October 2024 Islay (Part 8 -- going home)

Day 8 -- Saturday, the 19th October

It is an earlyish start again. Our ferry is a couple of hours later than I thought, but, in order not to rush...

For breakfast, we empty our stocks: buttered toasts, cereals, and a roadkill banana that we found, intact, under the Arona last night. Soon enough, it is time to tidy up the place, load the automobile and depart.

It is a quiet drive to Port Ellen, on the old road. We are treated to a gorgeous sunrise, a fitting goodbye to this beautiful place.

...right?

We are at the ferry terminal with twenty minutes to spare. A long line of cars occupies the stand-by lane: the forecast for tomorrow is rough, and CalMac have advised to not travel tomorrow. In fact, they cancelled some crossings. Many are taking their chance to escape today, while they still can.

It feels about time to play Peat & Diesel - Island at last. By the time I finally think of that, we are called onto the ship, and the song plays out on the car deck.

We find ourselves a spot with a view We take great fun looking at the car-Tetris the CalMac people play below to pack in as many vehicles as possible.

We also rejoice we are not that grey Volkswagen that is made to come forward, only to be turned away two metres from the ship, because it is full. Aouch.

Yup, this one

Today, the crossing is a breeze. We spot gannets in the distance, while bidding the Kildalton triplets goodbye, then we go for a late full Scottish -- served by a slightly-grumpy crew.

The road trip from Kennacraig is pleasant enough at first. Rest and be Thankful is still accessible via a convoy, as it was on the way out, and the old road that we take is perhaps even more frightening on the way down than it was last week. In Arrochar, we know better than the satnav, and take the road to Helensburgh. It is a difficult road, single-track most of the way, but it is quieter than going along Loch Lomond, which is always a huge time sink. The military base at Faslane is rather impressive, by its size, if nothing else.

We fill the tank in Helensburgh and continue. From Dumbarton onward, it is the usual driving-in-Glasgow malarky: we make five mistakes, despite having satellite navigation, which adds around thirty minutes to our journey. Nae bother! We had contingency.

We drop off the vehicle well on time, and it is a breeze. It takes ages for our taxi to show up, but, once more, we reach the station comfortably on time. There, we meet up with DH who brought Tantrum doughnuts to ease the heartache we feel at leaving Scotland. Thanks.

Our train is delayed by a few minutes, but once in, it goes relatively well. The fracas of the city awaits. The adventure is over. :-(

October 2024 Islay (Part 7 -- the northeast)

Day 7 -- Friday, the 17th October

Once again, we start early. Today, we will focus on the northeast of the island, which we have ignored so far. The weather forecast is not exciting, and the hike we had earmarked for that part, four lochs and three distilleries, is too ambitious for today, so we will drive instead.

Also, this

Our first stop is Finlaggan, where the visitor centre is closed for the season, but the site is open. They painted the bridge an odd red-and-green scheme; that is possibly the only difference JS and I notice, on this third visit. The site is still as pretty, if smaller than adc imagined it. It is damp and windy, though.

The horns on that ram!

As we get ready to depart, a carful of Dutchmen stops by. Phew! We managed to enjoy the seat of the Lord of the Isles before anyone else could impact our experience.

Let me make a quick phone call

From there, we drive to Caol Ila. We arrive there half-an-hour before it opens, and take a quick nap in the car. Once we make our way to the visitor centre (yes, it has one, now, being the Johnnie Walker embassy to the island), we notice that the seafront is inaccessible. JS and I spent a long while there with dom666, in 2008, marvelling at the view. Today, one cannot go outside without a booked tour; all visitors are funnelled through the visitor centre, in the old warehouse.

From the boardwalk, we see a Forsyth escort car, and a lorry-mounted crane hauling stills into the open stillhouse. Yup, silent season means maintenance, and Caol Ila's take on it this year is to change the stills -- or parts thereof, at least.

The visitor centre is the main attraction. It has a shop, a bar stocked up with Diageo bottlings, and a tasting room with a spectacular view on the Sound of Islay (it is overcast today, and the excitement is limited as a result). It all feels corporate AF, however. The shop has a wide selection, but on the pricy side (same owners as Lagavulin, after all).

