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Islay is synonymous with scotch whisky. Regardless of there being solely 10 distilleries on the island, Islay has a protracted whisky-distilling historical past, and a inhabitants dedicated to preserving their tradition. The island additionally has pre-historic ties and is the setting of a lot Scottish folklore.
There are many causes to go to this island gem. So, earlier than you go, listed here are some fascinating information about Islay, the Queen of the Hebrides.
Thinking about studying extra concerning the whisky distillers on the island? Try the Final Information To Islay Distilleries right here.
1. There are 10 distilleries on Islay, with extra on the way in which
At the moment, there are 10 energetic distilleries on Islay: Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Bunnahabhain, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Ardnahoe, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, and Port Ellen.
Nevertheless, there are plans for a number of new distilleries to be constructed on the island within the coming years. One such plan is for the Portintruan Distillery, owned by Sukhinder Singh. This new distillery can be constructed between Port Ellen and Laphroaig and is anticipated to open someday in 2024.
Talking of Port Ellen, the distillery lastly reopened in March 2024, following a multi-million-pound funding from Diageo, which additionally noticed Brora Distillery resurrected.
Chivas Brothers can be placing one foot on Islay, after saying plans to construct a brand new distillery on the island in October 2023. The distillery doesn’t but have a reputation, however the deliberate location is simply west of Bowmore, on the shores of Loch Indaal.
2. It isn’t definitively recognized the place the identify ‘Islay’ got here from
Islay is pronounced ‘eye-la’, and there are just a few completely different colleges of thought surrounding how the island received its identify.
The primary written reference to the island dates to 720AD, in a textual content by the saint Adomnán, the place the island is known as ‘Ilea’. Within the following years, it was known as ‘Ila’, ‘Yla’, and ‘Ilay’.
Nevertheless, there are some extra legendary explanations as to how the island received its identify. One such story is that of a large Danish princess referred to as Iula or Yula, who left Denmark with stones of assorted sizes in her pockets. She then dropped the stones on her journey, with the stones then changing into islands corresponding to Texa and Mull. It’s stated that Islay is the final stone she dropped and that the island was named after her.
3. Islay tradition is saturated with myths and folklore
Given the tales about the place Islay received its identify, it ought to come as no shock that the island is wealthy with myths, legends, and Scottish folklore.
Some such legends have served as inspiration for quite a few releases by Islay’s whisky distilleries. The Bowmore 25 Yr Previous The Gulls is one such whisky. The whisky calls again to early Scottish historical past, when Scots traveled to the west coast of Scotland to create the brand new Kingdom of Dalriada-in-Alban. The native Pictish and Brythonic peoples resisted. Within the midst of the battles, a Pictish princess fell in love with one of many Scottish warriors, and, to flee the battle, they fled west to Islay. Upon arrival a horrible storm triggered them to crash. When a search get together was launched and landed on Islay there have been no indicators of the younger couple. Save for 2 white gulls flying over Loch Indaal.
4. The primary spirit secure was put in and used at Port Ellen Distillery, earlier than being adopted by HMRC
The primary spirit secure was in use at Port Ellen years previous to the Excise Act after being invented by a person named James Fox. The preliminary objective was to permit distillers to analyse and management the standard of the liquid. Quickly, nevertheless, the spirit secure would have an extra objective.
Following the 1823 Excise Act, spirit safes had been utilized by HMRC and excise officers to make sure that each drop of alcohol produced at a distillery was correctly taxed and accounted for. Within the early days of authorized distilling, earlier than the mass granting of distilling licenses, a customs officer on the distillery held the one key to the spirit secure and stored a watchful eye on your complete course of.
As such, James Fox’s useful invention for the business additionally turned a instrument for management by HMRC. Immediately, many spirit safes are now not in use at Scottish distilleries, however stay as a homage to distilling years passed by.
5. Islay is famend for its peaty whiskies
Peat is a dense materials that’s fashioned over hundreds of years when layers of vegetation and compressed and decayed. The result’s one thing referred to as a peat bathroom. Peat could be extracted from the land to be used in agriculture (some of the vital industries on Islay). Additionally it is, famously, used within the whisky-making course of at many Islay distilleries.
Distilleries corresponding to Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte), Ardbeg, and Laphroaig dry their barley with assistance from peat smoke, imparting an intense and smoky flavour onto the whisky. That is one thing for which Islay has develop into well-known. Mixed with the salty sea air that permeates casks as they mature, peat smoke provides many Islay whiskies a really distinctive profile.
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