Hello again friends and readers! Today, allow me to introduce you to my neighbor, the Isle of Jura. This island off the Scottish coast may have a population of 220, but it’s home to over 6,000 deer – that’s right, deer outnumber people by a…

On a clear and sunny day on the south of Islay, you can see the coast of Northern Ireland. As the crow flies, it’s really only about 30+ miles between Islay (in Scotland) and Northern Ireland. Regular ferry connections between Islay and Ballycastle (Northern Ireland)…

I have been quietly singing Scotland’s food’s praises over the last few years, and that praise has extended to Scottish seafood – the absolute glory of fresh seafood. Why Scotland isn’t outwardly more famous for its freshly caught, landed, or dived seafood is beyond me.…

The Scottish Islands Passport combines two things that many travelers enjoy – (1) collecting stamps in a passport and (2) island hopping. Many people have a favorite stamp in their passport. With island hopping, this usually isn’t commemorated with regular passport stamping, since multiple locations…

Having lived on the Isle of Islay, off the west coast of Scotland, for the last few years, one of the questions people always ask is – how do you get there?  How to get to Islay from Glasgow is super simple, and you don’t…

The other day, I decided to head over to the Rhinns, on the western side of the island. My destination: the Bruichladdich walking path. One of the great things about Islay is its abundance of nicely maintained walking paths. The walk that I do most…

Before I lived in Scotland, I didn’t know what a bluebell was. For Americans, bluebells in Scotland (or even bluebells in Islay) wasn’t a thing you knew about. Blue Bell is an American brand of ice cream, which evokes happy memories. On this side of…

I was delighted when Kilchoman Distillery invited me to join along in some Kilchoman tastings during Feis Ile 2021. But before I begin, for those new to Islay or whisky festivals, what is Feis Ile? And for those who appreciate my pronunciation guides – a…

I’m so happy to be able to share my review of the SMWS April Tasting Pack, that I tasted while walking the Three Distilleries Path on Islay! Most people don’t know this yet, but I’ve recently made the Isle of Islay my principle place of…

Sometimes the lure of lush hospitality is too great to ignore. The first time I visited Islay, Scotland’s glorious whisky island, I spent 5 delicious nights at Glenegedale House. Now that I own a place on this delightful island, I’ve also done a wee staycation…