The Inner Hebrides Part Two: Islay

We arrived by ferry at Port Askaig on Islay, checked into our hotel, and went out to drink whisky at a distillery. Yes, I'm getting deja vu too. 

Port Askaig

This is Caol Ila, which we glimpsed from the sea. The distillery is currently closed for renovations, and apparenlty will not open again as an independent distillery but will distill alcohol for other companies. The top tip is that if you like the whisky, track it down and buy it up now, because they won't be making any more.

 

Caol Ila

We drove out to Bruichladdich with its beautiful colours (the turquoise colour apparently reflected the colour of the sea on the day they recommended distilling) and sheep on the beach. All the whiskies themselves are described here, but the buildings are pretty too. 

We progressed to Bowmore where it poured, and we hid inside the bar to keep dry - best excuse ever. Bowmore has a small museum and gallery. The museum tells us that David Simson moved to the new village of Bowmore from Killarow around 1766. He was a farmer, a merchant, a postmaster, a sailor, and, most memorably, a whisky distiller. His arrival coincided with the expansion of the village after Daniel Campbell the Younger decided to build Bowmore as the island's capital. The first recorded mention of the distillery was in 1779, the first on Islay, but it is believed to have started soon after David's arrival in 1776. 

We returned to the pub for dinner and a few more whiskies, with the requisite three drops of water (the amount of water added to the whisky is a matter of taste, but many people accept that three drops opens up the alcohol beautifully). 

We got chatting to a couple from Leeds who are doing a round-Britain tour, visiting every seaside town. They start each year from where they left off previously, and are currently in their thirtieth year of travels. There's a book in there somewhere. 

The bar has a sort of old shanty seadog feel about it, and a comprehensive list of local product. The Glaswegian barman is friendly but the accent is confrontational - even the way he says 'no bother' can come across as threatening. It was a beautiful still evening and we were happy to walk literally next door to our bed.

Port Askaig Hotel

Fish and chips in the Old Port Bar

Local salmon with tasty vegetables

The whisky selection at the bar

Beer with whisky chaser, or is it a whisky with a beer chaser?

Him Outdoors does a science

The next morning we booked on a tour of Kilchoman at 10am - surely, that's not too early to drink whisky is it? A charming young woman named Emma showed us around - she was very pleasant and helpful. I particularly liked seeing the malthouse, where the malt is raked over every four hours - by hand! We tried several whiskies and liked them all. 

Emma in front of the peat smoker

It is what it says on the lid

Driving around the island, we saw the sights of Bowmore, including the brightly-coloured houses on the main street, and then parked up at Laphroaig to walk the whisky trail. 

Kilarrow Parish Church

The Three Distilleries Walk connects Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg, and it's a great way to see this part of the island. 

The gatepost to Lagavulin Distillery, featuring the iconic still

I'd like this set up in my house

Delightful little bar at Lagavulin

Rest and be thankful, for you have arrived

That's a sign I like to see

Guess where

Prince Charles unveiled this cairn in 2015 for the 200th anniversary of Laphroaig

Royal whisky

We arrived at Laphroaig too late for tastings, so we took a quick look around the visitor centre and museum. I learned that 'Laphroaig's story begins in the 1770s when Alexander Johnston rented a farm on the Campbell estate. By 1815 his sons, Donald and Alexander, were running the farm and making whisky. Together they laid the foundations to create an iconic global brand. In 1826 Donald licensed the distillery and assumed control in 1836 when his brother emigrated to Australia. Donald died tragically in 1847 after falling into a vat of burnt ale.

'His son, Dugald, inherited the distillery at age 11, although his sisters disputed their father's will. Until Dugald could take over, Lagavulin's manager ran the business.' This is the stuff that stories are made of. 

All the distilleries have their own tartan, out of which they make all manner of bits and bobs. They also, obviously, make whisky, and the Laphroaig is known for its peaty and sometimes challenging taste. The marketing department is hugely proud of the range of reviews, and has posted a load of them onto the whitewashed walls as a bicentenary project. 

The final port of call on the whisky walk is Port Ellen, which first opened in 1825 and has been closed, largely demolished, rebuilt, reopened, and closed again since then. It is now owned by Diageo who intend to fully restore the few remaining buildings and make the distillery operational again in the next few years.

Back at our hotel we tried some Laphroaig (to make up for missing out at the distillery) and admired our purchases - getting them all in the suitcase might prove problematic...  

Another still evening at Port Askaig

In the morning, after packing up and eating breakfast, we drove to Finlaggan, Home of the Lords of the Isles. From 1329 until 1493, Argyll and the Hebridean islands were governed by the Lords of the Isles. These Scottish rulers were descendants of Somerled, who is renowned for freeing the Western Isles from the tyranny of the Vikings. The Lords of the Isles became Clan Donald, one of the most powerful ruling families on the West Coast.

At Finlaggan, the council of the Hebridean lords met to settle disputes, discuss rulings, and pass new laws. Tombstones found near the ruin of the chapel on Eilean Mor were probably from graves belonging to wives and children of the Lords. The rulers themselves were buried on Iona, the religious centre of the Lordship that lies off the southwest tip of the Isle of Mull. 

We had intended to see the Lord of the Isles Museum, but it was closed. Everything is closed on a Sunday: the woolen mill; the brewery; the local museum... nothing for it but to drink whisky! So, we walked to Bunnahabhain, here we got onto the tour and had tastings in the warehouse. 

Bits of old barrels

Welcome!

Apparently people often say the buildings look like a prison. I can't imagine why...

Porteus made themselves obsolete: their equipment was so good that one edition was all that was needed, and folk never needed to buy another (this mill has been operating here since the 60s). It is very reliable, but perhaps not the best business model.

The biggest mash in Scotland

Stills in action

Fat-bottomed girls making the rocking world go round

Sarah draws up a dram from the barrel in situ

Slange var

And then we walked back to Ardnahoe - famous for bottling, but not producing its own whisky yet (whisky needs to be in casks for three years and a day before it can be marketed as Scotch). Ardnahoe is a brand-new purpose-built building (about a fourteen million pound investment) built around the necessary equipment. 

We had lunch here (with some local beer, seeing as they've not got their own whisky yet). The restaurant area has huge windows looking out to the beautiful scenery, but the views of Jura disappeared into the rain.

 

Smoked salmon salad

Haggis, tatties and neeps (in a creamy whisky sauce, of course)

We finished with a mad dash to the ferry, which was waiting for us, and headed back to the mainland. It was dark and pouring with rain as we drove along twisting roads to see the family where we all reunited with a game of Scattegories.