Distillery Number 9

On to the Dalwhinnie distillery on the road to Inverness. From where the bus drops you off to the distillery itself is a 45 minute walk. I received a free tour, tasted three whiskies, and was given a free dram glass. This is is because I had my passport that was started at Glenkinchie distillery. The three whiskies tasted were:
Dalwhinnie 15 year old: sweet and fruity with a nice finish
Dalwhinnie Distiller's Edition: more pronounced taste, smooth finish
Dalwhinnie Cask Strength 59 % Alcohol: similar taste with a bite at the back of the throat at the finish
All three of these whiskies are very worthwhile and would be welcome in my drinks cabinet.
This was a very busy distillery in terms of visitors. On the walk back to the bus stop I was able to find a restaurant and have a nice lunch. The bus took me to Aviemore where I stayed at a hostel. It was a bit of a walk but the room cost 27 pounds a night, so I was pleased.

On to Speyside and the official Whisky Trail! There are big signs welcoming you to the Whisky  Trail. When I started down the highway it was raining a light drizzly rain. The rain stopped. The sun came out and a beautiful rainbow stretched across the valley. The next turn of the road revealed a huge sign Welcome to the Whisky Trail! And the angels sang!

Distillery Number 10  Glenfiddich

This is the largest single malt distillery in the world. There are 27 copper stills, an excellent tour and tasting program and a great shop. The distillery is located right in Dufftown and it a short walk to Mrs Barclay's B&B where I stayed. The four whiskies I tasted were:
Glenfiddich 12 yr old - light and pleasant
Glenfiddich 15 yr old - more flavourful
Glenfiddich 18 yr old - baked apple, toffee, cinnamon
Glenfiddich 21 yr old - very smooth and flavourful
All of these whiskies are most welcome in my drinks cabinet. Dufftown is a great place. They have whisky festivals and there are several pubs and restaurants to help with whisky exploration.A short bus ride away is the Highlander Inn and the Craigellachie Hotel. I found the Highlander to be a great spot to expand my knowledge of whisky.

This is a photograph of the Spey river. It's a very scenic area.

Distillery Number 11 Glenlivet

The Glenlivet distillery is quite a ways out of Dufftown. Fortunately I recruited a driver who was killing time before he had to head to Inverness to catch a flight. We toured the distillery - no charge for the basic tour - and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. The still room has a glass wall looking out over the highlands. A spectacular view. The one dram that we tried was:
Glenlivet 21 yr old - very flavourful and smooth. This bottle is most welcome to come and join my drinks cabinet.

Distillery Number 12 Macallan

With a driver I was able to be dropped back at the Macallan distillery where we said our goodbye. This was a very pleasant tour. We had a small group and an excellent guide.
The two whiskies that I sampled were;
Macallan Fine Oak 12 yr old - light and smooth
Macallan Sherry Oak 12 yr old - light and sweet
Welcome additions to my drinks cabinet.

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Distillery Number 13  The Glen Grant Distillery

The Glen Grant distillery has lovely gardens and scheduled tour times. I walked around the garden and ate a scone at the coffee shop before we got down to business. There was a German couple, a Spanish couple, and yours truly. The tour was very well done. In the tasting room there were bottles on the table and we were invited to "Go ahead and pour yourself  a dram." I do believe that this is one of the very nicest sentences that the English language has to offer. An the angels sang! The whiskies sampled were:

Glen Grant - The Major's Reserve non aged - golden colour a lovely light whisky

Glen Grant 10 yr old 80% bourbon, 20% sherry - tasty and nice

These two lovely expressions of the whisky making art are most welcome in my drinks cabinet