Reviews
Whiskies Galore is great fun. Buxton loves whisky, the history, and the breathtaking beauty of the Scottish islands... Amusing, intelligent and challenging'
Drinking Culture
The narrative is confident, frequently opinionated, and often humorous... definitely worth reading
The Ileach
An entertaining ride... filled with fascinating facts about each distillery and their location, history, people and production
Bite Magazine
A knowledgeable and lively writer
West Highland Free Press
You will learn far more in this offbeat odyssey than in a hundred more straightforward whisky books
The Guardian, Best Drinks Books
A delightful grand tour of island distilleries
Sunday Post
A fascinating new book
The Spectator
A tour, an investigation, a fact finding mission, done with the utmost geniality by a man whose blood is most probably a pale amber hue… you can almost smell the peat, hear the clink of glasses and see the wind on the heather!'
Lovereading
A delightful grand tour of island distilleries. A great read: it mixes childhood recollections, laments about Hebridean weather, historical anecdotes and 101 astute, humorous observations
Dundee Courier
[Ian Buxton] writes on the subject with a fondness and knowledge, not to mention humour, which comes from a lifetime surrounded by whisky. His relaxed and conversational style makes the book a very enjoyable read
The Ileach
Full of interest for whisky lovers and non-lovers alike - funny stories and full of obscure nerdy information from an expert in the field'
Malt Musings
This is unlike any other whisky book yet published, and better than most!
Charles MacLean
Something special, too, about this fascinating book ... All in all, this is the real thing - a single malt of a book - a lovely and loving read
Alexander McCall Smith
His often hilarious travelogue mercilessly exposes cant, yet his profound love of these extraordinary places and our spirits is never in doubt
Carl Reavey, Bruichladdich Distillery
Highly enjoyable; not to mention hugely informative... a very personal account that brings the islands and their distilleries to life in a remarkable way
Undiscovered Scotland
About the Book
From the author of the bestselling 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die.
Island whiskies have long held a fascination and a powerful emotional draw on whisky drinkers the world over. Their special combination of heritage, mystique and remote location captures the imagination; their highly distinctive flavours are often imitated but seldom bettered.
Join Ian Buxton on a personal journey across Scotland’s islands, where he learns to fish with high explosives, ends up hurling his dinner into the sea and comes face to face with a basking shark. Combining an expert’s knowledge of whisky with a travel writer’s fondness for anecdote, and with a keen description of place, he provides a special treat for all who love the islands’ magical drams.
This new edition brings the acclaimed book up to date, capturing changes on the island whisky scene, including new and proposed distilleries such as Benbecula; Ardnahoe, Gartbreck Farm, Ili, Laggan Bay, Port Ellen and Portintruan (Islay); Orkney; Lerwick and Shetland Reel (Shetland); Isle of Tiree and others, along with Ian’s typically acerbic comments on whisky investment, luxury marketing and private cask sales.
The Author
Ian Buxton
Ian Buxton has been working in and around the drinks industry for 30 years but has been drinking professionally for a good deal longer. He writes in a variety of trade and consumer titles in the UK and abroad.
You may also like…
-
Hardback | Pub: 17 Sep 2012£12.00
The must-read Scottish classic. It’s 1943 and the war has brought rationing to the Hebridean islands of Great and Little Todday. When food is in short supply, it is bad enough, but when the whisky runs out, it looks like the end of the...
-
Hardback | Pub: 07 Jun 2018£12.99
Rum, once the poor relation of the spirit world, has undergone a revival and is no longer seen just as the preferred tipple for tipsy pirates. The craft drinks movement has certainly stimulated the rum world, with high numbers of new artisan rum...





