Latest news with #FèisÌle
The Herald Scotland
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Why does CalMac still run Scotland's ferries amidst continuing ire?
The community council on the island which had told CalMac last week of the "critical importance" of either a backup plan or to get the 14-year-old ferry back in service in time for the annual Fèis Ìle, or Islay Festival that starts tomorrow (Friday) says there is already "major disruption". It came as those on South Uist and the broader Western Isles are among those who have expressed deep frustration over the state of ferry services, citing frequent cancellations, economic hardships, and feelings of neglect. One business group on South Uist, which prompted a review over how state-owned ferry operator CalMac acts during lifeline ferry breakdowns as it copes with an ageing fleet - has previously raised concerns that it has made no difference as it continues to be the victim of cuts. What is the concern on Islay? It's key ferry MV Finlaggan has been sidelined for ten days as problems have emerged during routine planned maintenance of main engines during an annual overhaul period. Key island haulier B Mundell has spoken out about the issues having on Wednesday been told they could not get a booking for trailer full of life-critical medical supplies and core and key infrastructure supplies to keep the island functioning. What was the issue on South Uist? Residents said they felt "forgotten, abandoned, and ignored" due to repeated ferry cancellations over recent years. In June 2023, CalMac rerouted the MV Lord of the Isles, leaving South Uist without direct sailings to the mainland for nearly the entire month. This followed a four-week suspension between April and May and led to a major protest involving an estimated 500 residents. The disruptions have led to business losses and concerns about population decline as some residents consider relocating. The current concern is that MV Lord of the Isles has been lost yet again to cover for problems elsewhere at a time when it was thought CalMac had rethought its strategy. What causes these frequent service disruptions? The primary issue is the ageing ferry fleet, caused by a lack of investment in the ferries which continues to hit services, as the state-owned ferry operator CalMac looks to juggle its resources to cover what are lifeline services as best it can. Four years ago, more than half of Scotland's lifeline ferry network was operating outwith its working life expectancy - being over 25 year old. MV Isle of Cumbrae (Image: Newsquest) The oldest in the CalMac fleet is is the Isle of Cumbrae which is now 23 years past its working life expectancy at 44-year-old. The MV Lord of the Isles, serving South Uist, is itself over 30 years old and has experienced multiple mechanical failures, including corroded steel, radar faults, and engine issues. Such problems necessitate extended repairs, during which no replacement vessels are available due to fleet limitations. How do these disruptions impact the local economy? Local businesses, especially those dependent on tourism and ferry traffic, suffer significant losses during service outages. For instance, a food takeaway near the Lochboisdale ferry terminal on South Uist reported losing hundreds of pounds per sailing, leading to reduced staff hours and cancelled tourist bookings. Read more from Martin Williams: What is being done to address the ferry service issues? The Scottish Government pledged £580 million over five years to improve ferry services, including procuring new vessels. However, delays in constructing new ferries, such as Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa at the state-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard, have hindered progress. The Glen Sannox finally commenced service in early 2025, with the Glen Rosa now not expected to arrive till between April and June next year. Additionally, new ferries like the MV Isle of Islay and MV Loch Indaal are planned to enhance service reliability. A contract has also been awarded to a Polish firm for the construction of seven new electric battery-powered vessels for smaller routes. How are the ferry services paid for? CalMac, under a contract awarded by Transport Scotland, gets subsidies to cover operational costs not met by fare revenues. The current £975m eight-year Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract expired in September 2024. But CalMac are getting a contract directly from ministers without going to a competitive tender to continue running services for another ten years. The contract is worth £3.7bn. While passengers pay fares to use ferry services, they typically cover only a portion of the operating costs. CalMac (Image: PA) The subsidies are in place because some ferry routes are not commercially viable due to low passenger volumes and high operating costs. Subsidies ensure that island communities remain connected to the mainland, supporting local economies and access to essential services. Last year it was announced that ferry fears would increase by 10% from this year to allow the continued support of the ferries network in future years. How are new ferries paid for? The Scottish Government, or the taxpayer provides capital funding for new ferries via Transport Scotland. This funding is often channelled through "voted loans" to a separate state-owned company, Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, which owns the ferries, ports, harbours and infrastructure. While funding mechanisms are in place, critics say challenges in procurement and project management have highlighted the need for ongoing oversight and reform. Why did the Scottish Government decide to go ahead with the award directly to CalMac while there is a level of upset over how ferry services are delivered? The transport secretary Fiona Hyslop said that a direct award "fundamentally changes the ethos of the service by shifting from a commercial arrangement to a model more focused on the delivery of a public service engaged on the particular needs of the communities it serves". The Herald has asked what this means and has still been awaiting a response. The way CalMac operates means that profits are already not distributed to shareholders but are instead reinvested into the company to maintain and enhance ferry services. She said she expects it will become a "catalyst for positive change across the Clyde and Hebrides network, based on a more efficient, flexible model of delivery that fully reflects community interests." Transport Scotland was asked to explain whether there were any value for money benefits. What is the community's stance on this approach? While the Scottish Government sees a direct award as beneficial, some community representatives have voiced opposition. Concerns include potential service quality issues and the lack of competitive pressure to drive improvements.
