Introduction to Scottish Highlands & Islands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 7

The Highlands are splendid, but the islands scattered off the west and north coasts are
an essential part of the region's identity. As varied in size and character as accessibility,
the rocky Hebrides, which necklace Scotland's Atlantic shoreline, include Mull and the
nearby pilgrimage centre of Iona ; Islay and Jura , famous for their wildlife and whisky;
Skye , the most visited of the lot because of its sophisticated hotels and restaurants as
much as the superb walking in the Cuillin mountains; and the Western Isles , an
elongated archipelago that is still a bastion of Gaelic culture. With their rich Norse
heritage, Orkney and Shetland differ not only from each other, but from the dialect
and culture of mainland Scotland too. These are the most far-flung islands, buffeted
by wind and sea and offering some of the country's wildest scenery, finest birdwatching
and best archeological sites.
A WEE DRAM
No Highland village would be complete without its pub and no pub would be complete
without a line of amber whisky bottles glinting behind the bar. Single malts have grown in
popularity as a new audience discovers a drink nurtured by a well-marketed mix of soft
Scottish rain, Highland streams, rich peaty soil, smoke and craftsmanship.
Not only is whisky the national drink, enjoying it is often regarded as the national pastime
too, lubricating any social gathering from a Highland ceilidh to a Saturday night session. While
it can be drunk neat, the truth is that a splash of water releases the whisky's flavours. It's no
surprise, then, that the Scots also turn a healthy profit by bottling the country's abundant
spring water and selling it around the world.