For good reason Islay is the jewel in the crown of island whisky from Scotland. Its whitewashed coastal distilleries that make world renowned peated whisky are well worth visiting.
But if you’re looking to try a whisky from one of the other beautiful islands in Scotland, then these drams are some of the best to start you off.
With Islay peat isn’t for everyone, other peated island whiskies are a bit softer and there’s plenty of unpeated options available at these and other island distilleries.
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Best for: those that love sherried whiskies
Score: 5/5
Available from The Whisky Exchange. Buy it here.
This is the second core range release from Lagg distillery on Arran, and named after the parish in the village of Lagg. The spirit of Corriecravie is matured initially in bourbon barrels before being finished in Oloroso sherry hogsheads sourced directly from producer Miguel Martin in Jerez, for around six months.
The taste profile is slightly richer than the distillery’s flagship Kilmory expression, showing off a different side to the Lagg spirit, bringing to the fore notes of sweeter spices and rich fruits. The Corriecravie Edition is bottled in smaller quantities compared to the Kilmory edition.
Concerto malted barley is used in the production here, with the malt peated to 50ppm, making this a softer smoky whisky.
Tasting notes include: red berries, toasted chocolate, blackberries and a whisper of sweet smoke.
Lagg Corriecravie retails around £65.
Best for: peat fans
Score: 5/5
Available from The Whisky Shop. Buy it here.
A wonderfully smoky island single malt, Tobermory’s Ledaig 18-Year-Old showcases sweet, floral aromas and balances them perfectly with a richness and warmth of sea, salt and smoke.
Aged 18 years, it’s a bold expression that offers notes of spicy black pepper, orange peel, and a hint of liquorice, before a long and smoky finish.
Named Whisky of the Year 2023 by the Whisky Exchange, the award is the latest addition to Ledaig 18-Year-Old’s trophy cabinet, having previously won gold awards at the 2022 and 2021 World Whisky Awards, being named the Best Scotch Islands Single Malt. It’s an ideal dram for a gift, and works well in cocktails (such as a smoky old fashioned) or neat.
Best for: sweet peat smoke and an autumnal cocktail
Score: 5/5
Available from Royal Mile Whiskies. Buy it here.
This whisky, from Skye’s Torabhaig distillery is the limited edition third chapter in its Legacy Series that charts the journey to a ten-year-old expression. Meaning “hill of peat” in Gaelic, Cnoc Na Mòine is a subtly peated single malt that’s the distillery’s first release that includes single malt matured in sherry casks.
On the nose there are hints of orange peel and dying embers with a subdued peat smoke aroma giving way to vanilla and freshly sawn oak.
The peat smoke returns to the palate before the light spirit brings in pepper, balsamic acidity and gentle spice alongside fragrant touches of cedar and leather. The sherry influence shines on the finish, balancing well with the peat smoke and spice of Torabhaig spirit.
Torabhaig Cnoc Na Mòine is priced around £56.
Best for: those that like some smoke, but nothing overpowering
Score: 5/5
Available from Master of Malt. Buy it here.
This island, off the coast of Skye, is comparable in size to Manhattan island, though Rassay is home to only 160 people. This whisky is the flagship single malt, made on the namesake island in the first legal distillery to operate there.
The Raasat single malt is made by mixing peated and unpeated spirit - both of which have been maturing in a combination of rye whiskey, chinkapin oak, and Bordeaux red wine casks. There’s a lot of flavour with this dram, given the sheer number of cask influences, and a hint of smoke but nothing too much.
Tasting notes include dark, rich red fruits, caramel sundae, malted milk biscuits, vanilla and a subtly flintiness.
Isle of Raasay single malt is priced around £50.
Best for: those that love honey notes in whisky
Score: 4/5
Available from Master of Malt. Buy it here.
Since all the others on this list have been peated whiskies, it’d be remiss of us not to include a non peated whisky for those that don’t want a smoky island dram. If that’s the case then you’ll not go wrong with Scapa’s Skiren whisky.
This whisky was added to the Scapa range in 2015 and is named after the Old Norse word for glittering bright skies. It’s won a number of industry awards since its release. Skiren is known for its honey notes, which come from the maturation in first fill American oak casks, which give it lots of light notes of vanilla.
Other tasting notes include: crisp apple, lemon and pear as well as creamy notes and of course, runny honey.
Scapa Skiren retails around £45.
