Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Distilleries
410
Islay Malts
For Peat's Sake
Isle of Islay, Scotland
Hugging Scotland's ragged western coast,
the Hebrides Islands have that impossibly
wild and romantic look down pat. Dubbed
the “Queen of the Hebrides,” Islay (pro-
nounced “eye-la”) lies a mere 26km (16
miles) from the Kintyre peninsula, but
that's enough distance to preserve its
remote, isolated charm. It's an unspoiled
island of moors, salmon-filled lochs, ruined
castles, mossy Celtic crosses, and wild
rocky cliffs pocked with caves where
whisky smugglers of yore hid their liquid
booty.
Yes, whisky, for this windswept island is
fiercely devoted to its single malts. Far
from the mainland's tax officers, Islay's
renegade distillers did quite a business in
freebooting whisky in the 18th century;
once the excise tax was lifted, the island
was perfectly poised to become a whisky
powerhouse. Islay's brown peaty water
infuses the local malts with its earthy tang;
hints of briny salt air and even a little
mossy seaweed can be detected as well.
It's a strong flavor, further concentrated
by the antiquated pot-still methods used
by the island's distilleries. Some whisky
drinkers are put off by the taste; others
consider it the finest and truest expression
of malt whisky.
Since tourism is Islay's other main indus-
try, nearly all of Islay's distilleries run tours
year-round, Mondays through Fridays; be
sure to call ahead for an appointment.
Begin down south in Port Ellen, with
Laph-
roaig
(1.6km/1 mile east of Port Ellen;
&
44/1496/302-418;
www.laphroaig.
com), a neat whitewashed plant perched
on the rocky shore of a tiny cove. Since
1994 Laphroaig has carried the crest of a
royal warrant from Prince Charles, though
illegal stills operated on the Johnston farm
for years before the distillery was officially
founded in 1815. Its sweet, smoky flavor
results in part from aging in recycled Amer-
ican bourbon casks (most other malts use
sherry casks). A few minutes' drive east,
Laphroaig's longtime rival,
Lagavulin
(3km/2 miles east of Port Ellen;
&
44/1496/
302-730;
www.malts.com), looks virtually
the same and turned legitimate nearly the
same time, in 1816. Using unique pear-
shaped stills, Lagavulin's distillers add extra
time to the process at every stage—distill-
ing, fermenting, aging—to give this dark,
Laphroaig distillery on the rocky shore of a cove
on the Isle of Islay.
