Editing Islay single malts (section)

==History==
Some sources indicate that Irish monks may have been the first to distill whisky on the island in the early 1300s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.islayinfo.com/islay_whisky_distilleries.html |title=Islay Malt Whisky and Islay Whisky Distilleries Map |publisher=Islayinfo.com |access-date=2019-12-16}}</ref> According to ''Visit Scotland'', "most of Islay's original distilleries [some no longer in business] started as farm distilleries and retreated to secluded glens and caves during the 17th century when the excise man came calling."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/islay/ |title=Islay Distilleries - Whisky Tours, Tastings & Map |publisher=VisitScotland |access-date=2019-12-16}}</ref>

Another source is more specific: "Islay’s past is pervaded by innumerable tales of home distilling, smuggling and illegal whisky production" and adds that the eight older distilleries all began as small, illicit producers. All were built near water since grain was shipped on boats and the finished whisky was transported via water. For centuries, the whisky was usually aged in sherry casks but bourbon casks from the U.S. are now also frequently used.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/islay-whisky-single-malt-peat-smoke-a8066081.html|title=Peat, bog and world-class whisky – why Islay remains the jewel in Scotland’s single-malt crown|date=15 December 2017|website=The Independent}}</ref>

In 1806, the Right Hon. [[Allan Maconochie, Lord Meadowbank]] at the Circuit Court at Inverary heard the case against Donald, Duncan and Neil, sons of Dugald Mackiachan, ''all residing in the island of Islay, accused of [[Breaking and entering|breaking into]] a room or cellar possessed by Benjamin Campbell, activing supervisor in said island, and stealing from thence 125 gallons of whisky, and they failing to appear to stand trial, sentence of [[failure to appear|fugitation]] was pronounced against them''.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Inverarary | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000045/18060929/009/0003 |newspaper=Caledonian Mercury |location=Scotland  |date=29 September 1806 |access-date=30 August 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription  }}</ref>