I stayed in Scottish island's oldest distillery cottages - and they're perfect for whisky fans

Visiting a Scottish island is always a treat. Living in a city, I relish the opportunity to get away from the noise, hustle and bustle and explore somewhere new. Islay is, for me and other whisky lovers, a dream not just for the escapism but for the chance to get to see, up close, the island’s famed distilleries. The oldest of these is Bowmore, the beach-side, whitewashed distillery that was established in 1779. Located in its namesake town, visitors to the distillery can stay in one of six distillery cottages. It’s not uncommon for distilleries in Scotland to have their own accommodation but it’s relatively rare that these are rented out to the public, as most are available for staff or private guests. 

Bowmore distillery

In early autumn, I took a Loganair flight from Glasgow and stayed in The Old Bakery, located just around the corner from the distillery entrance. As the name suggests, this former bakery has six en suite bedrooms and has been newly refurbished into a smart, modern self-catering accommodation. With a palette of grey and white with Bowmore tweed furnishings, the look and feel is modern Scottish, not the twee tartan you can find in some guest houses. I stayed in a family room, with a huge king sized bed, single bed, desk area and en suite shower room complete with Highland Soap Company toiletries. A bowmore robe and slippers were a homely addition. As well as the rooms there’s a large comfortable living room upstairs, with loch views, and a functional, sleek kitchen downstairs. Outside there’s seating for enjoying the sunshine, and access to a garden that’s shared by the other cottages.

The cottages are self-catering and there’s a well stocked Co-op in Bowmore but if you’d rather leave the cooking to someone else, the town - and island - has many excellent places to eat. We had breakfast each morning at the Harbour Inn, across the road from the cottage, which is owned by the distillery. There’s a continental selection of cereal, fruit, yoghurts and pastries as well as some cooked options. The dining room here is somewhere you could stay for hours thanks to its uninterrupted loch views, which are stunning on a sunny day. Islay has a wonderful selection of local seafood, which you’ll find on the restaurant’s menus.

The Old Bakery cottage Bowmore, one of the bedrooms | Bowmore distillery

We had dinner in the Lochside Hotel and the Bridgend Hotel and tucked into fresh scallops and langoustines both nights. There were also excellent vegetarian options, and a great wine selection. For a cosy pub lunch head to the Bowmore hotel (not owned by the distillery). The whisky bar here is a sight to behold and you’ll find more fresh seafood on the menu as well as wonderful seasonal soup and sandwiches. Sea Salt Bistro in Port Ellen is an ideal pitstop if you’ve visited or are visiting Laphroaig, which we did on this trip. An extensive menu from breakfast to dinner with pizzas, pasta, fish and chips and more fresh seafood, they also do takeaway. The Cullen Skink here is well worth trying and their take on cranachan was one of the best I’ve tried.

No trip to Islay would be complete without at least one distillery visit. Bowmore has a range of tours, from £25, and - for those that want a little extra - guests at the cottages can enjoy a whisky and chocolate pairing. If you feel like treating yourself, there’s also the Bowmore Aston Martin experience, which is £800 per person. This includes a tour of the island in the distillery’s striking DBX Bowmore  edition, a trip to Bowmore’s water source, a visit to the Islay Woollen Mill, lunch, a distillery tour and trip to no.1 vaults and a chance to hand fill your own bottle. We also visited Laphroaig, whose tours are from £18. Find out about this iconic distillery’s history, see the production process and finish with a tasting.

Bowmore distillery | Bowmore distillery

While Islay and whisky go hand in hand, the island is also home to a huge array of wildlife, including greylag geese at this time of year. We headed out with Tom Dunn from Islay Encounters for a walk that took in the wild surrounding of Laphroaig but also gave us the amazing opportunity to see a golden eagle as well as fallow deer and roe deer. Inspired by the cottage interior, we visited the ancient Islay Woollen Mill and had a short tour of the handmade process by owner Marcus. Bowmore have their tweed made here, but it has also provided tweed for Hollywood films such as Braveheart, Forrest Gump and Rob Roy.

After all the whisky touring, wildlife spotting and seafood consumption, it was a joy to head back to the accommodation for a nightcap and chat. Lovers of Bowmore will love these cottages due to their ease at getting to the distillery but they’re also a comfortable home from (much less noisy) home for anyone. I know I’m already planning my return.

Five of the cottages are available on a minimum 3-night stay with prices from £145 per night. The Old Bakery can be booked for just one night. All of the properties are let as a whole property (therefore the price doesn’t change, no matter how many people are staying). There’s a small welcome pack in the cottages of essentials. If guests wish the cooked and continental breakfast selection at the Harbour Inn, that is available to pre book from £15pp. Find out more and book via the Bowmore website.

Loganair flies to Islay from Glasgow with daily flights from £75. More information can be found at the Loganair website.