Scotch Whisky Distillery Tour

[rkolluri]

I am planning a week-long distillery tour of Scotland in late July 2006 with a friend to celebrate turning 40. I am sure there are people here who can provide some input becuase they know a whole lot more about Scotch than I do and have done this before (I mean the distillery tour, not turning 40).

As background, I cannot claim to be a Scotch whisky expert and have never been to Scotland before. Right now I have Bowmore 12yo, Macallan 12yo, and Glenlivet 12yo in my liquor cabinet. I enjoy all three of them but I find Bowmore the most interesting of the three and Glenlivet the least interesting. I have stuck to fairly mainstream brands so far and would like to branch out a little because I know there is a whole lot more out there.

I am thinking of this trip as a learning trip to see how Scotch Whisky is made, learn a little about what to look for while buying scotch and enjoy some good whisky in the process.

I would certainly appreciate any thoughts you may have regarding interesting distilleries to visit and things to look for.

Thanks for your help.

rkolluri

[Mike Hunt]

I am planning a week-long distillery tour of Scotland in late July 2006 with a friend to celebrate turning 40.  I am sure there are people here who can provide some input becuase they know a whole lot more about Scotch than I do and have done this before (I mean the distillery tour, not turning 40).

As background, I cannot claim to be a Scotch whisky expert and have never been to Scotland before.  Right now I have Bowmore 12yo, Macallan 12yo, and Glenlivet 12yo in my liquor cabinet.  I enjoy all three of them but I find Bowmore the most interesting of the three and Glenlivet the least interesting.  I have stuck to fairly mainstream brands so far and would like to branch out a little because I know there is a whole lot more out there.

I am thinking of this trip as a learning trip to see how Scotch Whisky is made, learn a little about what to look for while buying scotch and enjoy some good whisky in the process.

I would certainly appreciate any thoughts you may have regarding interesting distilleries to visit and things to look for. 

Thanks for your help.

rkolluri

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If you do nothing else, make sure you visit the Edradour distillery in Pitlochry.

It's small, doesn't get a lot of visitors (which is a good thing) and produces (OIMO) the best whisky to come out of Scotland.

You can also go on the Speyside Tour which takes in about 4 distilleries. From memory they go to Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glen Grant and a cooperage at Craigellachie.

There is a Whisky Heritage Centre in Edinburgh but that's a bit of a tourist attrocity.

[ctgm]

Islay is (I believe) well worth a visit if you have time. I am fairly sure that you can go round Bowmore but not sure about Ardbeg, Lagavulin etc. Also should be possible to go around Bruicladdich.

Scotland is a beautiful country, and the further north you go the better.

[rkolluri]

If you do nothing else, make sure you visit the Edradour distillery in Pitlochry.

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I looked up the Edradour distillery on the Internet after you mentioned it. It does look rather interesting.

Thanks for the suggestions.

rkolluri

[rkolluri]

Islay is (I believe) well worth a visit if you have time. I am fairly sure that you can go round Bowmore but not sure about Ardbeg, Lagavulin etc. Also should be possible to go around Bruicladdich.

Scotland is a beautiful country, and the further north you go the better.

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I think we will try to make it to Islay even if it is for a day. Not yet decided where we will go though.

rkolluri

[Kerry Beal]

I would also recommend Edradour if only for the view.

Glenfarclas in the highlands was wonderful, made more so because my father had spent time in the area during the war when he was on exchange with the Royal Navy.

Islay is an amazing area to visit, windswept, beautiful. The Laphroaig distillery is worth a visit, beautiful location, great single malt. 'Friends of Laphroaig' lets you buy a little piece of land at the distillery, I purchased a piece for my dad and husband a couple of years before our visit. When we arrived they were able to visit their plot and collect the rent (single malt of course).

Bunnahabhain is a distance from the other distilleries on Islay, but a stunning location.

I can't recall what the distillery at Ardbeg was like, but it was one of the single malts that interested me. It tasted like pure iodine, but left the most amazing taste in my mouth after iodine disappeared.

