Whisky And Crosses

Islay is world famous for it's whisky. Everyone knew that but us. We've met people from all over on a whisky tour today. There are about ten distilleries on the island and we went to Lagavulin to have a tour and a dram.

It was really interesting. We weren't allowed to take many pictures. These are the pear shaped copper stills distinctive to this distillery.

And this is inside the warehouse, containing the barrels including a barrel of 69 year old whisky that will be bottled next year. Our guide said it will be sold at 2,000 GBP per bottle.

The man in the warehouse had been working there for 48 years. When I asked him if he drank it, he answered, "Does a cat drink milk?"

Some of us took our dram home in little bottles. One of us settled right in.

Then we went driving around the north end of the island stopping here and there. One stop was at the WWI graves at Kilchoman. There are 70 graves, 43 not identified. 

Another stop was at Kilnave to view the cross carved in 750 AD from one piece of slate.

So the cross was standing to witness the events of 1598 when the Macleans and MacDonalds went at it to settle who owned the surrounding land. The Macleans outnumbered the MacDonalds but their leader, Lachlan, did not follow the advice given to him by the Wise Woman of Mull. She said don't land on Islay on a Thursday; stay away from Loch Gruinart; and don't drink from the well of Strange Neil. Lachlan did all three. And at the well, he was shot through the head by the archer, Dubh Sith. With the loss of their leader, the rest of the Macleans fled to the church for sanctuary. The MacDonalds set fire to the thatched roof and that was the end of the Macleans. Moral of the story? Never ignore the advice of the Wise Woman, aka your mother.

We finally dragged Von into a grave yard. She has been ignoring her responsibility to all her genealogy friends and merrily driving by each churchyard.

Our last stop was to enjoy the wonderful light.