Islay
- This article is about the island in Scotland. For the Peruvian province, see Islay Province.
Islay (pronounced [ˈaɪlə]; in Gaelic Ìle [ˈiːlʲə]) is a Scottish island, the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides. It lies just to the south of Jura. The island's capital is Bowmore (famous for its distillery and distinctive round Kilarrow Parish Church.) Other settlements include Port Ellen.
The population of Islay is just over 3000 inhabitants. It has a total area of just over 600 square kilometres. Its main industries are single malt whisky distilling and tourism largely based on whisky and birdwatching.
The island is home to many bird species and is a popular destination throughout the year with bird watchers, notably in February to see a large colony of Barnacle Geese. Other bird visitors to the island include Chough, Hen Harrier, Oystercatcher, Cormorant and many wading birds.
The location of Islay, exposed to the full force of the Atlantic has led to it being the site of a pioneering Wave power station called Limpet [1].
The climate on Islay is often more clement than the Scottish mainland owing to the Gulf Stream. Many people consider Islay to be one of Scotland's most beautiful islands as well as its least discovered.
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Geography
The islands population is mainly centred around the villages of Bowmore, Port Ellen, and Port Charlotte. Other smaller villages include Portnahaven, Bridgend, and Port Askaig. The rest of the island is sparsely populated and mainly agricultural.
The south western end of the main body is a largely rocky region called The Oa. The Western arm of the island is called the Rinns of Islay. There are several lochs on the island including Loch Finlaggan, Loch Gruinart, Loch Gorm, Loch Indaal, Loch Ballygrant and Loch Allan.
Transport
Many of the roads on the island are single track with passing places. The two main roads are the A846 from Ardberg to Port Askaig via Port Ellen and Bowmore, and the A847 which runs down the east coast of the Rinns.
The island has its own airport (Glenegedale Airport) with services to and from Glasgow and services to Prestwick planned. Two ports (Ellen and Askaig) have regular services from Kennacraig taking about 2 hours. Services to Port Askaig also run on to Scalasaig on Colonsay. There is also a ferry that runs from Port Askaig to Feolin on Jura.
Distilleries
Whisky is currently produced by seven of the island's eight distilleries and is known as Islay malt whisky. No blending is done on the island. Its eighth distillery, Kilchoman, was officially opened as recently as June 2005 and is Scotland's youngest distillery.
The distilleries on the south of the island produce whiskies with a very strong peaty flavour. Going east to west they are: Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig. (Ardbeg and Laphroaig being considered to be among the most intensely flavoured of all whiskies). On the north of the island Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila are produced. These whiskies are substantially lighter in taste. There were more distilleries in the past: Port Ellen closed in 1983 while the Lochindaal in Port Charlotte closed as long ago as 1929.
Media
Islay featured in some of the scenes of the 1954 film, The Maggie.
Famous Sons
Islay's most famous son of recent times is George Robertson, the former secretary-general of NATO and former British Defence Secretary. In 1999 he was made Lord of Port Ellen. General Alexander McDougall, a figure in the American Revolution and the first president of the Bank of New York, was born in Islay in 1731. The Islay-born Rev Donald Caskie (1902-1983) became known as the "Tartan Pimpernel" for his exploits in France during World War II.
Gallery
 Islay's central uplands, viewed from Kintra in the southwest |
 Landsat image of Islay |