Some things never go out of style. Like my black leather jacket. I’m not too old for it. Right? Well, one thing that I’m sure we’ll all agree endures is Islay whisky. Although you really should see this jacket first… You know what, I’ll move on.
For years now, Islay has been a heavyweight champion in the world of whisky, and 2025 hasn’t changed a thing. The love isn’t new; it’s a long-term relationship rather than a passing fling.
So why does Islay whisky keep winning hearts, competitions, and shelf space? Let’s take a closer look.
The character of Islay
Islay whisky is unapologetic. It continues to inspire loyalty because it delivers exactly what fans want: character.
The whisky stands out in a busy market, regardless of which distillery it hails from. Typically, we expect briny sea air, medicinal smoke, and an intensity that leaves no room for doubt. Islay peat is very much its own thing, as we explained earlier this week.
But there’s room for variation, from unpeated drams to whiskies rich in tropical fruit or sherried depth. Whatever the production process, whisky made here has a sense of place; there’s a throughline of character that keeps Islay eternal.
A dram tastes like nowhere else on earth, and fans don’t just like that honesty; they crave it.
Welcome to Islay
Signature distilleries
The familiar giants still lead the charge. Lagavulin brings brooding depth, Laphroaig leans into seaweed and iodine, and Ardbeg gleefully unleashes smoke like it’s a competitive sport. Bowmore remains a standard bearer, Caol Ila the old reliable. Port Ellen is a legend reborn. Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich fly the unpeated flag, that’s when the latter isn’t showing off with Octomore and Port Charlotte, of course.
They’ve set the tone for what “Islay” means in the whisky world.
But newer names keep things fresh. Kilchoman has gone from youthful upstart to serious player, with farm-to-bottle authenticity and cult cask strength releases. Ardnahoe, the youngest on the block, is making waves with worm tub distillation, a nod to tradition that promises meaty, characterful spirit.
Islay isn’t standing still; it’s constantly evolving. New distilleries are on the way. The key is not to lose what makes it special along the way. Illeachs, the natives of Islay, are steadfast in their commitment to the island. We have to remember to enjoy, but not exploit, particularly when it comes to festival time. This is a home for people, not just a spiritual whisky Mecca.
Ardnahoe is the latest distillery to release whisky on Islay
The cool outlier, the cult pick
Islay whisky has become more than a flavour profile, partly because it’s too diverse to be reduced to one style, but also because it’s become a subculture. Fans form a passionate, sometimes fiercely loyal community. They swap festival releases like prized football stickers, debate Lagavulin vs Ardbeg like it’s a derby, and sometimes guard their favourites a little too tightly.
Whisky is not quite as mainstream as we like to think sometimes in this industry. Walk into a local pub and ask how many people there drink the stuff, and it’s not universal. Not everyone knows their Highlands from their Lowlands. While to us, the word “Islay” evokes so much, to plenty it will illicit a blank stare. Whisky is a world that blossoms once you enter it, and Islay is one of the brightest petals once discovered. But not everybody has got there yet. Those who do understand. When you meet a fellow devotee, you share something. Like seeing someone wearing your football team’s shirt in an airport bar. You’ve never spoken before now, but there’s a common ground that creates a bond.
It’s not really a cult, but it almost has that energy. A shared language of peat levels, warehouse tours, and Fèis Ìle pilgrimages. The trick is remembering that whisky is for sharing. That sense of community is at its best when an Islay devotee pours a dram for someone new and says, “Here, this is why we love it.”
The crowds at Bruichladdich at Fèis Ìle 2022
Indie bottlings & collectibility
Independent bottlers add even more intrigue. A Caol Ila from Gordon & MacPhail, a Port Ellen from yours truly, a blend of Bowmore and Blair Athol from Douglas Laing… Each tells a different story while keeping that unmistakable Islay backbone.
Collectors chase them for rarity, but drinkers chase them for the fun of discovering a familiar distillery in a new outfit. Yes, Islay bottles can be investment gold. Particularly old Port Ellen bottlings and fabled Black Bowmores.
But we always bang this drum: the real value is in opening one, pouring it, and sharing in that unmistakable island character.
Port Ellen whisky is a collector’s favourite
MoM’s top Islay picks
On the hunt for the best Islay whisky 2025? Start here:
Lagavulin 16 Year Old – The benchmark malt, then and now. Smoky, rich, and endlessly deep.
Ardbeg 15 Year Old Anthology – The Beithir’s Tale – A reflection of Ardbeg’s intrepid desire to explore and expand what it means to be an Islay whisky.
Seaweed & Aeons & Digging & Fire & Sherry Casks & Cask Strength 10 Year Old Batch 05 – Bracing, maritime, and well on its way to cult classic status.
Kilchoman Sanaig Cask Strength – More cask strength peated goodness, Sanaig offers Kilchoman with a high proportion of sherry casks. Smoke and fruit in balance.
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old – The sherried, unpeated counterpoint that proves for a small island, Islay has range like Mariah Carey circa ’92.
The Beithir’s Tale is now available from Master of Malt
The Last Drop
Islay whisky hasn’t suddenly become popular in 2025. It’s always been popular, and it keeps proving why. The combination of provenance, collectibility, and community makes it whisky’s most enduring love affair.
Whether you’re chasing ppm numbers, collecting indie casks, or simply pouring a Lagavulin 16 on a rainy night, Islay offers more than a drink for some, it offers something warmer. Cosier. A belonging. Like a fine leather jacket… No seriously if you saw it you would like it, I guarantee.
