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Single Malt Scotch!
- Thread starter tombowlus
- Start date
You don't have to post the plans (schedules and such), but you could share what you know about locations and attractions without risking any privacy issues.
Depending on where you are going you should be able to visit any number of distilleries. Auchentoshan is very close to Glasgow. You can hop on a plane to Islay relatively cheaply and there will be more distilleries than you can shake a stick at. I intend to make that trip sometime in my life. Been back to Scotland twice in the last couple of years but could not get away to make the trip to my favourites.
Scotland is a beautiful country. 3 weeks in July would be marvelous.
I have no problem with privacy issues, as my trip is far from planned. Here's the PM I sent him, and his response. Lots of good info!
*************
Thunderitter,
First off, thanks for any help!
So far, I haven't planned very much. I only found out that I have the opportunity to go over the Christmas holiday. So far, I had the idea that I want to do the following:
2-3 days in Edinburgh/surrounding area
2-3 days in St. Andrews/surrounding area
2-3 days in Inverness/Speyside scotch distilleries
2-3 days in Oban/Isle of Mull/etc
2-3 days in vague highlands locations
That's somewhere between 10 and 15 days. I really haven't nailed down specifics, as I've only been looking for a couple of days. I'm sure there are things that are missing from this list. The only distilleries that I KNOW I want to visit are the Glenlivet and the Dalwhinnie distilleries, as those are the main distributed brands that I drink. I'm pretty lost as to what other ones I should see. I think the MacAllan distillery is closed for repairs at some point in the summer?
Cheers,
Fitbass3p
**************
First off in Edinburgh a good place to start is the Scottish Whisky Experience at the top of the Royal Mile. It's a bit touristy, but there's a lot of good info about the history and process and good tasting at the end - albeit you pay extra for that.
Distillerywise you've got Glenkinchie to the East of Edinburgh in the Lammermuir Hills and an easy half day trip from the city center. The rest of your time in Edinburgh I'd spend looking at the castle, princes street, museums, etc. The Sheraton has a great, but pricy whisky bar, but anywhere on Rose St (the famous pub street in Edinburgh) you are going to find great whisky!
As far as I know there's no whisky production in Fife, but St Andrews is a nice place - great old ruined castle. Not sure if you are looking to golf there but it is pricey and difficult, for example you used to need a letter or recommendation and a handi-cap from your local club.
In Speyside you can't miss the distilleries, pick what you like. Dalwhinnie is a good one as I'm sure you know it is Scotland's highest.
Oban is a great wee place, very scenic with a good distillery tour. These days the facility in town is very much for the tourists and most of the large scale stuff happens out of the town. However, it's a really interesting tour - very tourist friendly.
From Oban, Mull is beautiful, but only has one distillery - Ledaig. They do tours though.
From Mull I'd definitely try to get down to Campbeltown (the oldest family run distillery in Scotland and the only one where the do the whole process of whisky production in situ) and then across by ferry to Arran - great wee distillery and a interesting castle and then you can take another ferry across to Ayrshire - home of Robert Burns.
In the Glasgow area Auchentoshan is worth a visit too.
The one things I'd recommend against is trying to do a distillery every day - you will find things get very samey! 5 or 6 while you're there (unless your hardcore!) would be enough for me!
Feel free to ask any more questions! I'm always glad to do my bit for the Scottish tourist industry!
*************
Thunderitter,
First off, thanks for any help!
So far, I haven't planned very much. I only found out that I have the opportunity to go over the Christmas holiday. So far, I had the idea that I want to do the following:
2-3 days in Edinburgh/surrounding area
2-3 days in St. Andrews/surrounding area
2-3 days in Inverness/Speyside scotch distilleries
2-3 days in Oban/Isle of Mull/etc
2-3 days in vague highlands locations
That's somewhere between 10 and 15 days. I really haven't nailed down specifics, as I've only been looking for a couple of days. I'm sure there are things that are missing from this list. The only distilleries that I KNOW I want to visit are the Glenlivet and the Dalwhinnie distilleries, as those are the main distributed brands that I drink. I'm pretty lost as to what other ones I should see. I think the MacAllan distillery is closed for repairs at some point in the summer?
