September 13

This day we needed to complete the distillery adventure. With two more, we will have visited all eight of the distilleries on Islay. Marian and Ann did a fry up for breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. We then set off for Bruichladdich Distillery and the new farm distillery at Kilchoman. Kilchoman is not bottling yet. The first bottling will be in 2011. The product is aging in their casks now.

Allan and Marian leave today on the 3:30 ferry from Port Askaig, taking the car and driving to Glasgow airport. Spending the night at a hotel adjacent to the airport, they take off for America at 6am the following day. We needed to get the distilleries done and be back to our Dunedin House by 2:00.

Back at the house, A&M did last minute packing and took off for the ferry. Alistair, Ann and I followed in the Rosses’ car to see them off or as Alistair said to make sure they left! I know I will miss them. It was delightful sharing Scotland and the Ross Family with them. They were invited back anytime as family and I am sure they will take Alistair up on the offer.

For dinner I barbecued a fillet steak, as it is called here not Fillet Mignon as we say, with wrapped bacon and vegetable kabobs. The excitement of the evening was Alistair opening two bottles of 1987 red claret from the Pomerol region adjacent to St-Emilion, where we will be spending the last days of our trip. That was a perfect complement to a quiet evening in.