The Scottish Hebrides islands are full of breathtaking scenery. Quiet, unspoilt and seemingly lost in time.

The Isle of Skye is a Hebredean island just off the west coat of Scotland. The main town, Portree, features rows of pretty, brightly painted houses and is the pull for the majority of tourists. Portree hosts various festivals and events throughout the year and Skye in general remains a favourite with artists and film makers.

The only distillery on the island, producing Skye's only single malt whiskey, Talisker, is situated in the village of Carbost on the west coast, and is a must see for anyone visiting the island. The drive through Carbost to the distillery is breathtaking. The stark white Carbost church seems to dazzle against the dark green hills it sits within. The distillery, also bright white, rises like a beacon to all whisky lovers. The scenery on this west coast is some of the most picturesque you will find anywhere on Skye. Empty sandy beaches, mountains and lochs, all conspire to create perfect views wherever you look. You will also find a good selection of accommodation in Carbost, as with Portree, including hotels, bed and breakfasts, cottages and camp sites.

But Skye is much more than just picture postcard scenery. In the North West, the small village of Uig, like many places on Skye, is a strange amalgamation of ancient tales and modern ruins.

A ferry port for the other islands, Uig has only two hotels and a handful of bed and breakfasts. The bed and breakfasts can be basic and it's likely you'll be staying in someone's house and sharing in the way they live. If you like the personal touch this will suit you fine. The proprietors of these bed and breakfasts go to lengths to ensure guests feel at home, making up for the lack of facilities and heating by providing large amounts of tea and slipping hot water bottles into the beds when the rooms are cleaned. I came back to my room one night to find a hot water bottle tucked snugly in my bed and an electric blanket laid on top with a never-before-seen cat dozing on it.

If all that is a bit too homely, the two hotels in Uig will provide a different experience altogether, boasting superior en suit rooms with wireless connection and central heating. The Uig Hotel is full of character and history, and that's not just reserved for the building itself. The current owners have a few stories of their own to tell. Originally from South Afreica, the owners of the Uig Hotel will regale you with tales of their travels over a wee dram for hours, proudly showing off their collection of stuffed game, which seems to fit and add to the hotel's Victorian atmosphere. Wood paneling and a large stone fireplace with a real fire crackling in its grate really sets the scene for relaxing and sampling the array of real ales and whiskies from the bar.

Wherever you choose to go on Skye, Talisker dominates the whisky selection, of course. Originally the name of a nearby farm at Carbost, Talisker was first made in the distillery in 1830. It was known for its fiery kick, and at 45.8% proof this whiskey has a powerful, almost peppery intensity. Peat and, even more so, smoke are evident in the taste of Talisker, which is ironic as a disastrous fire in 1960 which almost saw the end of the distillery. But so beloved is this site that the building was re-built as close to the original as possible and the distillery you see today is almost identical.

Robert Louis Stevenson famously wrote about Talisker scotch as being the king of drinks, and one thing he looked forward to on his return to Scotland from abroad. For the only single malt on a small Hebredean island, Talisker has certainly made an impression over the years. Some say it tastes of the sea, while others refer to it as "challenging." Talisker whiskey is probably both of these things and more, like the island it comes from, a meeting of old and new, ocean and land.