Scottish Islands Explorer - Issue 135 - June-July 2022

54 Pages·2022·29 MB·English

SCOTTISH ISLANDS
E X P L O R E R
VOL. 23 NO. 135 June / July 2022 £4.95
From barley
to bottle
THE ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO EXPLORING THE ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND
06> ation Colonsay: Visitor’s Isle of Skye in The rocks of Annie Jane
c
7 ubli 1st impression photographs Lismore and Vatersay
4 p
6460 ar of
6 ye The Broch era Leaving coins Climbing in Gaelic in the
7147 rd23 in Orkney in Isle Maree Isle of Arran Outer Hebrides
7
9
TITLE
Fused Glass & Harris Tweed Art
.
The Hebridean Design Company is situated on the stunning West
Coast of the Isle of Harris. Open throughout the year,
visitors are welcome to visit our Gallery and Studios.
Online international orders now available.
[email protected]
www.thehebrideandesigncompany.com
01859 502644
CONTENTS
SCOTTISH ISLANDS EXPLORER JUNE / JULY 2022
Editor VOL. 23 NO. 135
Fred Silver
[email protected]
01851 705743
READER’S

Deputy Editor
PHOTOS
Melissa Silver PAGES 20-22
[email protected]
And now it’s your turn! We want to see
your - the readers’ - photos of the Scottish
Website
islands! We want to see wee spots that maybe
www.scottishislandsexplorer.co.uk
we’ve never seen before; beautiful lighting; a
charismatic creature; whatever captures the
Publisher Scottish islands for you, we want to see it!
Intermedia Services (Stornoway) Ltd [email protected]
www.intermediaservicesstornoway.co.uk
5 Isle of Islay: Kilchoman farm distillery From barley to bottle
Subscriber services
By Roger Butler
Chris Wigg
Select Publisher Services 10 Portnahaven, Isle of Islay By Michael Steciuk
subscription services 12 Colonsay: a first impression By Barbara Sellars
P.O. Box 6337
15 Burroughston Broch…an Iron Age housing solution
Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 9EH
By James Hendrie
United Kingdom
01202 087632 18 Vanished water features of Lews Castle Grounds By Fred Silver
[email protected] 20 Reader’s photos
24 Ness of Sound By Stephen Roberts
Gaelic Consultant
Alasdair MacEachen 26 How Orkney Chair became iconic By Barbara Kilpatrick
30 Walking Orkney’s St Magnus Way By Susanne Arbuckle
Circulation Manager
33 The Isle of St Maelrubha By Marc Calhoun
Steve Tiernan
www.magazineworkshop.co.uk 36 Lismore geology By Rosemary Barry
38 Walking and climbing on ‘Scotland in Miniature’
Administration By Alastair Jackson
Intermedia Services (Stornoway) Ltd
40 The Annie Jane Disaster by James Hendrie
Stornoway Media Centre
Church House 41 Darkness before dawn…the wreck of the Annie Jane remembered
16 James Street By Fred Silver
Stornoway, HS1 2QN 44 William Balfour Balkie…still renowned but not in homeland
(00 44) 1851 705743 Review and profile by Thomas Taylor Edgar
46 Minch is focus for wildlife book
VAT reg no 735 2917 24
47 What came to pass…in Shetland, St Kilda and beyond
Scottish Company number 409413
48 Table Talk: Experiencing Gaelic in the Outer Hebrides
Printers by Katie Macleod
Printed by Buxton Press Ltd
50 Crossword 58 by Tom Johnson
Palace Road, Buxton, SK17 5AE
01298 212000 OUR WEE QUIZ
ISSN: 1476-6469
The towering trestles
Advertising
of the railway serving
Contact Publicity
Advertising Sales Consultants the iron mines on
01412 042042
the Isle of Raasay are
[email protected]
seen exposed after
Distribution forest clearance in
Warners Group Publications Plc 2013. But what is the
The Maltings, West Street,
connection between
Bourne. Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH
01778 391000 this scene and the
Geneva Convention?
