FUN-travel: Islay to Oban, Scotland
June 16, 2017 by Susan Clarke · 1 Comment
- Caught the 9:45 ferry to Kennacraig…
…where Alex & Barbara awaited us…
Alex, Barbara & Us on Pulpit Hill
…for the scenic 2 hour drive…
…back to their home.
- Met them on our “Slow Boat to Singapore Cruise” in 2016!
Our View From Alex’s Backyard
- Oban is on the west coast…
…and southern part of the Scottish Highlands.
- Had a lovely time exploring the sights…
built to look like the coliseum in Rome &…
…Pulpit Hill …
…with it’s panoramic views of the city & bay…
…and of course we had to check out the local pub!
FUN-fact – McCaig’s Tower, a folly and prominent local landmark, was constructed between 1897 and 1902.His intention was to provide a lasting monument to his family, and provide work for the local stonemasons during the winter months.
FUN-travel: Islay, Scotland – Fèis Ìle – Day 3
June 15, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Islay, Scotland – Fèis Ìle – Day 3
Got lucky again…
…boys from Sydney have car…
…for our morning tasting tour.
1st stop – Bruichladdich – 10 am
…only to find out…
…no tastings before 11…so on to…
2nd stop – Kilchoman – one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland…
…and the only independently owned one on Islay…
…one of only a handful still practicing floor malting…
…barley is also grown on the farm…
…making Kilchoman the only distillery to…
…complete all parts of the whisky making process on site.
Bowmore
3rd stop – back to Bruichladdich…for our tastings…
Bowmore Church
…and my big surprise as they also make…
…The Botanist…one of my favorite gins…
…22 hand-foraged local botanicals…
…delicately augment 9 berries, barks, seeds & peels…
…during an achingly slow distillation…
…and the first and only Islay Dry Gin.
4th stop – Bowmore …
…only a hop, skip & a jump…
…from where we are staying…
…oldest continual operating distillery founded in 1779…
…but rumor has it…
….they were making whisky long before that.
FUN-fact – Fèis Ìle runs 8 days and there are 8 distilleries. So each day one is the featured music & malt festival hot spot.
More FF – Bowmore’s famous round church was built “with no corners for the devil to hide in.”
Our Lovely View From Room at The Bowmore House
FUN-travel: Islay, Scotland – Fèis Ìle – Day 2
June 12, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Islay, Scotland – Fèis Ìle – Day 2
- Lucky us…get a ride from Canadians staying here…
…you can’t drink those darn taxi fares!
Smokies
1st stop – Ardbeg Feis Day – £5 gets a souvenir glass…
…filled with the dram of your choice…
and a smokie…
…whole smoked mackerel…YUM!
2nd stop – Lagavulin…just a one mile walk…
…along lovely stream…
…with asphalted path…
…and busier than expected…
…thought everyone would be next door at Ardbeg.
3rd stop – Laphroaig…just 1.5 miles more
…down same winding path…
…next to stream.
- Chris joined the Friends of Laphroaig…
…we own a square foot of Islay…
…and the best part…
…we collect rent…
…a dram of the finest as they say…
…plus a mini bottle to go…
…such a deal!
4th stop – Port Ellen – just ¾ of a mile…but more hilly…
…so it feels farther…pick up bus back to Bowmore…a steal at £5.50!
FUN-fact – Rumor has it Irish monks first introduced the art of distillation to Islay, during the early fourteenth century. Fertile for growing barley, called bere in the old days, with excellent pure water sources and plenty of peat, the island had everything in favour to distill whisky.
FUN-travel: Islay, Scotland – Fèis Ìle
June 8, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Islay, Scotland – Fèis Ìle
- Feis Ile = The Islay Festival of Music and Malt…
…and our whole reason…
…for coming to the UK!
- Today is Bunnahabhain Distillery Festival Day
My Wee Little Drams
- 11 am – Manager & Senior Blenders Dram Tasting
- 4 pm – Wee little nap time
7:30 pm – Global Whisky Auctions...
…Tasting of 7…
…“Old, Rare and interesting Islay Drams”…
…some still available…
…some gone but not forgotten…
…and some that might be very unique indeed.
FUN-fact – Whisky tasting is a whole lot like wine tasting…
…swirl, smell, sip, swallow.
- And how does it taste? …soft & subtle…or strong?… smoky, spicy, salty, sweet?
More FF – My favorites today are the ones…
…finished in the sherry & red wine casks…
…takes the edge off and more smooth.