Looking for gifts from the Isle of Islay? Most folk get as far as whisky and stop there, which is understandable – the island’s distilleries are famous the world over, and the nickname “the whisky isle” is well earned. Islay itself, Ìle in Gaelic, sits at the southern end of the Hebrides, all peat, geese and white-sand bays.
There is plenty more being made in the island besides the drams. Printmakers, photographers, a gin still and a volunteer-run book festival all sell through the Isle of Islay page here, and between them they cover everything from linocuts of the distilleries to a Gaelic map of the island.
Here are seven pieces, all made or created in Islay, all in stock as we write. They run from £10 to £45, so there is room for a small thank you as well as a proper present.
Islay Book Festival Notebook – £10
Islay Book Festival, Isle of Islay
The Islay Book Festival began in 2006 as a small book club in Port Ellen and has grown into a volunteer-run literary festival for the whole island. This is their hardcover A5 notebook – deep navy with the festival’s lighthouse design, 80 sheets of lined paper, a ribbon marker, an elastic closure and a loop to stop the pen wandering off. Every one sold supports the festival, which is a pleasing thing to know each time you open it.
Islay Creel Mug in Aqua – £15
Islay Celtic Craft Shop, Isle of Islay
A china mug carrying an original design by Islay artist Mairi Clark – a calm seascape of layered hills, water and birds, worked in soft aqua blues. It is a good size for a proper cup of tea, and quietly pretty enough to earn a place at the front of the cupboard. Useful, local and under £20, which makes it a reliable answer to most gift questions.
Dunyvaig Castle print – from £20
Fingerpainting.de, Isle of Islay
Dunyvaig Castle stands ruined on Islay’s south coast, and this print of it is based on a watercolour painting. It comes in three sizes – small at around 30 by 20 cm for £20, medium at 40 by 30 cm for £40, and large at roughly 70 by 50 cm for £70 – so it can suit a shelf or a good stretch of wall. A fine pick for anyone with a soft spot for castles, ruins and Islay’s moodier corners.
Aurora over Kildalton Cross – £35
Konrad Borkowski, Isle of Islay
Photographer Konrad Borkowski caught the northern lights flaring over the Kildalton Cross, which has stood in Islay for well over a thousand years, and the result is the sort of image that stops you mid-scroll. It comes as a photographic print on Fuji Professional Archive Paper, unmounted, in A4 or 18 by 12 inches, delivered flat in a sturdy box. A dramatic slice of Islay sky for the wall.
Jukebox Gin – £39.99
Jukebox Gin, Isle of Islay
A London dry gin distilled in the Isle of Islay, made with seven botanicals and bottled at 43% ABV. It was designed by bartenders, and the tasting notes promise strong juniper with pine and citrus on the nose, finishing creamy and almost velvety. The makers suggest a cocktail, a tonic of your choosing, or neat if you are feeling sure of yourself. Proof the island’s stills have range.
Gaelic Map of Islay – £40
Islay Whisky Academy, Isle of Islay
From the Islay Whisky Academy, a map of Islay, Jura and Colonsay with every place-name in its original Gaelic form. It is printed on A1 paper and posted in a secure cardboard tube, ready for framing. For anyone learning the language, tracing family roots or simply curious what the names of the places they love actually mean, it is a gift that keeps offering up new details.
Lagavulin Distillery on a blustery day – £45
Jane Taylor, Isle of Islay
Jane Taylor is an artist and printmaker living in Islay, drawing on its stormy seas and the architecture of its many distilleries. This black and white linocut shows Lagavulin on a blustery day – the famous chimney and white-lettered warehouse holding firm while the sea curls across the foreground in big waves. Printed on heavy 300gsm paper, image size 200 by 300 mm, in A3 or A4. For the Lagavulin drinker in your life, it pairs nicely with the bottle they already have.
A bit of Islay in the post
Every piece here was made or created by someone working in Islay, and every order is sent out by the maker themselves – so your money lands in an island workshop, studio or community project, which is a good feeling to wrap up with the gift.
Have a browse through everything from the Isle of Islay when you have five minutes. And if the person you are buying for is happiest by the water, our guide to gifts for someone who loves the sea has plenty more ideas.
