Bird Watching with Donald James MacPhee

Donald James, or DJ as he is known as by the locals, is a true ‘Ileach’ who has lived all his life here on Islay.  He was born in Port Askaig and then moved to Keills.  After his school years he began working as a gamekeeper on Dunlossit Estate and continued to do so for 40 years.  Wildlife has always been a big interest of DJ.  His other hobbies over the years have included playing for the local rugby and football teams and taking part in various running competitions.  DJ has often been spotted running all around the island.  He has run great distances all over the hills and remote areas of Islay. There won’t be much of the island he hasn’t seen!   He has always thrived on the community spirit of the island and has been involved in many things such as volunteering for the local lifeboat and more recently a lot of the historical projects going on throughout the island.  He has always been a busy and very active man and since retiring from Dunlossit Estate he has certainly not put his feet up and started to take things easy.  He and his wife Isabel are now running a bed and breakfast as well as a business called ‘Islay Outdoors’ which he describes as being more of a hobby than work.  DJ has an incredible knowledge of the island, not just Islay wildlife, but also the history of the different areas.  Through his Islay Outdoors ‘hobby’ he shares his knowledge and passion with others as he guides them around our beautiful island.  And it’s not only the visitors that benefit from his expertise, even the locals learn a lot of new things from DJ!  Recently he took Emma and Catherine out on a walk around the farm and hills surrounding the distillery to look at Kilchoman bird life. 

Islay is known as the Queen of the Hebrides and our island boasts a wide variety of amazing scenery and habitats, including wild open moorland and hills, unspoilt beaches and cliffs, mixed woodland and mudflats, all of which offer amazing birding on the island all year round.   As well as tourists often visiting Islay because of their interest in whisky and our distilleries, many often come to bird watch.  

Lots of people sent us questions through our social media to ask Donald James.  He kindly took the time to answer a few for us. 

What are the most common types of birds to be spotted around the Kilchoman area?

The most common bird you’ll see on Islay at this time of year is the Barnacle goose.  There are several thousands of them that will settle here at Kilchoman.  There is also the Greenland white fronted goose here wintering at the moment. The ones that are here throughout the year are the peregrines.  There are also the falcons, they like the cliffs at the back of Kilchoman.  We have a resident pair of choughs which used to nest in the distillery, but they now have a specially built accommodation at the back of the distillery. They are the mascots of the distillery really!  Choughs are very rare to spot. In the summer we have the corncrakes coming and they are very popular with the tourists. You’ll find them in the grassy fields and up near the old Kilchoman church and cemetery. 

Which type of geese do you have on Islay?

The barnacle is the main one.  Then the white fronts, the grey lags, and even brent geese in Loch Indaal.  There are some bar headed geese and some pink footed geese that also stop over. You get different ones stopping over for a short time.  Canada geese are now moving in too.  They have started to nest and are now beginning to stay on Islay.

Are there different birds spotted at different times of the year?

In the winter you’ll see the migratory birds, mostly the waders such as the geese.  You can also see ducks in the ponds at the end of the road, you’ll see the wigeon, the teal, the mallard.  They come in quite heavily in the winter.  In the spring and summer time the corncrakes will come.  They are difficult to see but you’ll hear them.  You also have the lapwing and some curlews for example.  There are a good variety of birds on Islay.  On the edges of the cliffs you can sometimes see the merlin, although they are quite rare on the island now.  I have even seen the kestrel down at Machir Bay beach but not often.  The kestrels are on the decline now. They are not so common as they once were.  You often see swallows and barn owls nesting in the surrounding buildings.  There is a good variety.  Islay is rich in birdlife. 

What attracts the different varieties of birds to Islay?

The climate helps.  For the winter birds we don’t get too much frost so they can still feed.  The ones with long beaks stick their beaks in the ground to feed.  The gulf stream helps a lot.  We’ve got good farming.  We’ve got grass that grows practically all year round so the grazing birds, the geese especially, will eat the grass because it doesn’t freeze.  Then in the summer we’ve got a good variety of habitats.  The lapwings for example like the open spaces to have their young.  There is plenty of long heather which the hen harriers like to nest in as it gives them good coverage.  It is the variety of the habitats that really suits so many different species of birds.

Are there specific parts of the island where it is more common to see particular species of birds?