A ship manoeuvres to crash into the distillery

The guy at reception offers us a dram of Caol Ila 14yo b.2022 (53%, OB Four Corners of Scotland Collection distillery exclusive, Refill and freshly charred hogsheads, 3000b), which is very good (I take away a sample, since I am driving). Well, he gives us a choice between that and Johnnie Walker 12yo Black Label Islay Origin (42%, John Walker & Sons, b.2024), which we had recently. Easy choice.

The Dutchmen from Finlaggan enter shortly after we do.

Reception guy: "Any of you driving?"
Dutchmen: "No. We came on foot."

Of course, you did. Finlaggan to Caol Ila on foot in less than thirty minutes. Clearly unaware that driver samples are provided.

They also have the Caol Ila b.2018 (57.4%, OB Distillery Exclusive Bottling, Refill + 1st Fill Bourbon, Red Wine Casks, 6000b) that we tried last night -- for a decent price. Not a very popular bottling, obviously. It is easy to imagine amateurs being put off by the wine maturation, if they have not tried it.

The whole place is welcoming enough, yet it has a new-school feel that does not resonate with me. Some of the bottlings, especially in the 2024 Special Releases, clearly target a different demographic, with colours and imagery that I have a hard time associating with whisky. Whatever works from a commercial point of view, I guess. We leave after thirty minutes of loitering.

Really!?

Bunnahabhain is our next port of call.

In 2008, the tour guide had broken her arm, so her husband, distillery manager John McLelland, led our tour. He made a point that Bunnahabhain was, "a distillery that accepts visitors, rather than a visitor centre that happens to make whisky." How things have changed!

Fuckin'ell!

The shop has a large selection of bottlings, distillery exclusive, Fèis Ìle releases etc., amongst which many wine maturations that do not appeal to us. Perhaps a mistake, as we saw with the Caol Ila 15yo from last night, but if one cannot buy everything, one tries to reduce risks of being disappointed. The prices are generally decent, and we end up taking a few samples.

Generally decent prices

Some of it is pure piss-take

There is also a bar. Not everything is available, but it is well stocked. Having said that, JS is mightily annoyed when she asks to try a 27-year-old that she has spotted on the bar shelf, only to be told such rare single casks are not available at the bar. Even though it is right there, at the very bar they are supposedly not at. We leave.

We drive back south to Ardnahoe to try their renowned café. Lunchtime is looming, and we are peckish, see? It turns out to be another corporate joke, yet another visitor centre that makes a bit of hooch on the side. The shop, I hoped the most interesting on the island, has a selection of Hunter Laing bottlings (they own the distillery), some of which are tempting. The prices put us off.

Around the corner, the famous cafeteria serves hot drinks and a few pastries. There goes our plan to have lunch here. At least, there is the bar. We decide to stick with the local produce and try a flight of three.

Ardnahoe Infinite Loch (50%, OB, Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry, b.2024) 7/10

Ardnahoe 5yo b.2024 (59.3%, OB for Fèis Ìle 2024, 1st Fill & Refill Bourbon Barrel, 931b) 7/10

Ardnahoe 5yo b.2024 Inaugural Release (50%, OB, ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry, 70000b) 6/10

They are not bad, if still young. We also get to try the Jura bottled for the visitor centre (labelled as "fill-your-own", but actually pre-bottled, and with a bottling date in 2023). It is very decent. Jura is consistently convincing, on this trip!

Now really hungry, we drive to the Bridgend Hotel in the hope to find lunch. The landlord takes about seven minutes to tell us they are fully booked ("Or you'll have to wait." "Sure, we can wait. How long are we talking, do you think?" "Oh, it'll be a LOOOOOOONG time!") Looking around, at the two or three tables that actually have people sitting, it is hard to imagine this place being called "fully booked" in a city, but one has to accept that this is not London.

