Scotland

Kari and I went up to Scotland for a few days last week. We flew to Aberdeen and then drove to Aberlour (which is the home of Walkers Shortbread) which is in the Speyside (so named because the River Spey flows through it). There are 90+ whisky distilleries in Scotland and 47 or so are in the Speyside, all within a half hour drive of Aberlour (or so we were told).

We went to the Aberlour and The Macallan distilleries and we learned a lot about whisky, the history, making, and enjoyment of. We heard some really good stories from Ken who ran the B&B we stayed at, and got lost trying to walk to The Macallan distillery. Although we missed the tour, we were in time for the tasting. We also went to a cooperage which is where the casks are built and repaired (whisky in casks, beer in barrels).

The legal definition of Scotch is that it is made in Scotland, aged in oak casks for at least three years. The Aberlour Distillery uses casks made from Kentucky white oak trees which have been previously used to age American bourbon or Spanish sherry. The Macallan uses both bourbon casks from American oak trees and sherry casks made from a Spanish red oak.




Different casks for different lengths of aging give the Scotch different tastes.

Then you have single malt (one batch from one distillery, aged in different casks), pure single malt (several batches from one distillery, aged in different casks), vatted malt (single malts from different distilleries blended together), and blended whisky (a blend of single malt with grain (corn or wheat) whisky) for the different types.

We had several nice meals at the Highlander Inn (180 different whiskies from around the world) in Craigellachie and went on several drives around the countryside. That area reminded us of Montana, with lots of trees (many planted in the 1950's to provide lumber, and replanted as they are cut down) and farmland. It was a different landscape than the Highlands, which is more barren and remote, but scenic in its own way.


Pictures from the top: Kari at the Aberlour Distillery; Huntly Castle; Castle Fraser; 2 pictures of Elgin Cathedral; RAF at Lossiemouth; Kevin at the River Spey in Aberlour.