As the summer thankfully approaches, one of the most beautiful places to visit in the summertime is the Scottish Highlands. There are so many fascinating places to visit – historical castles, stunning landscapes and of course, legendary distilleries. If you are planning a trip to the Highlands this summer, here are five distilleries we highly recommend visiting.
Oban Distillery
Known to be one of the smallest Scotch distilleries in the world, Oban is right in the centre of the bustling town (of the same name) on Scotland's west coast. Older than the town itself, brothers Hugh and John Stevenson opened the Oban Brewing Company in 1793, whisky distillation soon followed a year later. Naturally the town grew around the distillery, playing witness to its growth into a thriving port town. Over the years the distillery has changed ownership; however the steadfast commitment of producing traditional Highland Malt Whisky remains the same. Oban Single Malt is still produced in the same unhurried, traditional fashion that was developed when the distillery opened.
Oban whisky owes its rich and rewarding Highland character to its very long fermentation process, alongside the practice of resting their stills after every run, which maintains the purity and taste. A perfect example of this care and precise monitoring is the Oban 18 year old Single Malt. This is an elegantly aged whisky, with flavours of luxurious fruit and rich peat smoke, slowly developing into a long, smooth finish. Another superb example is Oban’s Little Bay Single Malt. This non-aged statement is intriguingly complex, whilst the overall character is light and citrusy; there is a background of bitter chocolate, clove and coastal notes. On paper this profile could come across as confusing on the palate, yet it all works so well.
Dalmore
Located along the Scottish coastline on the shores of the Cromarty Firth, The Dalmore is a distillery steeped in history. In 1263 Colin of Kintail, Chief of the Clan Mackenzie, saved King Alexander III from a charging stag. For this heroism the King granted the Mackenzie Clan the right to use the emblem of the 12 pointed stag on their coat of arms. The descendants of Clan Mackenzie became the owners of The Dalmore distillery in 1867, adorning their bottles with this immediately recognisable emblem.
Today the distillery is home to a remarkable collection of rare casks sourced from around the world.
The cask is king at The Dalmore; it is a long-standing practice that exceptional casks are pivotal in the production of exceptional whisky. Every cask is hand selected by Master Distiller Richard Paterson and sourced from the world’s finest bodegas and wineries. Speaking of exceptional whisky, it would be remiss to not mention The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve. Matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks before a final ageing in Tawny Port pipes, this rich Single Malt is an abundance of dark, jammy fruits and creamy caramel. This however is not the only jewel in the crown of The Dalmore, each expression is as alluring as the last.
Glenmorangie
Glenmorangie distillery is situated just to the north of the small town of Tain, next to the Dornoch Firth on the east coast. The distillery started life as the local brewery before being converted in 1843 to the distillery we know today. Glenmorangie has always been an interesting one to watch, their innovative approach to whisky production has always been creative and interesting. The copper pot stills used to distill their spirit are the tallest in Scotland, creating more space to develop both the taste and aroma. The result is fruit rich, light spirit, ready for the next stage for experimentation.
Sampling any whisky from Glenmorangie borders on an immersive experience, one that immediately comes to mind is A Tale of Cake. Quite literally inspired by cake, and the memories it can evoke, this Single Malt is a funfetti of flavour. Complex and multi-layered with notes of honey, white chocolate and plenty of fruit, it is a joy to experience. Another fascinating example from Glenmorangie is their collaboration with Japanese flower artist Azuma Makoto for their limited edition 18 year old release. This whisky transports you to a garden in full bloom, with notes of geranium, jasmine and narcissus. Both very different expressions, but equally amazing to experience.
Glen Garioch
Situated in the rich barley-growing countryside of Oldmeldrum in Aberdeenshire, Glen Garioch is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. It is also the most easterly Scotch whisky distillery not just in Scotland, but the world. Despite many distilleries disappearing from the region over the years, Glen Garioch has gone from strength to strength, albeit for a temporary closure in the 90s. This 200 year old distillery is passionate about creating exceptional Single Malts, so quality has always been a priority over quantity. Which is why the vast majority of their ranges are small batch releases, carefully selecting casks that are perfect to be bottled.
Two centuries worth of experience makes for excellent whisky, The Glen Garioch Vintage 1978 is one of them. It would be easy to dismiss this as another bourbon cask matured expression; however from the first sip it is quickly realised this is far from the run-of-the-mill dram. It is a marvellously multifaceted and delicious whisky - notes of crisp, red apple and orange zest intermingle with dark chocolate and woody spice. The Vintages range is definitely one worth exploring as it’s a great way to compare and contrast Glen Garioch through the decades.
Clynelish & Brora
It is impossible in this instance to not mention one distillery without the other, as Clynelish and Brora have an intertwined history. The original Clynelish distillery opened in 1819 at Brora, which lies about 50 miles up the coast from Inverness. The distillery continued under various owners (with intermittent closures) until the 1960s where increased demand for Malt Whisky led to the construction of a "new" Clynelish distillery next to the former buildings. The new distillery took the name Clynelish, and the old distillery was named Brora. Brora distillery is very much back to the fore, having lain dormant since the early 1980s. It has undergone an extensive refurbishment and has since recommenced production.
A great example from Clynelish is their 14 year old Single Malt; it is a very bright, lightweight whisky that is very easy to drink. This creamy dram is an ideal introduction to whiskies with a maritime character. Brora is an exceptional Highland whisky which was rarely bottled as a Single Malt during the distillery's lifetime. A succession of outstanding posthumous releases has sealed Brora's reputation as one of Scotland's greatest lost distilleries. These rare whiskies are famous for their robust, complex, smoky character, and are a firm favourite with connoisseurs, collectors and enthusiasts.
The Highlands and the whisky produced there is a delight to experience and revisit time and time again. For more of what the Highlands has to offer, we suggest taking a look at our Highland Whisky selection on HTFW.
