Islay, A Personal Portrait of the Island

“The island of Islay is a very special place — and not just for those lucky to be born here. It is addictive, drawing people back again and again. The magic might be the whisky or the birds or the beaches or the food. It might even be the light which is so clear and pure it throws everything into relief.

It might be all of these things or the humanising effect of an island where urgency does not seem so important. ‘Islay time’ is not seen as a handicap — even when to outsiders it can be frustrating, but it is an effect which relaxes the irritation of mainland life.

The scenery is simply fabulous and mesmerising. It’s what I seek to capture here in this selection of my favourite photographs. Surrounded by sea, with all its often terrifying unpredictability, the geology and topography are unique and fascinating to experts. The complexities of thousands of years of history are all around.

A flint axe-head last touched by a human hand five thousand years ago. And a bottle of precious single malt matured after only ten Islay years. The present merges with the past in a unique blend that is only Islay.

And then the people — some of whom are in here. They are the fabric. Defying any stereotype of insularity, they welcome all who come — to visit or to stay. Their friendliness and their lack of side cements the feeling of being home to locals and strangers alike.

This book is a very personal portrait of the place where I was born and whose qualities I commend to those who already know and love it. Or, to those yet to discover it.”

George Robertson