Yes, there are.  Once you know the lie of the land on the island there are certain spots where it is more common to see certain species.  You get to know where they tend to nest.  With the eagles for example you know where they tend to nest and then when they fledge out the nests, they can be spotted hanging around the area with the juveniles until they are strong enough to go further away.  It is the same with the harriers, corncrake and choughs.  They will nest in the same type of area every year.  It is the same with the corncrake and the choughs.  They are in the same areas so once you know the lie of the land, they are easier to spot.  There are rules to consider particularly during the breeding seasons.  You are not allowed to go too near when they are nesting.  You must stay a certain distance away because it is not fair to disturb them.   But nowadays with good binoculars and telescopic cameras you don’t have to try and get so close to get a good view. 

Which are the rarest birds on Islay?

Corncrake, chough and now grouse are all very rare. Even eagles are quite rare to see, there’s not that many of them around.  You get all the different species sprinkling in through the winter, for example, the Icelandic gulls.

What impact do the birds have on the local environment?

Geese are having a big impact as numbers have increased so much.  They are having an impact on the farmers as they are pulling out the grass and eating it. Farmers are not so happy with too many geese.  It is all about sustainability and what the farmers can put up with and what they can manage.  Different types of geese have been coming and going over the centuries but there are so many more now.  The resident grey lag geese could be the next problem for farmers, including the growing of barley.  They are big birds and their numbers are building up quite dramatically on Islay and the off-lying little islands.  They will have between 6 and 12 chicks and they seem to look after them very well.  There are not many predators for them.  The odd eagle might take one of the young, but they generally look after them very well, so their breeding numbers could rocket out of control.  They stay here all year round so they will be in the barley first, before the migratory birds even get here so that could be a problem. 

Have you seen any changes in the amount/types of birds coming to Islay over the years?

The numbers of geese have risen since the 70’s.  They have stopped hunting them here now, they are protected now so that has contributed to numbers increasing.  The grouse numbers have gone down.  You used to see a lot of red grouse.  There would’ve been hundreds if not thousands on the island but now there is just a handful of them left. They think a disease got into their eggs or their bodies in the early 70s and it was killing them.  The last black grouse I saw was on Jura.  Also, the number of sea eagles has increased.  I think they were introduced into the Isle of Rum in 1976 from Norway and they have spread down to Mull and now Islay and they are now often seen on Islay. 

When is the best time of year to visit Islay for bird watching?

Quite a lot of professional bird watchers want to see the migratory birds when they are coming in or going out.  They want to catch any oddities that might be among the migratory birds. Any that have maybe blown off course or got mixed up.  Any time of the year really is a good time to see birds on Islay.  Some species are here all the time, for example, the eagles and the harriers, they are here all year round.  People come throughout the year for different reasons. Some people don’t come just for the bird watching, they might combine it with other things such as distillery visits or walking.

What are your favourite birds and why?

I like a lot of different birds for different reasons.  I like the peregrine because it is such an iconic bird.  It is the fastest bird on the stoop, it can get up to 175 mph!  I like it because it is muscular and powerful.  I like the Golden Eagle more than the Sea Eagle.  The sea eagle never looks so pretty, it always looks a bit sloppy when it’s flying. Whereas the golden eagle is more graceful.  The sea eagle almost looks like it is having a bad hair day, or a bad feather day!  Their feathers are always a bit out of place.  I really love the woodcock as a game bird, it is a lovely bird to see flying.  I also like snipe and grouse. Being brought up as a gamekeeper you like different birds for different reasons.  The lapwing is a lovely bird to look at, the wee tuft on its head.  All the smaller birds are lovely when you see them up close.  I love the skylark.  I think it is the nicest sounding bird.  Normally when you are cutting peats it is the only sound you can hear.  I like the gannet because it is such a good fisherman.  It is hunting all the time.  They have different styles of fishing.  The heron for example will stand for ages and ages, waiting until it gets something.  The gannet obviously comes in from a great height.  I like the osprey.  We have one or two here.  I don’t think they are nesting on the island, but they are migrating through Islay and starting to stay a bit longer. All birds have their own niceties in their own way. 

Thank you to DJ for taking the time to answer these questions for us. He is a very interesting man to talk to. If you are on Islay and would like to learn more about the history or wildlife on the island, you should spend some time with DJ. Click on the link below to visit his website for more information.

