THE ILEACH :: THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER FOR ISLAY + JURA

Excerpts from issue 51/12 23 March 2024

Turkish delight
mv isle of islay

The Ileach attended the launch of the first of Islay and Jura's two new ferries at the Cemre Shipyard in Yalova, Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday 16 March. The MV Isle of Islay will now be fitted internally in advance of its delivery to CalMac in October this year. It is expected that the vessel will join the Islay route before Christmas this year. The second of the two ferries, the MV Loch Indaal, is due to launch in June.

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In this week's issue:

MV Isle of Islay launches in Turkey, Port Ellen Distillery re-opens, Knitted hats for Bowmore post box, Screen Machine achieves a stay of execution, New learning centre in Islay High School, Port Ellen's pipe dream, Rhinns Hall Movie Club, IHS fun run for Iceland trip, Port Charlotte Primary's recent activities, McFarland Project, Islay Gathering photo, Port Ellen Football sponsors, Is Islay still 'the' brand?, Review of Louis Stewart's 'Louis the First', Islay Book Festival news.

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From the ashes - Port Ellen Distillery re-opens
port ellen distillery

Port Ellen Distillery was originally established as a malt mill in 1825, before John Ramsay subsequently developed it as a distillery between 1833 and the latter part of the 19th century.
Distillers Company Ltd (DCL), a foreunner of Diageo, acquired the distillery in 1925, but closed it down only five years later due to the worldwide recession. There was then a lengthy gap until the mid 1960s before it was rebuilt, continuing in operation until March 1983 when it was closed once again.
The Ileach's headline at the time presented this as a 'Bitter blow', including as it did, several job losses at both Lagavulin and Caol Ila distilleries.
Present day owners, Diageo, having demolished the majority of the distillery buildings, apart from the twin pagodas, several years ago, announced in 2017, that the distillery was to be completely rebuilt, following a multi-million pound investment which included Brora Distillery in Sutherland, coincidentally, also closed in 1983.
The new building, officially opened on Tuesday 19 March, is an entirely modern, luxurious affair, featuring expansive glass frontages and a visitor centre that offers clear views across the bay.
And it was fitting for such an auspicious opening, that two descendants of John Ramsay travelled from America to be present at the opening ceremony, held in the distillery's expansive still room. The Ileach, along with attending journalists, was given a tour of the new plant, which began distilling in late January this year. The tour was conducted by Distillery Manager, Ali MacDonald and Brand Manager, Emily Burnham, who took us from the impressive Visitor Centre, with its own kitchen and dining room, across the courtyard to the mill room.
Port Ellen, while intending to re-create the original, much-sought-after single malt by way of its two 'Phoenix' stills, is also intent on experimentation via two, smaller stills and three very contemporary-looking spirit safes.
And this experimentation is assisted by a fully controllable grain mill, allowing a wide range of hitherto unrealised options.
According to Ali, the distillery is capable of producing an annual 1.6 million litres of spirit.
The distillery has been designed within Diageo's avowed intent to de-carbonise their distilling processes by the end of the decade. Ali MacDonald pointed out the processes that will not only save water, but recycle some of the heat required for the distilling process.
The two original pagodas have now been repurposed into an on-site laboratory, allowing quicker analysis of the results gained from the experimental stills. On the ground floor is a beautifully kitted-out tasting room where visitors can learn about flavour profiles and Port Ellen's unique blending processes.
When it comes to distillery tours, Emily Burnham told us that the price of admission would start at £200 per person, rising to considerably more for the full 'Port Ellen Experience' including lunch and tasting of a variety of Port Ellen drams.
However, the plan is also to open the distillery for free tours, on one Saturday per month.
It will be several years before the current spirit joins the remaining casks in Port Ellen's warehouses, but on this first visit, all looks good for the future.

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Islay Book Festival

Charlène Busalli writes:

