Category: Islay Snippet

A short post, may be just a link or similar

My Islay Easter dram 2026

Islay Fun

Relaxing on the long Easter weekend includes a nice Islay single malt whisky for me. For that there isn’t much better than a single cask dram like one of the Bruichladdich valinches. I pulled out one of the Port Charlotte valinches from my collection, the SYC: 04 2010, cask number 3844, distilled on 11/Nov/2010 and then aged for 12 years. It being Easter I added a nice 70% (highest I could find) dark chocolate Easter egg:

Picture of a Bruichladdich Port Charlotte valinch SYC: 04 2010 with a large chocolate Easter egg
My Islay Easter dram 2026

Both very nice and enjoyable. I hope you’re enjoying a nice Islay dram (and maybe some nice chocolate) as well. Have a nice Easter!

Mermaid spotted in Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay

Islay News

It’s only a few seconds long, but a fascinating video reached my inbox this morning, courtesy of John Connolly from Port Charlotte. Out on his morning walk he spotted a mermaid on the beach next to the pier. John managed to capture a short video of the mermaid while hiding behind the pier. Shortly after the mermaid disappeared into Loch Indaal again.

Mermaid spotted in Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay

Definitely a very rare sighting, both on Islay and Scotland in general. Have you ever spotted a mermaid?

Rare Islay bird reintroduced in Norfolk

Islay Links

Not strictly speaking an Islay link, but when I read the headline I immediately had to think of Islay. The rare bird is the elusive (as far as actually seeing one) Corncrake. I’ve heard its iconic call many times, in particular around Kilchoman, but only seen one once. A great memory of the late Ian Brooke, who excitedly knocked on the door of the cottage I was staying in to alert me to it sitting on a wall in plain view not far away. A great and unexpected sight. This bird currently only survives in the western and northern isles of Scotland in the UK, but the BBC reports about it being reintroduced in Norfolk in England with this headline:

Fresh hope for bird with bizarre ‘crex crex’ call

This probably describes them quite well:

It was often heard at night, keeping people awake with its piercing call, much like the sound of wood being drawn across the teeth of a comb.

I think people who had one below their bedroom window can relate. If you haven’t heard the call before, you can listen to it on the link above.

New Islay ferry delay

Islay News

Just last week I shared the news of the old Islay ferry MV Hebridean Isles upcoming retirement. To my understanding that can’t be pushed out, as its certificate expires in November. That could potentially create some issues as news emerged today that the replacement, the new Islay ferry MV Isle of Islay, is going to be delayed:

You can also read the Interim Update on MV Isle of Islay on the Scottish Parliament website.

Not the news anyone wanted to hear, hopefully Calmac can somehow work around this delay without significant impact to the lifeline ferry service.

Nice drone video of Kilchoman beach, Islay

Islay on Video

Friday evening, time to sit back, pour a wee dram of Islay single malt whisky and enjoy an Islay beach video. Here’s one of Kilchoman beach in Machir Bay on the west coast of Islay I’ve just found:

Machir Bay Isle of Islay Scotland #scotland #machirbay #islay #beach #awesome

It’s only a short video, but you can just watch it several times on a loop while enjoying your whisky?

Islay ferry problems for Fèis Ìle make it on to the BBC website

Islay Whisky News & Links

The biggest (by far) event on Islay’s annual event calendar, Fèis Ìle, has a bit of a problem: Not enough ferries to get the many visitors expected for it to the island. So far working with Calmac hasn’t brought any additional sailings for the crucial period, so they’ve gone on a publicity blitz to hopefully get things moving.

There have been reports in several of the Scottish papers (most unfortunately behind paywalls, so can’t really link to them). Now even the BBC has picked it up and made it a fairly big report:

Islay whisky festival warning over ‘inexcusable’ ferry disruption

Hopefully this will help and get things moving.

Nice Islay International Airport intro video

Islay on Video

With Islay obviously being an island there are only two ways to get to it: Across the water or through the air. Coming by air unless you arrive by helicopter the only place to arrive is Islay International Airport. Found a nice video with a great introduction and overview of it:

Islay Airport

For more visit the Islay International Airport page on the HIAL website.

Nice Islay March 2022 visit video

Islay on Video

John Munday and his best friend went to Islay in March 2022, staying at Easter Ellister Farmhouse. They mainly went for the whisky, but there were also visits to the beautiful beaches and some paddleboarding. Oh, and they were lucky enough to enjoy some amazing weather:

Islay March 2022

I hope you enjoyed the lovely views from the air and from the water, from the distilleries and from the beaches, all in glorious Islay sunshine. Nice work, John!

October Friday night Islay dram

Islay Whisky News & Links

First Friday evening in October 2019. It’s been a long and busy week in the day job, so I’ve decided to treat myself tonight with a dram or two from one of my favourite Islay distilleries (if you read this post you should be able to figure out which ones they are). Here’s a picture of the dram for tonight:

Picture of a bottle and dram of Laphroaig Lore Islay single malt whisky with a water jug
Laphroaig Lore Islay single malt whisky

Enjoying it with some nice 85% dark chocolate while pondering that I should probably blog here more again. I’ll try my best.

Rachel’s stained glass birds

Islay Links

This isn’t strictly speaking an Islay post, although I came across it because someone mentioned Islay in a comment to it. I’m not even sure if Rachel has ever been to Islay. Either way, Rachel makes birds from stained glass and I think they look absolutely amazing. The birds include Choughs and Hen Harriers, birds frequently spotted on Islay. If you know your birds you will spot the Chough in her tweet immediately:

For more of Rachel’s work including the already mentioned Hen Harrier and also some Greenland White-fronted Goose head over to Rachel’s website. It is being rebuilt as of writing this, but you can page through two excellent albums of her work.