Balblair Distillery Visit 2017
Balvenie Distillery Visit 2017


The Balvenie malts about 10% of their barley consumption at the distillery

The barley at Balvenie is steeped in spring water for 26 hours and then drained for 23 hours



Balvenie seasons about 10% of their barley with peat



The cupola, formerly known as a Doig ventilator, draw air up through the kiln and they rotated depending on the direction of the prevailing wind

Balvenie is one of the few distilleries that still has their own cooperage on-site












Bowmore Distillery Visit 2018
Dalmore Distillery Visit 2017


The legend of The Dalmore dates back to 1263, when Colin of Kintail, Chief of the clan Mackenzie, saved King Alexander III of Scotland from a charging stag. As a reward the grateful King, granted Colin of Kintail the right to use the 12-pointed Royal Stag as the Mackenzie clan crest.

Relatively small visitor center with a tasting room in the back where visitors can watch a film about Dalmore whiskies.



Edinburgh 2016
Fiddichside Inn 2017

Joe was the publican at The Fiddichside Inn for decades.

The Inn never added a juke box or bar food because Joe Bandie, the publican, felt that the the inn was just as a pub should be a "social environment where you meet people and get talking.”

The Fiddichside Inn, on the banks of the River Fiddich at Craigellachie, was built in 1840, originally to accommodate workers building the local railway.











Glenfarclas Distillery Visit 2016

Glenfarclas Family Casks from 1991, 1983, 1971, 1966, 1959


Priced at 14,500 GBP



The brownish tinge is evidence of a touch of peat in the water.


The wort or mash technically becomes wash as soon as yeast is added to start fermentation
















Glenfiddich DIstillery Visit 2017



The Glenfiddich is owned by the Grant family which began producing blended whiskies in 1887. They did not start producing single malt whiskies until 1960.


Grant's Stand Fast was known as Blend No. 1 in the Grant's Blending Book written in 1912.


Glenfiddich means "valley of the deer" in Scottish Gaelic









Glenmorangie Distillery Visit 2017
The Glenmorangie Visit Center includes an exhibition that chronicles the history of the Easter Ross region and its early inhabitants.
A sample of Glemorangie single malts tasted in 2017