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Fèis Ìle 2025 Whisky Festival: What Islay's Distilleries Are Releasing
The Fèis Ìle, Islay's annual celebration of whisky and culture, started in the 1980s as a local festival of music and Gaelic traditions. Now, it has become a global pilgrimage for whisky fans, as distilleries across the island release limited-edition bottlings made exclusively for the event every year. With this year's festival already in full swing, here's a round-up of the official Fèis Ìle 2025 whisky releases announced so far. Some will inevitably escape this article - a few distilleries like announcing secret releases on extremely short notice. Others are available to the general public outside of festival attendees, I've included purchase links where available. Here's what Islay's distilleries are cooking up: Promotional image for Ardbeg's Smokiverse The 2025 Ardbeg Day release, "Smokiverse," is proudly marketed as a 'high-gravity' whisky - meaning that less water was used along with more grains being packed in during the brewing process, resulting in more fermentable sugars that can translate to more aromas and flavors in the resulting whisky. By maturing it entirely in in ex-bourbon casks (this article claims the age is around 10 years but no actual age is officially given), the notes from this process are brought to the fore. The Ardnahoe 2025 festival release. Ardnahoe's second Fèis Ìle release is a 6-year-old single malt matured in first-fill Bourbon barrels. Bottled at natural cask strength, this limited edition comprises 1,116 individually numbered bottles. Available exclusively at the distillery, not much information is available on its taste profile but so far all past releases from the distillery have been excellent. Matured in a single sherry cask, this 8-year-old Bowmore was crafted using 100% floor-malted barley and bottled at 56% ABV, and matured in Bowmore's No.1 Vault which is typically used for the distillery's showcase casks earmarked for great things. It's only available at the distillery. Bunnahabhain's pair of distillery-exclusive festival releases. Released for Fèis Ìle 2025, Turas Math No. 1 is the only one of Bunnahabhain's three. festival releases available outside of the distillery in select retailers. Two different types of casks were used for maturation. Some of the liquid involved was matured in Manzanilla sherry butts for the full 15 years, while the rest. Bunnahabhain matured in Manzanilla tends to be a winner as the cask emphasizes Bunnahabhain's drier, marine and salty notes. Unlike the No. 1, Turas Math No. 2 and No. 3 are available only at the distillery. The more budget-friendly option of the pair is matured in ex-bourbon before being finished in Palo Cortado sherry casks. A 19-year-old unpeated single malt was finished in an Armagnac cask which is very unusual in the whisky world. Two very different heavily peated whiskies from Bruichladdich. Octomore whiskies are famous for being some of the peatiest available. The range's festival special, Polyphonic 01, is a 15-year-old single malt made from a blend of seven distinct casks, including Grenache, Bourbon, Sauternes, Syrah, Amarone, Oloroso, and PX. It is the oldest Octomore yet bottled. No wonder the 2,500 available bottles already sold out. Given how long the Port Charlotte range has been around, I was truly surprised to read on the distillery website that this is the first ever official single cask bottling outside of its distillery shop exclusive Valinch releases. This 19 year old whisky was matured entirely in a second-fill Moscatel wine cask, and of course is already sold out. Caol Ila's release features a finish in Colombia oak This 8-year-old Caol Ila was finished in Colombian oak after maturation in refill, PX, and Oloroso-seasoned casks. It is only available at the distillery and Diageo's internet retail site (though not yet listed at time of writing), with 1,476 bottles available. 