Scotland Trip - May 2019

I decided to write a blog, if people are interested, great, if not it gives me something so I can look back and remember my trip, so here goes:

Scotland Trip - May 2019
After enjoying whisky for a couple of years and making it a hobby (I guess), I made a short trip to Speyside into 2018 to see what the tours etc were all about. When I arrived home I started planning my 2019 trips, this covers the first of three trips I plan to make this year. I had a few things in mind I wanted to do, but the majority of the trip turned into abit of a shopping trip, trying to get as many distillery exclusives as I could find.

1st up was Glenturret:

This fairly small distillery is situated in a lovely place, among the trees with the stream running along side it.
One of the first things you notice is cat flaps! and little walk ways dotted around. This is for Glen and Turret, the distillery cats. Who, when I was there were popping in and out of the shop and keeping a watchful eye over the place by sitting on visitors cars. 😁
Unfortunately pictures wernt aloud on the tour, but we got to try the core range. While I wasnt to sure about the lightly peated one, they were nice enough.

Then to the shop for the "bottle your own" (The bit I really wanted) A 2nd fill sherry cask at 57.5% 14 years old, from cask number 92 and I got bottle 435. (Love the geeky information you get with these bottles)
My first BYO of the trip, I was off to a good start.







2nd Dalwhinnie:

This was an unplanned visit (and a very handy toilet stop when your heading up the endless A9). I decided to pop in just after seeing the sign for the distillery. It was closed that day for a private function, so just a shop visit.
Their distillery exclusive was "Lizzies's Dram". Elizabeth Stewart has been working at the distillery for over 31 years! and the casks for this bottle were picked by the staff. A no age statement, matured in re-fill American oak and designed to show off the distillery character. 48% and 1 of 7500 bottles.
Just off the A9 so easy to get to, will probably try to get a tour next time im passing. Apart from a rogue sheep in the middle of the road on the way out, all was good.







3rd Tomatin:

Tomatin is a huge distillery! And is working well under its capacity (the reasons why etc can be read about and you are are told them on the tour, so I wont go into detail about it). What it does mean is there is lots of space and machinery that isnt doing anything, so lots of photo opportunities.
I got two bottles from here, the Highland whisky festival bottle, an 11 year old, cabernet sauvignon finish at 60.2%. And a 18 year old, px cask at 55.5%.
While im not sure about £3 for Loch Ness water its well worth a visit, even just to see the size of it and its not to far off the route if your heading to Speyside.

4th Glenmorangie:
The visit to Glenmorangie, again abit un-planned. But we had time and managed to get booked onto the tour with 3 minutes to go before it left. Im sure everyone knows...tallest still in Scotland etc and what a sight they are! (No pictures aloud on the tour). However.....I felt there was something missing, it seemed abit sedate and lacking in character. And the distillery exclusive was well out of my price range at £650 for a 16 year old finish. Real shame I couldnt bring something abit special away with me. Very keen to see what comes from the (basically) new distillery on site. It was described as going to be used for new and interesting projects...? Very nice staff and well worth the visit just to see the stills.

5th Clynelish/Brora
Clynelish was really just to pop in for the distillery exclusive (NAS ex-bourbon at 48%) but when I realised you can see alot of the Brora distillery being rebuild, it was picture time. After speaking to a very knowledgeable builder, he told me the best places I could go to get some pictures.

6th Balblair
Interesting one this. As we had managed to get a hotel literally 2 minutes from the distillery. I popped down the night before just before it closed to get my distillery exclusive etc (an 11 year old, ex-bourbon at 58.1%, cask 449, bottle 142) Fortunately there was a very nice member of staff there who let me try the new core range and the £205 Highland Festival bottle, which was very nice. The distillery its self, (No pictures aloud again) is incredibly small, but working 24/7. There was water leaks and casks lay around, things looked like they needed abit of a clean. Maybe thats just the way its done, nothing wrong with it, just different to others. I was very surprised to learn they sell 90% of their new make to blenders. The only slightly bad point I saw was hardly any sherry casks in the warehouse or waiting to be filled! I think sherry casks show off Balblair very well. Maybe they were all in another warehouse we didnt go in? Lets hope so.

7th - 13th Various:
All of these were just for the exclusives. Really want to spend more time at all of them, and I plan to.
The Cragganmore - Nas ex-bourbon and extra charred casks 48%.
Glenlivet where I kind of had a personal shopper, very knowledgeable and convinced me to come back to do a tour when I go back up and to do their (soon to come) BYO. 12 year old sherry butt 58.8 %. I also bought a Glentauchers there, 11 year old sherry butt at 64.1%!
Glenfarclas, I got the Spirit of Speyside bottle, a 16 year old at 58% from cask 89. I got bottle 324 of 647, im not sure if they are sold in order, but if they are, they didnt sell many during Spirit of Speyside, did they. (Edit - They are not sold in order) I got to try a sample of it and loved it, but I love all things Glenfarclas! Glenallachie, was a Marsala wine cask, 11 year old, cask 592, bottle 164, at 58.2%, this is a distillery I definitely want to go back to as it was a very brief visit.
Glen Grant was a port finish, cask 0013156, bottle 34 of 300 at 57.2% Tried this, and liked it, so really looking forward to opening the bottle. However, only a 50cl bottle!
Glen Moray, what a place, really disappointed I coulnt spend more time here but will be going back soon. I got the (world famous?) 2010 peated px and a 18 year old 2nd fill sherry at 57.8%. bottle 125. Good choice of BYOs and a little cafe, definitely worth going in here.
Benromach, very friendly staff indeed. Got myself the 10 year old, ex-bourbon at 58.1% Cask number 810, one of only 233 bottles. By far and away the cheapest distillery exclusive I got at £60!

14th Dallas Dhu:
This was the (surprise) highlight of the trip. The best £6 you will spend if you enjoy tours. Its an audio tour which you do at your own speed, on your own, spend as much time there as you like and get a dram at the end! I was there about 2 hours, wondering around, climbing in stills etc, great fun and very interesting. Speaking to the lady in the gift shop at the end (the only other person there, while I was there) she did say there was "rumblings" of it re-opening. While I will admit to not being an expert...no stock in the warehouses and a huge amount of money to spend to get the place operational again, I carnt see it happening. Once my bank balance has recovered from this trip, I will be looking for a bottle of Dallas Dhu.

With my trip coming to an add, we went to The Mash Tun for a meal and a few drams. Tried the new Mortlachs, interesting savory and sweetness to them. Still not sure about them yet though.

The last day was spent in Edinburgh where I popped into Cadenheads for a Glenrothes 9 (65.3% - The highest abv bottle I bought on the trip) and into the The Scotch Whisky Experience bar, where I tried a Ben Nevis 10, which was excellent.

Thats it, that was quite alot of stuff. If you have read this far then.....maybe you need a hobby or something?
If you have scanned down and got to here, the short version is, it was a success, I had a good time and im looking forward to going back and spending more time at quite a few of the places.

:)