Islay's three shores
The south shore is peat's cathedral row: Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig — tar, iodine, bonfires. The middle (Bowmore) smokes at half volume. The north-east splits: Bunnahabhain essentially unpeated, while Caol Ila — Islay's largest — smokes firmly for the great blends. And on the western Rinns, Bruichladdich is unpeated but bottles Octomore, the world's peatiest whisky, out of sheer mischief.
Starting Islay? Bowmore 12 is the gentle door; Laphroaig 10 is the deep end. Both are honest introductions.