Cheers,
Fitbass3p
**************
First off in Edinburgh a good place to start is the Scottish Whisky Experience at the top of the Royal Mile. It's a bit touristy, but there's a lot of good info about the history and process and good tasting at the end - albeit you pay extra for that.
Distillerywise you've got Glenkinchie to the East of Edinburgh in the Lammermuir Hills and an easy half day trip from the city center. The rest of your time in Edinburgh I'd spend looking at the castle, princes street, museums, etc. The Sheraton has a great, but pricy whisky bar, but anywhere on Rose St (the famous pub street in Edinburgh) you are going to find great whisky!
As far as I know there's no whisky production in Fife, but St Andrews is a nice place - great old ruined castle. Not sure if you are looking to golf there but it is pricey and difficult, for example you used to need a letter or recommendation and a handi-cap from your local club.
In Speyside you can't miss the distilleries, pick what you like. Dalwhinnie is a good one as I'm sure you know it is Scotland's highest.
Oban is a great wee place, very scenic with a good distillery tour. These days the facility in town is very much for the tourists and most of the large scale stuff happens out of the town. However, it's a really interesting tour - very tourist friendly.
From Oban, Mull is beautiful, but only has one distillery - Ledaig. They do tours though.
From Mull I'd definitely try to get down to Campbeltown (the oldest family run distillery in Scotland and the only one where the do the whole process of whisky production in situ) and then across by ferry to Arran - great wee distillery and a interesting castle and then you can take another ferry across to Ayrshire - home of Robert Burns.
In the Glasgow area Auchentoshan is worth a visit too.
The one things I'd recommend against is trying to do a distillery every day - you will find things get very samey! 5 or 6 while you're there (unless your hardcore!) would be enough for me!
Feel free to ask any more questions! I'm always glad to do my bit for the Scottish tourist industry!
It shouldn't be a derail if it's focused on single-malt scotch related locations, which is what I was hoping for.
Seriously. I'm planning to go over there in the next year or two, so I'm not just asking to pester you. Besides, if you know stuff about scotch distilleries and such, I'd think lots of subscribers would be interested anyway, even if they had no travel plans as I do.
Anyway, just a request for info, FWIW.
Edit: Saw you posted... THANKS! Really!
For the record I finally broke open that Glenmorange 12 Sherry wood Cask. It may be one of the finest scotches I have ever had. While it is different (very rich with a powerful aroma) it is certainly in the same class with Maccallen 18 and Lagvullen 16 and it has quickly become one of my favorites.
Broke out some Glennfiditch 12yr old special reserve for the holidays. It was quite tasty. I'm not a huge drinker, but I enjoy a good beer or dram of scotch every now and again.
Also, I know this is an old running thread, but if anyone is interested, check out the show "Three Sheets" over on hulu.com. They explain MANY different styles of drinks from all over the world, and the Scotland episode covers Scotch very well.
Also, I know this is an old running thread, but if anyone is interested, check out the show "Three Sheets" over on hulu.com. They explain MANY different styles of drinks from all over the world, and the Scotland episode covers Scotch very well.
I'll say! This is cool. I'm gonna' look all these up when I get a chance... maybe do some planning of my own.
Hey, thanks again for posting. Down in Oban, you'll be close to Islay which (and I just found this out) is also where Bowmore is. That'd be cool to see... there's a few goodies there as I recall... Lagavulin, Laphroaig, and of course Bowmore.
And of course to get there you'll probably go through the Isle of Jura... another supposedly good one. Man, are you gonna' remember any of this trip? How much money do you have budgeted for import/export duties?
All I know is, I'd be wantin' to send a BUNCH of stuff back!
Man, are you gonna' remember any of this trip? How much money do you have budgeted for import/export duties?
