Souvenirs!
Day Four was our last full day in Islay, so we needed to make the most of it!
We booked our Water to Whisky tour with Laphroaig already, but it started at 12 – definitely time to fit Bowmore, the first Islay distillery, in before. How better to start your day than with a wee dram at 10AM? When in Islay!
Bowmore Distillery
On time for our 10AM tour
Burning peat
Inside
Barrels of Bowmore
Ready for the tasting
Cheers!
Quick stop at the Spirited Soaps shop for some whisky infused soap
Settled on Laphroaig to take home!
The Water to Whisky tour at Laphroaig was the main event planned for our trip. To quote the site:
Water to Whisky Experience: The most extensive whisky experience available. You will be guided by a Laphroaig Host who will share Laphoaig stories and secrets along the way. You will meet at the distillery to put on your wellington boots. This experience includes a distillery tour, a picnic lunch, peat cutting, a visit to the Laphroaig water source and a taste from a selection of casks before using a valinch to bottle your favorite.
We had such a great time with our great guide Christianne. You can’t help but feel at peace walking through the countryside, picnicing next to the water source and cutting peat.
After the experience we ventured out to find our plots, since all four of us are Friends of Laphroaig.
Could tell we were getting close to the distillery!
Arrived!
Just missed the 200th anniversary
Beautiful view of the water
Laphroaig
Printing off her plot certificate
Germinating barley
Little sprouts
Feeling the barley
Group photo
Burning peat
We took some home with us, too! Apparently we’re the first to ever ask!
Laphroaig
Another group photo
Perfect setting for photo ops!
View of the sea
Koen and I are big fans of fermentation!
Control board
Copper pot stills
Bourbon barrels
More barrels
Prince Charles’ barrel
Venturing out to the water source
Stopping every once in a while for photos
That’s Lagavulin in the back left
Islay countryside
Following the water
Picnic spot
Dutch flags displayed proud
Having so much fun!
Just for us!
Laphroaig’s water source
Sampling a dram of Laphroaig water
Koen with the water source
Cheers with their convenient whisky glass necklaces
I wanted to try to! But first disconnect my glass…
Trying not to fall in
Heading back
The crew
One last photo op in the countryside
Combing the peat moss
Heading out to cut peat
So much peat
Laphroaig 10 amongst the peat
Learning how to cut
Wet from the evening’s rain
Hannah cutting peat
This was really difficult for me
Finally able to make the cut
A natural
Big piece of peat
Leaving the peat
Heading back to Laphroaig
Koen bottling whisky with a valinch
Koen bottling his whisky
Time to find out plots
Looking ahead
Venturing out to mark our plot
USA USA USA
Brought a Belgian one, too
My plot
Nederland!
And a little bit of marketing thrown in
Representing both countries
Nederland and België
Heading out to find Chris’s plot
Bye Laphroaig!
For our last evening, we ate at The Islay Hotel for a seafood dinner!
Time for dinner
The Islay Hotel
Oysters to start
Smoked cod and asparagus
My seafood platter!
An American in Antwerp 