Trip To Scotland (May 6/May 22, 2017) - Part 3 The Tours and the Tastings

“Drams Come True 2017 Part 3”

Hello Everybody and Welcome to Best Shot Whisky Reviews!

The Distillery Tours and Visitor Centres:

When compared to 2014 some changes are noticeable. These changes are more noticeable in some distilleries and less so in others. Most of these changes are a result of the continuing - and substantial increase in visitors. You can compare it to the difference between a local village grocery shop in the 1960's and today's large Supermarket. The first probably received a relatively small number of people each day and there was time for small talk. You were a friend, not a client. The same applies to the Whisky Distilleries. The Visitor Centres, Shops and Tours have become a parallel industry next to the actual making of Whisky. Especially in those Distilleries controlled by the large Internationals you are often not considered as guest or friend but as (potential) client.

Tour at Springbank

Glen Scotia

The large numbers of visitors also resulted in a strict Tour Schedule as the next Group is already waiting. That's probably the main reason why in most of the Multinational-owned Distilleries you are no longer allowed to take pictures. It's being sold as part of the Safety Procedures but I have my own thoughts about that. At the Dalmore Distillery we were not even allowed to take our switched off mobile phones into the Distillery. Leave them at the desk or put them in your car! Most Standard Tour prices have increased by around 30% since 2014 from around 6 to around 9 English Pounds with the exception of Islay where prices remained stable. The drams at the end of the Tour have become even smaller though!

Tour at Kilchoman

Laphroaig

It needs to be said that the problems described above multiply during the weekends. At Glengoyne for example four different groups were touring at the same time. At Talisker it was almost impossible to move around in the (large) shop. It looked like a large supermarket on a Saturday Morning! So avoid the weekends if you want to have a little privacy! Also avoid the Friday afternoon as in most distilleries at least part of the process is stopped in order to be able to clean the equipment. It's much nicer when everything is working!

Tour at Tobermory

Dalmore

The increase of visitors has also lead to a decrease in general knowledge of the average visitor about the Whisky making process. For many of them it's the first time they visit a Distillery. As little or no in-depth questions are to be expected, some distilleries have delegated the guidance of the Tours to junior staff. They might also hire (mostly young) people during the high season to perform this job. For more knowledgeable persons this can be annoying sometimes as the more specific questions can't be answered during the Tour. The low point was our Tour at Bunnahabhain on Islay. We were really looking forward to that as the Distillery was closed during our first trip in 2014. The Tour Guide was a trainee who read the text from a piece of paper and many mistakes crept in the presentation. I could have done a better job there myself! We found out that the best days to visit a Distillery are from Monday to Thursday. If you're lucky you can score a private tour or a tour with a small group  of 2-6 people who have generally speaking more knowledge of- and interest in the Whisky making process. We were very lucky to have this type of Tour at a.o. Arran, Glen Ord, Tobermory, Springbank, Tomatin and Tullibardine.

Tour at Glenturret

Famous Brother-in-Law & Famous Grouse

Fortunately there are still many positive exceptions as well. At Laphroaig you always feel welcome for instance. And we are extremely positive about the Tours at Arran, Springbank, Glen Ord, Balblair, Tomatin and Tullibardine. And I shouldn't forget Tobermory in this respect. The Distillery is closed at the moment as important equipment is being replaced. There were no other visitors so we had the place to ourselves. Despite all this, our guide managed to give one of the best tours of our Trip. We were impressed! So in the end it depends on people as so often in life.

Tour at Balblair

I do hope that Distilleries will understand that their visitors usually come as friends. If they are treated like this there is a big chance they become clients afterwards. If they are treated as mere casual by-passers, they will not be inspired to become a client. In fact they might lose them for ever. Another suggestion I would like to make to the Distilleries is the following. Wouldn't it be an idea to organise separate Tours for first time Distillery Visitors. Or, as an alternative, reserve the Standard Tour for this type of visitor. This way, every guest can be treated in a more comfortable way. Just a thought!

Tour at Tullibardine

And, finally, a word about the Shops and Visitor Centres. Some are great like at Arran, Aberfeldy, Glen Ord, Kilchoman and Talisker but others are becoming too small like Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Lagavulin, Glen Scotia, Tobermory and Dalmore. It would be nice though if all shops would sell at least one miniature bottle of their Whisky. Lots of people would appreciate that to complete their collections. The Ardbeg shop was practically without product (except Whisky) during our visit. If you have a shop, organise it, keep it clean and make sure that all products are available. Glenmorangie is a good example of this. Even though I'm not a huge fan of their Whiskies, I must congratulate them on their job. It's a joy to walk around the premises and the Still Room or Whisky Cathedral is a feast for the eye!

Tasting at Isle of Arran

The Distillery Tastings.

