Whisky Forum - Speyside visit booked.. - Page 2

sorren · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:42 pm Post subject:

We can only hope .. I'm sure I will be extremely well looked after, the tomintoul visit should be rather special, same as Glen moray, aberfeldy snd Tomatin will be great, and I know these two will have some great malts on offer.

jwbassman · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:45 pm Post subject:

Sounds like an awesome trip Sorren Smile

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to visit Scotland and go to a few distilleries, including Tomintoul and Balvenie. Tom at Tomintoul was great even though at that time they didn't really do tours as such, we had quite a large tasting there too if memory serves. The Balvenie tour we did was awesome and we did the fill your own direct from the cask which was brilliant and tasted the whole core range, the on-site cooperage is very interesting too.

I also managed a sneaky visit to Glendronach last year too and did the Connoisseursâ€™ Experience - it was fantastic, very knowledgable guide and a fantastic set of drams to taste too, including the cask strength, and some single cask bottlings. Would love to go again.

I'm sure you'll have a amazing time, just wish I was coming with you Smile

sorren · Posted: Tue May 03, 2016 8:52 pm Post subject:

Sounds like you had a great time.. I did the balvenie last year but just had to do it again, the tomintoul is a private tour, but do believe the distillery still isn't really open as such. As far as I know the tour is with the distillery manager so not sure what to expect.. But starting to get excited ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜Š

sorren · Posted: Wed May 25, 2016 7:27 pm Post subject:

Less than a week to go before I set off to the holy land.. Just added Knockdhu the home of AnCnoc to the list of tours..

sorren · Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 2:48 pm Post subject:

Well the car is packed.. And re packed.. Sample bottles sorted and labelled up ( the wife is driving so need to take her samples home ðŸ™„ðŸ˜) .. Spoke to bank manager.. So all set to go ...

William · Posted: Sun May 29, 2016 11:01 pm Post subject:

sorren · Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 6:26 am Post subject:

Thanks William..
Well I'm here, it's now Tuesday morning, but yesterday was a great start, stopped off at Auchentoshsn, and of course I just had to buy another bottle your own, again it is a sherry cask. These sherry casks are pretty good, well I like them anyway... As it was very busy I didn't bother with a tour but did chat to Wendy and found out the next cask will be another wine cask, ( I'm ready for an old bourbon but no luck ) .
Then we went on to Aberfeldy, I had a private tour and tasting, the tour was good, George who I was told was the " geek tour guide" was very good, excellent knowledge and easy to chat to.. Then we tasted the whisky.. First sample was a spoiler... A single cask from 1987, bourbon and 54%abv, quite delicious , lots of great notes and flavours.. Next I tried both bottle your owns, a bourbon cask from 2001, 57.6% and then a sherry matured single cask from 1998, 55.2%.. Then came I was asked " what do you want to taste". Hmmm that, that, that and that please... Ok they were Aberfeldy 21, Dewars 18, Royal Brackla 16, Aultmore 12, 25 and craigellachie 31... Some samples were acquired in order to do a review once I get home... A appreciation goes out to everyone at Aberfeldy..
So today I visit Tomintoul and Balvenie.. So today is going to be another great day..

Whisky Dog · Master Of Malts Joined: 09 Apr 2014 Posts: 708

Sounds like a great start to your trip

Quaich1 · Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 10:18 am Post subject:

Hi Sorren. Worth waiting for, eh! (as we say in Canada). It must be great to be on the stomping grounds of some of these distilleries and take in the atmosphere and psychological terroir and mood of the places. You certainly got off to a stellar star and I expect there is more to come. Keep us posted.
_________________
"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
W.C. Fields (1880-1946)

Mr C · Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 10:31 am Post subject:

Enjoy Sorren. Also enjoy your Warehouse 24 dram(s)

Mr C

sorren · Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 8:35 pm Post subject:

Day 2..
Does it get any better than a trip to Balvenie ?
Well first stop was Tomintoul distillery, I really did not know what to expect, was it any good.. O ye, we spent around 3 hours here, a really detailed look round, we were shown every part of the distillery, even down to the dumping area ( the area where the whisky is dumped out of the barrel) also the filling stations. The smells in here were amazing. We were then taken into several warehouses before going for a tasting session of 5 of thier range, a few limited editions, all very good. It shocked me just how big this distillery actually is. This is a big producing distillery that really is worth a visit.. You have to pre book but it is worth the effort..

A quick stop st Glenfiddich in order to bottle my own, still the spirit of speyside exclusive but you can still also get the usual 15yo that is superb.. Yep I got them both ..

Off to Balvenie.. As usual this wasa fantastic tour.. Can't praise it high enough.. 5 drams tasted included the 12 doublewood, 12 single barrel, 14 Caribbean cask, 17 doublewood and the 21 portwood.. Then for the warehouse 24 members a mighty 34yo 1st fill sherry butt. Big, intense and really really drinkable..
A great day again.. Tomorrow is Tomatin day..

jwbassman · Posted: Tue May 31, 2016 11:59 pm Post subject:

Great stuff - sounds like you've had a fantastic day, both the Tomintoul and Balvenie tours I did were excellent - would love to go again.

Enjoy the rest of your trip Very Happy

sorren · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 9:04 pm Post subject:

Today's visit was the long awaited visit to Tomatin.. This is fast becoming a favourite of mine, they produce some great whisky and the bottle your own range is rather special.
From the first minute to the very last I was treated extremely well . They are all very friendly and can't do enough to please you.. The tour was the cask tasting tour ( more or less) audit was just myself and the guide it was tailored to what I wanted.. 3 hours were spent looking round and tasting malts, I was extremely lucky today, they treated me fantastically and I felt so at home, looking round the small cooperage was great and talking to the cooper a pleasure.. The tasting was off 5 single casks available to bottle yourself and some new make.. Overall the tour was fantastic, the people were extremely friendly and the whisky.. Well that was awsome..

jwbassman · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2016 10:29 pm Post subject:

Awesome, sounds like another great day Smile

Think I need to plan another trip...

sorren · Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2016 7:43 pm Post subject:

So yesterday I visited Glen moray and Benriach distilleries.. I was amazed at the size of Glen moray, they are now producing 6 million ltrs every year. The distillery has just had a large upgrade with new mash tun, new stills and a very new area upgrade to put them in.. All very nice, just need to wait and see how things go.. The old stills and wash backs are still in place and could still be put back into action.. We then tried 2 drams from 1988 direct from casks in the warehouse, then we tried another 4 ranging from 16 years old up to 28 yo.. We all think of the cheap Glen moray that is found in every supermarket but they do have some hidden gems tucked away..

Next stop was Benriach, this tour is by appointment only and costs Â£35, you can't help compare it to Balvenie.. Don't.. Cause it don't compare.. It is good, Sandra who did the tour is great but it just is not the same,

So today I visited Knockdhu the home of AnCnoc, I was given a tour by Gordon Bruce the distillery manager on a one to one basis and believe me it was fantastic, he is really positive and full of great information, and once we had covered the production he shared several drams with me, and even one from his personal bottle of 1975 AnCnoc.. Gordon also explained he was trying to get a viditor centre and do more tours.. Well worth a visit..