I'm a bit behind and so this one being typed at Glasgow airport...argh, sorry to our regular readers for the delay.

Morning broke to another grey sky but the forecast for warmer air still lingered (up to double digits believe it or not). A nice brekky at our accommodation and then we headed down the straight "peat road" past Port Ellen and on to Laguvulin for my whisky experience. I was excited. Bronnie had decied not to come along on this one and enjoyed chatting to the cafe young guy having a coffee and working on her beanie while she waited, so I joined two other Brits and made my way through the old buildings with our tasting guide to a very auspicious looking room for the tasting.

A great ride awaited me. The first sip of the 25 year old Laguvulin 1st fill bourbon barrels confirmed for me that this is my favourite style of whisky. Great and peaty in flavour from the Islay peat, that is cut each year from a plot up on the hill near the airport halfway between Bowmore and Port Ellen, and will all of the flavours that the smell forecasts, with an almost syrupy finish that I really like. Yum. Even if non-peated styles had this sort of balance more often, I'd like them a lot too. But, I reckon that the balance between smell, taste and aftertaste are often not quite in harmony. As I've worked my way back through the little tasters that I've kept from each of the distilleries (to be sipped slowly over the next little while), I'm developing my own kind of "rankings" (sounds like a bit of a whisky tosser, but I promise, they're all basically at well over 90 out of 100 and it's more of an "interest" to make judgements!!!).

This is a bit further on now, but might as well put it in here.

Peated: 1, Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Bruichladdich (both Port charlotte then Octomore), Laphroaig, Caol Ila and Tallisker. I'm sad to put Tallisker at the end of the list, because the tasting set up was so moving on Skye and I loved the intent of the distillery...live life hard, get outside and feel the elements, smell the air and really embrace experiences.. It was a bit much at times for me! Similar tasting experience at Lagavulin without all of the fancy stuff in the presentation...the flavours were enough to eliicit this sense...usually for me only experienced with music that stirs the pot of emotions in this bloke anyways (oh, and of course, on lots of occasions as my kids progressed through their childhood and a sneaky every now and again that they are all grown up too!).

Unpeated: Bunnahaghain 21 year old (wow!!!!), cask 19 from the SMWS, unpeated at Bruichladdich, Dalwhinnie winter edition, then all others we tried that were all yummy but not able to bring easily to minds eye!!!!

So, back to the Lagavulin tasting. There were three other cask releases. The first was 18 year old that had been finished in red wine (bordeaux) casks...I was able to tell this was what they were in! Woohoo. Then two very different tasting cask drams from ex oloroso sherry casks. They don't even drink the sherry when it comes out, but they soak ex-bourbon barrels in the sherry and kind of pass it along. They were all delicious.

I learned there that Lagavulin use as short, stout still that catches all of the peat vapours (light and heavy) which makes the very most of the 35ppm peat (phenol) concentration that they make them to. As with all the distillieries, there are variations in length of fermentation (temp) from 50-100 hours being typical, length of distillation (although all make low wines and redistil the heart of the run to create the spirit that goes in casks). Distillation temperature varies, hence time to distil.

They all seem to use barley malt mainly and 5-7tonnes in a mash and they are all pretty similar with water volume and temperature (mid 60s for about 3 hours then a protein conversion at mid 75s before filtration into the fermentation vats). Most use a heat exchanger to drop the temp from mash to wort in the fermentation vats.

Obviously then, the craft begins with selection of barrel type and size. Most seem to use a good amount of American Oak (ex bourbon as it can only be used once to be called Bourbon). They can be recharred (actually on fire) or toasted (literally like a toaster), and must be in barrels for at least 3 years to be called whisky. Because the conditions are cool in most barrel store rooms, 8 years is the typical youngest here and often the sharpest in flavour profile. I think I like them once they've had more time and/or other time in say sherry, red wine casks :) But, age isn't everything. The sweet spot needs to be idenitified by the master craftsperson...it is a real skill.

So, I caved and bought THE MOST yummy whisky I've tried in the shop at Lagavulin and it has now been sent home along with our pressies, blankets and jumpers ready for Ireland. I really hope it makes it home. It's an 11 year old distillery choice special release that was from heavily charred 1st fill ex bourbon casks. WOWOWOWOW.

After that, I felt like going to others would have been only a let down such was my high, that we just went off exploring some of the other sights of Islay. First stop was the Kildalton church ruins along the road on the western edge of Islay. A Celtic Cross from 1300 years ago (best preserved in the UK) stands alongside an 11th century church. The windy, rainy overcast conditions made for a spectacular feel there. Lots of whooping and excitement there for us.

Then, up to another Celtic cross near Port Askaig ferry terminal. Another beautiful cross but with a sadder story. It was a headstone for a family in the 1800s, alongside which was a sad little reminder of frailty of life with a little cross for baby Alan who had died before he was 1.

Back to our accommodation in time for a restful night, the last of my "wasted degrees" brewery beers and a couple of whiskies with our roast beef/veges. A grand day!