Kilchoman Distillery and ImpEx Beverages team up to spare consumers from paying Scotch tariffs

Last month, the Trump administration announced damaging tariffs on all Single Malt Scotch Whisky, leaving members of our industry wondering how this will impact their supply chain and their customers along the three-tier system. There is no doubt that Americans will purchase less Scotch due to the hefty 25% tariff, but Kilchoman and ImpEx knew that we could not just leave it at that.

“The tariffs are a big blow as in the last few years we have seen steady growth in sales. It is hoped they aren’t in place for too long so the impact doesn’t do long term damage.” Kilchoman Distillery’s Founder and Managing Director Anthony Wills wrote.

Recently quoted in Whisky Advocate magazine (and parent company publication, Shanken News), Sam Filmus, President and Co-Founder of ImpEx Beverages, explained that he “airfreighted 19 additional pallets of Single Malt to last through the holiday selling season.” As a boutique importer, he is “extremely concerned about how the tariffs will impact us, our suppliers, our prices, and, at the end of the day, the consumer that enjoys our whisky”  Moving forward, Filmus and Wills agreed to swallow the cost of the tariffs, at least through next March, splitting it fifty-fifty to spare consumers from higher prices. “I think in the long run, it is going to be beneficial for the brand,” Filmus says. “[It will allow] more people to get a hold of the bottles they’re shopping for.”

Needless to say, a 25% increase is substantial for both companies’ profit margins, but Anthony and Sam– who will celebrate the 10 year Anniversary of Kilchoman’s launch in the US in 2020 along with 10 years of partnership– are focused on continuing the long term success of Kilchoman in the United States. There was no hesitation that stepping up for their customers at this time is the right call. These tariffs are the most recent reminder that the whisky industry is not immune to global political and economic forces, and the most recent opportunity for two leaders in our industry to come together and demonstrate their commitment to putting consumers first.

Please feel free to reach out to us with questions on these tariffs or anything else Scotch-related. We will continue to keep you, our Kilchoman community, abreast of any changes to the state of these tariffs. If and when they are finally lifted, well… we know how to celebrate.

~Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Distillery and Sam Filmus, ImpEx Beverages, Inc.

Notes to Editors

Kilchoman Distillery is a small family run farm distillery based on the rugged west coast of Islay. The distillery was established by Anthony Wills in 2005, the idea was to build a new distillery which took whisky production back to its roots. Anthony and wife Kathy have been joined by their three sons; George, James and Peter.

Kilchoman produces its 100% Islay Single Malt from barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and completes every stage of the whisky-making process at the distillery, including traditional floor malting. Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to do this.

Since the first US bottling was released in 2010, Kilchoman has quickly established itself as a high-quality Islay Single Malt Whisky multiple notable awards.

ImpEx Beverages, Inc. – In 2008, a new chapter began for Sam Filmus, after years in the business captaining JVS Imports. With ImpEx Beverages, his vision was to import premium and rare Spirits from around the world, with special emphasis on the best of what Scotland has to offer.

Now, ImpEx boasts an impressive portfolio, including some of the most notorious small to medium sized distilleries and independent bottlers.

Can you explain some of the challenges of growing barley on Islay?

The main challenge is the weather. We don’t get as much dry weather as the east coast, where most Scottish barley is grown.   On Islay there is a lot of wind and sometimes when the barley is ripening, we don’t get as much sun as we want.  You need plenty of dry, warm weather and sun to ripen the barley properly but sometimes you don’t get that.  The wetter, windier climate and shorter growing season tends to lead to a smaller grain size.  But we aren’t too worried about this, the quality of our 100% Islay spirit is fantastic.  The grain size largely affects the spirit yields and our primary concern is quality rather than quantity. 

How do the Kilchoman barley yields compare to mainland Scotland?

We have a shorter growing season in comparison to farms on the mainland.  We sow the seed later in the year and this is partly due to the geese not leaving until early April. We also have a wetter climate here on the west coast of Scotland and the ground can be cooler than some other parts of the country meaning that the germination and early stage growth can be slower. The main driver for yield is the climate as it tends to be wetter and windier here on Islay in comparison to the farms in central / eastern Scotland with generally cooler temperatures, this lowers the yields by up to ½ tonne per acre.  The size of our grains also adversely affects our spirit yields by about 20-30 litres of alcohol per tonne of malt.

