Islay Trip Day Four

Back Blipped 23rd July 2017

I dare say just about everyone has got a photo of the fingerpost sign at Lands End. Well I'll take this one over that any day. 

This one is outside of the Ardbeg Distillery. There is a very fine cycle and walk way, between Port Ellen where we lodged and the distillery (and beyond). I gather it is quite new, and some travel guides still recommend "beware" the narrow and fast travelled road if you should walk it. Happily that's no longer a problem, and the three mile of so stroll in time for lunch at the very fine Ardbeg Cafe, prior to our tour and tasting in the afternoon was lovely - if weighed down by camera bags full of lenses.

Oh, the tour - it was FAB. The Lagavulin one had prep'd us for it, and as we were led around the inner sanctums the real story of malt whisky and the way in which Islay whiskies are made and matured was thoroughly enjoyable.

As was the tasting. In a vast warehouse of wooden casks with dates on them, we were taken through various whiskies, mostly unique and yet unbottled, by a lovely young lady called Dionne. We finished with a choice of either the 2014 Supernova or the Ardbeg Alligator - neither of which is now available at any price. Greg and I chose different ones and shared sips, so we got to taste both. Ambrosia!

By the end of the tour the promised rain had arrived. And it rained proper hard Scottish rain. None of your soft southern pitter patter. And of course we'd booked a taxi in the knowledge of rain, but did it arrive? Well, in fact, yes, after half a hour by which time we'd sourced a freebie from another tour guide. However, arrive it had and we felt honour bound to take it.

Back at the Ardview Inn, and with our new found knowledge and expertise (we are perhaps now 'competent' imbibers), we sampled a half dozen more of the vast selection. And in popped Dionne with a group of fun and boisterous friends. Pubs around my locale seem to have lost their charm (and their customers) in recent years, It's a real joy when a pub is full of young and old and all mix together for the craic.

Ardbeg has long become one of my favourite single malts, and visiting the home of the liquor was a wonderful experience. I do now have to admit though, with determined guidance from the experts... I will now add a very small amount of water to the glass. It really does something remarkable to the flavours and fragrances.

(Greg's Day Four)