After a nice day in Oban, we headed off early the next morning to catch the ferry to Port Ellen on Islay. It was a bit of a drive and I was quite fascinated with the whole thing as I hadn't ever been on a ferry this large before. I mean the ferry could hold buses and semi's, heavy construction equipment. It let cars in first, then had the cars lifted to the ceiling. I'd ridden the Washington State Ferry several times; but this was much larger.
We were entertained by this pup while waiting to get our van onto the ferry.
It was drizzling a bit and the pooch just wasn't into going to do his business or even a walk. He refused to move until finally; his "Dad" let him back into the car! It was pretty funny. We knew who ran things in this family! 
The ferry was quite spacious and well equipped and had several designated areas.
Sean our driver told me to meet him back at the van a few minutes before docking; so we headed out to relax.
We saw the pooch sitting with Dad and eventually napping away in the pet friendly area. It must have been a pretty tough morning! The seats and sofas there were quite comfortable.
After a while, we headed off to the coffee kiosk for a caffeine fix.
There was some pretty comfortable seating here as well.
And the coffee decent as well.
Soon enough we had arrived at Port Askaig…..
Sean had arranged for three distillery visits and we'd be hitting them right in a row.
But first, we stopped here…..
What in god's name is this you might ask? Well, this is what gives Islay Scotch Whiskey its unique character. It's peat, basically an accumulation of decayed organic matter.
The peat is dried, then slowly burnt to give Islay Scotch it's smoky flavor.
And then it was time for our stops. Like many of the tours we do these days…most private or small group, there's just so much information…..I'll just do quick recaps of our visits.
First stop Ardbeg Distillery.
Most of the distilleries we visited had a similar look; the white washed buildings and some had wonderful views as well.
We loved Ardbeg's "mascot"!
We did a tour of the grounds and got a nice history; Ardbeg was established in 1815! We then got a tasting.
Quite peaty; though a good amount of sweetness came thru.
Lagavulin was next. The setting was amazing as there are ruins of a castle right in the bay in back of the distillery. This is Dunyvaig Castle.
We got a nice rundown of the machinery here; some of it unique and almost one of a kind.
The tasting here was quite diverse; everything from really strong with a "bite" to quite peaty. We were told that the pot stills are filled to the maximum at Lagavulin; thus the contact with copper is lower than most other brands creating a unique flavor profile.
The Missus's favorite Scotch is from Laphroaig, so She was looking forward to our visit. And overall, the Laphroaig tour was the most comprehensive as well.
We actually got to go into a malting room.
Saw peat being "burned"…..
And was basically walked thru much of the process.
As for the tastings….well, the Missus still likes Her Laphroaig 10! And perhaps the Quarter Cask. I'm more of a Sherry Oak kind of guy and I had a taste of the 16…oh my!
Looks like some other folk like Laphroaig too!
Perhaps our favorite part of the tour were the "opinion tiles" which detail the love-hate polarizing opinions of the Laphroaig. These are at the entrance of the distillery.
It details at the bottom of the tile details what the person tasted.
My favorite one was…..
There were a group of Frenchmen….wearing kilts and all the gear on a Scotch pilgrimage! Sean went and took photos of them.
You gotta love this place!
Islay was indeed beautiful; the folks warm and welcoming. And the scenery……
But man, we were bushed. Sean dropped us off at out accommodation, the very comfortable Port Charlotte Hotel.
And after doing a bit of research before our trip; I figured that the most suitable meals for us would be in the hotel.
And it would turn out to be a good choice.
We started with 6 Loch Gruinart (local) Oysters.
My goodness; these were so good! Not overly briny; with a sweet-cucumbery aftertaste. We ended up ordering another half-dozen.
The Wild Mushroom Salad was also quite good.
Good earthy flavors; loved the addition of pine nuts added that unique, almost sweet flavor. The truffle oil dressing didn't hurt things at all either.
The Seafood Chowder was interesting; tomato based.
Really couldn't taste much other than the broth.
The Chips were ok.
A bit too dense for my liking.
The Islay Scallops were good, but not seared enough.
Really enjoyed the beets though! Very sweet and perfectly cooked.
And of course, an encore of oysters.
Port Charlotte Hotel
Main St.
Port Charlotte PA48 7TU, Scotland
After dinner we took a stroll.
Port Charlotte was like something from a postcard.
Something that I only thought existed in movies. It was peaceful, relaxed, and we were enjoying things.
Thanks for stopping by!
what an interesting tour of those distilleries and the meal looked great!
Sounds fantastic! Ardbeg, Lagavulin are my #1 and #2 favorites. Especially like the Lagavulin finished in sherry casks. Plus it’s beautiful country up that far north. I might have to drag the UK in-laws back up there again for another visit.
We had a great time Kat!
Definitely do this Kenneth – especially if you enjoy Ardbeg and Lagavulin!