Start your whisky tour of Scotland
| VITAL INFORMATION | |
| Population | 5,116,900 |
| Languages spoken | English, Gaelic |
| Currency | 1 GBP = 2.06 USD |
| Average temperature | Summer: 64.4F; winter: 42.8F |
| High season | June to September |
With the interest in single malts increasing exponentially throughout the world, the homeland of these whiskies -- the Scottish Highlands -- has become a popular tourist destination. There you’ll find more than 60 distilleries within a few hours’ drive of each other. Here’s an itinerary that will take you to some of the most unique whisky-trail attractions while giving you an inside look at both artisan and major-label brands.
This brief, weekender-style getaway can be integrated into a wider Scottish or UK jaunt. If so, your ideal preface to the Highlands is a stop at Edinburgh’s Whisky Heritage Centre, adjacent to the must-see Edinburgh Castle. The Centre gives visitors a firm grounding in the making of the “water of life” so that you can appreciate variations in each distillery you visit later on.
Day 1: A day in the countryside
You’ll want to ease into Scotland’s environs with a leisurely day in the country, as the Highlands are more cosmopolitan than you think. Keep in mind, however, that you don’t want to go too country too quickly and hurt yourself.Your first stop on your whisky tour of Scotland will be at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown. It’s the world’s No. 1 single malt whisky, and their tour center is one of the most visited in Scotland. Not only do they have a great free tour, but they also have a special brand of cultural attractions.
In addition to absorbing Glenfiddich’s approach to single malting on the tour, you’ll see original SoHo-worthy contemporary art integrated right into the distillery itself -- from psychedelic wall murals in the mash room to a classical bronze sculpture illustrating “the Angel’s share” (that quantity of whisky that escapes into the air during the aging process) in the warehouse. Even the staff’s parking lot hosts an amusing installation you’ll have to see to believe.
The source of these creative interventions is a unique artist residency program. For the past six years, Glenfiddich has invited artists from around the world to live and work in their renovated worker’s cottages during the summer. If you’re at the distillery from June to October, you can check out the very latest from these artists in the Glenfiddich gallery.
After your tour, you’ll no doubt want to get something into that empty cave you call a stomach. Thankfully, you won’t have to go far; grab a Stilton panini and a latte at the Glenfiddich cafe. Once you’re feeling satisfied, take a stroll up to Balvenie Castle (five minutes away), where you’ll spend the afternoon.
Now that you have a handle on the basics of whisky, head to Glenfiddich’s sister distillery, the Balvenie, for a more in-depth connoisseur’s tour. Balvenie is more of an artisan brand, so its tour includes rare glimpses into the traditional malting process, as well as a look at its equally rare on-site cooperage, which is where coopers tend to traditional oak casks.
Finish off the first day of your whisky tour of Scotland with a stroll around Dufftown, the picturesque, self-declared Whisky Capital of the World. All roads in Dufftown lead to the clock tower, which was once a prison but now serves as a tourist information center. From there, you should be able to find directions to an upscale restaurant that will satiate your need for a French bistro-styled resto, which is the internationally renowned A Taste of Speyside. This is where you can enjoy either gourmet takes on local faves, such as Cullen Skink or Ham and Haddie, or more traditionally French dishes like the Sautéed Loin of Lamb, Rabbit Casserole or fine Fillet Steak done to perfection. Of course, there’s a wide assortment of local whiskies on hand to round out the meal, along with an excellent wine list in case you’re feeling a bit distilled.
Day 2: Go rustic on smuggler’s trails
Swap yesterday’s brogues for hiking boots and hit Glenlivet Distillery’s Smuggler’s Trails, on which you’ll walk off yesterday’s indulgences and possibly your hangover. Glenlivet is the best-selling single malt in the U.S., and with these paths it appeals further to American sensibilities as it plays off its own “Wild West”-style past.Set against a backdrop of the fabulous Cairngorms Mountains preserve, the trails take walkers along paths originally trod by the area’s extensive whisky smuggling network. These same smugglers threatened Glenlivet founder George Smith’s life when his distillery went legit. Along the way you’ll see a ruined castle, stroll by a pristine stream, and view the original distillery site.
The trek can be adjusted to accommodate for weather, time and your willingness to continue. A lower loop through the village is two to three miles long and will take a couple of hours, depending how long you linger over the sights. Longer trails (five miles or so) that take you up to lookouts are also available, though you will have to negotiate rougher terrain and be familiar with how to manage the threats of errant cattle (the longer paths, like many of Scotland’s terrific walks, cross private farmland).
After you narrowly escape the wrath of an ornery cow, you’ll want to grab a bite to eat at the Glenlivet cafe. Though much of this cafe's fare is standard, there is one outstanding must: Glenlivet ice cream for dessert. C’mon, you’ve earned it with all that walking.