'This release explores Caol Ila's waxy character, delivering an intensely smooth, oily texture and a richer, unexpectedly sweet profile emerging from the Colombian Oak cask finish. The whisky's complex smoke is amplified by layers of spice notes and peppery warmth.' Jura isn't on Islay but because it's nearby it's included in the festivities. No need for unusual maturation here - this single cask Jura is matured for 17 years in an Oloroso sherry butt, which gave up only 300 bottles. These are available only at the distillery, a good reward for making the pilgrimage over. This is apparently a sister cask of the 2022 festival release from the distillery. 'With an additional three years maturation, #1895 builds on the complexity of our 2022 Fèis Ìle release, with notes of crystallised citrus, prune, and hazelnut together with hints of polished leather and dark chocolate from its full-course Sherry maturation.' - Jura whiskymaker Joe Ricketts Two 9 year old Madeira casks were vatted together for Kilchoman's release. Kilchoman blended together two Madeira casks to create this 9 year old whisky, of which there are only 615 bottles available and was made using barley exclusively grown on Islay. Curiously, the peating level (20 ppm) is lower than most Kilchomans. "We very rarely mature our 100% Islay spirit for its full maturation in anything other than ex-bourbon or sherry casks, so I was thrilled to find these unusual casks coming along so well. The lighter peating level allows for the bold Madeira notes to come through into the whisky.' - Anthony Wills, Kilchoman founder This year's Lagavulin was finished in Moscatel de Málaga casks. This 15-year-old Lagavulin was finished in Moscatel de Málaga casks, and is only available at the distillery with 1,596 bottles available. Like with the Caol Ila, while the official presser says the whisky will be available on as well as the distillery shop, it is not yet available at time of writing. A cask strength version of Laphroaig's Lore is the distillery's 2025 festival entry. The 2025 Càirdeas release is a cask strength version of Laphroaig's 'Lore', blending a wide variety of cask types including ex-Bourbon, Oloroso sherry, European oak, and quarter casks. It's only available at the Laphroaig distillery shop and to Friends of Laphroaig, the distillery's loyalty programme. Outside of the distilleries, some indie bottlers with a longstanding association with Islay also often release their own festival bottlings. Here's the ones announced so far: For the 2025 Fèis Ìle, family business and indie bottler Douglas Laing have released a customary festival edition of Big Peat, their iconic Islay blended malt. This year's release is marketed as a 2010 'vintage' matured exclusively in refill hogsheads and bottled at 14 years old. Knowing this…I therefore must quibble. Claiming a 2010 'vintage' implies all whiskies blended in were distilled that year, but the blend also includes some precious Port Ellen according to the Douglas Laing website, which was not in operation in 2010…regardless this should still be good value for money. 'Expect layers of sweet smoke intertwined with a salty, oceanic character, culminating in the signature smoky BBQ profile for which Big Peat is renowned.' - Douglas Laing press release. Mac-Talla's 2025 Fèis Ìle release is NAS (No Age Statement) finished in two different Amarone wine casks from Northern Italy that were then blended together.
