Islay Books

Islay (Pevensey Island Guides) The Hebridean island of Islay lies off the coast of Argyll, linked to the mainland of Scotland by a year-round vehicle ferry. Its varied landscape makes it attractive for hill-walkers, and its long and sometimes bloody history has left plenty of traces in the landscape for amateur archaeologists to explore. Its beaches are pounded by the full power of the Atlantic surf, which has sculpted spectacular cliffs and formed empty miles of sandy strands, where Vikings once beached their longships. The ancestral seat of the medieval Lords of the Isles. Islay is brim full of history, but with a full range of modern services and accommodation for visitors. Famous the world over for its whisky, the spirit of 'the Queen of the Hebrides' lures people back again and again to enjoy its scenery and tranquility.

Walks on Islay (Clan Walk Guides S.)

Peat, Smoke and Spirit: The Story of... Islay and Its Whiskies. Those who discover malt whisky quickly learn that the malts made on the Isle of Islay are some of the wildest and most characterful in the malt-whisky spectrum. In Peat Smoke and Spirit, Islay's fascinating story is uncovered: from its history and stories of the many shipwrecks which litter its shores, to the beautiful wildlife, landscape and topography of the island revealed through intimate descriptions of the austerely beautiful and remote countryside. Interleaved through these different narrative strands comes the story of the whiskies themselves, traced from a distant past of bothies and illegal stills to present-day legality and prosperity. The flavour of each spirit is analysed and the differences between them teased out, as are the stories of the notable men and women who have played such a integral part in their creation. The perfect adjunct to a glass of whisky on a dark, fire-lit evening.

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