Whiskytour of Scotland
Whisky, Scotch, or in Gaelic the ‘uisce beatha’; Scotland ’s national drink is one of its biggest exports earning the country hundreds of millions of pounds each year.
Though other countries produce whiskies and may even call it Scotch, it is only when it is produced and matured in Scotland that it can be labelled ‘whisky’.
Whisky comes in many types and varieties; from malt whisky produced in a malt kiln, to grain whiskies crudely produced in a patent still and blended whiskies, generally a blend of malts and grain whiskies to produce a rounded flavour.
Each type has its own merits, but it is malt and in particular Single Malt Whisky, which Scotland is famous for producing. Most single malt whiskies of Scotland have been produced to the very same specifications for centuries. Their distinctive flavours are very dependant on their location and there are five different whisky-producing regions in Scotland.
The most well known is the Speyside and Deeside region in the Aberdeen and Grampians area. Distilleries in this region utilise the fresh running waters of the rivers Spey and Dee to produce famous brands like Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Glengrant and there is a whisky museum and tour through the production at the now defunct Dallas Dhu Distillery in this area.
The Highlands and Islands region produce a wide range of malt whiskies with distilleries across this vast area and encompassing different islands from Orkney to Skye . Their flavours can range from smoky to sweet, mellow to harsh and it is well worth adding a stop at a distillery or two into your touring itinerary of this region.
And if there is one place that should be added to any whisky tour itinerary it is the tiny island of Islay , where there are nine distilleries alone. Islay whiskies are known for their peaty flavour from the fuel used to smoke the barley, though each whisky has it own subtle and distinctly different flavour (we know, we’ve sampled them!).
The Lowlands region between the rivers Tay and Clyde tend to produce softer flavoured whiskies, than their Highland neighbours. Whiskies here are less well known and are often used in blends.
Most whisky distilleries understand the immense marketing and sales benefits of tourism and welcome visitors at specific times for tours of their facilities, culminating in a sample of the produce. Check locally for times and prices.
