Festival Celebrates Islay's Malt Whisky Heritage
The annual, week long Islay Festival of Malt and Music starts the last weekend in May. The small Island of Islay is famous around the world for its malt whiskies with no less than eight working distilleries. This makes the malt whisky industry one of the most important sources of income for the island.
The festival programme includes a variety of cultural and musical events including Highland dancing, the Islay Pipe Band, guided walks, sporting events and children's amusements. However I don't think anyone would argue that Islay's whisky will take pride of place. The malt whisky enthusiast will be able to visit each of the distilleries on their open days. On offer will be distillery tours, master classes and whisky tastings. Refreshments and food tastings featuring local produce and ingredients will be available at many of the events.
An Evening of Gaelic Song and Traditional Music at the Gaelic College Bowmore on the evening of 27th May will be a treat for those interested in Gaelic music and culture. This is a great opportunity to see local Islay artists, including the Islay Gaelic Choir, perform. There will be refreshments and a raffle.
A whisky tasting Ceilidh on the evening of the 25th May will challenge the real whisky buffs who can tell Ardbeg from Bowmore or Bruichladdich. All the distilleries will be there with their whisky so go along and test your whisky tasting skills. Musical accompaniment will be by The Islay Fiddle and Accordion Band.
Islay's peaty soil and brown peaty water combined with its exposed position all contribute to the unique characteristics of its whisky. Salty sea spray is brought far inland on wild winter gales, soaking deep into the peat. The same salty, seaweed scented breeze dries it out again in calmer weather conditions. The result is some of the strongest flavoured of all the malt whiskies.
The distilleries in the south of the island include Ardbeg and Laphroaig. These produce some of the most powerful of Islay's whiskies. The brown, peaty water is used together with a heavily peated malt in the distilling process. The whisky has a flavour that has been described as peat smoke, brine and iodine. Sometimes even "medicinal".
The distilleries to the north of Islay include Bruichladdich. They produce a much milder whisky. They don't use the brown peaty water but draw water from the springs before it has a chance to come into contact with the peat. A lightly peated malt is also favoured. The whisky produced is still dry but much lighter with mossy overtones rather that peaty and the flavours of the sea are not so pronounced.
Bowmore Distillery lies in the middle of the Island, on the shore of Loch Indaal. Its whisky also lies in between the characteristics of the North and South. It's peaty but not medicinal. The sea, salt and iodine flavours can be detected but are balanced by delicate floral notes with a peppery finish.
Islay is known as The Queen of the Hebrides and a visit offers much more than the festival. Try a taste of island life with stunning scenery and amazing wildlife. - 18424
The festival programme includes a variety of cultural and musical events including Highland dancing, the Islay Pipe Band, guided walks, sporting events and children's amusements. However I don't think anyone would argue that Islay's whisky will take pride of place. The malt whisky enthusiast will be able to visit each of the distilleries on their open days. On offer will be distillery tours, master classes and whisky tastings. Refreshments and food tastings featuring local produce and ingredients will be available at many of the events.
An Evening of Gaelic Song and Traditional Music at the Gaelic College Bowmore on the evening of 27th May will be a treat for those interested in Gaelic music and culture. This is a great opportunity to see local Islay artists, including the Islay Gaelic Choir, perform. There will be refreshments and a raffle.
A whisky tasting Ceilidh on the evening of the 25th May will challenge the real whisky buffs who can tell Ardbeg from Bowmore or Bruichladdich. All the distilleries will be there with their whisky so go along and test your whisky tasting skills. Musical accompaniment will be by The Islay Fiddle and Accordion Band.
Islay's peaty soil and brown peaty water combined with its exposed position all contribute to the unique characteristics of its whisky. Salty sea spray is brought far inland on wild winter gales, soaking deep into the peat. The same salty, seaweed scented breeze dries it out again in calmer weather conditions. The result is some of the strongest flavoured of all the malt whiskies.
The distilleries in the south of the island include Ardbeg and Laphroaig. These produce some of the most powerful of Islay's whiskies. The brown, peaty water is used together with a heavily peated malt in the distilling process. The whisky has a flavour that has been described as peat smoke, brine and iodine. Sometimes even "medicinal".
The distilleries to the north of Islay include Bruichladdich. They produce a much milder whisky. They don't use the brown peaty water but draw water from the springs before it has a chance to come into contact with the peat. A lightly peated malt is also favoured. The whisky produced is still dry but much lighter with mossy overtones rather that peaty and the flavours of the sea are not so pronounced.
Bowmore Distillery lies in the middle of the Island, on the shore of Loch Indaal. Its whisky also lies in between the characteristics of the North and South. It's peaty but not medicinal. The sea, salt and iodine flavours can be detected but are balanced by delicate floral notes with a peppery finish.
Islay is known as The Queen of the Hebrides and a visit offers much more than the festival. Try a taste of island life with stunning scenery and amazing wildlife. - 18424
About the Author:
Rachel Wilson is a travel writer with a love for Bowmore whisky. The Malt & Music Festival is the ideal place to sample a variety of single malt scotch whiskies.
posted by X - Men at
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