Not-slightly disappointed with our bad luck, we drive back to Bowmore, stop for petrol, and head for Peatzeria… where are told they are fully booked. Again, it is hard for a city-dweller to accept, when only two tables are occupied, but hey! We book a table for "tonight" (also known as 17:00), and cross the street to Labels for takeout pastries. The one pastry we are most interested in happens to be one that has fallen over and is upside down at the bottom of the display case; once the lady turns it around, it becomes the least appealing piece. Ha! Ha!

We buy a Rocky Road and a Biscoff/Speculoos Fudge-thing. Once we try them home, we are unanimously disappointed. Bah.

Rocky Road

Biscoff/Speculoos Fudge-thing

We then have a dram of Caol Ila 35yo 1984/2020 (47.5%, The House of Macduff The Golden Cask Reserve, C#CM260, 204b, b#128) before heading out in the rain. We need postcards and stamps. We find the former at a knock-off price at The Celtic House on the corner (25p a pop, which takes us back to 2006). At the post office, the lady freezes when I ask her for twenty international stamps: "You may want to sit down..." £56 is the verdict. Here is an industry actively working to precipitate its inevitable death.

On the same premises is a fill-your-own-container shop
full of unlikely spices and pulses

We have a few hours to write them (and have more drams), then hit the Islay Whisky Shop (in vain), then Peatzeria. We have starters too. All dishes are excellent.

Fried Lasagna to share

Breaded Squid to share

Scallops Pizza (adc)

Glasraith Pizza (JS)

Peatzeria Pizza (me)

JS has a naughty beer

The place is half empty for the duration of our dinner. "I have one table at 17:00, due to a cancellation," she said. It really is a different rhythm of life.

Outside, the sky over the harbour is as pretty as can be.

We climb up the hill to the cemetery for pictures from a different viewpoint, but we do not linger: we have to pack, shower, and empty some drams (Bunnahabhain 27yo 1978/2006 (55.6%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Sherry Butt, C#2542, 509b, b#84, 6/0098) for adc and me, Caol Ila 29yo d.1991 (48.9%, Cask Sample, Bourbon Hogshead) and Bowmore 43yo 1973/2016 (43.2%, OB, 6 x Bourbon Hogsheads, C#3883-3888) for JS).

At that time, the PhD students of Bowmore start revving their engines outside. One in a red Golf is particularly irritating in his misplaced testosterone-fuelled driving, as noisy as it is environmentally detrimental.

We call it an early night for this last sleep in Bowmore.

October 2024 Islay (Part 6 -- the northwest)

Day 6 -- Thursday, the 17th October

Hearty breakfast, today.

JS made scrambled eggs to go with salmon paste and cheese on toasts

We drive to Loch Gruinart, hoping that the earlyish departure will result in more bird sights -- and fewer people on the paths. We travel with music, today. The soundtrack:

Ruptured World - Archeoplanetary

Ruptured World - Exoplanetary

Ruptured World - Shore Rituals

Ruptured World - Xenoplanetary

The RSPB reserve's visitor centre is closed (meaning it is not staffed; we will find out later that the door is open), but the paths are accessible. It all being on a farm, it is a little disconcerting to hear the concerto of bovine bellowing. No animal suffering here, mind: the cows seem merely excited at the idea of going out later.

We start with the moor trail (which we ventured on in 2017), and promptly see tiny birds in the branches. Most seem like garden birds, but they are too quick for proper identification.

At least, gorse does not move

Digitalis

Another of those caterpillars

A cocky wren

Coal tit

We see little more from the hide and the viewing platform. We then take the forest trail.

From the hides there, on the other hand, we get acquainted with Brent, bean, white-fronted, and barnacle geese, a heron, ducks, but also a small number of widgeons and the largest group of lapwings we have ever seen. Considering our previous encounters have been limited to two or three individuals, that perhaps is not saying much.

Lapwing (one of many)

White-fronted geese

Pale-bellied Brent goose

Widgeons

Coming out of the second hide, we find out that the trail is now closed while they fell trees, and we are to proceed along the farm path... at the end of which a farmer in a pick-up truck tells us to stay behind the gate: they are droving cattle to the pasture. The very cows who were bellowing, earlier. What a spectacle! Being cows, they are curious when they see us, but terrified as soon as they come less than ten metres from us. Endearing animals, if not courageous.

