For the love of whisky… discover some of our favourite Scottish distilleries…
We all know that the Scots love a dram of good whisky and have for centuries. Did you know that the history of whisky harks back to the late 1400s and was originally distilled by monks? Good men, those monks.
The term ‘whisky’ originates from the Gaelic word ‘uisge beatha’, or ‘usquebaugh’, meaning ‘water of life’ and the love of good whisky, collecting it, and savouring it, has become a worldwide passion.
Scotland plays home to some of the world’s biggest and best distilleries, and although there are so many, ranging in size from tiny to producing on a global scale, we have selected some of our favourites to share with you.
Glengoyne
The Glengoyne distillery is a must visit if you love great whisky. Founded over 200 years ago, the team at Glengoyne believe in drying their barley by air and have done it this way since their inception.
There is no peat in the soil around Dumgoyne (near Glasgow) where their barley is grown, and therefore that usual ‘peaty’ or smoky taste is not prevalent. The whisky making process is an intricate one, and the use of fine sherry casks in the process is a unique offering – instead, allowing the wood to create bolder/fruitier flavours in their end products.
The distillery is a great spot to visit, take a tour of the distillery, sample some of the malts and of course purchase to take away with you. They offer online shopping and some fabulous hampers and gifts too.
Due to current Covid_19 restrictions (at the time of writing) Glengoyne have adapted to meet the need and offer an informative and fun online tasting option, which allows you the opportunity to taste at home (tasting kits are sent in advance) and the online tasting allows you to not only delve into the history of Glengoyne, but also taste 4 of their single malt whiskies. This is also a great gift idea for the avid whisky drinker.
The Glenlivet
Back in 1822, illegal whisky distilling was, well, the order of the day. The Glenlivet founder George Smith was no exception and the isolated Livet valley was the ideal location to start creating one of the world’s most famous whiskies.
Two years later and George applied for his official licence and began distilling in earnest, and by the late 1830s the distillery was producing over 200 gallons a week!
Prohibition came and went and by 1950 The Glenlivet was now available worldwide, increasing in popularity year on year and creating an empire that remains in place to this day.
Located about 10 kilometers outside of Tomintoul, the distillery is well worth a visit, with tours running regularly and of course the opportunity to not only sample, but also purchase some of this tasty, amber liquid.
Current Covid_19 restrictions may apply – so please visit their website for more info…
Glenmorangie
Known as the Distillers of Tain, Glenmorangie have been creating delicious whisky for just over 175 years.
Their whiskies are unique, with a more delicate, yet fruity undertone, created in tall stills that almost look similar to giraffe’s with high long thin necks, allowing more space for taste and aroma to develop, and after that, the precious liquid is aged in some of the world’s finest casks.
It is all about flavour combinations at Glenmorangie and the team are certainly on a mission to create something so unique, it is never forgotten.
Glenmorangie offers a variety of malt ranges from their Core Expressions to Prestige Expressions, some aged for over 40 years and even a Limited Edition offering called ‘A Tale of Cake’ – yup, a delicious and unique creation from their Director of Whisky Creation, think all things pineapple upside down cake inspired, honey and white chocolate notes – the perfect, unique addition to any collection.
Find out more about Glenmorangie – here…
The MacAllan
Located in Craigellachie, Moray and built in 1700, the 485-acre Macallan Estate lies in an area of extreme natural beauty and the team pride themselves on farming sensitively and in harmony with surrounding nature.
What makes The Macallan so unique are their ‘Curiously Small Stills’ – which are in fact among the smallest on Speyside. Allowing maximum contact with the copper and facilitates the concentration of the ‘new make’ spirit, this offers a unique rich and fruity flavour, which has become synonymous with their brand.
Renowned for selecting a small ‘cut’ of their whisky to bottle, this small portion is very selective and one of the finest in the industry. It is what creates the full-bodied richness of The Macallan new make spirit.
Unique oak casks add to the outstanding quality, natural colours and distinctive aromas and flavours of The Macallan, and by keeping it natural, you will not find any extra additives or colourants in their whisky ranges.
Distillery tour bookings can be made up to 6 weeks in advance on their website, and this is certainly a must visit stop along your travels in Scotland.
Find out more about the distillery and visiting it, here…
Bowmore
Bowmore is not only the oldest licensed distillery on Islay, but they have also been honing their art for over 240 years. They call it ‘The Art of Time’® and it is pivotal to the way that they create their whisky to this day.
Time investment is one of the things that the team at Bowmore pride themselves on, barley is hand turned, casks are hand selected and fermentation periods are well timed to ensure a final product that is unparalleled.
Their whiskies offer a complex balance of smokiness, but also rich fruit and sea salt and is what creates this well aged collectible Islay malt.
The Bowmore Whisky Tasting Bar is a must visit and allows guests the opportunity to sample a variety of the Bowmore offerings such as their 12- and 15-years old’s as well as the utterly unique Vault Edition – Atlantic Sea Salt.
Find out more about Bowmore, here…