This year you grew Concerto and Sassy barley varieties, were there visible differences between the two?

There were significant differences in the size of the individual barley grains and overall height of the plant.  We can only draw conclusions from this once we’ve put the two varieties through the production process, compare the new make spirit and see how those differences develop in the casks.

Does the variety of barley effect the spirit off the still?

That is something that we are looking at.  We have started to distil the two varieties from our 2018 harvest, Concerto and Laureate, and early spirit runs certainly show there is a difference between the two varieties at the distillation stage.  The Laureate has a more malted characteristic compared with lighter more floral Concerto spirit.  How this translates into the mature whisky is the key.  We hope to showcase this range with future 100% Islay bottlings.

You have tried several varieties, but Concerto seems to be the main stay, can you explain the thinking behind this?

I think initially we wanted to follow the varieties that are used widely in the industry because we knew these were tried and tested. The yields play a part in the decision, but we crucially need a variety that stands up to the weather conditions on Islay, Concerto does this well.  But they change every so often and we’ve tried to experiment with several varieties to find the optimum growing variety for our farm.  I think since we’ve started, we’ve used four mainstay varieties in the 14 years that we’ve been in production along with other experimental batches.  Of all the varieties we tried, Concerto has been one of the best performers in the field but most importantly it distils into a fantastically floral new make spirit which balances well with our other aspects that influence the character such as peat, stills, yeast and of course casks.

What are you looking for from a variety, is it yield or the ability to cope with the environment?

It’s a combination of both.  We are looking for a variety that can withstand the weather conditions, but yield is important.  I mean, everyone is driven to a certain extent by yields and costs of production has to play a part. However, we are prepared to be a bit more flexible on the approach we have, looking at the different varieties to explore the difference in flavours and aromas from the spirit after distillation and during the maturation process. The varieties we pick need to be on the books of the seed merchants and tested as a good variety for producing malt whisky. It’s then up to us to pick the best seed variety for yield, character and coping with the climate here on Islay.

The 2018 crop is being distilled and the Concerto and Laureate varieties have been run through the stills. What, if any, differences have been found in the spirit?

The Laureate is definitely more malt and cereal forward compared to the Concerto which has boiled sweets and citrus characteristics.  So yeah, there is a difference and that is significant as far as we’re concerned.  It showcases that seed variety will have an impact on the spirit after distillation. It’s early days in trialling the different varieties through distillation but we’re excited about what we’ve found so far.

If the variety effects the spirit from the still, will this still be evident after cask maturation or will it be lost to the influence from the wood?

We have seen a fairly clear difference in distillate between barley varieties, however, we are yet to really explore how this develops during maturation.  A lot will depend on the cask type and length of maturation. I am sure that some of this varietal character will come through with bourbon barrel maturation however,  if we were to mature in a fresh wine or sherry cask then I think the bold flavours of the cask might negate the more subtle characteristics of individual barley varieties.  Even with a very subtle difference we will be able to use this when putting together new whiskies to create another layer of flavour.

Are you planning on trying any different yeast varieties to see what impact this has on the spirit?

We’ve trialled many different yeast varieties and there are significant differences in the characteristics of the spirit, perhaps more so than the differences found with different barley varieties.  With the exceptions of a period of initial experimentation, we have used Mauri yeast since we first started distilling in 2005.  Mauri works nicely with our wort character and fermentation times to encourage the development of lighter floral and tropical fruit characteristics which contrast nicely with the peat smoke which is probably the more dominant part of the Kilchoman style.

I think, it’s useful to trial all sorts of different yeasts to see the different characteristics that come through.  We recently trialled some Kerry yeast varieties, Kerry M and Kerry MX. Kerry M created a lot of stoned fruit character whereas MX had a distinct nutmeg note on the back of the palate.   

Kerry and other varieties that we have tested are interesting to try however we’ve always come back to Mauri.

What are your future plans for barley growing?  Will there be an increase/ decrease in the amount of Kilchoman barley grown?

We are growing more barley than ever now (about 200 tonnes), and I think we will get to a level that we can grow a maximum of 300 tonnes a year and that’s where we’ll sit.  We want to grow as much barley as possible on the farm here at Kilchoman and keep the whisky-making process inhouse.    

