FINLAND TO SCOTLAND ON A GLORIOUS WHISKY TRIP

Once again we hosted the Malt Whisky Association of Finland on a Scottish dram tour. The usual suspects arrived with a few new whisky loving tourists, and as usual – all very welcome. Anders had arrived a couple of days early (group organiser) and of course needed looking after, which we did, hopefully good. The remainder of the 14 people we collected from an Aberdeen hotel and Aberdeen airport 1.30pm – day one, off to a start and headed up to GLENDRONACH distillery where they were deposited and enjoyed the tour and drams. Many took advantage of the “fill your own bottle fae the cask”, aye, I was tempted but held back. From here a short drive to Duncan Taylor in Huntly where, you guessed it, drams awaited them. More tasting and more purchasing – I do have to mention Anders at this stage, day one, he now had 8 bottles in his bag. More purchasing at DT, even I succumbed with a Balvenie Peat Week – The 14-year-old single malt, distilled in 2002, made exclusively with barley peated to 30ppm using Highland peat. The 2002 Vintage bottled at 48.3% non chill filtration, it’s in the bag! With bags and boxes we boarded the coach and headed doon to Lossiemouth and our hotel, one down several to go!

Day two a 9.30 tour at GLEN MORAY, one of my own favourite places, many thanks to Iain who gave them a great tour, followed by drams in the warehouse and further drams back in the visitor centre, to be honest I only partially participated in the drinks, I know, am seeing a doctor soon. After far too long here we departed for Loch Ness and lunch, fish suppers galore near the monster water, before a 40 minute drive to GLEN ORD for one more tour and taste, the taste was good! An easy trip to our next hotel in Evanton, the team hit the bar big style!

Day three, a wee drive for the tour at GLENMORANGIE, from the feedback, Morangie can do better with tour and drams – well, the ONE dram, c’mon people, these Fins like drams! Anyhow, we moved north to Dornoch and lunch at the Eagle pub, thanks Eric. A wee donder doon the road took us to CARNEGIE WHISKY CELLAR where a tasting had been arranged for the group. Michael did a superb job here, 3 drams and a great chat, followed by big purchasing, myself included; Bladnoch Samsara – The first of three new releases to celebrate the reopening of this distillery. Although it doesn’t carry an age statement, it’s said to be made up of whiskies that are a minimum or 8 years old and well as older, rarer whiskies. First fill Californian red wine and bourbon casks were used for maturation, whilst ‘Samsara’ appropriately enough means ‘rebirth’. The expressions were created by new Bladnoch master distiller Ian MacMillan, former master blender for Burn Stewart. Lovely stuff. Then another 20 minutes or so to BALBLAIR, another tour and 6 drams, what a nice sunny day, what? More shopping? Back to Evanton.

Day four saw up depart at 9am heading south over the Kessock Bridge, past Inverness to TOMATIN, tour and tastes followed and, aye, purchases, the luggage was getting heavy at this point. Later we stopped for drams at DALWHINNIE, rest stop really with liquid refreshments. Then – for me – the highlight of the day, EDRADOUR DISTILLERY. Love going here and this time for once NOT a driver! As Andrew spotted us the drams came oot, he must be a living angel as he always shares whisky with us! A great time here, lots of shopping, and I will be back again soon to get the rum finish bottles. Sad to leave but we did, drove to Perth and dumped everyone at the hotel. Liz had joined us at Dalwhinie, she loves going to Edradour too, we rested a while in the hotel bar, an hour or so later we all headed along the Venue pub in town, where we had a table booked for everyone, Friday nights in Perth can be busy, good food good drinks and (one or two of us) too many drinks, no names mentioned here but she lives in Broughty Ferry. Overnight and a 9.15 departure set for next day.

Day five, Liz away homewards, coach group boarded – some bleary eyes and sad looks that morning, turns oot a good few were drinking til 5am at the hotel! Arriving at TULLIBARDINE 5 minutes before doors open, we got in and dondered aboot the shop. Thanks so much to our friends there for a brilliant tour, inc warehouse and 6 grand drams, aye, 6 drams, of course shopping followed. Along to Callander for lunch and a final distillery DEANSTON. This was a really busy place – too busy with three Rabbies tour groups in, we had arranged a private tour here thankfully and they all enjoyed it, shopping as usual with fill your own included, luggage so heavy now! An hour later we were checking into our Glasgow hotel, last night, some packing and repacking needed tonight methinks. Enjoyed food with a few and hit ma bed early, had encountered a cold along the way and felt rough.

All in all, another good tour! I believe they are planning a tour for next Spring on our superb west coast. Great, can go home tae Oban!

Thanks to all the Fins and the single Hungarian on tour and everyone who helped make it good. Back again soon –

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