1andrewspong
We're just back from a couple of weeks on Islay and Mull, walking, bird watching and distillery visiting.
If I say that our whisky list was longer than our bird list, you'll get a rough idea how our holiday panned out.
Best tour: Ardbeg
Most enjoyable dram whilst on Islay: Bruichladdich Infinity 2nd edition
Forgotten friend: Laphroaig
Biggest disappointment: the way that the multinationals that own most of these enterprises have robbed the island of much of its spirit (in several senses).
We also got to try the Kilchoman New Spirit from this newly opened distillery, which does everything from growing the grain to bottling at source (not a scalable business model, obviously, so expect it to be expensive); at only two years old it's a way away from being whisky, but even in this juvenile state looks like the island is going to have yet another source of world-class distilling.
If I say that our whisky list was longer than our bird list, you'll get a rough idea how our holiday panned out.
Best tour: Ardbeg
Most enjoyable dram whilst on Islay: Bruichladdich Infinity 2nd edition
Forgotten friend: Laphroaig
Biggest disappointment: the way that the multinationals that own most of these enterprises have robbed the island of much of its spirit (in several senses).
We also got to try the Kilchoman New Spirit from this newly opened distillery, which does everything from growing the grain to bottling at source (not a scalable business model, obviously, so expect it to be expensive); at only two years old it's a way away from being whisky, but even in this juvenile state looks like the island is going to have yet another source of world-class distilling.