The Herald Scotland
26-05-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
CalMac: New ferry fiasco hits vital Islay supplies
The community council on the island which had told CalMac last week of the "critical importance" of either a backup plan or to get the 14-year-old ferry back in service in time for the annual Fèis Ìle, or Islay Festival that starts tomorrow (Friday) says there is already "major disruption". According to CalMac's schedule MV Finlaggan was due to go into for its annual maintenance on April 24, and return on May 12 - ten days ago. And the council says they are still awaiting a back up plan as the busy bank holiday weekend approaches. Key island haulier B Mundell Ltd has spoken out about the issues having on Wednesday been told they could not get a booking for trailer full of life-critical medical supplies and core and key infrastructure to keep the island going. Local ferry users were told last Wednesday that additional work had resulted in a 24 hour delay to the completion of maintenance and a return to services. It had been hoped it would be back on Monday - but it remains out of service and now CalMac has indicated the latest timescales are that it will not be back till Friday "As soon as we hit points like that, where they can't get drugs, they can't get business-critical supplies to keep the things flowing... the island is not able to get basic resident needs", said Matthew Mundell one of two brothers who run the family business responsible for what it says is the lion's share of the freight on and off the island. He says the failure to bring MV Finlaggan back online means the existing lower capacity ferries are "massively oversubscribed" and that it was indicative of a wider problem with ferries going on and off Islay that has been running for five years. A CalMac spokesman said that according to its prioritisation matrix, the cargo would have been prioritised but that they did know the nature of the cargo at first. CalMac said they had been endavouring to get the issue resolved. The annual festival Fèis Ìle, which was originally part of a plan to revive the Gaelic language, was left facing "significant difficulties" last year after CalMac initially failed to provide the usual additional sailings to allow whisky lovers and festival-goers to attend the nine-day long event at the end of May. The festival regularly brings upwards of £10 million pounds to the local economy, and organisers said last year it was in "serious jeopardy" if a solution could not be found. Up to 20,000 people from around the world are usually expected on Islay and Jura for what is said to be one of the biggest gatherings of its kind on the planet. Mr Mundell said that his company was desperately trying to get the reinstatement of a booking for a 55 foot lorry containing over 1000 parcels including medication, vital parts and supplies for utility services such as water, electricity and roads. One of the Mundell trucks on an Islay ferry (Image: YouTube (eye scotland)) The company has told CalMac: "It would be helpful to receive an update on how the service has deteriorated to this point and how goods are currently being prioritised. Based on the manifests, this load should clearly be at the top of your published prioritisation matrix. "As a family business, the ongoing disruption is costing us thousands of pounds per week in additional costs while simultaneously reducing our revenue in double digits. For the fifth consecutive year, our gross profits are once again being significantly impacted. "Our patience is wearing extremely thin—by most standards, five years is more than enough time to resolve the operational issues CalMac continues to face." The company said issues with deliveries has hit distillery production and claimed one local building merchant had run out of all essential supplies. The company has asked for a meeting to sort out how promised services were not being delivered and how CalMac can "stop repeating the same failures". Meanwhile the council has said it is insisting that CalMac advises what their back up plan is. Read more from Martin Williams: A message from CalMac to a user group said: "Once again huge apologies for the further delay, the port teams are working with each other and contacting all affected customers to either cancel or move to alternative sailings." It said there was a request for extra capacity on the route for Friday which was "currently being looked at internally". It is understood that users were told last week that the problems required the supply and installation of new pistons. And that the timeline for supply of spares, resulted in an estimated 24 hour delay to the completion of the maintenance period and consequently the vessel's departure from the port of repair in Birkenhead, Merseyside and return to service. The current vessels operating on the Islay route are MV Isle of Arran and MV Lord of the Isles which have the capacity to carry 953 passengers and 132 cars and are on a reduced service. The usual pairing of MV Finlaggan and the recently retired MV Hebridean Isles was able to carry over 100 more passengers and over 20 more cars and the haulier said that the carrying capacity was "significantly lower". Mr Mundell of the hauliers who have depots in Islay, Tarbet, Glasgow and Alloa said that there was a failure of communication over what was happening with the ferry failing to return from its annual service on time. Video: What makes the Islay Festival so special? "The island is going into freefall, " said the key haulier which does 140 articulated movements a week on and off Islay. "Tomorrow, the shops will have no food, the hospital will have no medication. People are desperate. They are going bananas." Mr Mundell, who is part of the Islay community ferry group that liaises with CalMac added: "I would not normally speak, but the Islay Festival, which is the biggest whisky festival on planet Earth starts and businesses don't have the goods. A significant amount of people come from all over the world for this. And the lead up to that week businesses move a lot of stuff that is critical to do with preparing for it. None of that can get over just