One of the commissions I have taken on was to organise an escorted four day tour of Islay taking in all eight of the distilleries and the sights and sounds of Islay if time allowed. No mean feat when they are operating almost in winter hours. However we did it.
I have never been to Islay in autumn. Whilst the weather was still great on the trip it is amazing how the scenery changes from the summer - still plenty of green grass and blue seas and skies but there is an extra sense of the place being slightly barren as the majority of the landscape has turned a russet / brown colour and the trees are going the same way.
I have only become a regular visitor to Islay in the last four or five years but it is a place I have fallen in love with and relished being able to show my guests around. That said the distilleries (other than Bruichladdich) were a new experience for me. Part the reason guiding a tour round them is so easy to be the sober driver of is because I really cannot find an affinity with whisky. The aroma, the palate....I just can't do it.
That said I did accompany my guests on a couple of tastings and tours and the process of making the whisky is just as fascinating as that of wine for me. If you ever find yourself on Islay and even if you don't like whisky I would recommend doing one of the tours just to get an understanding of what goes on - it is truly fascinating. Bunnahabhain is probably a good one for that as you get to see a slightly different perspective of the process and stills than in others.
You would think that visiting all the distilleries on the island would become a bit repetitive with the exception of the taste of the whisky however my guests all got something slightly different from each visit which I had made sure was a mix of tours, premium tastings, plain old visits etc. Each distillery has its own unique story to tell and the surrounds are generally stunning (both internal and external).
Given it takes a good half hour to get anywhere on Islay (courtesy of some interesting single track roads) there wasn't a lot of time to take in the other sights and sounds of Islay. We did squeeze in a walk along a very quiet but beautiful Machir Bay, seal watching at Portnahaven, a visit to the Kildalton Cross and a meander round Port Ellen where we witnessed a fisherman bringing in fresh scallops from Lagavulin ready to be housed in creels until they are needed. Fascinating colours.
So other than shaking from alcohol withdrawal on the way back to Glasgow, my guests have told me the trip was a great experience. A good balance of different experiences at the distilleries with some interesting side trips along the way. They enjoyed everything about Islay; the landscape, the weather, the beaches, the historic sites, the local cuisine, and of course the whisky.
A great experience all round. So remember, should you want to visit Islay and get the best out of it - whether that does or does not include the distilleries, then The Concierge is happy to put an itinerary together for you to make sure you get out of your trip what you are looking for. We can also provide fully escorted tours so you can all sit back and enjoy the distillery experience without the need to appoint a sober driver.
More trips will be offered in due course and if you'd like The Concierge to research and book any trip for you then please just get in touch.
Whilst on Islay we...
...HUNG OUT AT....mainly the distilleries of Islay (of which there were some firm favourites with my guests as far as the whisky experience went) and Port Charlotte Hotel which was filled with visitors from around the world, an open fire and local musicians - everything you expect of a Scottish island pub. We also visited The Lochside Hotel in Bowmore for a wee dram on the way home one day. They have an amazing array of just about every whisky available on Islay presented in the most impressive bar...
...WINED ON...I cooked dinner on the first night and worked with Pieter at Cross Stobs Bottle Shop to make sure I had the perfect accompaniments to go with that meal. We started with a beautifully refreshing yet fruity and slightly sweet sparkling from McLaren Vale and Coonawarra called Syn followed by a crisp, peachy cava Sumarroca Reserva. To accompany my starter of Baked Figs, Walnuts, Cambazola and Camembert Pieter took a bit of a gamble which more than paid off - Bonarda - a slightly sparkling (frizante) ruby red wine that was full of autumn fruits - blackberries, dark cherries. A perfect match. With our Tom Kitchin lamb with french vegetables we had Ondarre Rioja Reserva which had hints of spice and vanilla on top of full fruits of blackberry. And to top it all off (if that wasn't enough), to go with our stewed plums with orange and cinnamon, chantilly cream and palmiers we had a dessert wine called Elysium Black Muscat which was very deep in colour and luscious on the palate. And then we were stuffed!! All the wines are available from Cross Stobs Bottle Shop website or by visiting the shop in Barrhead - worth a wee trip to check out their array of less well known wines. Pieter is always happy to oblige with help in choosing the best wine for you...
...DINED ON...the answer should be nothing after all that but it wasn't. Islay is renowned for its local seafood, beef and game and we tried it all this weekend. The two standout meals were the seafood platter at the Lochindaal Hotel in Port Charlotte which is renowned and should be part of any visit. Due to a slight muck up there was not enough lobster for our platter so where else but on Islay does the owner run down to the pier to bring out the biggest lobster I have ever seen - you don't get fresher than that. On Sunday night we had dinner at The Bridgend Hotel which was as stunning as ever. Starters of grouse with blackberry jus and goats curd cheesecake went down very well followed by stunningly succulent venison and local steak. Simply presented meals bursting with the most amazing flavour.
So the wonders of Islay have been revisited and will be time and time again - one of those places that has a lot to do but the joy and relaxation in coming back time and time again is doing the same things each time.
Until next week....
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