Island Malts
The new millennium heralds in what seems to be a healthy rennaisance in the Island distilling industry. There are six Island distilleries, excluding Islay and Campbeltown, with a seventh waiting in the wings, the soon to be operational Ledhill situated far north in the Shetland Islands.The Arran commenced distilling less than eight years ago. On Mull the Tobermory aka Ledaig has two youthful editions. The Tobermory is made from unpeated maltings and the Ledaig from slightly peated maltings. The Highland Park on Orkney goes from strength to strength and was awarded distillery of the year. The Isle of Jura is a light oily malt in comparison to the smoky Talisker, working out of Carbost, Isle of Skye.
Those who drink the Island Malts share in a tradition where the great diversity of whisky produced on the Islands often seem to reflect the diversity of wind and wave, sun and rain, summer and winter to be experienced on the west and north coasts of Scotland, where you can indeed have four seasons within one day even in the height of summer.