All I know is, I'd be wantin' to send a BUNCH of stuff back!
Yes, Vic...I am going to remember this trip. I'm not going to do something like drink myself silly. There's too much stuff to see! More than a dram or two of scotch a day, and it would probably all taste the same anyway. Who wants that?!?
As far as budget is concerned...the trip itself was my Christmas gift from my father (we're going together) for being the first one in the family to make it through grad school. So any money I scrounge up can go entirely to getting things back here, if it needs to. And while I don't plan on bringing the whole country back with me, I think it's pretty safe to assume that a gallon or two of scotch might make its way back somehow.
It shouldn't be a derail if it's focused on single-malt scotch related locations, which is what I was hoping for.
Besides, if you know stuff about scotch distilleries and such, I'd think lots of subscribers would be interested anyway, even if they had no travel plans as I do.
Anyway, just a request for info, FWIW.
Edit: Saw you posted... THANKS! Really!
Not a problem at all!
You'll notice I didn't mention about Islay, which while producing some of the my favorite whisky I haven't visited from a distillery point of view. It's a beautiful place however with 8 distilleries.
For anyone who is interested it was possible to own you're own patch of a peat bog on the Laphroig grounds by just signing up to become a friend of Laphroig. Of course you can't sell, build, bequeath, etc.,etc but a nice thing to do! It also get's you a free dram on the distillery tour. Laphroig has pretty interactive marketing and over the years they've sent me Christmas ornaments and other nice giveaways.
It all comes back to Campbeltown for me though! It is generally acknowledged that whisky came across to Scotland from Ireland and back in the day the main sea crossing was between North East Ireland and Kintyre, which is where Campbeltown is located. At one time so the story goes there were more distilleries in the town (or 'toon as the locals call it) than churches and there were at least a dozen of those!
There is a famous song called Campbeltown Loch, which starts of "Campbeltown Loch I wish you were whisky." At one point so many wash tank were emptied into the loch it nearly was! Anyway, as I said in the earlier piece what makes Campbeltown's Springbank really special is that the whole process is done on their location in the Longrow (the name of a street that is also one of their whiskys). This included the malting, bottling and storage. They will even let you into the storage sheds, which I've never had on any other tour. The smell in there is positively heavenly - it's the angels share that does it! It is clear that not a lot has changed in the distillery over the years and for example they are still machinery that is over 100 years old, but haven't modernised because they feel that they wouldn't be able to replicate what that adds to the process. Mumbo-jumbo or not it all adds to what makes Springbank special.
In the last year or so they've opened a very good tasting room and whisky shop in the town well worth a visit. If you join the Springbank Society not only do you get 10% off in their shop, you also have access to some very special Society only bottlings. I'm currently working through a 17 year old, port finished, cask strength Springbank for example.
The only downside to visiting the distillery is logistics. It's an easy flight from Glasgow - about 20 - 25 minutes - and on a good day they usually do it VFR. Driving-wise it's a bit of a haul from Glasgow - 150 miles, but I always suggest doing it by road one way and then back via two ferries via Arran an island that sits in the Firth of Clyde. Arran has one of the youngest distilleries in Scotland - just 10 years old or so, but makes some great product. There is also a brewery, a cheese shop, and plenty of other Scottish craft shops!
Man, are you gonna' remember any of this trip? How much money do you have budgeted for import/export duties?
All I know is, I'd be wantin' to send a BUNCH of stuff back!
Sorry to be a party pooper, but legally you are only allowed to bring one bottle of alcohol back into the US! Duties, etc. don't come into it! I found this out bringing 2 cases of Aussie wine back with me! Fortunately for me my wife is a charmer and we were let off with a warning. Here was me starting to think about drinking my wine so that customs couldn't have the pleasure!
Good thing in Scotland (I think you still can!) is you can claim back your VAT when you leave the country. It's just a matter of filling in a form to save 17.5%.