now because of the ferry fiasco. "Through all our customers, and through all our member organisations, people are singing from the same hymn sheet which is that things are looking extremely desperate. "Nobody at CalMac is taking the responsibility for getting this sorted. "They are taking bookings for Finlaggan being on the route, but it is not. They just don't have the capacity to service the islands. "They keep saying it will back in two days. I told them last Friday, we will be lucky to see this back in a week. "We move a lot of business critical supplies, including controlled prescribed medication on a daily basis. CalMac have removed our bookings on the 6pm sailing [on Wednesday], which means none of the medical supplies will get to the island for delivery tomorrow morning. "Daily deliveries are needed to keep the infrastructure on the island - water, roads, SSE [energy] and Openreach [broadband] - running but they are not getting it. "When they cannot get the components to get the telephone working or can't get the drugs in the hospital, can't get the supplies to get the water flow, the island is at significant risk to not being able to provide the basic needs for the residents, let alone run a business. "There is chilled food on the lorry that hasn't got a booking that is meant to be on the island. "We have managed to struggle on through, but we have got to the point that the boat cannot move the absolute essential goods. Our prioritisation as a business, we try to satisfy all our customers, but at the end of the day loads that have medical supplies and core and key infrastructure stuff to keep the island going as an island always takes top priority over everything we move. And we are now at the point where CalMac have confirmed they are not able to give us a booking for an important trailer. "We are at a point where core services on the island - basic business operations like water, telecoms, the medical supplies for hospitals and pharmacy, chilled food productions are not being serviced.. "These are life-critical medical supplies. It is everything from a methadone prescription, to urgent medication, it is in locked boxes. It is stuff people need every day depending on their condition. "I know it is common sense that they don't ship this stuff for fun. It is life-critical things that people need on the island to keep them healthy and well." Food has already been a problem because of cyber crime. The targeting of retailers including Marks and Spencer and Co-op has led to sporadic empty shelves across UK stores as the companies slowed deliveries and shut down parts of their IT systems in response to cyber attacks. In most places, disappointed customers at least have the option of visiting other supermarkets to pick up supplies. But island communities such as that on Islay do not have that luxury, with Co-op the key store. MV Lord of the Isles is continuing to serve Islay when it should be operating in and out of South Uist (Image: George Munro) "The solution is that we keep getting told we are getting new ferries and improvements are being made, but this is the fifth year in a row that Islay has seen significant disruption, to a level that restricts business, movements and the commerce on the island to the point that it is loss-making," added Mr Mundell. "If it carries on being serviced the way, business could not operate their profitably. And our business is losing money because of the additional cost we face when we have disruption because we cannot move them in an economical fashion." The disruption has had a knock on effect on one of the most hit islands in the wave of ferry disruption - South Uist. South Uist continues to be badly hit by a shortage of vessels on lifeline ferry routes and has been served by 37-year-old veteran MV Isle of Mull which is restricted to just 45 passengers since the start of the year ,while its regular ship - MV Lord of the Isles remains serving Islay. Some islanders have been describing the services as "non existent". One ferry user group officials said: "This is what happens when we get underinvestment in lifeline ferries. But the way you manage the fleet is key. There never seems to be a well communicated back up plan and the losers are always island residents and businesses." The new ferries, Glen Rosa and its sister ship Glen Sannox were both due to be online within the first seven months of 2018, to serve Arran. They were the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel ships ever built in the UK, capable of switching between LNG and marine diesel. In the midst of the delays and soaring costs, Ferguson Marine, under the control of tycoon Jim McColl, fell into administration and was nationalised at the end of 2019 with state-owned ferry and port-owning agency Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd and the yard's management blaming each other. Delays to the Glen Rosa are now heading towards the eight year mark, and is not expected to take passengers until between April and June of next year. Glen Sannox was launched in January, seven years late. The costs of both vessels, are set to soar to more than five times the original £97m contract. A CalMac spokeswoman said: 'We were not informed of the content of this trailer at first, and as soon as we were told that it contained essential goods, we were able to book it onto the 6pm sailing today (Wednesday). 'We appreciate that this has been a very difficult time for all our customers, and we are very sorry for the problems that this period of disruption has caused. 'MV Finlaggan was delayed during annual maintenance but is now leaving dry dock in Birkenhead tomorrow morning and we are confident that the vessel will resume service, alongside MV Isle of Arran, on the Islay route on Friday 23 May at 7am. If the vessel is not back by then, MV Isle of Arran and MV Lord of the Isles will continue to provide the service until she returns. 'The port teams have worked tirelessly to ensure as normal a service as possible for our customers during periods of disruption, with Fèis Ìle traffic being prioritised. Along with this, we are looking at adding extra capacity on Friday if this is required.'