What's this?

Humans?

Let's go another way!

From there, we continue west to Kilchoman, where we have lunch.

Cullen Skink for adc

Tuna Toastie for JS

Chunky Veg Soup for JS

Haggis Toastie for me

Cullen Skink for me

The waitress brings the dishes.

tOMoH [to JS]: "Watch me."
tOMoH [to the waitress]: "Is the tuna from Loch Gorm?"
Waitress [without missing a beat]: "No, unfortunatel-... Och! You're joking, aren't ye?"
tOMoH [bursts out laughing]: "Yes."

What was she going to say?

JS and I even have a dessert before joining adc at the bar.

adc's chai

JS's Cheese Cake and hot beverage

my Lemon Drizzle Cake

Time to hit the bar!

We try a few drams.

Kilchoman Fino Sherry Cask Matured 2024 Edition (50%, OB, Fino Sherry Casks) 8/10

Kilchoman Port Cask Matured 2024 Edition (50%, OB, Port Casks) 7/10

Kilchoman 6yo 2018/2024 (57.2%, OB Single Cask bottled exclusively for the Distillery Shop, New Oak Cask Finish, C#2018/234) 8/10

The concept is that of a flight of three times 1cl, with the price of the dram deduced from the price of the matching bottle, if one purchases it. When adc makes her choice, the lady tells us the deduction button on her application rarely works; if it does not, she will give us a dram of the equivalent price. A tried-and-tested method to not offer a discount, and increase temptation and consumption. Anyway, let us overlook it. We ask for the Sauternes Cask, and, since we are so good-looking, she lets us try a Port Single Cask. A nice-enough moment, though she is on repeat mode, now. Time for us to leave.

Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured 2024 Edition (50%, OB, Sauternes Casks) 8/10

Kilchoman 6yo 2016/2023 (56.8%, OB Single Cask bottled exclusively for the Distillery Shop, Port Cask Finish, C#915/2016) 7/10

From the distillery, we drive to Kilchoman Parish Church, which, frankly, is prettier from afar, with its boarded-up windows. There are cottages by it that seem cosy and peaceful, but the location is less than convenient.

We push a bit further to see Machir Bay. It takes us to a track/road in really poor condition with potholes to end all potholes.

The destination is rewarding, though

Off to Bruichladdich!

Here, the piss-take is only second to Lagavulin. In 2017, they had a Legacy Series, a 33-year-old bottling, distilled in the 1970s, for sub-£500. Today, they have a 30-year-old bottled this year (distilled in the 1990s) for £1,500. I very much appreciate that it is not 2017 anymore, and that prices go up. All the same, that was not thirty years ago, and it is not juice from the golden age. The other, younger bottlings follow a similar trend (£150 for an 18-year-old, £250 for a £21-year-old). And then, we have sub-ten-year-olds and no-age-statements that are perhaps more reasonable. We leave promptly.

We stop in Port Charlotte to visit the Islay Life Museum. It is closed until Easter. Hm.

We continue to Portnahaven. Now we see it in daylight, it is striking how many cute cottages it has. We park the car, and venture further down Crown Street, all the way to Shore Street, in Port Wemyss. Not a huge trek: the villages essentially touch one another.

The train station is right there

As is the bakery

In Port Wemyss, we take the Path of the Fisherman, a punishing four-hundred-metre (give or take) of paved path along the shore. We gaze at the Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse across the sound, observe a fishing boat go up and down the bay, and, eventually, realise a grey seal is staring at us. We have a long face-off, but it will not come too close. When the small boat stops closer to us, we register there are a dozen of those seals around it, probably looking for its fish rejects.

identify this

A weird-looking plant that does not look native

...and will get rid of a body in two-to-three hours

Path of the Fisherman

What is this?

A grey seal!

Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse

A little further on the path, we meet the chatty councillor for Argyll & Bute (Ward: 2 Kintyre [sic] and the islands), a nice-enough fellow of the kind that is perpetually campaigning.