For most visitors, the Tasting of the Whisky or Whiskies after the Tour is the fun part. The number of the Whiskies that you get to taste usually depends on the Tour you have booked. The Standard Tour will buy you one or at the most two of the Standard younger Whiskies of a Distillery. Most Distilleries offer a range of other Tours. They are of course more expensive but generally have the advantage of smaller groups, more experienced Tour Guides and, of course, more Whiskies to taste afterwards. A Tour of around 30 English Pounds will usually offer you six different drams + New Make Spirit. In most of these Tours the Whisky line-up include special Distillery Bottlings, Cask Strength expressions and so on.

Tasting at Kilchoman

When you do a Standard Tour, the dram or drams are usually offered in the Shop and/or Visitor Centre. The picture above is a good example of this. The whole procedure lasts 5-20 minutes.  When you do a more extensive Tour, the Tasting is usually set up in a special Tasting Room or in one of the Warehouses. The sessions can last up to one hour and are accompanied by a tutor. This is of course much more fun and, if you can afford it, I can fully recommend it. The following pictures give you an idea:

Tasting at Tomatin

Tomatin

There are always exceptions to these general rules of course. At Dalmore we got two drams after the Standard Tour but they were served in a nice Tasting room where you could also buy optional drams of other Whiskies if so required. And at Bunnahabhain we did the Tasting Tour but the drams were offered in the very small Shop that was crowded with people and with no place to sit down. And for that you pay 25 Pounds! That sucks big time!

Tasting at Tullibardine

We prepared a rating of the Distillery Tours. Both Jan and I gave between 1-10 points for the four categories we selected. This way each Distillery could gain a maximum of 80 points. Please find the table below. It should be noticed that this was our impression on the day that we visited the Distillery. Naturally this could change from day-to-day and from Tour guide to Tour guide. But it gives you a very rough idea anyway! We loved the first five in the ranking. The rest was Regular to Good with the exception of Bunnahabhain that was a thorough disappointment!

Distillery		Tourguide	Tour	Price/Quality	Charisma	Total
Arran		16.5	16.5	17	16.5	66.5
Tomatin		16.5	17	16	15	64.5
Glen Ord		16.5	15.5	17	15	64
Springbank/Glengoyle		15	16	15.5	17	63.5
Tullibardine		16.5	16.5	15	14.5	62.5
Auchentoshan		14.5	15.5	14.5	16	60.5
Balblair		13.5	15.5	14.5	15.5	59
Glenturret/Famous Grouse		14	14	14	16	58
Tobermory		15.5	13.5	14.5	14	57.5
Aberfeldy		14.5	14	14	15	57.5
Talisker		14.5	14.5	14	14	57
Dalmore		14.5	14	14	14.5	57
Glenmorangie		14	15	12.5	15	56.5
Glen Scotia		14.5	14	13.5	14	56
Glengoyne		15.5	14	12	14	55.5
Kilchoman		12.5	13.5	13.5	14.5	54
Bunnahabhain		9	10	8	10	37

Tasting at Aberfeldy

What Else is There to See in Scotland except Whisky.

Scotland is a beautiful country. Especially the East Coast, the Islands and the Lakes. At least when the sun shines! Today's Rain is Tomorrow's Whisky but it can't be denied that the rain is a major factor to consider when you're planning to go there. It's not that important when you're on a Whisky Tour but when you go there for outdoor activities it can spoil your day! Historically speaking, May is a good month to visit Scotland but good weather is never guaranteed.

Arran

Arran and Mull are beautiful islands that are a must to visit when you go there. Skye (and the main town Portree) have become very touristic and are crowded. Not places we would return to if not for the Whisky. Another little town that called our attention was Tobermory. It's also touristic but still nice!

Tobermory

Mull

Final Observations:

What a great time we had in Scotland this time around. We were lucky with the Weather and the advanced Bookings of Ferries and B&B's proved to be crucial. A big Thank You to my brother-in-law who made all these arrangements. We can certainly advise you to do the same. We were also very fortunate to participate in a number of Private - or very small group Tours. If you fancy those, plan your distillery visits during the week, preferably from Monday to Thursday. In the weekends you might encounter large groups of tourists and on Friday afternoon most distilleries stop (part of) the production in order to clean the equipment. And, finally, we haven't visited all Scottish Distilleries as yet so who knows we might return in a couple of years. I can't wait to be honest!😄

Dalmore Cromartie Review

“Highland Blues”

Whisky Review # 617

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Dalmore Cromartie (1996) - Bottling Series: Lands of Clan MacKenzie

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 45%
Maturation: Bourbon and Sherry Casks 
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 150-200 (June 2017)
Buying Advice: 😡 Negative. Way too expensive. Stick with the 15! 