The Herald Scotland
22-05-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
CalMac: New ferry fiasco hits vital Islay supplies and famed festival
The community council on the island which had told CalMac last week of the "critical importance" of either a backup plan or to get the 14-year-old ferry back in service in time for the annual Fèis Ìle, or Islay Festival that starts tomorrow (Friday) says there is already "major disruption". According to CalMac's schedule MV Finlaggan was due to go into for its annual maintenance on April 24, and return on May 12 - ten days ago. And the council says they are still awaiting a back up plan as the busy bank holiday weekend approaches. Key island haulier B Mundell Ltd has spoken out about the issues having on Wednesday been told they could not get a booking for trailer full of life-critical medical supplies and core and key infrastructure to keep the island going. Local ferry users were told last Wednesday that additional work had resulted in a 24 hour delay to the completion of maintenance and a return to services. It had been hoped it would be back on Monday - but it remains out of service and now CalMac has indicated the latest timescales are that it will not be back till Friday "As soon as we hit points like that, where they can't get drugs, they can't get business-critical supplies to keep the things flowing... the island is not able to get basic resident needs", said Matthew Mundell one of two brothers who run the family business responsible for what it says is the lion's share of the freight on and off the island. He says the failure to bring MV Finlaggan back online means the existing lower capacity ferries are "massively oversubscribed" and that it was indicative of a wider problem with ferries going on and off Islay that has been running for five years. A CalMac spokesman said that according to its prioritisation matrix, the cargo would have been prioritised but that they did know the nature of the cargo at first. CalMac said they had been endavouring to get the issue resolved. The annual festival Fèis Ìle, which was originally part of a plan to revive the Gaelic language, was left facing "significant difficulties" last year after CalMac initially failed to provide the usual additional sailings to allow whisky lovers and festival-goers to attend the nine-day long event at the end of May. The festival regularly brings upwards of £10 million pounds to the local economy, and organisers said it is in "serious jeopardy" if a solution cannot be found. Up to 20,000 people from around the world are usually expected on Islay and Jura for what is said to be one of the biggest gatherings of its kind on the planet. Mr Mundell said that his company was desperately trying to get the reinstatement of a booking for a 55 foot lorry containing over 1000 parcels including medication, vital parts and supplies for utility services such as water, electricity and roads. One of the Mundell trucks on an Islay ferry (Image: YouTube (eye scotland)) The company has told CalMac: "It would be helpful to receive an update on how the service has deteriorated to this point and how goods are currently being prioritised. Based on the manifests, this load should clearly be at the top of your published prioritisation matrix. "As a family business, the ongoing disruption is costing us thousands of pounds per week in additional costs while simultaneously reducing our revenue in double digits. For the fifth consecutive year, our gross profits are once again being significantly impacted. "Our patience is wearing extremely thin—by most standards, five years is more than enough time to resolve the operational issues CalMac continues to face." The company said issues with deliveries has hit distillery production and claimed one local building merchant had run out of all essential supplies. The company has asked for a meeting to sort out how promised services were not being delivered and how CalMac can "stop repeating the same failures". Meanwhile the council has said it is insisting that CalMac advises what their back up plan. Read more from Martin Williams: A message from CalMac to a user group said: "Once again huge apologies for the further delay, the port teams are working with each other and contacting all affected customers to either cancel or move to alternative sailings." It said there was a request for extra capacity on the route for Friday which was "currently being looked at internally". It is understood that users were told last week that the problems required the supply and installation of new pistons. And that the timeline for supply of spares, resulted in an estimated 24 hour delay to the completion of the maintenance period and consequently the vessel's departure from the port of repair in Birkenhead, Merseyside and return to service. The current vessels operating on the Islay route are MV Isle of Arran and MV Lord of the Isles which have the capacity to carry 953 passengers and 132 cars and are on a reduced service. The usual pairing of MV Finlaggan and the recently retired MV Hebridean Isles was able to carry over 100 more passengers and over 20 more cars and the haulier said that the carrying capacity was "significantly lower". Mr Mundell of the hauliers who have depots in Islay, Tarbet, Glasgow and Alloa said that there was a failure of communication over what was happening with the ferry failing to return from its annual service on time. Video: What makes the Islay Festival so special? "The island is going into freefall, " said the key haulier who do 140 articulated movements a week on and off Islay. "Tomorrow, the shops will have no food, the hospital will have no medication. People