There is no place in the world quite like the Isle of Islay.

It is small, with a surface area of less than 700 Km and a population of only 3,228 people.

Despite this, it is big in the Whisky industry, being home to 8 of the best distilleries, not only in Scotland, but right across the globe.

For somewhere so small, it certainly has a massive reputation and sees tens of thousands of visitors every year.

These visitors are treated to world class Whisky as well as the spectacular scenery and wildlife that gives Islay outstanding beauty.  This is an island that really captures the best bits of Scotland and puts them front and centre for everyone to see.

It has become a kind of Mecca for Whisky enthusiasts and sees thousands of visitors every year.  They come not only for the individual distilleries but also for the festivals and events that happen on the island.

Unfortunately, not all of us have the opportunity to visit Islay, and must make do with whatever resources we can find to try and experience the island.

One such way to do this is with Whisky Island, a new book that takes you across Islay in an exploration of its history, scenery and what makes the Whisky here so damn good.

The book also explores Islay's closest neighbour, the isle of Jura, giving you insight into two of Scotches best regions. Both islands have unique character and the book transports you to their rocky shores to smell the sea breeze and briny air that is so important to these drams.

Alongside a well written and in depth narrative you are treated to over 180 breath-taking photos of Islay, all year round, giving you great insight into how incredible the environment is here.

This is the perfect book to learn and experience more about the legendary isle of Islay and to really get a feel for the place.

It shows you everything you need to know about the 8 distilleries situated here and explores their flavour profiles to give you a well-rounded view of them all.

Rather than focussing on the typical peated expressions that Islay is so famous for, Whisky Island explores the malt from here as varied and having something to please everyone.

This is also the perfect gift to get any Whisky lover, whether they are big fans of Islay malts or not.  You don’t have to drink the Whisky of Islay to enjoy this book as it is as much about the Whisky making process as anything else.

Whisky Island captures the unique and invigorating character of Islay as an island as well as the malt that hails form here.

Thank you to Whisky Drams for the original of this article.