Welcome to whisky country
IHAVE been partial to the odd dram over the years but in no way would consider myself a whisky expert, writes Mike
Maloney.
So it was with some relish I visited the heart of whisky-making country to hear all about a special festival celebrating the ‘water of life’ as it’s known.
Speyside, in north-east Scotland, is famous for having the highest concentration of distilleries in the country.
World famous brands such as Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Macallan and Glenfarclas are made here and the annual Spirit of Speyside festival, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, is held to honour all things whisky.
And as festival chairman George McNeil points out, you don’t have to be a whisky connoisseur to enjoy the extravaganza which is held from May 1 to 6.
It is open to all and events ranging from whisky tasting, distillery tours to kayaking, a whisky train and even a helicopter ride will ensure there is something for everyone.
So to get my taste buds accustomed to some of the finest whiskies in the world, we sampled some of the festival events at four distilleries.
The first thing to stress is just how friendly and down to earth everyone here is. From our passionate young guide Andrew Simpson at Glenlivet to the gentlemanly Ian McWilliam at Glenfarclas, they all were so engaging and clearly loved their craft.
The process is basically the same at all the distilleries, but I was fascinated to learn the size and shape of the stills dictated the aroma and flavour of the whisky.
At the Cardhu distillery we undertook the Cardhu Cask Experience. We saw an informative film about its founders followed by a visit to a warehouse where I was able to draw six samples from
selected casks, before a tasting session. You don’t have to drink all the whisky you sample, as drivers’ drams are available so you can bottle some to take home.
At the GlenAllachie distillery we met whisky legend and master blender Billy Walker, who in his 70s is still looking for innovative ways to make whisky, talking of casks being shipped in from Mongolia, no less.
We talked in the smart, new bar which will be used at the festival and the ‘Whisky King’ himself will feature in a couple of the many events at GlenAllachie.
At the Glenlivet distillery we were given a glimpse of the future as we had a sneak peek of the multi-million pound Still House, which will open to the public at the festival.
It was a sight to be behold and will certainly be among the
highlights of events held here as will the fine whiskies we sampled.
While at Glenfarclas, one of the last family-owned and run distilleries in Speyside, we took a trip back in time with a tour followed by sampling some rare whiskies from the 1950s in the VIP lounge.
This event will surely be for whisky connoisseurs to enjoy some of the rarest and most special whiskies available anywhere.
After four tasting sessions I had become much more accustomed to the nuances of whisky and definitely had a preference for those from red wine or sherry casks.
Although, the emphasis is on showcasing whisky, there is plenty of food to enjoy too. We dined at three fine establishments on our two-day visit. The Station Hotel Speyside is holding a Still and Stove 10-course tasting menu for the festival where dishes are paired with complementary whiskies. We tried five and the halibut was exquisite.
For lunch we ate at the picturesque Dowans Hotel whose
historic building and spectacular views of the Spey Valley are worth the trip alone. Owners Lauren and Steph Murray are passionate about their two hotels, as they also own the nearby Archiestown. My fillet of salmon was spot on.
The sisters are hosting a whopping 43 events for the festival including a day with master distiller Alan Winchester famous for finding illicit stills. No visit is complete without a pic in the Still whisky room.
Finally, our hotel the Craigellachie had some lovely local produce on the menu. We all agreed our locally-sourced steak was top notch and there was a fine range of options for breakfast too.
The rooms were beautifully appointed with even a welcome drop of the hotel’s very own Copper Dog whisky. It had an olde-world charm but a luxury feel to unwind in after a long day touring the distilleries.
And if you were in the mood for a nightcap, the stunning Quaich bar has more than 1,000 single malt whiskies to choose from.
Also, not to be missed is the
Telford designed bridge a mere five minutes walk from the hotel.
So did I learn about whisky? I certainly did and have developed a taste for some of the finest drams on the planet. But I learned something else.
Like all business the distilleries aim to make money, however, many of the bosses see themselves as merely custodians. Here family and tradition mean so much.
To illustrate the point Mr McWilliam told us a story of how Glenfarclas owner George Grant was once offered a blank cheque and pen to name his price for his business. He declined. Here whisky making is so much more than an enterprise, it is the soul of Speyside.
And the May festival promises to give visitors a wee taste of why it means so much. Visit: spiritofspeyside.com