Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Islay

The tiny island of Islay lies off the west coast of Scotland, around two hours by Ferry from the port on Kintyre (by Campbeltown.) When travelling through the Highlands, you are fully consumed by the rugged beauty of the landscape, the ancient villages you pass through, and the road network which says there is only one way to go, and there has been for centuries. On Islay, this is amplified. This little Island has been inhabited for over 10,000 years and has a monastic history shared with many of the western islands, owing to their use as retreats by the monks of Ireland. Islay also lays claim to being the spiritual home of whisky in Scotland. The secret of distillation arrived by the MacBeatha family in 1300, who were the hereditary physicians of the MacDonalds - the Lords of the Isles. Production of whisky began in the fifteenth century, although it was far removed from what we today know as whisky: it was likely made from a variety of cereal, and sweetened with honey and flavoured with herbs. But it would have been smoky, as peat on Islay is everywhere. Indeed, the island is covered in ancient peat bogs, formed through thousands of years of decay, maceration, compression and transformation, providing the islanders a source of fuel for centuries. Islay peat is different to mainland peat, with more seaweed, medicinal and kipper-like aromas, thanks to the materials that decomposed, forming the peat itself. It is a tough and hardy place, where you are made very aware of the continuum of time stretching far behind you, and far into the future. All Islay’s distilleries are located on the coast, which enabled access in for raw materials, and a route out for whisky. There are only nine distilleries on the island, clustered in four distinct locations: to the south, along the coast from Port Ellen (the administrative capital, and one of two ports), to the north beside Port Askaig (the other port), to the west on either side of the Rhinns of Islay peninsula, and in Bowmore, along the southern shores of Loch Indaal. There is also an airport, situated half way along a 15 mile stretch of road between Bowmore and Port Ellen, which is impressively straight apart from a wily bend at the very end, coming into Bowmore. Working distilleries include: Ardbeg, Ardnahoe, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin and Laphroaig.