All Kilchoman barley is used in the 100% Islay range and to date, we have seen mostly sherry and bourbon releases.  Are there plans to do any other barrel types?

There will be as we produce a bit more spirit and get a bit more flexibility, we will then experiment with different cask types and separate barley varieties as I mentioned before.  At the moment, we’ve stuck with the majority in bourbon and a few in sherry as it showcases the spirit beautifully, especially in ex-bourbon.

Currently the barley is peated to 20ppm in the 100% Islay range, do you have any plans do a cask filling with no peating, heavily peated or super heavily peated?

Yes, we have plans to do all sorts of experiments with our 100% Islay in the future. We now have the facility to do that with the new still house.  We will do completely unpeated distillations and probably more lightly peated as well.  We can’t go more than 20ppm just because of the timescale needed for peating in the kiln but changing the peating levels might be considered in the future. The new still house gives us a lot of flexibility in our approach to different styles and characters of our 100% Islay.

100% Islay range is released at 50% ABV, any plans for a cask strength release or to reduce the ABV to 46% to match the core range of Sanaig or Machir Bay?

I don’t think we will reduce it.  It sits very comfortably at 50% and it can take that additional strength.  Yes, we will look at cask strength releases but with the limited amount of stock we have, we have to be careful not to be short of stock going forward. But yes, the cask strength variety will be something we will do in the future.

Any plans to use Kilchoman barley in the core range products of Machir Bay or Sanaig or perhaps in one of the annual releases like Loch Gorm?

No, absolutely not.  We want to keep them separate.  We want to showcase the Single Farm Single Malt approach that we began right at the start. It is unique throughout the whole of Scotland and we wouldn’t want to take away from any of the 100% Islay spirit we can produce from barley grown and malted at Kilchoman.

How is your combine driving?

Well, for some reason, they kept me away from the combine harvester.  Not sure why.  They seem to be combining when I’m not actually on the island.  Maybe that’s deliberate! But I’ve always told them it’s just like mowing the grass so I’m not sure why I haven’t had a go yet…

When my father had the idea of building Kilchoman he wanted the distillery to echo the shared history of farming and distilling on Islay.  These two ancient arts had been completed in partnership on the island for hundreds of years however, as the industry commercialised in the late 1800s and trade with the mainland became more reliable, most of Islay’s self-sufficient farm distillers either merged or closed. 

In the early 1800s the number of excisemen on Islay increased dramatically, forcing the illicit distillers to either register as fully licensed distillers or face imprisonment. This created a spike in the registration of distilleries with many partnering with farmers who grew barley, had access to reliable water sources and in many instances also had redundant buildings to house maltings and still houses. 

After an initial boom in registered distillers, numbers fell from 20 in mid 1800s to just 8 by 1881.  Despite a number of challenging periods, particularly in the 1980s when Port Ellen distillery closed, whisky production increased dramatically between 1981 and the 00s.  Notwithstanding this, no new distilleries were established for 124 years. That was until 2005 when my father had the idea of winding back the clock and converted the disused buildings at Rockside into a traditional farm distillery reminiscent of Islay’s early lost distilleries.

Here at Kilchoman we produce our 100% Islay range in an almost identical way to the farm distillers of the early 1800s.  The ground surrounding Kilchoman is one of the most fertile pockets of land on the Islay, allowing us to harvest over 200 tons of barley whilst setting aside ground for regeneration and local wildlife.  This barley is then malted in our malt house before being distilled, matured and eventually bottled all on the farm where the barley was first sown. 

The synergy between farming and distilling go far beyond just barley however; our draff (the outside skin of the barley), discarded during the mashing process, is used as feed for our herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle.  Draff is a crucial part of the cow’s diet, increasing meat production, stimulating rumen activity and promoting increased feed efficiency.

Our only other waste produce, pot ale (the remnant liquid left in the stills after the alcohol is boiled off), is spread on our pasture as fertiliser, allowing our flock of sheep to also enjoy the benefits of living on a farm distillery.

So, next time you visit us, enjoy a dram (of course!) but then take a walk through our barley fields, peek in the windows of the malt floor and keep an eye out for our livestock, they tend to be found near Machir Bay taking in the view whilst enjoying the latest delivery of warm draff from the still house.