A taste of Scotland
Edinburgh — single malt scotch, the Royals and great British grub
It’s usually not a good idea to drink Scotch before noon. But we’re in Edinburgh and the Whisky Master Class starts at 10 a.m. … so we’re happily committed.
The Scotch Whisky Experience is one of the main tourist draws in this historic city, especially since it’s located at the top of the Royal Mile, at the foot of Edinburgh Castle.
It includes a Disney-like ride in huge barrels through the distillation and maturation process, a visit to the biggest whisky collection in the world and a presentation by Max, our guide, on the varied and distinct aromas found in different Scotches, especially single malt.
At the end, of course, we had a chance to sample a wee dram or three of the complex elixir that made Scotland famous.
Edinburgh has been the Scottish capital since the 15th century. Its signature tourist area is the Royal Mile, a delightful collection of shops, restaurants, street performers and attractions bookended by Edinburgh Castle at the top and Holyrood Palace (official Scottish residence of the Royal Family) at the bottom.
Our first stop, after checking in to the Knight Residence (excellent, clean housekeeping apartments close to the Royal Mile) was the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
An audio guide is included with a paid entry and it’s valuable as you admire the lavish rooms used by Mary, Queen of Scots centuries ago and now by Queen Elizabeth II and her kin. Adjacent to the palace are the ruins of the Abbey, dating from 1128, and a wonderful, lush garden with walking paths.
Edinburgh Castle, at the opposite end of the Royal Mile and dominating the city’s skyline, is much more crowded than the Palace but a must-see attraction. The castle has been a fortified fixture on the rock since the 12th century. Historians have identified at least 26 sieges in the current 1,100-year history of the castle. That history includes the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, St. Margaret’s Chapel, completed in 1153. Like historic forts around the world, there’s a daily firing, the One O’Clock Gun, from a 25-pounder cannon.
The Gun is usually the signal for lunch and we were delighted by the number of places along the Royal Mile that offered both traditional fish & chips and haggis.
In the evening we went farther afield to the Scran and Scallie, an upscale gastropub with remarkably good food.
Founded by a Michelin-starred chef and a 2017 winner of a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand (for “exceptional food at moderate prices”), basic pub food is taken several steps up in taste and creativity. Its haggis was wonderful and both the beef pie and fish pie were outstanding.
When you travel this far, a gourmet splurge is needed. So we headed to a grand Georgian townhouse and 21212, the Michelin-starred dining room run by celebrity chef Paul Kitching.
He’s known for innovation and it’s amazing to see his band of open-kitchen chefs huddled around a table adding creative touches to extraordinary food. The menu is minimalist (“Chicken Curry”, “Soup”, “Smoked Egg Shells”, “Scuffles and Trollops”) but the execution is complex and fascinating.
The “Smoked Egg Shells” for instance included salmon, quail eggs, caviar, peas, turnips, mini corn chips and heavenly foam.
Even the desserts were amazing.
“Snapped Ginger” has rhubarb and ginger compote, sweetcorn, cashews and trifle.
Along with the Scotch Whisky Experience it was the tastiest of ways to remember this remarkable city.
It’s a long drive from Edinburgh to London and our flight home but the roads are good (but crowded) with pleasant vistas along the way.
We saw sheep … lots of sheep! We booked a Heathrow Airport hotel, the Double Tree by Hilton, that was very comfortable and convenient. Best of all, it’s about 100 metres from one of London’s remarkably good Indian restaurants, Priya’s Tandoori.
Small and unassuming, its authentic Indian food was as good as any in Asia or Europe. Made us forget about the mediocre airline food to come.