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:
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 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 the waitress]: "That doesn't look like sweet potato?..."
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.
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.
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.
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!
No comments:
Post a Comment