Whisky Island: A Portrait of Islay and its Whiskies

by Andrew Jefford

This is a reissue edition of the previously published title Peat Smoke and Spirit (9780747245780), published in 2005.'This is not simply an appreciation of whisky, but a voyage into the history and geography of a tiny Scottish island' Daily Mail 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 Whisky Island, Islay's fascinating story is 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.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Scotland, History

420 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book. Primarily about whiskey, its history on Islay and the different distillers and their products. It could easily be enjoyed by non fans of whiskey because the author intersperses history, current politics, travel and nature in between sips of whiskey. Chapters are introduced with short poems by the author. He’s talented.

[Agnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scotland Trip Prep #6. If you ever visit the Isle of Islay, this book is required reading. It is a long read - the 8-point font in my 2019 reprint’s 374 pages means it’s probably more like 500 pages in more legible font. However, it is worth the commitment. The book thoroughly covers the island’s history, geology, natural features, and whisky culture and distilleries (circa 2004, so you have to be ok with being 20 years out of date). The author has a lot of opinions that make for an entertaining read, in spite of being full of facts. It was excellent preparation for our stay at the historic Port Charlotte Hotel and our Ardbeg distillery tour and tasting. Breaking news: I like whisky now! I credit this book and the gorgeous Islay atmosphere.

[Sue Russo Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must-read for the whisky enthusiast, especially if you're primarily interested in Scotch. Not the typical read (most folks probably expect something less cerebral when glancing the cover), but it's a beautifully written piece of Islay history.

If The National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy and Sierra Club Foundation (ironically founded by John Muir in 1892) had a Scottish baby, it would be Whisky Island: A Portrait of Islay and its whiskies.

Essentially, Andrew Jefford has woven a poignantly anthropological narrative of the Islay region, which includes so much more than the distilling of whisky (although he does feature the prominent lineages of Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig, with a few nods to Ardmore, Lochindaal, Port Ellen & Daftmill). The Scotch industry has played an integral role in transforming the island and its history, people, geography, peat reserves, wildlife, and hospitality sector.

At the outset, I was fairly surprised by the lack of family-owned/owner-occupied distilleries vs. off-site corporate beverage entities, but realizing the historical shifts in whisky economies, difficulties in maintaining profit margins, and the remoteness of Islay itself, I can't say I remain so.

This book is for the serious whisk(e)y student but contains much more than technical terminology about its manufacture, aging and bottling. In the end, Andrew Jefford makes the reader want to hop on a plane and head to Islay to enjoy a dram with its special people amidst the fiercely beautiful landscape.

[Sal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the whisky of Islay and the people and landscape that make it.
The book was written back in 2004 when the rebirth of the great Islay whiskies was still fragile, and the disastrous 1980s still strong in the memory. It's beautifully written, with evocative descriptions of both the characters who make the whisky and the island itself. I love the way he describes whisky, and his passion for it shines through.
A lot has changed since this book was written but he seems to have foreseen the way things were going, both with the industry as a whole on Islay and with the development of the individual brands.
This has made me determined to visit Islay and added even greater pleasure to my enjoyment of each bottle. It has not, however, been good for my bank balance!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary, and a must-read - or must dip into - for anyone visiting Islay; whisky-info galore in every alternate chapter and full-on social history in between. Fascinating, and a crucial companion to the visitor in order to see what really lies on and behind this very special island.