Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 23 on 14/10/2005.

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Scotland’s whisky islands

The islands around Scotland’s coastline are ruggedly beautiful and home to some of the nation’s best whisky. Dominic Roskrow acts as tour guide

A couple years ago I spent a very pleasurable afternoon drinking whisky with some of the staff of Royal Mile Whiskies in Edinburgh debating which country could claim to be ‘God’s Own’ – Scotland or New Zealand.

I had argued for the open spaces of Aotearoa and the fact it divided two very different oceans, giving it the best sailing seas in the world.

My Scots friends argued New Zealand ran a close second but it came undone for two distinct reasons: the diversity of the waters on the west coast and the islands that they surround; and the fact that when compared to Scotland New Zealand just doesn’t have the whisky.

I’ve thought about that debate a great deal during the last 24 months or so, and as I’ve visited island after island I’ve reassessed my opinion. So much so that if you were to ask me how best I’d mark a 50th birthday or similar special occasion, it’d be sailing up the west coast of Scotland from Arran and right round to Orkney, picking up a favourite whisky at each stopping point.

The whisky islands are, in fact, very different to each other – and the whisky they’re famous for reflects that diversity. All of them have something to recommend them in themselves, however – and you don’t have to be a big fan of whisky to enjoy them either.

Here, then, is a guide to Scotland’s whisky islands.

ARRAN.
Getting there: Arran can be reached by car ferry from the port of Ardrossan, south west of Glasgow.

There is also a convenient train link from Prestwick Airport, and tr.....

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By Dominic Roskrow

Section : Scottish Journeys

Page number : 68