Being something of a whisky virgin, I had absolutely no idea how hotly anticipated the Special Releases night is. It was my opportunity to rub shoulders with experts who drink whisky for a living. Talking and tasting my way around the room, I tried them…

There’s something magical about Islay (pronounced I-la). It has some of the best beaches in Britain, whisky by the barrel-load and fish so fresh you practically have to slap it. For a whisky lover, particularly those with a penchant for peat, the mere mention of…