Wasn't too impressed by the Scotch Whiskey Society in Edinburgh, it was interesting to buy their single cask bottlings, but they were particularly snotty and unwelcoming, but perfectly happy to take your money for membership. Needless to say, I haven't felt the need to renew after visiting.

We brought back 21 bottles of single malt, only one leaked. We came through the airport with our bottles clinking, reeking of scotch and declared our 21 bottles. The customs agent asked "is that all?" and waved us through.

Before going to Scotland someone suggested that I would love the curries there. Not what I would have thought of going to Scotland for, but by god they were right. Anywhere in the country you could get an excellent curry and fabulous naan. Just behind the Scotch Whiskey Society building there is a wonderful curry place, the name of which escapes me, but just follow your nose. The chef is noted for making the world's largest curry for some sort of competition. He has published a couple of little cookbooks that are excellent.

[rkolluri]

I would also recommend Edradour if only for the view. 

Glenfarclas in the highlands was wonderful, made more so because my father had spent time in the area during the war when he was on exchange with the Royal Navy. 

Islay is an amazing area to visit, windswept, beautiful.  The Laphroaig distillery is worth a visit, beautiful location, great single malt.  'Friends of Laphroaig' lets you buy a little piece of land at the distillery, I purchased a piece for my dad and husband a couple of years before our visit.  When we arrived they were able to visit their plot and collect the rent (single malt of course). 

Bunnahabhain is a distance from the other distilleries on Islay, but a stunning location.

I can't recall what the distillery at Ardbeg was like, but it was one of the single malts that interested me.  It tasted like pure iodine, but left the most amazing taste in my mouth after iodine disappeared.

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Thanks for the recommendations. I think we may end up spending more time in Islay than I originally thought.

We brought back 21 bottles of single malt, only one leaked.  We came through the airport with our bottles clinking, reeking of scotch and declared our 21 bottles.  The customs agent asked "is that all?" and waved us through. 

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I thought there was a one liter limit. I did not realize you could bring back that many bottles. I assume you were entering Canada and not the US?

rkolluri

[Kerry Beal]

I thought there was a one liter limit.  I did not realize you could bring back that many bottles.  I assume you were entering Canada and not the US?

rkolluri

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There is a 1 litre per person limit duty free coming in to Canada. But you can bring back any amount you want as long as you are willing to pay duty on it. We picked up single malts that we couldn't get at home, fully prepared to pay duty. Of course within a year, the LCBO was carrying everyone of the bottles we brought back with the exception of the cask strength ones we got from the snootty SWS.

I brought back 8 bottles of my favorite rum from Barbados one year. I had written 8 bottles on the form you hand in as you leave the secure area, the customs agent looked at it as I walked away, yelled "hey!" at my back, I turned, he yelled "how many bottles?", I yelled back "8", he yelled "OK", waved me on and that was it.

Just reading this thread make me want to go back to Scotland again. Have a wonderful time and report back after your trip.

[cliveb]

I am planning a week-long distillery tour of Scotland in late July 2006 with a friend to celebrate turning 40...

I am thinking of this trip as a learning trip to see how Scotch Whisky is made, learn a little about what to look for while buying scotch and enjoy some good whisky in the process.

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Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear; what a shame I didn't discover this site earlier! The origin of all whiskies, and only 9 replies...

I hope you visited Islay. I went there for 3 days back in 2001, and visited Bowmore, and Laphroaig. I tried every single malt available; Ardbeg, Bruichladdich, Bunnahaiban, Caol Ila, Port Ellen, Lagavullin... there is a splendid hotel, just round the corner from the Bowmore distillery, which stocks over 400 single malts. SOME of these cost over $1,800...

per shot!!!!

I wonder whether you managed to visit a Highland, a Lowland, a Speyside, an Islay and a Skye distillery. That would have really given you a good idea about how whisky is made.

[evo-lution]

Where you going to be staying in Scotland?

