When Joe and I planned our stops around the Highlands, we maximized time for whisky distilleries, including selecting a B&B within walking distance of a couple. The first restrictions of the coronavirus instead greeted us, and closed the first two reserved tours. Fortunately, we were able to find some alternatives to keep us busy. Among the prettiest, was also the smallest—Edradour. As it approaches its bicentennial, the Victorian buildings run along the burn.
Edradaur distillery
Since it is so small, its whiskies are hard to find, but good news for you in the Chicago area. The Binny’s buyer loves Edradour and visits several times a year to choose a selection to return to the Chicago stores. Another small distillery near Pitlochry is Blair Athol also beautifully situated on the burn that runs right through.
Allt Daur burn
Blair Athol has been legally distilling whisky since the 18th century, and the buildings help you feel transported back there, though a couple drams may provide the same feeling.
With only two stills, you won’t find any single malt bottles in the states (though you’re welcome to stop by for a dram if you’d like a taste!) However, most to the production goes into Bell’s blended whiskey, so you can get a taste that way.
Wash still No. 1 and Spirit still No. 1
When one of the mash tuns was replaced a couple years ago, the old one was converted into a tasting bar. So you can sit next to the tun where your scotch started its conversion many years ago as you sip it.
Mash tun bar
The water source Allt Dour is Gaelic for “the burn of the otter,” so an otter graces Blair Athol’s signs.
Not only did the virus interfere with our tours and samples, so did the weather. Dalwhinnie is the highest distillery in Scotland, and a snowstorm hit as we crossed over the Cairngorms and closed the distillery since folks couldn’t get to work.
Dalwhinnie
These distilleries have all been inland, but a couple sit right on the coastline. The Dalmore on the Cromarty Firth is know for its multiple barrel aging. After first aging in American oak barrels, the whisky is further aged in sherry casks, and sometimes port casks as well. You can see a selection of barrels, butts and casks below.
The Dalmore Distillery
Just up the coast is Glenmorangie boasting the tallest stills in Scotland. You can find some great Glenmorangie selections at good prices at Costco! And you can listen to the great sound of the Glenmorangie’s chief distiller, Dr. Bill Lumsden, the Willy Wonka of whisky, in a great 2018 documentary Scotch: A Golden Dream on Amazon Prime.
Glenmorangie storage and aging buildings
In the image above you see the buildings where the whisky is aged in oak barrels. Below is a picture inside Blair Athol’s aging house. If you stand outside the building, near one of the vents, you get the wonderful smell of the aging whisky inside and the portion that filter outside the barrel staves. This is called the “angel’s share” that goes to the heavens.