Now that you’ve calmed your hangover, it’s time to work on tomorrow’s. Take the Glenlivet Distillery’s tour to learn more about the surrounding valley’s early, secretive and outlaw production years. Tour the exhibition center to see kitschy graphics of older Glenlivet ads, as well as guns similar to those used by Smith to ward off attackers.
Another nice feature, considering all the walking you’ve been doing, is the panoramic “periscopes” that give you a 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape during all four seasons.
It will be just about time for dinner when you finish your Glenlivet tour. The Mash Tun is a casual, whisky-themed pub and eatery near the banks of the infamous Speyside Way, one of four long-distance walking routes in Scotland. You can opt for pub fare or more casual Scottish fusion-type food, such as mixed greens with black pudding and smoked salmon with whisky dressing.
If you arrive in Aberlour before supper, walk along a picturesque piece of the Way along the river near the restaurant, including a dramatic iron footbridge where you can watch the salmon jumping. Or pick up gifts at the Spey Larder, a gourmet shop that stocks whisky-infused mustards and high-end oatcakes (not an oxymoron!) and local smoked salmon. The Still Life Studio, a few doors down, is a good source for picturesque landscape paintings and photographs.
Day 3: A bit of city, a bit of country
Glen Grant Distillery & Garden is Italy’s favorite single malt whisky. So perhaps it’s unsurprising that the original owners of Glen Grant were fans of the Dolce Vita aesthetic -- at least as it applied to the creation of their rolling, pristine and downright movie-set-worthy Victorian garden. The garden, which borders the distillery, is 20 acres of bowler-and-spats “wilderness” with paths that wind through a lower garden of rose bowers and apple orchards through to an upper gorge where pathways hug stone walls and snake over a small river.
It’s clear from the walk that this distillery’s developers were true entertainers. Not only is the garden a great place for dancing and romancing, but it also has two whisky vaults where guests could be invited to stop for a refreshing dram. The first vault is located in a small pavilion that wows across-the-ponders with its thatched roof and design-fetishists with its surprisingly au courant antler chandelier. The second vault, located farther up the river, is rustically built into the stone walls of the gorge at one end of a bridge. A last surprise waits behind a bend in the gorge, where strollers spy a larger, gated vault designed to hold a potentially illicit -- and much larger -- whisky stash.
When you’re done with your walk, take a tour of the distillery. It’s a brief tour that emphasizes the unique family history of Glen Grant.
After such a feminine morning spent in a garden, you deserve a good lunch. Check out the terrific pub in the Highlander Inn, located in Craigellachie. Not only does the staff know their Scotch whisky inside and out, but they also serve excellent pub food, such as haggis and neeps ‘n tatties drizzled with whisky sauce.
Think that finishing a triathlon proves true toughness? You’ll think again after watching the hustle and muscle of tradesmen at the Speyside Cooperage near Craigellachie. The Cooperage is one of Scotland’s only independent sites for whisky cask building and repair. You’ll have the rare opportunity to look down on the factory floor and watch a dozen men, skilled in a millenniums-old craft, revamp oak casks by hand.
After a few minutes of watching the men heave heavy items across the concrete and hammer away at iron rings, you’ll want to buy them a drink. If you are up for another tasting, try the gift shop and café on the way out; it has a variety of scotches for sampling.
There’s no better way to conclude your whisky tour of Scotland than with another terrific gourmet offering in the hills -- we suggest the Ben Aigen Restaurant, located in a historic Craigellachie Hotel. Anyone care for Carpaccio of cured Rothes venison with parmesan shavings and red pesto? Finish your night with a dram in the hotel’s renowned whisky bar, where hundreds of bottles of every known malt line the walls.
tips for the trip
- Not to be preachy, but don’t drink and drive -- book a taxi or a driver. Your hotel should have all the information you require.
- Make reservations. The whisky industry has responded to skyrocketing interest in single malts, but the restaurants in the area are still trying to catch up with the associated tourism.
- Be prepared for the outdoors. Bring rain gear, waterproof boots, warm layers, energy bars, and water on your walks. If you venture into rugged areas, be familiar with the Scottish Outdoor Code and local hiking etiquette.
- If you have a few extra days, be sure to visit Duff House for some more culture and Gordon & MacPhail to see the world’s largest malt-whisky specialty store.
http://www.whisky-heritage.co.uk/
http://uk.glenfiddich.com/
http://www.glenlivet.com/
http://www.gordonandmacphail.com/
www.balvenie.com
www.dufftown.co.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org
www.glengrant.com
www.whiskyinn.com
www.speysidecooperage.co.uk
www.craigellachie.com
0 comments:
Publicar un comentario