Island whiskies are produced on any of the islands around the perimeter of the Scottish mainland. Islay is not included and is seen as region on its own. Island whiskies tend to be somewhat in the middle of Islay and Highlands whiskies. They are slightly less smoky than most Islay whiskies, but smokier than most of the other Scottish regions.
Some of the most well-known Islanders are Highland Park (produced on the island of Orkney), Talisker (Skye), Jura (Jura), Tobermory (Mull) and Arran (Arran).
A whisky I have written about before in a twitter tasting, but I think it deserves its own blog post. The Douglas Laing’s Rock Oyster blended malt Scotch whisky is a firm favourite. Rock Oyster was released in 2015 as a blend of single malts from Scottish islands, including Orkney, Arran, Jura and Islay.
I love adding whisky finished in interesting casks to my collection. A rum finished whisky or a Sauternes cask finish adds interesting dimensions to the whisky and also to my collection. I have plenty of bourbon, and Sherry cask finishes, a Madeira cask finish and even a Merlot cask finish.
I was quite intrigued when I found a Comté Cheese at Woolworths some time ago. It is not a cheese that I have seen before, and I naturally had to buy it to see how it would pair with whisky.
In my quest for new and interesting whiskies, I often consult my friend Marc. He owns the Whisky Brother shop in Hyde Park and always has fine whiskies on hand. On a recent visit, I left with a bottle of Highland Park 18 year old single malt Scotch whisky.
Today something from an island, the Jura 10 year old Origin single malt Scotch whisky. It was August 1946, and a lonely figure is furiously typing away in an abandoned farmhouse near the northern end of a remote island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.