CHRISTMAS with ANGELS
22 December 2015; the happy wanderer, departing Perth in the Ford pick up truck, well you just dinnaee know what the Scottish weather will throw at you! Best to be in a heavy 4×4, it was a beast. Whisky samples, food and wine enclosed in the cab, I headed north via the A9 route. Most distilleries are now closed for the festive period, so visits are low, but – nothing to stop me fae turning up and seeing who is there and what’s happening! The road trip started getting “drammy” when I met up with Robert Ransom, owner, blender of the famous Angels Nectar, we had arranged to meet in Grantown on Spey, where he handed me the two bottles, the Nectar blend and a brand new Angels Nectar Peat Edition. Created from a selection of the finest Speyside and Highland malt whiskies, bottled at 40% Vol., the First Edition of Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is naturally light in colour, no added colouring, a sweet nose of vanilla, stewed apples and fruit syrup, with a taste of heather honey and lemon, and a hint of spice on the finish. Blended by Angels, to be Shared with Friends. (http://www.angelsnectar.co.uk/) The Peat Edition was only bottled on 17 December, I think I was one of the first to get it, and – I don’t think angels will get any of my bottle, no, most of it will go with me to Wick in February when I do a tasting at Mackay’s Hotel of whiskies, tickets will be so hard to get hold of, I know 10 have gone already and not many more will be available. From GoS I drove to Aberlour and took a wee detour I know over the hill to Craigellachie, where I took a few angel photos. Then I drove on to Nairn with the angels in the truck, happy as Larry. Took time out to go to the beach. Checked into my hotel and chilled oot. A visit to the local bars followed with some grub.
23 December; The Picts were perhaps the true ancestors of the Scottish nation. By AD848 Pictavia, The Land Of The Picts, was united with the Kingdom of the Scots (Celts) creating the foundations (Dalriada) of modern day Scotland. What has mainly survived is the great heritage of their carved symbol stones, and Sueno’s Stone in Forres is the largest known Pictish monument. Sueno’s Stone, standing over 20 feet high and dating to the end of the first millennium AD. I stopped to say hello. I spent a half day with a few friends and a policeman, we drove into the darkest depths of Speyside, into the Glenknock, looking for beetroot rustlers. When caught, we knew who they were as their hands were purple and they had great big (mammy) lips, again of purple. It is a problem this time of year so I had agreed – as a sideline and something to while away an afternoon – to accompany the two beetroot Rangers and the law. It was an enlightening afternoon. A pleasure to grow and pull up out of the ground, beetroot has a unique earthy flavour that works really well with haggis and whisky. Don’t forget that young beetroot tops are just as delicious as the root. Ah haggis, I have also been privy to the hunt for haggis rustlers in the summer months, but’s that’s another tale. Beetroot are generally harvested from the early summer to late autumn in their first year of growth. It usually takes around 60 to 90 days for beetroot to reach full maturity. Beetroot can be harvested when required and left in the ground until the first heavy frosts of autumn. With our long summer and only just arrived (mild) winter, the Scottish beetroot harvest has been prolonged this year.
24 December; this morning I took a drive over to the Black Isle where I strolled along the coast for a while eyeing up the oil/gas rigs out in the Firth. Stopping at wee towns and villages of Avoch, Fortrose, Rosemarkie and Cromarty, a nice morning drive. A nice deviation from whisky. The afternoon consisted of (aye, you guessed …) more distillery visits. As I dropped by Miltonduff, Roseisle and Glen Moray. A long drive today, but what else is there to do? Final call whilst out, Sainsbury’s for my Christmas dinner tomorrow. I did enjoy a real ale or two and a dram before beddy time. Almost forgot, I picked up an interesting wee bottle today, Famous Grouse Smoky Black – (previously The Black Grouse) the smoky nature is due to the higher proportion of peated malts within the blend. The Famous Grouse’s Master Blender, Gordon Motion, explains that this is achieved by creating a peat fire underneath the malted barley whilst drying. Just by using a small amount of this peated barley intensifies the smoky taste in the blend and gives it a darker, russet colour, it also incorporates a rare version of Glenturret with an exceptional grain, into the blend. A lingering spiciness.
25 December; slowly opened the wee eyes and found the weather to be raining. Went down for breakfast, the pub/hotel was closed today but were serving breaky for its guests – all one of us. A Christmas day of travel, as I drove along the coast of Moray to Portsoy and all wee harbours in between, I especially enjoyed my time at Portknockie; a cliff-top village overlooking the Moray Firth midway between Aberdeen and Inverness. Early settlement is suggested by the remains from the Iron Age. Founded in 1677 it became a herring fishing port during the nineteenth century. At the height of the herring fishing boom about 100 sailing boats crowded its harbour. The present harbour dates from 1890 and, as late as 1929, it was still being used by up to 58 steam drifters. Today, Portknockie’s fishing fleet comprises ten boats, who land their fish at Scotland’s east and west coast ports with just five smaller boats locally landing creels and mackerel. I wanted to get a few photos of what I call, Devil’s Elbow, known locally as Bow Fiddle Rock – see photo. Christmas dinner? A picnic on the beach at Lossiemouth. Christmas night? In ma room, tv, grub and drinks.
26 December; homeward bound, driving south, as I arrived over the hills, past Dalwhinnie into Perthshire, the snow hit! Arrived home – with my Angels and Smoky Grouse intact, now that’s another story yet to be told.
Story and tour taken by Paul McLean, http://www.whiskytours.scot/ & http://www.mcleanscotland.com/
