Set in the Inner Hebrides, west into the Atlantic from the Mull of Kintyre, lies Islay - the gem of a whisky Island. 25 miles long by 15 miles wide, it is home to no less than eight distilleries! Continuously inhabited from the Stone Age, it was settled by gaels and picts before the norsemen arrived, for around 350 years in AD 800. Standing stones and stone circles, castles and lochs, cairns, forts and dunns, there are in plenty. John of Islay, son of Angus Og, in the 14th Century first referred, to himself as "Dominus Insularum",or "Lord of the Isles". At Finlagan, on Aellean na Comhairle was the Parliament where laws were enacted, and Government was practised, until the 17th Century.

From eider duck to oyster catchers, Islay is a haven for 110 different species of birds. Over 16,000 acres, of peat, some of it 30 feet deep is, along with the wonderful soft water the principal reason for the Island's world-wide fame. It is the Island "whisky capital" of the world.

Now let me tell you a little about all of the Islay malts - and the remaining five malt whiskies, produced on another four Scottish Islands. A complete" picture from Highland Park and Scapa in Orkney, to the Isle of Jura, from Tobermory in Mull, to Talisker on Skye, not forgetting the famous eight peaty malts of Islay.

So on to some of these whiskies which I have recently tasted. They age from a youngish 8 year old Highland Park, at a very strong 57,%", right up to an incredible 28 Year old from Bruichladdich. It was at the cask strength of 54.2%. Half of my tastings were full cask strength, undiluted and unchill-filtered, and they' reached in strength the amazing Caol Ila 63.4%. A particular delight was Tobermory, from the only distillery on the Isle of Mull. Next year sees the bi-centenary of the founding of the distillery in 1798 by local grocer, John Sinclair. Most enjoyable were a 1985 Scapa from Orkney, and a, 63.9% Port Ellen from Islay, distilled in 1980, before the distilling equipment was dismantled and shipped to lndia!

Firstly lets go to the Northern Isles. The great Highland Park from Orkney, described by Michael Jackson as "The greatest all-rounder in the world of malt whiskies." One Magnus Eunson, a smuggler, as all distillers were known, was credited as first drawing water from Cattle Maggie's Spring and starting the Highland Park Distillery. Eunson was a preacher who always kept a number of kegs of whisky under his pulpit. One Sabbath, Eunson learned there was to be an excise raid on his church and the kegs were taken next door to the Manse. Here they were draped with a white linen cloth, and a coffin was set on top. Kneeling in prayer with his followers, Eunson, his Bible and psalm book in hand, apparently wailed wildly as the customs men approached. As they entered the room full of mourners, one indicated to the officers that the dear departed had been "taken off with the Small Pox", and quicker than you can down a dram, the excise men vanished.

On the North shore of Scapa Flow in Orkney, lies the distillery of Scapa. It produced a lovely smooth whisky which is very rare. Below the distillery, giant battleships of the Kaiser's navy were sunk in the water! The Scapa whisky was first produced in 1885, and, if you are lucky enough to find it, you'll discover it has heather honey notes, it's dry and Americans may detect a bourbon hint from the casks it matures in.

From Skye, comes the unique Talisker. Bottled at 45.8% volume, this wonderful whisky from one of the world's most beautiful Islands, was the favourite of Robert Louis Stevenson! The distillery on the sea shore was originally built in 1830 in front of the dramatic Cuillin Mountains A dream of a dram.... You should try to discover too, Isle of Jura from that long, wonderful "island of deer", way to the west qf mainland Scotland. Described as having a pear-like vanilla taste, this is truly one of the finest of all Island malts.

Then to Islay. The best news in years for whisky connoisseurs was the recent purchase of the closed distillery of Ardbeg by Glenmorangie. They intend putting it back into production, but I managed to taste a dram dating from 1974! A whisky with a magnificent bouquet. Just a hint of sweetness, and peat in plenty.

Then you should seek the "Three B's" of Islay - Bowmore, Bruichiaddich, and Bunnahabhain. Bowmore, from the model village on the shores of Loch Indaal was built as a distillery in 1779. In 1841 the Queen's Secretary wrote to the Laird of lslay requesting "a cask of your very best Islay mountain dew for the reception of all sorts of Royalties and principalities at the Christening of the Prince of Wales." He instructed, "I am not very particular as to the exact quantity contained by the cask, nor as to the price, but I want the very best that can be had." So Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and their guests, toasted the health of the Prince of Wales in Bowmore malt whisky.

If you have consumed too much of the other B's, you may find them difficult to pronounce. Bruichladdich, pronounced "Broo-Iaddie" is sited on the seashore and went into production in 1881. A whisky with a magnificent flavour, and you wbuld enjoy too Bunnahabhain. Built within a year of Bruichladdich, this whisky is on the North-east tip of Islay, and the curious name means "Mouth of the River". It is a rich, full-bodied whisky, extremely smooth with a typical Islay peatiness.

Discover, if you can, the curiously named Caol lla, (pronounced Cull-eela). It has been drawing its water from the Loch Nam Bam since the year 1846. Interestingly enough, this lighter Islay malt is extremely popular in Italy.

Your final pair to seek out are the two L's of Islay. Lagavulin and Laphroaig. Lagavulin, was started in 1747 as one of many small bothies making "moonlight" whiskies. Apparently, the water for the whisky flows over both moss and peat, and down tiny little waterfalls. A deep dark whisky, my tasting bottling was at 16 years of age and is both powerful and peaty. It is not, however, as peaty as its neighbour Laphroaig. Of all whiskies distilled in Scotland, this is the most strongly peated and distinctive. Another beautiful seashore Distillery. The name means, "The beautiful hollow by the broad bay." My tastings were not chill-filtered, so loseing none of its pungency.

"My company has recently bottled a miniature collection of all of these famous whiskies. The labels on our collection have been designed by a Young designer, Andrew Leigh. Each label shows the Island on which the whisky was distilled, and the location of the distillery. It has been lithographed on very specialised fabric paper, and the maps themselves are taken from 'Herman Moll's "Atlas of Scotland", drawn in 1725.

Subscribers receive, with each miniature, an attractively Illustrated history of the distillery, and tasting notes written by our experts. They describe the flavours, nose and palate of each particular whisky. It is a useful reference on the Island Whiskies of Scotland.

Isn't it sad that such great distilleries as Port Ellen and Bruichladdich no longer operate? However, good news for "Island" whisky collectors is the recent establishment of a distillery on Arran - the first for over 200 years. Come the millenium, we'll all have a new whisky to celebrate!

You can find more articles in the archive under The Whisky Connoisseur.