This is a wild and beautiful island with over 300 miles of dramatic scenic coastline and stunning beaches which rise to the peak of Mulls’ highest mountain Ben More at 3,000 feet. We visit the TOBERMORY distillery to sample their Iona whisky, named after the small Island where St Columba began his mission in Scotland in 563. Whiskey Island is thrilled to announce its first annual undergraduate writing contest! CSU undergrads are encouraged to submit their fiction, creative essays, and poems for consideration. The editors of Whiskey Island will choose one winning piece from each genre. Whiskey Island Whiskey Island is a Romantic Private Island rich in history-capturing the ambiance of the past. One of the oldest island cottages in the 1000 Islands, this island is perfect for family getaways, or for that romantic adventure shared for two.
HISTORY:
Whiskey Island is located at the southwestern end of the Thousand Islands at the head of Grindstone Island, along the US/Canadian border on the Saint Lawrence River. The families of Morgan, Leavitt, and Carter inhabited this section of the river each summer for over a hundred years, and still have family and cottages in the area today.
Chris Wolf was the first person to build cottages in this section of the river, and built the very first one on Whiskey Island. The original section of the house was built of 2' x 4' planks stacked on top of one another, which still serves for a structurally sound lodge. Throughout the river's history, most of the original cottages in the area have burned down and had to be rebuilt, but due to Whiskey Island's resilience, her structure remains one of the oldest cottages in the area!
Whiskey was originally owned by a Leavitt in 1875, who was married to Chris Wolf (which is why it was the first island to get a cottage!) However, legend has it that he ran off with a governess so the island was sold in 1914 to Alice Carter's Mother, 'Grandma Morgan.' Alice's son, Bunny Morgan, and his family lived at Whiskey each summer until 1961 when Bunny passed away. When Bunny passed, the island was left to his daughter, Mimi Boyer. Mimi, with her husband and family, inhabited Whiskey every summer until her passing in 1994, when it was left to her daughter Jenny. Jenny then sold it to the Randazzo Family who still own it today.
Whiskey Island was originally named Coral Island back in 1870, due to the maze of shoals that surround her. Because of the mass of shoals and its strategic location on US/Canadian border, Whiskey was the main 'drop and run' point for rumrunners during Prohibition. The shoals and rocks surrounding the Island made it easy for the rumrunners to hide and later recover the smuggled liquor. This section of the river was a tricky spot to navigate through, so it was hard for law enforcement to chase the rumrunners. (It also helped that the rumrunners were the best navigators on the river and they could get a boat through this cut faster than anyone!) As a code to other rumrunners, 'Whiskey Island' was adapted to let them know where goods could be stored and recovered if the law was getting in the way.
Although it is unknown exactly when her name was officially changed to Whiskey Island, we know it happened some years after Prohibition. As many people have a great fascination with the Prohibition era, you can still often find divers exploring the shoals surrounding Whiskey, trying to dig up her past and discover what she protected for so many thirsty souls.
LOCATION:
Whiskey Island is located at the southwest end of the Thousand Islands along the US and Canadian border at the head of Grindstone Island, on the Saint Lawrence River. Ottawa is just 1.5 hours by car; Montreal is 2.5 hours and Toronto is 3 hours. Clayton is 1.5 hours by car from Syracuse and 2.5 hours from Rochester.
ABOUT:
Whiskey Island is a Romantic Private Island rich in history-capturing the ambiance of the past. One of the oldest island cottages in the 1000 Islands, this island is perfect for family getaways, or for that romantic adventure shared for two.
With spectacular sunrises, sunsets, starlit nights, warm breezy days, and an ever-changing crystal clear river, the experience will leave you feeling refreshed and awakened with the spirit that is embedded there.
Fishing, swimming, boating and relaxing are Whiskey Island's pleasures. She is a muse for writers, artists and musicians alike- She is a muse for the soul.
RENT WHISKEY ISLAND:
Looking for romance, excitement and relaxation in the Thousand Islands? Whiskey Island Lodge is the perfect setting for your family reunion, event, or vacation. Panoramic views and gorgeous sunsets await you.
Weekly Rentals are 7 days and 7 nights.
