Argyll - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 112

1 ISLAY WHISKY DISTILLERIES

It goes without saying that Islay's whisky distilleries are now a major tourist attraction.
Nowadays, every distillery offers guided tours , which usually last an hour and traditionally end
with a generous dram, and occasionally a free glass. Most also offer more comprehensive tours
with more tastings, and some even do warehouse tours. Phone ahead to make sure there's a
tour running, as times do change frequently.
Ardbeg Port Ellen T 01496 302244, W ardbeg.com.
Ardbeg is traditionally considered the saltiest, peatiest
malt on Islay (and that's saying something). Bought
by Glenmorangie in 1997, the distillery has been
thoroughly overhauled and restored, yet it still has bags
of character inside. Its café, the Old Kiln , is excellent;
tours £5. Guided tours 10.30am, noon & 3.30pm; Old
Kiln Café June-Aug daily 10am-5pm; Sept-May
Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm.
Bowmore School St, Bowmore T 01496 810671,
W bowmore.com. Bowmore is the most touristy of the
Islay distilleries - too much so for some. However, it is
by far the most central (with unrivalled disabled access),
and also one of the few still doing its own malting and
kilning; tours £6. Guided tours Easter-June Mon-Sat
10am, 11am, 2pm & 3pm; July-Sept Mon-Sat
10am, 11am, 2pm & 3pm, Sun 1pm & 2pm; Oct-
Easter Mon-Fri 10.30am & 3pm, Sat 10am.
Bruichladdich Bruichladdich T 01496 850190,
W bruichladdich.com. In the centre of the village of
the same name, this independent distillery was rescued
in 2001 by a group of whisky fanatics, but was bought
out by the French drinks giants, Remy-Cointreau, in
2012; tours £5. Guided tours Easter-Oct Mon-Fri
10.30am, 11.30am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm, Sat
10.30am, 1pm & 2pm, Sun 1pm & 2pm; Nov-Easter
Mon-Fri 11.30am & 2.30pm, Sat 11.30am.
Bunnahabhain Four miles north of Port Askaig
T 01496 840646, W bunnahabhain.com. A visit to
Bunnahabhain (pronounced “Bunna-have-in”) is really
only for whisky obsessives. The road from Port Askaig
is windy, the whisky the least characteristically Islay
and the distillery itself only in production for a few
months each year; tours £6. Guided tours April-Oct
Mon-Fri 10.30am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm; Nov-March
by appointment.

Caol Ila Port Askaig T 01496 302760,
W discovering-distilleries.com. Caol Ila (pronounced
“Cull-eela”), just north of Port Askaig, is a modern
distillery, the majority of whose lightly peaty malt goes
into blended whiskies; tours £6. Guided tours April-
Aug daily 9.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm &
3.30pm; Sept & Oct same times but closed Sun;
Nov-March daily 10.30am & 1.30pm.
Kilchoman Rockside Farm, Bruichladdich T 01496
850011, W kilchomandistillery.com. Established in
2005 as the first new distillery on Islay for over a
century, Kilchoman is a very welcoming, tiny, farm-
based enterprise that grows its own barley, as well as
distilling, maturing and bottling its whisky on site. The
café serves good coffee, plus home-made soup and
baked items; tours £4.50. Guided tours April-Oct
Mon-Sat 11am & 3pm; Nov-March Mon-Fri 11am
& 3pm; café Mon-Sat 10am-5pm.
Lagavulin Port Ellen T 01496 302749,
W discovering-distilleries.com. Lagavulin probably is
the classic, all-round Islay malt, with lots of smoke and
peat. The distillery enjoys a fabulous setting and is
extremely busy all year round; tours £6. Guided tours
May-Sept Mon-Fri 9.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm,
2.30pm, 3.30pm, 4.30pm & 5.30pm, Sat & Sun
9.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm & 3.30pm;
Oct-April daily 9.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm
& 3.30pm.
Laphroaig Port Ellen T 01496 302418,
W laphroaig.com. Another classic smoky, peaty Islay
malt, and another great setting. One bonus at Laphroaig
is that you get to see the malting, and see and smell
the peat kilns; tours £5. Guided tours March-Oct
Mon-Fri 10am, 11.30am, 2pm & 3.30pm; Nov-Feb
11.30am & 2pm.

fleet and main CalMac ferry terminal. The neat, whitewashed terraces which
overlook the town's bay of golden sand are pretty enough, but the strand to the
north, up Charlotte Street, is dominated by the modern maltings, whose powerful
odours waft across the town. Arriving at Port Ellen by boat, it's impossible to miss
the unusual, square-shaped Carraig Fhada lighthouse , at the western entrance to the
bay, erected in 1832 in memory of Walter Frederick Campbell's aforementioned
wife. Just beyond the lighthouse is the prettiest bay on the island's south coast,
Traigh Bhán, or the Singing Sands , a perfect sandy beach peppered with jagged
rocky extrusions.