Front cover photograph:
Roll out the barrel! Answer on page 50
From Kilchoman Distillery
June / July 2022 Scottish Islands Explorer 3
MAP
TITLE
The Islands of
Scotland…
with Scottish Islands
5
Explorer Magazine
Main locations mentioned in
this SIE…
1. Islay 6. Egilsay
2. Colonsay 7. Lismore
3. Vatersay 8. Arran
4. Shapinsay 9. Lews Castle Grounds
6
5. Ness of Sound 10. Skye
4
9
10
7
3
2
Handa 8
1
Colonsay
4 Scottish Islands Explorer June / July 2022
COVER STORY
Anthony Wills has proudly developed
the distillery at Kilchoman
Isle of Islay: Kilchoman farm distillery
From barley to bottle
By Roger Butler
Photographs from Kilchoman Distillery
A few years back, in the halcyon days before Covid, I hitched a lift down to the far end
of the Rhinns of Islay and tramped north, up the peninsula’s ragged west coast, from
the sheltered harbour at Portnahaven. Atlantic grey seals reclined on the rocks and their
mournful songs echoed over the bay as the first spots of rain splashed onto the seaweed.
It wasn’t long before these initial specks had turned into a lengthy downpour, and I was
completely soaked to the skin by the time I crossed the wet sand at Lossit Bay.
Caves and arches punctuated the cliffs and a soggy track climbed north from the
distinctive semi-circular steadings at Kilchiaran. This rose to the pass below Cnoc nam
Muc-chlach and swung west, then north, beneath a fistful of knobbly crags. A final bank
of dark rain disappeared eastwards and dazzling bright sunshine suddenly swept across
the golden arc of Machir Bay. Loch Gorm, behind the dunes, was a shimmering saucer of
azure blue and the nearby fields of barley rippled in the wind.
June / July 2022 Scottish Islands Explorer 5
Harvesting the barley – 200 tonnes is A view of the distillery
gathered each year in early September under bright blue Islay skies
Islay’s special ingredient – cutting the peat
which makes the island’s whiskies so distinctive
6 Scottish Islands Explorer June / July 2022
COVER STORY
The stills are a fusion of traditional
distilling and modern engineering
A ruined 19th century church reminded me of the times the distillery itself – is reserved for the vital annual barley crop.
when there would have been a much larger population out This is sown in springtime, once Islay’s famous wintering
on the Rhinns. An earlier chapel once stood here too, and its geese have flown north, and around 200 tonnes is harvested
burial ground contains a tall fine carved cross dating from the each year in early September. Some of the crop can be stored
15th century. Another cemetery, close by, is maintained by for up to 12 months before use and varieties grown include
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and this forms Concerto and Sassy.
a memorial to those who lost their lives following the sinking
The distillery was established by Anthony and Kathy Wills
of HMS Otranto in 1918.
and the family business has successfully developed and grown
But there is now a more contemporary landmark at nearby over the past decade. Their three sons now manage sales and
Rockside Farm. Kilchoman Distillery, tucked to the north of marketing whilst Kathy, with island roots, runs the visitor
the crags on Turnaichaidh, was established here in 2005 as centre and Anthony holds the all-important post of Master
Islay’s first new distillery for more than 120 years. The aim Distiller. He ran his own independent single cask bottling
was to resurrect old traditions and, today, the growing complex company for eight years before making the move to Islay after
proudly produces the island’s only single-farm, single-malt securing the necessary funds and shareholders. The distillery
Scotch whisky. was initially established in a spare steading at Rockside.
The distillery’s location has an interesting historical link Kilchoman is now one of only a few remaining distilleries
since the Beaton family, from County Antrim, settled near which carry out traditional floor malting, where barley is
here after crossing the water at the start of the 14th century. steeped in water before being spread over a concrete base
They were early doctors – in fact, a Beaton was the hereditary and frequently turned by hand. Most large companies have
physician to the kings of Scotland for hundreds of years – who outsourced their malting work but this labour intensive
also translated medical texts about distillation from Latin into process, which encourages germination and ensures the
Gaelic. An unproven theory therefore suggests that Kilchoman eventual conversion of starch into fermentable sugar and
might have been the very first place in Scotland where proper alcohol, is very much at the heart of the Kilchoman’s proud
distillation occurred. ‘100% Islay’ motto.
