“Today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky”

For those of you who don’t know, whisky is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage which is made from fermented grain mash. There are many whisky distilleries in Scotland, but none of them are the same. Every distillery has its own colourful history and unique setting.

Each Scotch whisky has its own ‘character’. The taste of the particular whisky is affected by different aspects and is complex in its own way. The taste can be affected by the local landscapes, the source of the water and the shape of the copper stills used. To understand this fully, an experience to a Scottish distillery is essential for any visitor! Scotland’s oldest distilleries date back to the 18th century, which include Bowmore (established 1779), Strathisla (established 1786) and Balblair (established 1790). Strathisla is the oldest distillery of the Highlands with a capacity of 2,400,000 litres a year.

The Highlands embrace robust and wide whisky variations. What the whiskys in the Highlands have in common is a firm, rounded, dry character with some hints of peatiness.

The oldest distillery in the Highlands is Strathisla, located in the town of Keith. The distillery is famous for its smooth, flavourful single malt whisky, which has been produced in the distillery since 1786. You can take a guided tour and learn all about the age old craft by seeing it at first hand. The tour takes you through all the stages in the whisky making. For more information, go to: http://bit.ly/PZFUF1 You can also experience the region’s fascination Malt Whisky Trail.

Make the most out of your stay in the Highlands by staying at a Best Loved Hotel. Our Boath House in Nairn, with a top restaurant and comfort beyond belief, is between the Scottish Riviera and the whisky trail. Boath House is an extraordinary Grade A listed Regency mansion set in a 20-acre estate containing a small lake, a Victorian walled garden, lawns and woodlands. Boath House is only an hour drive to the distillery in Keith.

Image by SMLP