The Highlands of Scotland are home to some of the worlds most famous single malt whiskys. A visit to some of the distilleries makes for a dream holiday for the real whisky buff. The distilleries are set in some of the most spectacular and beautiful scenery in Scotland making a trip combining sightseeing with a whisky tour into an ideal holiday break.
The Dalwhinnie Distillery is the highest in Scotland. Set at an altitude of 1,073 feet, amongst some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Scotland, the lovely white walled distillery is a must. Not far from Aviemore and situated at the head of Loch Erich Dalwhinnie was once an important village where the drovers would meet up before driving their cattle to the markets of Crieff and Falkirk. On a single day in August 1723 over 1200 head of cattle passed through Dalwhinnie, in eight different droves. Dalwhinnie means "The Meeting Place" in Gaelic.
Dalwhinnie whisky owes much of its distinctive flavour to the ice cold, snow melt water of the Allt an t'Sliuc which is used in the production of the whisky. The result of this very soft water scented by the heather moorland is a wonderfully full bodied, smooth and warming malt whisky.
Not far from Dalwhinnie is the picturesque costal town of Tain, home to the Glenmorangie distillery. Made famous by the television adverts "The Glen of Tranquillity" is the most popular single malt whisky sold in Scotland itself. The distillery is in the hands of the legendary Sixteen Men of Tain. During your tour you will see these skilled Mashmen and Stillmen at work.
The centre point of the tour is the gleaming coppery stills themselves. The tallest in Scotland they stand at 16 feet 10 inches 95.14m) high. This means that only the purest, most delicate vapours are condensed into the spirit. In contrast to the very soft water used by most of the other distilleries Glenmorangie uses hard water from the Tarlogie spring. It takes almost 100 years for the water to filter up through the limestone rock to the surface and is said to be responsible for the unique taste of Glenmorangie.
Take the coast road south from Tain for a few miles and you will come to the Dalmore Distillery. Dalmore has been distilling fine, single malt whisky for many years but has not had the recognition it deserves despite being considered an exceptional whisky by the experts. Thankfully it has been gaining popularity in recent years. The distillery is located in some of the most beautiful countryside in Scotland, looking out over the Cromarty Firth towards the Black Isle.
Dalmore's still room is most unusual and forms the centrepiece of the distillery tour. The stills are unique in having cooling jackets around their necks to help conduct the spirit within. One of these jackets is probably the oldest part of any working distillery in Scotland dating back to 1874. In complete contrast the high tech still room control console looks like something from the control room at NASA!
Take the road south to Inverness and you will find the Glen Ord Distillery. This distillery is one of Scotland's oldest having been founded 1838. The distillery has won many international awards including the gold medal for the world's best single malt whisky 1994-95. The distillery puts this award winning flavour, described as a flavoursome roundness, down to a combination of the soil, the sea, the barley and its soft water. The Northern Highlands have many other distilleries that welcome the public including Blair Atholl, Ben Nevis, Clynelish, Eradour, Glendronach, Tomatin and Glen Garioch.
The Dalwhinnie Distillery is the highest in Scotland. Set at an altitude of 1,073 feet, amongst some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Scotland, the lovely white walled distillery is a must. Not far from Aviemore and situated at the head of Loch Erich Dalwhinnie was once an important village where the drovers would meet up before driving their cattle to the markets of Crieff and Falkirk. On a single day in August 1723 over 1200 head of cattle passed through Dalwhinnie, in eight different droves. Dalwhinnie means "The Meeting Place" in Gaelic.
Dalwhinnie whisky owes much of its distinctive flavour to the ice cold, snow melt water of the Allt an t'Sliuc which is used in the production of the whisky. The result of this very soft water scented by the heather moorland is a wonderfully full bodied, smooth and warming malt whisky.
Not far from Dalwhinnie is the picturesque costal town of Tain, home to the Glenmorangie distillery. Made famous by the television adverts "The Glen of Tranquillity" is the most popular single malt whisky sold in Scotland itself. The distillery is in the hands of the legendary Sixteen Men of Tain. During your tour you will see these skilled Mashmen and Stillmen at work.
The centre point of the tour is the gleaming coppery stills themselves. The tallest in Scotland they stand at 16 feet 10 inches 95.14m) high. This means that only the purest, most delicate vapours are condensed into the spirit. In contrast to the very soft water used by most of the other distilleries Glenmorangie uses hard water from the Tarlogie spring. It takes almost 100 years for the water to filter up through the limestone rock to the surface and is said to be responsible for the unique taste of Glenmorangie.
Take the coast road south from Tain for a few miles and you will come to the Dalmore Distillery. Dalmore has been distilling fine, single malt whisky for many years but has not had the recognition it deserves despite being considered an exceptional whisky by the experts. Thankfully it has been gaining popularity in recent years. The distillery is located in some of the most beautiful countryside in Scotland, looking out over the Cromarty Firth towards the Black Isle.
Dalmore's still room is most unusual and forms the centrepiece of the distillery tour. The stills are unique in having cooling jackets around their necks to help conduct the spirit within. One of these jackets is probably the oldest part of any working distillery in Scotland dating back to 1874. In complete contrast the high tech still room control console looks like something from the control room at NASA!
Take the road south to Inverness and you will find the Glen Ord Distillery. This distillery is one of Scotland's oldest having been founded 1838. The distillery has won many international awards including the gold medal for the world's best single malt whisky 1994-95. The distillery puts this award winning flavour, described as a flavoursome roundness, down to a combination of the soil, the sea, the barley and its soft water. The Northern Highlands have many other distilleries that welcome the public including Blair Atholl, Ben Nevis, Clynelish, Eradour, Glendronach, Tomatin and Glen Garioch.
About the Author:
Rachel Wilson is a travel writer with a penchant for Dalmore whisky. She has written a great deal about a whole range of scotch whisky varieties and distilleries.
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