I live in Aberdeen (North-East of Scotland) and there are a shedload of distilleries not far from me.

You may want to go over to www.barbore.com, join up and post there as well. I'm sure that some of my fellow 'bores on that site would be willing to help you out...

Living in Scotland, I have had the pleasure of visiting many distilleries, but unfortunately not been in them all, yet..

Here are a few links you may want to check out (I am based in Aberdeen and if your near me, would easily hook up with you)...

This is probably the most definitive site you will come across on the net.

http://www.scotlandwhisky.com/distilleries/

I have been to a fair few in Speyside

http://www.scotlandwhisky.com/distilleries/speyside/

And highly recommend Glenfarclas, Macallan, Cragganmore. In fact, I recommend them all. They are all unique and great for their own reasons!

And if you make it to Aberdeen I will take you here to enjoy some of the 400 whiskies they stock!

http://www.thegrillaberdeen.co.uk/index.html

The distilleries in full:-

ISLAY

Arbeg Distillery

Bowmore Distillery

Bruichladdich Distillery

Bunnahabhain

Caol Ila Distillery

Lagavulin Distillery

Laphroaig Distillery

Kilchoman Distillery

CAMPBELTOWN

Springbank distillery

Mitchell's Glengyle distillery

HIGHLANDS

Highland Park Distillery

Old Pulteney Distillery

Clynelish Distillery

Glenmorangie Disitillery

Dalmore Distillery

Talisker Distillery

Glen Ord Distillery

Tomatin Distillery

Glendronach distillery

Dalwhinnie Distillery

Edradour

Royal Lochnagar

Fettercairn Distillery

Tobermory Distillery

Ben Nevis Distillery

Dewar's World of Whisky

Blair Athol Distillery

Oban Distillery

The Famous Grouse Experience

Isle of Jura

Glengoyne Distillery

Isle of Arran

Tullibardine Distillery

SPEYSIDE

Benromach Distillery

Glen Moray Disitillery

Glen Grant Distillery

Macallan Distillery

Cardhu Distillery

Glenlivet Distillery

Glenfarclas

Glenfiddich Distillery

Strathisla Distillery

Dallas Dhu Distillery

Cragganmore Distillery

Aberlour Distillery

Speyside Cooperage

LOWLANDS

Glenkinchie Distillery

Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre

Bladnoch Distillery

Auchentoshan Distillery

If your staying in Edinburgh, I recommend the Glenkinchie, http://www.scotlandwhisky.com/distilleries...nds/Glenkinchie, and Auchentoshan, http://www.scotlandwhisky.com/distilleries/lowlands/218698, distilleries in the Lowlands.

Get onto www.barbore.com as a lot of the contributors there are based in Edinburgh.

As for whats near me, all the distilleries in Speyside :-

SPEYSIDE

Benromach Distillery

Glen Moray Disitillery

Glen Grant Distillery

Macallan Distillery

Cardhu Distillery

Glenlivet Distillery

Glenfarclas

Glenfiddich Distillery

Strathisla Distillery

Dallas Dhu Distillery

Cragganmore Distillery

Aberlour Distillery

Speyside Cooperage

are less than 2 hours from my front doorstep.

Send me an e-mail at adam.elmegirab@evo-lution.org if you would like any more info.

Cheers,

Adam

www.evo-lution.org

[thebartrainer]

I work for Morrison Bowmore Distillers who own Bowmore, Auchentoshan and Glen Garioch.

If you want to come to a talk by the blender and are around on the 21st August then let me know and I'll fix you up!!

As well as visiting the distilleries you should meak time for the best malt bars in the world. A few notable ones in Glasgow are:

The Lismore

The Pot Still

The Ben Nevis

The Bon Accord

Rhodric Dhu

Oran Mor

I have forgotten some I'm sure but that's a good list for starters.

email... ian.mclaren@fiorbrands.co.uk for more details if you want...

Cheers

Ian

PS. Good to see you here Adam... I don't know where you find the time!!