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Island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland
Photo: Martin Cígler, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Islay (Gaelic Ìle, say "eye-la") is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, with a population of 3,228 in 2011. It's mostly low-lying grazing land and heath, with Port Ellen and Bowmore the main settlements. Islay is exposed to the Atlantic, with a mild climate and strong breezes, which keep the midges in check, but in winter fierce gales and storms are common, with disruption of transport. You have to travel via Islay to reach the nearby Isle of Jura.
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Ardbeg (An Àird Bheag, the small promontory) first distilled in 1798, with the latest spell from 1997. It's now owned by LVMH and produces a heavy peaty malt. The Visitor Centre is accessible, however because it is the distillery is older building, some areas on tours and tastings are trickier to navigate than others. Visitors requiring accommodation are encouraged to contact the distillery prior to arrival. The Classic Production Tour is 1 hr 15 min and runs twice a day Monday to Friday, at 10:30AM and 3PM.
Lag a' Mhuilinn means "hollow of the mill". The distillery was founded in 1816 and is now part of Diageo, producing a smoky, peaty single malt.
Founded in 1815; the name might derive from Lag Bhròdhaig, "hollow of the broad bay". Since 2014 it's been owned by Beam Suntory. Although peaty and smoky, the whisky is pleasantly light, and sometimes dissed by the drouthy as "a gerrill's drink".
This was founded in 1779 to become perhaps the only scotch whisky distillery to be owned by a German vice-consul to the Ottoman Empire. Herr Mutter even built a steamship to import grain and export the whisky. Anti-German sentiment finished off the business in 1915; it had a series of owners and spells of production before joining Beam Suntory in 1994. The product is shipped to Glasgow for bottling. Their 12-year old single malt is smoky and peaty, sweet with a citrus tang, but doesn't have the seaweed / iodine notes typical of Islay whisky.
Bruthach a' Chladaich means "Brae of the Shore" and the distillery was founded by Loch Indaal in 1881. It was state-of-the-art for its time, with unusually tall narrow stills. It had stop-start production in the 20th century so it was never modernised, and the original equipment was restored from 2013 under the ownership of Rémy Cointreau. Those whiskies marketed as Bruichladdich are unpeated, those as Port Charlotte are peated, and Octomore is heavily peated. They also produce gin.
Independent distillery established in 2005, with the first whisky on sale in 2009. It's peaty to the same level as Ardbeg, 50 ppm.
Bun na h-Abhainne means "mouth of the river" and the distillery came first in 1881, then the village was built to house the workers. Until the 1960s you could only get in and out by boat, then the road was made from Port Askaig. The whisky is light and unpeated; the place is now owned by Highland Distillers. Tours of the production area remain suspended, but they still offer tastings.
Ardnahoe means "the height of the hollow". It's independently owned by the Laing family and opened in 2019, with its products first on sale in Nov 2021.
Caol Ila means the Straits of Islay that the distillery overlooks, the channel separating Jura. It was founded in 1846 but had a chequered commercial history.The present distillery has operated since 1974 and is owned by Diageo, but is closed for reconstruction.
Loch Finlaggan is a freshwater lake. At its north end are two islands which in the 13th-15th centuries were the seat of the Lord of the Isles, until rule passed to the King of Scotland. A visitor centre displays various artefacts of that era. A bridge links to Eilean Mòr ("the Big Island"), which can always be accessed even when the centre is closed. Here the main ruin is the castle (simply a fortified house), plus a medieval chapel and 16th-century graves. You can't routinely visit Eilean na Comhairle ("the Council Island"), which has the fragmentary remains of the Lords' council chambers.
This is a sea loch; at its head are the Gruinart Flats wetland, an RSPB reserve. Great masses of barnacle geese roost here in winter; look out also for corncrakes, hen harriers and otters. The reserve is always open. There are two trails, the Woodland Trail (a mile) and the Moorland Trail (2 miles). You can cycle from Uiskentuie (on the A847) along the B8017 to the visitor centre, and then north to Ardnave, 7 miles each way.
It is housed in the former Kilchoman Free Church, which is very pointedly not in Kilchoman. That community became depopulated and 1843 saw a great feud and "Disruption" of the Church of Scotland. The breakaway "free" faction worshipped here in a righteous huff until a 1929 reconciliation made their Free Church redundant. The museum has over 1600 items, spanning from the Mesolithic period 10,000 years ago till 1950.
This has a swimming pool, sauna and gym.
Sea kayaking around the coastline of Islay. Based in Port Ellen, but tours from other points on Islay or Jura are possible on request. The half day is recommended for beginners.
Sea kayak tours and training.
A great little Indian restaurant in the centre of Bowmore. They don't serve alcohol, but you can bring your own. Cash only.
3-star with rooms, but it's best known for its restaurant. The bar also does meals.
On an island known for its whisky, Islay Wines is the only winery on the west coast of Scotland. Offers free tastings.
The only brewery on Islay, producing real ales since 2004. Visitor centre open on Saturdays
formerly Islay Hotel
Consists of 13 individually designed rooms, a restaurant serving dishes with locally sourced ingredients, as well as a whisky bar featuring over 100 malt whiskies and live music twice weekly. It opened in 1888, then was demolished and rebuilt in the 2000s, reopening in 2011.
This is where the Campbells moved when they abandoned Dunyvaig in 1677. They spent a fortune embellishing it and went bust in 1847. However the place continued to have prosperous owners, and was converted to a hotel in 2014. Open Apr-Oct, great scores for comfort, service and dining.
Small hotel with bar and restaurant. Ten-min walk to Finlaggan.
Camp & caravan site open Mar-Nov. Licensed cafe is open daily 08:00-8:30PM, no dogs indoors.
Hostel open Mar-Sep in old whisky warehouse. 30 beds with good common room facilities, free wifi. The well-equipped kitchen is locked between 10:00 and 14:00.
Comfy hotel, does good bar meals and often has live traditional music on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. There is a beer garden at the back. Excellent selection of whisky, but establish the price first (especially if they're coy about it) - it could be £50 a shot.
Next to the ferry pier, this is one of the island's oldest inns, and feels it; needs refurbishment. No dogs. The pub does bar meals.
This remains closed throughout 2022. It's owned by Bowmore Distillery with seven rooms, a restaurant and a pub with good selection of whisky. They also run several nearby self-catering cottages.
By boat
Calmac ferries sail from Kennacraig to two ports on Islay, taking two hours. April to Oct both ports have 2-3 sailings daily, with an amended timetable during the annual Feis.
Islay Coaches Bus 450 / 451 runs along the spine of the island from Ardbeg to Port Ellen, the airport, Bowmore and Bridgend then either east to Port Askaig, or west to Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Portnahaven.
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Isle of Islay, Argyll and Bute · Regional · ILY
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