Islay is the Scottish whisky region that includes the distilleries on the island of Islay.
Islay is an island in the Inner Hebrides, off Scotland’s west coast. It is famous for strongly peated and smoky whiskies, although not every Islay whisky is heavily smoky. Distilleries on the island include Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig.
Peat smoke is created when burning peat is used to dry malted barley. Phenolic compounds from the smoke can give whisky aromas described as medicinal, earthy, maritime, or smoky. Water sources, cask maturation, and distillation also influence the final spirit.
Islay is sometimes confused with the whisky regions of Campbeltown, Highland, Lowland, and Speyside. Those are separate geographical categories used in discussions of Scotch whisky production.