I would enthusiastically recommend the highland park; I know it is not Islay but it 'tis a wonderful scotch. If you can get the 18 year old is wonderful. It is about miles from my wife's aunt's house therefore I deem it buying local.
100 miles from any friend's or family's home is the 100 mile diet for me.
It may be sacrilegious to mention cooking with scotch, but I have used the Ardbeg to marinate ribs for a truly lovely peat smoke flavour.
Merry Christmas and god bless. GRF
