of the island and the reason for the many full time residents.

We decided to travel north in search of the Storied Islay Wollen Mills Shop which was between The Bowmore Distillery and Port Askaig. I’m not sure what I was expecting visiting this shop; possibly something very modern. But like most structures on Islay, the youngest buildings are about 200yrs old and this stone mill was built in the early 1800s. One if the workers in the shop was kind enough to give my wife and I a tour and history of the business and show us the old shuttle looms that they have been using since time immemorial. This shop, is also world renown for producing wool for many fashion labels and movies. Some of the bigger names movies they worked on was Braveheart, Rob Roy and the BFG. They’ve also provided their skills and talents to the Royal Family. Knowing that I was standing on woolen hallowed ground, I had to at least by a scarf. I did and I’m guessing this scarf will outlast my grandchildren.

My wife and I decided to retire back to the cottage for the night after our journey north where we sipped delicious whisky (thank you Ardbeg) and tried to get a good night’s rest for day two.

The next day we traveled north again and headed west to Bruichladdich (pronounced “Brook-Laddy”) where we sipped deliciously sweet Smokey whisky. Bruichladdich hasn’t been around as long as the other distilleries on the island, in fact there was a short time back in the early 1990s that the distillery was mostly closed, until it was purchased by an Englishman for £7million. £2milliom went to buy the land and the existing buildings, while the other £5million went to get production up and running. They were finally able to lay down product in casks and begin bottling in 2001.

The tour, while not long, is well worth a visit as the staff there are incredibly hospitable, friendly, entertaining, love their craft and sharing what they do with others. My wife and I were fortunate enough to taste several expressions from Bruichladdich. The first being the classic laddie. The second, Port Charlotte Heavy speared whisky aged 10yrs. The third, being Octomore that went into the barrel in 2009 and had a 70% ABV at the time of our tasting. Needless to say, the whisky was incredible and our journey to the Bruichladdich distillery was well worth the visit.

We unfortunately did not spend as much time as we would’ve liked on the island. I think a solid week at a minimum would allow for more to be seen and to experience the different parts of what is offered. For many whisky enthusiasts, Islay stands out as a fairy tale, a legend and in many ways it is. If you have an opportunity in your life to visit this mythical place, do so; even if you don’t like whisky, the island has so much to offer.

Now, on to my whisky notes:

Ardbeg 10:

dry, Smokey with hints of dried fruit that gives some sweetness on the back end of your palate. The Smokey quality tends to be more forward, but is not overpowering to the senses. This, in my opinion, is the best expression from Ardbeg. Retailed at the distillery shop for about £60.

Bruichladdie “The Classic Laddie”

There is an immediate sweetness that you encounter with an oily smooth taste on your palate. It’s an unleaded whisky, so you’ll not encounter smokiness that is characteristic of Islay whisky, but you might taste a hint of it simply because it’s on an island covered in peat. The flavor profile is very balanced with no huge fluctuations in taste on the front or back end. It’s very consistent and a great beginning point if you’re new to the world of whisky. Retailed in the shop for about £45

The Octomore 10.3

I’m not even sure where to begin with this whisky. It boasts an ABV of 61.3% (122.6 proof to be exact) If this were a bourbon, say Bookers (bottled at 127 proof) you would get fire; but surprisingly that is not the case with Octomore. This whisky, like it’s siblings, has a very smooth an oily start with smoke and dried fruits on the front end. Mid way through the tasting, a subtle sweet vanilla note begins to creep in to finish it out. Octomore is a bottle worth hunting for. In the distillery shop it retailed for £175, so I’m certain it will cost more in the US. However, a bottle worth having nonetheless.