Paul’s trip North; the up’s & down’s of a trip north in winter.

I started off on a strange/weird note. After a shower and tart up, I was still in the bathroom and didnee have my spex on (glasses) what I though was deodorant, I liberally sprayed on myself, as I wandered back to the bedroom I thought “this is a powerful bloomin stink!” Once the spex were on I retraced my steps back to the bathroom – oh sh-t! I had liberally sprayed myself with Febreze! No a great start.

Anyhow, 12^th Feb. left Perth for the drive north to Inverness, some snow but no bad really, great scenery en route. Checked into my hotel (thanks for the room Donna) and dondered into the city. Checked the whisky shops for anything special, thought about getting Liz a present, but didnee (it’s the thought that counts eh!).  Had a bite and a drink at Hootananny, retraced back to the hotel, watched Celtic get beat by Juventus! Och well. Cried myself to sleep.

13th Feb. tucked into a healthy breakfast of fruit and yoghurt, before setting out north. The weather forecast said snow so I took it easy, to be honest it was all fine, passing distilleries en route (catch them on the way back) and all the way to Golspie it was grand, nae trouble. From here though it started snowing, as I got further north it got worse, I thought about stopping, but decided to go on. It got worse, all traffic was creeping along at 20mph. Around Helmsdale it became tragic, the heaviest snow storm I have been in for many a year, 10mph and it was now foggy, seriously thought about stopping – but where?  The road got worse, and as I approached a bend right and uphill, a car came swerving at me from ahead, instincts take over, I turned the wheel left to get out of his way, couldnee stop a skid and ended up on the safety barrier, all my left hand side bashed in, just as I stopped, another car came around the bend and hit me. I got out to survey damage and swap details with folks in car that hit me, snow as so bad could hardly write anything down visibility was poor also. That’s when I though “pack this in for a lark”, I asked the girl what the roads were like further along, as I was approaching the infamous Berriedale Braes. She said they were ok, gritted and salted, unlike here!  Luckily for me, the car was drivable so I pressed on (limped on) at a slow pace. Furth up the road were two jack knifed lorries, squeezing past these I got to the Braes, they were fine, easy in fact! Avoiding other cars that had come off the road, I limped into Wick and stayed put at my hotel. I was due in Thurso but never made it! Parked up and checked in, dondered around Wick for a while, boy it was cold, really windy and snowing, so went back and found solace at the bar. I wandered off to Pulteney Distillery, had a great private tour from Deborah, many thanks to her for taking care of a fuddy, soaking wet, shaken (but not stirred) angel from Perth! A grand show around, even given a cup of steamin tea, I think she felt sorry for me! A really nice wee lassie. www.oldpulteneycom  Was very tempted to bottle my own cask strength here, but in my state of mind, probably would have drank myself silly that night, good for nothing next day, so declined. The still room is worth the visit alone; the wash still has no neck, it was thought, when delivered it was too tall and the manager cut it off! Any thoughts on that?  This is a traditional distillery, very friendly staff, a good selection available too, I was hoping (praying more like) I would be offered a sample of the 40 year old, what did Deborah say “in your dreams”, so there it has to be. Although pal Ian has a bottle, maybe ……?  All variants of Old Pulteney are good, but the 40-year old is uniquely complex. Nose; fruit, butterscotch, oak, pears, cloves, spices; flood you like waves over Wick’s harbour  wall. Its taste; (I am told!) sweetness, spices, brine, orange, toffee and more butterscotch; the perfect storm. Its finish; sweet spicy, sherry and orange; a taste of the sea. Almost the most northerly distillery on our mainland, it was until Wolfburn arrived! My tour ended I looked out of the window, snowing and high winds, a lovely wee blond image read my thoughts “can I give you a lift?”  I jumped at the offer, thanks so much!  I called my pal Ian, he would call round later to the hotel. Which he did and we had a natter, a few drams and then bed for me 9pm! Unheard of! A wee bit batter bruised and shattered. Slept like a pig in mud all night!

