It’s thought that Irish monks first brought distillation to Islay during the early 14th century. Since then, the island’s eight distilleries continue to use its fertile grounds, pure water sources, and peat to distil exceptional malts that have become famous and sought-after all over the world by connoisseurs and beginners alike. Each distillery features some genuinely unique expressions while still maintaining the distinctive elements that make Islay stand out among the other whisky-producing regions in Scotland. 

Whiskies produced in the south of Islay are the most powerful on the island, boasting robust medium-bodied whiskies with full flavours of peat smoke, iodine, and brine. In addition to their use of heavily peated malt, the distilleries in this area, namely Ardbeg, Laphroaig, and Lagavulin, also use the island’s naturally peaty water during every stage of production. 

As well as the peat, Ardbeg predominantly features a turfy smoke, seaspray, and seaweed character in their bottlings, Laphroaig a more medicinal flavour with touches of iodine, lychee, seaweed, and leaves, and Lagavulin more elegant notes of clove, lemon, fruitcake, and seaweed.

By contrast, the northern distilleries of Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain produce considerably milder, less assaulting offerings. They draw their water before it has had any contact with peat, and use only unpeated or lightly peated barley. This results in whiskies with lighter, mossy flavours with hints of nuts and seaweed and a dry finish. 

Kilchoman, the only farm-distillery on the island, produces slightly peatier whiskies, while still maintaining a well-balanced flavour profile with notes of vanilla and fruit to contrast the warm peat smoke.

On the shore of Loch Indaal lies Bowmore, a distillery that stands between the two extremes of their northern and southern counterparts. Bowmore’s expressions are peaty but not medicinal, with notes of toffee and linseed oil and a floral nose. Similarly, Caol Ila produces a malt with peaty, salty flavours balanced out with floral notes and a peppery finish. 

In addition to Islay’s active distilleries, the island is also home to one of the whisky industry’s legendary lost distillers. Port Ellen was founded in 1825 and operated without incident until it was mothballed in 1930. The distillery reopened in 1967 after some expansion and refurbishment; however, its doors closed again in 1983 when its parent company, Distiller’s Company Ltd, experienced a downturn. The distillery itself was dismantled, and the site now houses a malting and produces a large amount of the malt needed on by the other distilleries on Islay. 

While there are plans to reopen the distillery in 2020, we may have to wait until 2032 to see the first release from the revitalised Port Ellen. Until then, the slowly decreasing number of bottlings from this much-loved distillery will continue to be among the most expensive and sought-after whiskies in the world.

Islay whiskies tend to have the opposite characteristics of their Speyside cousins. They are generally pungent with peat, smoke, and salinity, with a complexity that continues to reveal itself layer after layer. Between them, the various distilleries across the island also evoke notes of gentle moss, linseed, pepper, spice, and flowers in their palates, with a general dry finish across their expressions. 

Typical flavour notes of an Islay whisky include: 

• Smoke. 
• Brine. 
• Seaweed. 
• Kippers.
• Apple.
• Carbolic Soap.

If you prefer smokier, heavily peated whiskies, the Islay drams at The House of Whisky are sure to appeal to your palate. Browse our range here.