are desperate. They are going bananas." Mr Mundell, who is part of the Islay community ferry group that liaises with CalMac added: "I would not normally speak, but the Islay Festival, which is the biggest whisky festival on planet Earth starts and businesses don't have the goods. A significant amount of people come from all over the world for this. And the lead up to that week businesses move a lot of stuff that is critical to do with preparing for it. None of that can get over just now because of the ferry fiasco. "Through all our customers, and through all our member organisations, people are singing from the same hymn sheet which is that things are looking extremely desperate. "Nobody at CalMac is taking the responsibility for getting this sorted. "They are taking bookings for Finlaggan being on the route, but it is not. They just don't have the capacity to service the islands. "They keep saying it will back in two days. I told them last Friday, we will be lucky to see this back in a week. "We move a lot of business critical supplies, including controlled prescribed medication on a daily basis. CalMac have removed our bookings on the 6pm sailing [on Wednesday], which means none of the medical supplies will get to the island for delivery tomorrow morning. "Daily deliveries are needed to keep the infrastructure on the island - water, roads, SSE [energy] and Openreach [broadband] - running but they are not getting it. "When we start points like that, when they cannot get the components to get the telephone working or can't get the drugs in the hospital, can't get the supplies to get the water flow, the island is at significant risk to not being able to provide the basic needs for the residents, let alone run a business. "There is chilled food on the lorry that hasn't got a booking that is meant to be on the island. "We have managed to struggle on through, but we have to the point that the boat cannot move the absolute essential goods. Our prioritisation as a business, we try to satisfy all our customers, but at the end of the day loads that have medical supplies and core and key infrastructure stuff to keep the island going as an island always takes top priority over everything we move. And we are now at the point where CalMac have confirmed they are not able to give us a booking for an important trailer. "We are at a point where core services on the island - basic business operations like water, telecoms, the medical supplies for hospitals and pharmacy, chilled food productions are not being serviced.. "These are life-critical medical supplies. It is everything from a methadone prescription, to urgent medication, it is in locked boxes. It is stuff people need every day depending on their condition. "I know it is common sense that they don't ship this stuff for fun. It is life-critical things that people need on the island to keep them healthy and well." Food has already been a problem because of cyber crime. The targeting of retailers including Marks and Spencer and Co-op has led to sporadic empty shelves across UK stores as the companies slowed deliveries and shut down parts of their IT systems in response to cyber attacks. In most places, disappointed customers at least have the option of visiting other supermarkets to pick up supplies. But island communities such as that on Islay do not have that luxury, with Co-op the key store. MV Lord of the Isles is continuing to serve Islay when it should be operating in and out of South Uist (Image: George Munro) "The solution is that we keep getting told we are getting new ferries and improvements are being made, but this is the fifth year in a row that Islay has seen significant disruption, to a level that restricts business, movements and the commerce on the island to the point that it is loss-making. "If it carries on being serviced the way it is being services, business could not operate their profitably. And our business is losing money because of the additional cost we face when we have disruption because we cannot move them in an economical fashion." The disruption has had a knock on effect on one of the most hit islands in the wave of ferry disruption - South Uist. South Uist continues to be badly hit by a shortage of vessels on lifeline ferry routes and has been served by 37-year-old veteran MV Isle of Mull which is restricted to just 45 passengers since the start of the year ,while its regular ship - MV Lord of the Isles remains serving Islay. Some islanders have been describing the services as "non existent". One ferry user group officials said: "This is what happens when we get underinvestment in lifeline ferries. But the way you manage the fleet is key. There is never seems to be a well communicated back up plan and the losers are always island residents and businesses." The new ferries, Glen Rosa and its sister ship Glen Sannox were both due to be online within the first seven months of 2018, to serve Arran. They were the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel ships ever built in the UK, capable of switching between LNG and marine diesel. In the midst of the delays and soaring costs, Ferguson Marine, under the control of tycoon Jim McColl, fell into administration and was nationalised at the end of 2019 with state-owned ferry and port-owning agency Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd and the yard's management blaming each other. Delays to the Glen Rosa are now heading towards the eight year mark, and is not expected to take passengers until between April and June of next year. Glen Sannox was launched in January, seven years late. The costs of both vessels, are set to soar to more than five times the original £97m contract.