14th Feb; breakfast – another fruity one Liz! I’m being a good boy. Set out for Thurso, arrived and found what I was looking for; Wolfburn Distillery. Made apologies for a non show yesterday (although after chatting on phone to Liz, she had emailed them) and met with Matt and Shane, who showed me around. We have a story online from pal Ernie; http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/wolfburndistilleryernie.asp well worth a read. Whereas Ernie gets very technical, I dinnae, just chatted away and here are my reports; Q; will myself or friends/members be able to buy a cask from you? A: chat with the owners, but cannee see a problem. So if anyone wishes to do this or make enquiries, let me know. Q: how many expressions are you looking at for the future? A; undecided at this stage, maybe a sherry, cask strength but NO new spirit. Q: where will you be bottling? A; right here! Everything is done onsite, barley comes from Yorkshire, apart from that its all here!  Q: being a designer in my distant past, who designed the imagry and logo? A; the owners (he says laughing). Q: with new markets opening all around the world, where do you see YOUR marketplace? A: well, our first bottle will only be available from Thurso, we are working on that, and we are all sure it will sell out, whatever we do and whatever cost. (I have my name down for at least one). Not wishing to take up more of their time I said my thanks and wandered off for some pix. A really different distillery this one, no pagoda, small set up, low amounts (112,000 litres or thereabouts) but it is fantastic to see this new distillery. It will have no visitor centre, but after our chat, I know WE will be able to take tours here now and then, so let me know!  I then took a drive along the coast all the way to Dunnet Head and John O Groats, coming back south to Wick, stopping en route many times for pix etc and a visit or two with people I know. A wee doze in the afternoon (och come on, I deserved it!), before Ian and Elaine arrived for dinner, I was being treated, whoopee! Great conversation, superb grub and a bottle of wine. Lets wander to the bar, owner of the hotel Murray appeared, Ian was well known here and I am booking in tours, so he brought a bottle or two over with him. He has over 100 behind the bar including many of Pulteney as expected, plus lots of really good bottles, I tried a 1997 Pulteney, Macallan 30 yo, Tomatin 25yo, Broara 30yo, he also has his own bottling from Pulteney, no many of these beauties left, if you want one, let me know and I will send details. Ian and myself swapped pressies, he gave me an original photo of a Putleney bottle in a frame made of cask staves, superb! I gave him a bottle of Duart; http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/charliesdram.asp  Hopefully Ian will be working with us on northern whisky tours, go see his facebook page; whisky on tour. A great day and night.

15^th Feb; left Wick heading for Forres, roads were good, where has all the snow gone? Typical Scottish weather, a blizzard one day with crashes, jack knifed lorries, trouble everywhere, then the following days sunny! Welcome to Scotland. As I say, headed south but did stop a few places, first; Clynelish Distillery. The lovely Claire (Fraser) took me around and chatted on tour options etc, even the Brora distillery is no oot of bounds to our tours. Claire is the Brand Home manager. Thanks Claire. Along the road; Dalmore Distillery on the shore of the Cromarty Firth, the distillery continues to produce spirit that is revered by experts and connoisseurs alike and feature some of the oldest whisky stocks in the world and visitors to the distillery receive a rare insight into the skill, of The Dalmore. Shelly took good care of me on a private tour, my main eye opener was the still room, apart from the stillman being hilarious, sat behind his mission control (never seen anything like it!) the stills are all DIFFERENT shapes and sizes! Amazing, you just have to see it for yourself as I did, some with unique copper sleeves, also had a chat with Shauna Jennens, the Distillery Ambassador, nice lady again!  Even came away with a wee box of test tubes with grand samples!!!  www.thedalmore.com

A break followed then a meeting with Ian Chalmers at Benromach Distillery. It is Benromach who are sponsoring the piping in June. www.mcleanscotland.com/europipebands.asp God chat and more to follow up here. My visits ended at Duncan Taylor in Huntly. Met with Duncan, chatting over various things in the pipeline and future visits etc, also own label whisky and investments. A meal and a drink before hitting ma bed, tv on, a bottle at the bed and happy again knackered but content, a long busy day.

16^th Feb; home! Made another quick visit with Duncan, collecting samples, then drove home, flopped doon on the couch and took time to chill and think about car insurance. Apart from that one incident, it had been a grand trip, well worth it, even if I did damage the trusty steed.

Paul is the owner (Partner) of WWW.MCLEANSCOTLAND.COM AND WWW.ANGELSWHISKYCLUB.COM

see more photos at; http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/Febtripnorth.asp