We are thrilled to fully unveil another stellar lineup for this year's Islay Book Festival!
Author of Mayflies, Andrew O'Hagan, will open our festival in style on Thursday 29 August, answering questions about his new novel, Caledonian Road, from Ileach and BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell.
On Friday 30 August, peat scientist Mike Billett will hold a distillery event in the afternoon, while the evening will see a lively conversation between crime fiction superstars Chris Brookmyre and Denise Mina. Saturday 31 August will start with a sea swimming session hosted by adventurer and author of Blue Scotland, Mollie Hughes.* Sue Lawrence will present her new historical novel Lady's Rock, set on Mull and Islay.
A panel on the theme of 'Welcoming Nature' will feature Mollie Hughes, Orkney-based nature writer Victoria Bennett, and poet Alycia Pirmohamed. Concomitantly to this event, children's author Maisie Chan will hold a fun-filled session adapted to children with additional needs.
Gaelic poetry and translation will both be in the spotlight with a conversation between Taylor Strickland, winner of the Scottish Poetry Book of the Year Award 2023, and Niall O'Gallagher, current An Comunn Gàidhealach Bard.
We will celebrate the 75th anniversary of George Orwell's 1984 with a special event moderated by the novelist's son and Chair of the Orwell Society, Richard Blair. Les Wilson, author of Orwell's Island: George, Jura and 1984, and Gary Younge, winner of the Orwell's Prize for Journalism 2023, will both feature as participants.
On Sunday 1 September, there will be a poetry walk with Alycia Pirmohamed, organised in partnership with the Islay Natural History Trust. Ronald Black and David Caldwell will co-present their respective forthcoming books, John Dewar's Islay, Jura and Colonsay and The Archaeology of Finlaggan. Author of All My Wild Mothers: Motherhood, Loss and An Apothecary Garden, Victoria Bennett, will be in conversation with local author Tracey Hunter on the themes of grief, nature and healing.
There will be an afternoon tea with Sue Lawrence, who will tell us all about her new Scottish baking book, featuring a few Islay bakers in its pages. And finally, we're hugely honoured that BBC journalist and presenter Clive Myrie has accepted to join us to talk about his memoir, Everything is Everything, with Lord George Robertson of Port Ellen.
As well as this general programme, there will be a substantial school programme as usual, with authors Alan Windram, Maisie Chan, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Linda NicLeòid and Mollie Hughes visiting pupils from nursery to senior students. Author Victoria Bennett will also pay a visit to the residents at Gortanvogie Residential Home.
Please visit our website islaybookfestival.co.uk, and sign up to our newsletter for our announcement about event timings, locations and ticketing in due course.
See you all in August!
*Subject to confirmation.

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Music review
louis the first

Louis the First. Louis Stewart Trio. Livia Records.
The Ileach has featured recordings by Irish guitarist, Louis Stewart on previous occasions, now augmented with this latest re-release of his 1976 debut recording, 'Louis The First'.
Presenting five trio pieces, one bass/guitar duet and three solo guitar outings, all demonstrate the startling ability of Stewart as a jazz guitarist at the age of 32.
On the album's original release, Derek Jewel, writing in the Sunday Times, said, "With luck, he really could become the best jazz guitarist in the world."
Stewart passed away in 2016 at the age of 72.
On this recording he is accompanied by Martin Walshe on double-bass and John Wadham on drums. The trio opener, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's 'All the Things You Are', pretty much sets the tone for the accompanying eight tracks.
Stewart's guitar sound is blissfully clean, benefitting beautifully from the underplayed bass and drum accompaniment, despite the frenetic pace at which the tune is reeled off.
Milt Jackson's 'Bluesology' reins the tempo back for a slow blues anchored by an impressively solid double-bass part and scuttering brushwork from the drums.
In Martin Walshe, Stewart probably couldnÕt have made a better choice of bassist. Should evidence be required, just listen to 'Body and Soul', taken at a sedate pace and demonstrating superb empathy between both players.
However, were I not already convinced of Stewart's virtuosity on his instrument, an incredible rendition of Steven SondheimÕs 'Send in the Clowns' removed all doubt. It's a track on which he plays both rhythm and lead, the two parts merging seamlessly.
Quoted from 'Guitarist' magazine at the time of the album's original release, top guitarists, Joe Pass and Ike Isaacs told the magazine's correspondent that, in their opinion, Stewart was the most promising young guitarist of his era.
Playing both parts is a skill reprised on 'Here is that Rainy Day' and the trusty standard, 'Autumn Leaves', on which the inventiveness of the lead part is astounding.
'Louis The First' would have been the guitarist's initial calling card, on which he took the opportunity to demonstrate his versatility across wide-ranging material. Nowhere is this better defined than the Antonio Carlos Jobim composition, 'O Grand Amor', a bossa nova featuring beautifully defined snare brushwork that supports but never intrudes.
This re-issued edition of the original 1976 recording features Wayne Shorter's 'Footprints', as a bonus track; almost six minutes of joy inviting repeated listening; an exemplary trio outing on which bassist Walshe excels almost as much as the guitarist.
'Louis The First' is an easy album to listen to, revealing more on each occasion. If you're a guitarist of any style, or level, this should be a compulsory purchase, even if only to figure out how he does it all. That said, as long as you appreciate great music, this is an album for everyone.

'Louis The First' is available on Bandcamp

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This is Islay
this is islay podcast

A monthly podcast featuring individuals, personalities and features of Islay and Jura. Listen now at https://anchor.fm/thisisislay

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NEXT ISSUE ON SALE, Saturday 6 April 2024

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