Barley boat MV Victress in Port Ellen at night, Isle of Islay

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Picture of a small bulk carrier at the pier of a small harbour at night
Barley boat MV Victress in Port Ellen at night, Isle of Islay

A view from the Islay ferry arriving in Port Ellen on a November evening. The MV Victress delivering barley for many of the Islay distilleries at the pier.

Barley boat Victress in Port Ellen (2), Isle of Islay

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Picture of a coastal freighter carrying barley being unloadedWhile some of the barley used for making the famous whisky is grown on Islay the island can’t produce anywhere near enough to support soon nine distilleries. The vast majority is imported from elsewhere, brought in by the ‘barley boat’. Here we can see the Victress being unloaded, first the barley is sucked into holding silos (the large square building behind the front hatch) before being transported by lorry to the maltings (in the distance on the left).