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Ten Facts About Islay and Its Distilleries

28-05-2018 By Whizzky Team

Peaty, bold and smoky whiskies are Islay’s gift to the whisky world. The majority of distilleries on Islay produce such whiskies, making this island a famous whisky region. Islay is home to the biggest names in whisky such as Lagavulin and Laphroaig. Home to just 8 distilleries currently, brush up your knowledge with these ten facts about Islay and its distilleries.

    1. Bowmore is home to the oldest whisky maturation warehouse. It was established in 1779. It is also the oldest distillery on Islay.

    2. Laphroaig is Prince Charles’ favourite whisky. He first visited the distillery in 1994 and bestowed a Royal warrant on it. He has since visited the distillery 2 times. Laphroaig is the only Single Malt Scotch Whisky to bear a Royal Warrant.

    3.The isle of Islay hosts a popular festival called Fèis Ìle. Fèis Ìle, the Islay Festival of Music and Malt, is one of the biggest festivals in the whisky calendar held annually on the last week of May on the Isle of Islay.

    Prince Charles at Laphroaig Distillery in 2015

    4.Lagavulin 8-year-old was bottled to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary in 2016. It was so popular that they decided to add it to their permanent line.

    5. Bere barley is Britain’s oldest strain of cultivated barley. Many believe that the farmers on Islay grew this strain over 5000 years ago. Bruichladdich releases expressions which use this particular strain of barley.

    6. Although Islay had illicit stills after the introduction of the Excise Tax on whisky in 1644, the exciseman only set foot on Islay in 1797. This is because the natives of Islay were regarded as "wild barberious people”.

    7. Caol Ila is the largest distillery on Islay. The name means Sound of Islay in Gaelic and refers to the distillery’s location which overlooks Isle of Jura.

    8. Kilchoman is a farm distillery. They grow their own barley and malt it. The entire whisky production of their 100% Islay expression takes place on the farm.

    9. Ardbeg with the peatiest expressions on Islay inspires artists. In 2003, Finnish composer Osmo Tapio Räihälä wrote a symphonic poem titled Ardbeg-The Ultimate Piece of Orchestra. It was released on disk in 2014.

    10. Perhaps the biggest news out of Islay in recently, is the announcement by Diageo to re-open Port Ellen distillery in 2020. The distillery was mothballed in 1983 and whiskies from here are highly sought after.


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