Weekly Rentals: 7 days, 7 nights
Per Week Rate: $8,000
$1000 Security/Damage deposit (refundable)
Maximum Guest Allowance: 15 people
(for additional guests contact us)
Arrive (2:00pm), Depart (12:00pm)
' Dogs require an additional one-time fee per dog (non refundable) of $250
' House keeping available upon request (additional fees will apply)
' Weekly rentals are responsible for all food and beverages
Parking Disclaimer Parking is limited, please ask about public parking options.
AMENITIES:
Whiskey Island is a 3.1± acre island. Positioned stately against the serene landscape of the island is the circa-1875 main lodge. This grand Lodge contains eight bedrooms, four bathrooms, a commercial kitchen, a family room, a library and five porches-three of which are screened. A 2-bedroom guest cottage, boathouse and skiff house complete the Islands structures. Add to that, ample dockage and great swimming. Whiskey Island Lodge truly is a place that you have to see to believe!
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN
' Oven '
Grill '
Refrigerator/Freezer
' Microwave '
Pantry '
Kitchenette
Equipped with basic spices, staples such as sugar, flower, coffee, coffee pot, pots, pans, dishware and silverware. Island also includes drinking water in 5 gallon and 2.5 gallon jugs for coolers.
BEDROOMS
' 2 Master Bedrooms:
1 Downstairs,
1 Upstairs '
2 Queen Bedrooms: Green Room, White Room (both upstairs)
Whiskey Mac Roses
' 2 Full Bedrooms: Maid's Room 1 & 2
' 2 Twin Bedrooms: Rose Room and Maid's Room 3
' Additional sleeping with 1/2 bath above the Boat House
' All linens are provided.
BATHROOMS
' 2 Upstairs '
2 Downstairs '
Towels are provided.
LIVING ROOMS
' TV Room
' Library/Office
' Screened-in Rotunda
PORCHES
Whiskey Island Magazine
' Dining Room - covered and screened
' Back Porch - covered and screened
' Rotunda - covered and screened
' Upstairs Master Bedroom - covered
' Front Entrance - covered
DOCKAGE
' Significant and ample dockage
' Can accommodate 70' yacht on outside dock
OTHER AMMENITIES
' Laundry Facilities
' Telephone
' Internet
' TV/DVD/Direct tv
SWIMMING
' Swim dock
' Deep water
' Ladder
' Chairs and rocks
GUEST COTTAGE with 2 Bedrooms
Very Private
On the Water
At the Head of the Island
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
' Coyote Moon Vineyards
' 1000 Islands Chamber of Commerce
' Antique Boat Museum
' Clayton Opera House
' Classic Island Cruises
' Thousand Islands Tourism Council
IN THE NEWS HGTV:
Island Hunters Woody Boater:
'Woody Boater Destination of the Week (5/31/08): Whiskey Island Lodge, The Ultimate Woody Boater Experience.
Fully tutored online whiskey tastings. We ship the whiskey in advance to your guests. Scroll down for more info!
In response to the times we live in, Whiskey Island has launched a Virtual Irish Whiskey Tasting product, now available for booking. The experience is available for groups, privately, no minimum or maximum numbers apply.
Once we receive your booking, we source the required amount of miniatures of whiskey for your delegates (each bottle sized 50 millilitres). We source a nice mix of whiskey – some well established brands and some ‘new wave’ whiskeys. We also incorporate as many different styles as possible so there’s nice diversity across the tastes. We ensure that the whiskeys we use, enhance and compliment the story that we like to deliver – the fascinating story of Irish whiskey through the ages.
We then package the whiskey into tasting kits, and they are ready to be shipped to your guests, wherever your guests may be! We can ship the kits all over Ireland, the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand…and many more… it’s a long list as to where we can ship!
But there is also a list of countries that we cannot ship to… for instance, we cannot ship to Russia or Canada or South America.
We can ship to 21 states in the USA, including (but not limited to) : California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas.
You can submit your distribution list to us, and we’ll tend to the paperwork and have the kits dispatched.
The tasting itself is delivered from the Whiskey Island Bar, by a whiskey specialist who brings to life the stories of the whiskeys being sampled, along with the overall story of Irish whiskey. The event takes place at an agreed time/date on your meetings platform. Please note this is not a tasting for connoisseurs, our tastings make whiskey accessible to all! They’re easy-going experiences, but also enable your guests to learn something new.