Whisky galore – and now plenty more besides: exploring the Scottish island of Islay

A2194 words1:46News Report American AccentPublished Sep 2, 2026 · Updated Sep 2, 2026

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#1

Islay is a small island off the west coast of Scotland.

#2

It has ten working whisky distilleries.

#3

A distillery is a place where people make whisky.

#4

These distilleries are the backbone of the island's economy.

#5

They bring many tourist visitors to Islay every year.

#6

But Islay now offers much more than whisky.

#7

Thanks to the success of the distilleries, other businesses are thriving too.

#8

New breweries, farms, restaurants, and chocolate shops opened on the island.

#9

These new places give visitors more reasons to come and stay longer.

#10

The whisky industry also helps local people find jobs.

#11

In the past, farming and fishing did not give enough work all year.

#12

Now the distilleries are the largest private employers on Islay.

#13

One distillery called Bruichladdich uses barley from local farms.

#14

This helps the farmers earn more money.

#15

Visitors can also enjoy great food on Islay.

#16

One popular restaurant serves fresh seafood from the sea nearby.

#17

"We have plenty of fresh seafood every day," said one restaurant owner.

#18

Tourists can eat langoustines, crab, and scallops with local bread and butter.

#19

The island will open its eleventh distillery soon, so even more tourists will visit in the future.