Islay Blogging Roundup #84

Sunday, 26/Jul/2009

Islay Blogging Roundup #84

So there we are, finally another Islay blogging roundup. With my father and sister having returned to Germany after their visits I'll try to get back into some kind of routine again, for the next few weeks at least. In other words, hopefully there should be a regular Islay blogging roundup every Sunday again. What have the blogs been saying about Islay and Jura recently?

Let me start with a bit of whisky and politics. No, not the Scottish Roundup just yet. The Daily Kos is probably one of the biggest political blogs in the US and it has an entry Single Malt Saturday - Lagavulin. The Scotch Hobbyist tastes the same whisky and says Lagavulin 16 – A classic? I’m a believer. The Germans in the meantime are starting to colonise Islay and build their homes without the appropriate planning permission: Laphroaig – endlich haben wir gebaut! That's after visiting their cask on the other side of Islay, Fassbesuch bei Bruichladdich.

Over on Jura (well, kind of, I think he's based in Glasgow?) Richard Paterson says The cocktail debate is settled – and whisky is the winner. This is picked up in a number of blogs including Whisky Party who title How Do You Take Your Whisky? A Battle Royale, on The Scotch Blog with Jura Taste Challenge and in South Africa if I'm not mistaken with Slap the dude that does not like blends… on 2Drams. The resulting Jura Whisky Islay Water Conspiracy leads to Richard's response Islay water in my Jura? I think not.

John Hansell picks up on the press release and writes Kilchoman announces first whisky release. Kilchoman is also the topic of this French blog entry: kilchoman... Il y a du nouveau sur l'île d'Islay.... - Le blog de Julhès Paris.

The Bruichladdich Blog tells us that Islay Ladies To Run Away From The Laddie and notices that someone drank Bruichladdich on Gormley’s 4th Plinth. John Campbell provides his Laphroaig distillery updates on Twitter, including digging holes and calculating yields. Isn't the life of a distillery manager exciting?

Enough whisky, on with some travelling. Actually, that often still means whisky. Anyway…

Jane Preston sailed from Gigha to Port Ellen, Islay (where they weren't too happy with the Classic Malt Cruise participants) and then from Islay to Loch Tarbert, Jura. Nat and Simon (+ his/her dad) went to The land of whisky and golf! (which actually means Islay). ChrisD cycled to and on Islay for 5 days in July (and met some of the Islay cyclists).

Not sure why it's called Ideas & Web Samples, but there are several entries from a visit to Islay to be found on it: Just a little trip in Islay, We are in ISLAY, First testing day, 2nd tasting day and Day 3: meeting Islay people. Some are planning way ahead with the OOR ALBA BLOG writing about Returning to Islay for 2010 Feis Ile.

The ForArgyll blog writes about Islay on reduced ferry service twice in a week and at least to an extent defends Calmac. On Ron's Islay Weblog we find Islay Featured in Made in Scotland and news of the New Website Islay North Churches. There's also a picture of a Tornado on Islay which created a bit of a stir.

What about the birdwatching, I hear you ask. Well, as usual there was quite a lot:

The Islay Birds blog has Willow Warblers, White tailed Sea Eagles and a Fulmar (doesn't that normally mean there's a storm brewing?). There's also a young Robin, a Linnet and an Arctic Tern. Quite some variety!

John Islay Birder Armitage vents about his Frustrations, as in yesteryear! He also gets some birdwatching in and notices that Wader passage increases and Warblers begin to move!

To finish something to look at instead of read, yes, the Islay photo blogs. No news just yet on Islay shipping and Islay Photos is also still rather quiet, but there is still activity:

On Ron's photoblog we find the Common Blue Butterfly and Kintra Beach. Mark Unsworth keeps to daily updates on his Islay Photography Gallery, my recent favourites include caterpillar (not what you might think), Soldiers Rock sunset and Carraig Fhada Lighthouse. From my own Islay Pictures photoblog I think I'll go for Clouds over Bunnahabhain and the Sound of Islay and the Black Eyed Lamb near Sanaigmore, Isle of Islay.

That's all for today folks. As usual the reference to the Scottish Roundup, this week with Summer has set in with its usual severity…

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