‘From barley to bottle’ is a key catchphrase and Kilchoman Whisky aficionados will already know about Islay’s
has revived the old methods of production: all processes are legendary peat. The rich aroma of the island is used to smoke
carried out on site with skill, care and attention to detail. The the germinating barley which, in turn, adds flavoursome
farm manages around 2,300 acres at the back of Machir Bay complexity once the whisky is distilled and matured. Following
and stock includes a flock of blackface sheep and a herd of peating and drying, the malted barley is left to rest for at least
Aberdeen Angus cattle. Pristine water comes from Gleann six weeks prior to milling and mashing.
Osamail, literally at the rear of the buildings.
Two specially manufactured 1.2 tonne mash tuns are used to
The most fertile ground – 400 acres of rich soil surrounding extract the fermentable sugars from the crushed barley grains.
June / July 2022 Scottish Islands Explorer 7
Prior to bottling, the first taste from
a newly matured barrel at Kilchoman
The resultant liquid, known as wort, is subsequently drained
off to form the basis of Kilchoman’s special spirit whilst the
barley husks, known as draff, are fed to those Aberdeen Angus
cattle.
Thirty days into the production cycle, the sweet malty
wort is drained from the mash tun, and distiller’s yeast is
added to trigger the creation of alcohol. Kilchoman’s 85-
hour fermentation leads to creamy, buttery and fruity notes
which, when paired with their stills - the smallest on Islay
and amongst the smallest in the whole of Scotland - create a
memorable purity of spirit. The stills are carefully controlled
by hand and their unparalleled levels of copper contact help to
create a precious blend where misty peat merges with hints of
light citrus.
Kilchoman’s whisky begins its maturing process after 35
days, and the single malt ages in a range of casks sourced from Lush pastures for the Aberdeen Angus
around the world. The first casks were filled on 14th December cattle next to the distillery
2005 and each barrel brings a unique character and colour. The
bourbon barrels and sherry butts come from as far away as of port, sherry, red wine and Madeira. All carry the scents of a
America and Spain. Speciality casks include those linked to wild Hebridean shore, and, in March, Machir Bay was awarded
trade in Madeira and Cognac, and the maturing process lasts the coveted ‘Gold Outstanding’ at this year’s International
for a minimum of 1130 days. Bottling, like every other stage, Wine and Spirit Competition.
takes place on site.
My trek finished with a romp across the glittering bay.
Following several initial limited editions, the first continual The setting sun painted the horizon in layers of bronze and
release appeared in 2012. This was called Machir Bay and, not burnished brass – the colours of whisky - and the ringed plovers
surprisingly, subsequent releases - named Loch Gorm and which scurried across the sand could have been mice dashing
Sanaig - also help celebrate the landscapes and seascapes of back to their secret hidey hole. I joined the mighty C15 (yes,
the Rhinns. The former comes with rich coppery tones whilst there are still some classified ‘C’ roads on Islay) and wandered
the latter provides hints of sherry, dried fruits, citrus and that past the entrance to the distillery.
special peat smoke. Machir Bay has a nose of juicy peaches and
Next time, I’ll definitely plan my walk so that I can also enjoy
pears, a palate of tropical fruit and dried sultanas, and a sweet
time at the spectacular new visitor centre. This opened in 2020
finish of honey and butterscotch.
and combines traditional buildings with wide open spaces. It’s
There’s also the flagship 100% Islay with its intense floral the perfect place to learn about whisky with various tastings
sweetness and layers of plums, dates and even leather. Limited available as part of their guided tours. But it was now time to
editions include special whiskies which are matured in casks stick a thumb out and hope for a lift back to Bowmore!
8 Scottish Islands Explorer June / July 2022
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COT VG I EO NR STORY
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Portnahaven,
Isle of Islay
Photograph and words by Michael Steciuk
A long, mournful, drawn out wailing pierced through the still morning
air, circling around the peaceful idyll of the small sheltered bay and
completely shattering the tranquil Hebridean atmosphere.
The sound came from a small group of Atlantic Grey Seals that had hauled
themselves out of the water onto a small reef of exposed rock in the middle of
the Bay. Their haunting calls are as symbolic to the coast as the loud expressive
sociable calls and lonely, melancholic cries of seacoast gulls, and together they
have both become recognised as being elementally entwined with the sonic
identity, and natural fabric of so many coastal villages and shorelines throughout
the Scottish Islands.
10 Scottish Islands Explorer June / July 2022