Islay

Welkom in het gebied

Nine distilleries, the Kildalton Cross and the RSPB reserves at Loch Gruinart and the Oa

Islay's distilleries fall into three groups: Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg on the south coast east of Port Ellen; Bowmore, Bruichladdich and Kilchoman around Loch Indaal and the Rinns; and Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain and Ardnahoe along the Sound of Islay near Port Askaig. Most offer tours and tastings that need booking, and times change with the seasons.

Beyond whisky, Islay has the 8th-century Kildalton Cross, still standing where it was first raised, and Finlaggan, the island centre of the Lords of the Isles. The RSPB looks after Loch Gruinart, known for its wintering geese, and the cliffs of the Oa, where golden eagles fly. Bowmore's round church and the Museum of Islay Life in Port Charlotte tell more of the island's story.