I took my father-in-law back with my wife a few years ago and we managed to get 12 bottles back in with us. I must have an honest face!
As for sending a lot of distilleries won't mail the stuff, as US customs is known for detaining the stuff permanently
So best you drink as much as you can when you're there - with in reason of course! One thing to note Scottish drink driving policing is far more active than here in the US. It is not and I repeat not a good idea to drink and drive, even if it is only a couple.
Dude... thanks to fitbass3p and now especially you, this thread is really delivering! This is the most interesting stuff I've read on here in a long time.
Yeah, it's cool to talk about what we have and what we like/dislike, but it's also really cool when somebody chimes in with some interesting history and anecdotes.
Nice.
Serious bummer. Time to get to know some cool smugglers, I guess...Sorry to be a party pooper, but legally you are only allowed to bring one bottle of alcohol back into the US! Duties, etc. don't come into it! I found this out bringing 2 cases of Aussie wine back with me! Fortunately for me my wife is a charmer and we were let off with a warning. Here was me starting to think about drinking my wine so that customs couldn't have the pleasure!
Good thing in Scotland (I think you still can!) is you can claim back your VAT when you leave the country. It's just a matter of filling in a form to save 17.5%.
I took my father-in-law back with my wife a few years ago and we managed to get 12 bottles back in with us. I must have an honest face!
As for sending a lot of distilleries won't mail the stuff, as US customs is known for detaining the stuff permanently
(jk!!)This would be my problem. No, I'm not a heavy drinker, and of course I wouldn't want to cloud my memory of a trip to such a place, but man, it'd be SO HARD to keep turning down samples of stuff that just smelled so wonderful, and you know there's a heck of a lot of it there!!
Serious bummer. Time to get to know some cool smugglers, I guess...
This would be my problem. No, I'm not a heavy drinker, and of course I wouldn't want to cloud my memory of a trip to such a place, but man, it'd be SO HARD to keep turning down samples of stuff that just smelled so wonderful, and you know there's a heck of a lot of it there!!
The tours are still worth doing with or without the 'prize' at the end! If you plan it is possible to do it without driving after every distillery and they are pretty savy these days. It would be hard to get over the limit unless you were doing two or three in a row in short succession. That's why places like Oban, Campbeltown, Islay, Mull, Arran are cool as the are all very small places without much driving, except between them!
You just need to watch out for occasional sheep on the roads and also get used to driving single track!
Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention... I wouldn't be driving. I've never been to Scotland or Ireland, but I'm not a stranger to traveling abroad and I know how stringent DUI laws are over the big pond. You don't wanna' "go there".
And yeah, I also know it's not all about the scotch, but boy that sure is a major feature for me at least. Again, I don't drink much, but I love scotch. Not enough to have a problem with it, but enough that I'd at least want to try a lot of it... maybe I'd have to go with like 1/2 or 1/4 shots just to sip a little bit of each one to taste it. I think that'd be enough for me... at least until the end of the night when I could maybe do a whole one as I relax at the end of an incredible day.
Biggest problem(!) in most places your whisky will be measured in 25ml (0.85oz measures!
Coincidentally, a story in the Glasgow Herald today says "Almost half the measures of spirits being sold in pubs, restaurants and hotels in Scotland are short, an investigation by trading standards officers has found."
So beware!!
I'm heading back to Scotland this summer to see AC/DC on June 30 in Glasgow - last date of their World tour! So I may even be able to meet up somewhere for a dram. The Horseshoe Bar in Glasgow (it was Europe's longest bar) would be ideal!
Coincidentally, a story in the Glasgow Herald today says "Almost half the measures of spirits being sold in pubs, restaurants and hotels in Scotland are short, an investigation by trading standards officers has found."
So beware!!
I'm heading back to Scotland this summer to see AC/DC on June 30 in Glasgow - last date of their World tour! So I may even be able to meet up somewhere for a dram. The Horseshoe Bar in Glasgow (it was Europe's longest bar) would be ideal!