Extenuated by that demanding hike, we walk back up the hill to the church. It is of interest, because it is shared between the two villages, complete with separate entrances, and split pews. Other than that, it is rather plain inside, just like Bowmore's. The most interesting aspect is the current public consultation to decide what to do with the church, which the Church of Scotland is potentially putting on the market -- event space, lodgings, mixed use... Perhaps we caught it in its current form for the last time.

It is time to make our way. We take the scenic route northeast, where JS has spotted a craft shop: she hopes they will have a specific kind of salt, harvested in Port Wemyss. Geeky. There, we meet an affectionate three-legged cat, and ducks (the craftsman started selling eggs during the COVID-19 pandemic -- not quickly enough).

Quack!

The bloke lets us in. He is chatty and funny. We talk about politics (he does most of the talking). Unfortunately, the shop has no salt, and not much that takes our fancy, really. adc does find something she likes, which eases the awkwardness of having spent twenty minutes alone with him in the gallery to leave empty-handed. Beautiful objects for sure; just not our thing.

The scenic route seems much shorter than it did on Sunday. Crazy what a difference daylight makes. Soon enough, we are at the Port Charlotte Hotel again, and ask for a table. There is an eighty-minute wait. Fortunately, there is a well-stocked bar to keep us entertained. Unfortunately, the bar is very busy. Moving about is a challenge, standing still is a challenge, talking is a challenge. It is also ridiculously warm, what with the roaring fire. We go for...

Caol Ila b.2018 (57.4%, OB Distillery Exclusive Bottling, Refill + 1st Fill Bourbon, Red Wine Casks, 6000b) 8/10 (JS)

Finlaggan d.2009 (50%, The Vintage Malt Whisky Co., Fèis Ìle 2018, Refill Butt 700b) 7/10 (adc)

Jura 29yo (42.9%, Elixir Distillers The Single Malts of Scotland, 576b) 9/10 (me)

Waiting.
Roasting.
Enjoying.

At some point, they move us to the hotel lounge, which is much more pleasant.

No comment.

No comment.

When we finally sit down at our table, we order Scallops (adc), Tomato Soup (JS), Chowder (me), then Monkfish (adc), Hallibut (JS), Salmon (me). The waitress comes back with the menu: they are out of fennel and sweet potato for my dish. I insist I ordered it because of the salmon, not the vegetables, and a mash is fine. We get the dishes quickly.

tOMoH [to JS]: "Watch me."
tOMoH [to the waitress]: "That doesn't look like sweet potato?..."

Waitress: "Well, unfortunatel-... Och! You're joking, aren't ye?"

When I receive my plate, they have replaced the fennel with asparagus and tenderstem broccoli, likely airlifted from Peru and Kenya respectively. I feel stupid for encouraging that kind of ecological disaster, and it impacts my mood a bit.

Chowder (tOMoH)

Tomato Soup (JS)

Scallops (adc)

Salmon (tOMoH)

Hallibut (JS)

Monkfish (adc)

No dessert tonight. We are stuffed.

The waitress comes to collect our empty plates.

Waitress: "Well, look at that! You've cleaned them so well we can put them back on the shelf, now."
tOMoH [pointing at JS's lemon rind and lonely pip]: "Well, not hers..."
[JS pouts]

We go to the bar to settle the tab. The waiter (a lad from Leeds) brings the bill before we have had a chance to say anything. I ask how he knew.

Waiter: "I have a sixth sense..."
tOMoH: "Then what do I want on top of that?"
Waiter: "Err... A whisky?"
tOMoH: "Yeah, which one?"
Waiter [looks at the shelf for five seconds]: "This one!"
tOMoH [incredulous]: "Do I, really?"
Waiter: "...You want a bottle!"
tOMoH: "You're good. You should work here."

Our waitress sees me leave the bar with the bottle.

Waitress: "Where's the party?"
tOMoH: "At yours!"

We head back to Bowmore for a shower and a nightcap. adc and I have Isle of Jura d.1976 (57.5%, Harleyford Manor for Geoffrey Folley, b.1980s). JS and I have Islay Brut, an Islay-casked Mills Brewing beer.

A much more satisfying day than yesterday, as far as I am concerned. At no point did I feel I was wasting time. Woo!