Daily Record
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Iconic Scottish distilleries to release special edition whiskies for Fèis Ìle 2025
Two of Islay's renowned distilleries, Lagavulin and Caol Ila, are preparing to dazzle whisky lovers once again at Fèis Ìle 2025 with the unveiling of two striking limited-edition releases, each offering a fresh twist on the distilleries' classic characters. Lagavulin, which made some of the most popular whiskies of last year , is set to unveil its Fèis Ìle 2025 15 Year-Old, finished in Moscatel de Málaga casks. This rare expression adds unexpected sweetness and spice to Lagavulin's signature smokiness, creating a multi-layered whisky experience. On the nose, it opens with salted toffee and ripe berries, underpinned by the brand's hallmark maritime and medicinal notes. Lagavulin's special edition 15 Year Old is bottled at a robust 55.7 per cent ABV and priced at £240. Only 1,596 bottles of this rich, smoky single malt will be available, sold through the distillery and online via The palate is creamy and rich, with a balanced profile of sweet, salty, spicy and smoky flavours. A long, dry finish follows, laced with fragrant Lagavulin smoke and a surprising kick of Sichuan pepper. 'Innovation is at the heart of what we do at Lagavulin and, this year, we wanted to offer something truly special,' said Lagavulin Distillery Manager Jordan Paisley. 'While researching our archives, we discovered a reference to Moscatel de Málaga hogshead casks, which inspired this release. The result is a beautifully complex whisky that adds layers to our signature smoke. We're excited to share it with our fans at Fèis Ìle.' Meanwhile, Caol Ila is pushing boundaries with its special edition for Fèis Ìle, The Isay Festival, which runs from Friday, May 23, to Saturday, May 31. Caol Ile is bringing out a bold 8 Year Old release that explores new flavour territory. This special bottling has been matured in refill casks and a mix of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso-seasoned casks, then finished in Colombian Oak, a first for the distillery. The result is a dram that surprises with its smooth, waxy texture and richly sweet character, amplified by Caol Ila's signature smoky depth. Notes of spice and peppery heat further enhance its complexity. Caol Ila's 8 Year Old festival expression comes in at 55.8 per cent ABV, retailing for £110. A total of 1,476 bottles will be released, also available both at the distillery and on Describing the dram, whisky expert Charles MacLean said: 'Even at reduced strength, the taste is intense!' Martin Gaughan, Caol Ila's newly appointed Distillery Manager, said he's especially excited to share the distillery's latest creation, and to mark a personal milestone. 'This release is all about exploration, both for us who enjoy Caol Ila and all the new visitors to Islay during Fèis Ìle,' he said. 'The finish in Colombian Oak casks has brought a fascinating twist, enhancing Caol Ila's natural richness with unexpected sweet and spicy layers. I can't wait for all of our fans to experience it first-hand at my first Fèis Ìle as Caol Ila's Distillery Manager.' Both the Lagavulin and Caol Ila Fèis Ìle 2025 editions will be available to buy on their respective open days, offered on a first come first served basis. Lagavulin Day will take place on Saturday, May 24, followed by Caol Ila Day on Monday, May 26. The celebrations don't stop at whisky releases. Each distillery is set to host a full day of tastings, music and exclusive events . Lagavulin's programme includes 'Beyond The Smoke', an immersive sensory experience hosted by Distillery Manager Jordan Paisley and Private Client Host Barry Nisbet. This guided tasting delves into the history and craftsmanship behind the distillery's iconic smoke character, and includes a rare sample of a 17 Year-Old Lagavulin. At Caol Ila, 'Flavour & History' takes centre stage. This interactive blending session allows guests to create their own custom 200ml whisky blend. Led by Rory Slater, who worked on this year's Fèis Ìle bottling, alongside Senior Malts Archivist Jo McKerchar, the event provides a hands-on journey through the flavours and stories that define Caol Ila's legacy. Later in the week, on Wednesday, May 28, Caol Ila will host a special 'Manager's Evening'. Distillery leaders from Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Port Ellen and The Maltings will come together for a Q&A session and tasting. The evening offers guests the chance to engage directly with the people behind the drams, while sampling a range of premium hand-selected malts. Tickets for Fèis Ìle 2025 are still available via for those eager to take part in the world's largest whisky and music celebration.
