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Islay whisky

Islay is a small island off Scotland’s west coast, and its distilleries are best known for smoky, peated single malts. The bottles below come from Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Port Ellen and Ardnahoe, along with independent bottlings of their whisky.

Not every Islay whisky is smoky. Most of Bunnahabhain’s spirit is unpeated, and Bruichladdich’s own-name range is unpeated while its Port Charlotte and Octomore ranges are heavily peated. For most bottles here, the peat level comes from the distillery’s usual style rather than the label, so treat it as a guide rather than a guarantee.

  • 408 bottles in stock
  • 10 distilleries
  • From £28.50, median £169.95
Map of Scotland's whisky regions, with Islay highlighted
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Questions

What is the cheapest Islay whisky?
The cheapest Islay whisky is Laphroaig Select (40% ABV, 70cl), at £28.50 from Master of Malt. That is £33.45 delivered to the UK mainland for one bottle. Next cheapest: Ardbeg Wee Beastie 5 Year Old (£32.95) and Islay Storm Single Malt Whisky (£34.50).
How much does Islay whisky cost?
Islay whisky costs from £28.50 to £14,995.00, with a median of £169.95 for a full-size bottle. The dearest is Port Ellen 1981 Islay Festival 2008 Limited Edition Single Cask Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70cl.
What is the oldest Islay whisky you can buy?
Port Askaig Islay Single Malt Scotch 1968 45 year old Whisky, at 45 years old, from £1,826.95.
Why is Islay whisky peaty?
Because the malt is dried over peat smoke. Islay is flat, boggy and covered in peat, and its distilleries kept the old practice of burning peat in the kiln when most of Scotland moved to hot air. The smoke leaves phenols on the barley, and those phenols carry through into the spirit. Today much Islay malt is peated to order at large maltings, often on the mainland, rather than over the distilleries’ own kilns.
Which Islay distilleries malt their own barley?
Bowmore, Laphroaig and Kilchoman still run their own floor maltings, but none of them makes all its own malt. Laphroaig malts around 20% on site and buys the rest from Port Ellen, and Kilchoman malts part of its own (published figures range from about 15% to 30%). Kilchoman’s 100% Islay bottlings are made from barley grown and malted on the island.
Is all Islay whisky smoky?
No. Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Bruichladdich’s Port Charlotte and Octomore ranges are peated, but Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich’s own-name range are mostly unpeated. Bunnahabhain also makes peated releases, such as Staoisha, and Bruichladdich keeps its peated spirit for the Port Charlotte and Octomore labels.
How many distilleries are there on Islay?
Ten are in production: Ardbeg, Ardnahoe, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Port Ellen. Port Ellen closed in 1983 and reopened in 2024. Ardnahoe, which began distilling in 2018, is the newest of the rest.