Traveling through Schotland

2322,9 km - 29 distillery visits - 18 distillery tours - april/may 2012

5 whisky regios - 14 days - 2 persons - 1 beautiful country

Our idea was to go to Scotland to visit a distillery, and most off all do some photographing. That is one of our great hobby's, and we wanted to see the land also for a couple off years. We have been sipping some whisky for a couple off years, and we thought when you see one distillery, you have seem them all, right...?
We were so wrong..... For the picture off our travels have a look here at my Facebook 

A short overvieuw of our travels below here. From Newcastle off the boat to Inveraray.
We tried to find Auchentoshan, but sadly one wrong turn in Glasgow, and that did not happen.

From Inveraray we went to Springbank, where we visited the Springbank and Glengyle distillery. After this visit a nice tasting of

- Springbank 10

- Kilkerran 7

- Hazelburn 8

- Springbank 18

- Springbank Rundlets & Kilderkins

- Springbank 12

- Longrow 18. 

After Campbeltown we went to Kennacraig to board the ferry to Islay.
Here we visited Coal Ila, a whole different thing to Springbank. The next day we visited Bruichladdich and Kilchoman, beautiful places!

Driving through Islay we went by Bowmore, just the shop, so have to come back for a tour sometime. Then of to Ardbeg, one of my husbands favorites. Situated on a beautiful spot. Lagavullin was next on the to-do list, but sadly not enough time for a tour. Next Laphroaig just before closing, so just a quick look around.

We knew that the few days on Islay were going to be too short, but we also did not know how much we would like this beautiful island. We also did a quick stop on Jura, but again to short.... We closed it of with a stop at the Bunnahabhain distillery.

Islay and Jura were beautiful and we sure come back soon to have some more time here!

Then it was off to Oban, then on to Inverness, going to Tomatin, The Glenlivet, Clynelish, Balblair, Glenmorangie, Dalmore, Glen Ord....

And still we were not tired of the distillery's and whisky :-)

We moved further in to Speyside to visit Benromach, Glen Moray, Strathisla, Glenfiddich, the Balvenie... At The Balvenie we had one of the greatest tours, and were smoked a bit standing in the smoking kiln. Afterwards followed with a great tasting of ...

the Balvenie - new make spirit: 70,1%
the Balvenie - Signature 12: ±15% first fill sherry, ±40% first-fill bourbon, ±45% refill bourbon
the Balvenie - Double Wood 12: 100% bourbon, last ± 6 maanden on sherry
the Balvenie - Single Barrel 15: always first fill boubon (cask 9120: 9/8/1995 - 8/6/2011)
the Balvenie - portwood 21: mix off sherry & bourbon & 6-9 months finish on a port-pipe
the Balvenie - 30
the Balvenie - Tun 1401

Getting to the end of our journey we went to Glenfarclas, Glen Grant, Aberlour... There again a very nice tasting...

Aberlour - new make spirit: ±70%
Aberlour - 16yo - 100% bourbon: 54,1%, "Heather"
Aberlour - 16yo - 100% sherry: 58,5%, "Peat"
Aberlour - 10yo: 40%, 25% 9 1/2yo sherry, 75% 9 1/2yo bourbon, together 1/2 year in sherry
Aberlour - 16yo: 43%, 50% 15yo sherry, 50% 15yo bourbon, together 1 year in sherry
Aberlour - A'bunadh - #37: 59,6%, part sherry, part bourbon

Then it was off to Pitlochry, visiting the Blair Athol, and a very, very, pretty distillery The Edradour. Glenkinchie was on our last stop before heading home with the boat from Newcastle.

Full with sweet memories and pictures from a beautiful country. And a trunk filled with a lot of samples to continue the tasting at home.