Colour: Amber/Copper (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Sweet and a bit Heavy. It reminds me of a Floral Perfume. The Sherry cask influence is quite clear. I find Dried Fruits like Raisins, Apricots, Sultanas and Figs. Unfortunately I detect a fair amount of Sulphur as well together with a few slightly Sour Red Wine notes. They tend to diminish over time in the glass. The Alcohol is quite present as well I'm afraid. Other familiar Aromas include Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Toffee, Caramel, Polished Leather, Grass, Orange, Grapefruit, Canned Pineapple and hints of Tobacco, Chocolate, Wet Stones, Oak, Espresso, Ginger and Menthol. It's not bad but I was expecting much more at this price level.

Visit Dalmore May 2017

Palate: Sweet and Heavy, almost a bit tired. I find the Dried Fruit from the Nose together with some Malt, Toffee, Caramel, Treacle, Black Currant Jam, Vanilla, Red Wine, Orange, Grapefruit, Chocolate, Oak, Tea, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cloves, Aniseed, Menthol, Dark Honey, Polished Leather, Espresso, Licorice and the faintest hint of Smoke. The Alcohol is still there!      

Finish: Middle-Long. Sweet at first but quite Dry, Woody and Mineral towards the end. A few slightly Sour and Bitter notes pop up as well. I find Malted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Treacle, Dark Chocolate, Orange, Grapefruit, Red Wine, light Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Licorice, Aniseed, Menthol, Dried Herbs, Tobacco and a sprinkle of Salt. The Alcohol remains present until the end.

Visit Dalmore May 2017

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and on the Nose the Floral - and Orange notes become even clearer. Almost like Orange-Oil. The Alcohol withdraws. Palate and Finish do not significantly change although the Orange becomes almost a bit too dominant. Still, the Cromartie gladly accepts a little Water.  

Rating: 84    

Nose: 21 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky

The Dalmore Distillery was founded in 1839 by Alexander Matheson. It is located in Alness on the banks of the Cromarty Firth. It is operated by Whyte & Mackay Ltd, owned by Emperador Inc. since 2014. The Dalmore Cromartie was launched in 2012 and is the third in a series of 3 Limited Editions crafted by Master Distiller Richard Paterson to honour the Clan MacKenzie, the owners of the Dalmore Distillery for over a century. The Dalmore McKenzie was the first, released in 2010, followed by Castle Leod in 2011. Together they seek to celebrate the ancient lands of Cromartie, the heartland of the McKenzie clan and home to Castle Leod, the clan's historic seat where they still reside today. A substantial contribution from the sales of these three Expressions will be used to maintain the clan's estates in Cromartie. Only 7500 bottles of the Cromartie went to the market.

🍷  The Spirit: 

Dalmore is equipped with four pairs of Stills of various size and form with high Reflux characteristics. Together these stills produce a slightly heavy and more complex Whisky. The Water is sourced from the river Alness.

🌲 The Wood: 

The Cromartie initially rested in American White Oak Bourbon casks before being further matured for a couple of years in Oloroso casks from Sherry Producer Gonzales Byass in Jerez de la Frontera. Richard Paterson decides when the casks are ready for bottling. The Sulphur and Sour Red Wine notes suggest that at least a number of indifferent Sherry casks went in the mix.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: You would expect that extra good casks would be used for these expensive Limited Editions but somehow I get the feeling that's not the case here. The Alcohol, the Sulphur and the Sour notes would suggest that some less excellent casks were used as well. The standard 15 Years is in fact better in my opinion and it's a lot cheaper. It's perhaps a tad less complex but it doesn't show these off-notes and it's simply a more pleasant dram. Do we need to be careful with all Single Malts that bear fancy names these days? It almost looks like it. The Dalmore Cromartie is not a bad Single Malt but it's way too expensive for what it offers. No way I would spend more than 50 US Dollars for this!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      June 12, 2017

Trip To Scotland (May 6/May 22, 2017) - Part 2: The Trip

“Drams Come True 2017 Part 2”

Hello Everybody and Welcome to Best Shot Whisky Reviews!

The Trip.

In Part 2 I'm sharing a short but still detailed day-to-day overview so you might have an idea of what you can do on a single day and in two weeks if you are thinking of making a Whisky Trip yourself. Booking in advance of Distillery Tours, Ferries and B&B's is certainly worth while considering. That way you can fully concentrate on the Whisky part, the fun stuff! I would not do more than two Distillery Tours per day. One in the morning after a good Scottish Breakfast and one in the afternoon after lunch are good choices in our opinion. If possible avoid Tours in the Weekend. Unless you like  crowds!

We arrived in Newcastle on May 7 and proceeded to our first destination, the small village of Dumgoyne, not far away from Glasgow. Here we did the Wee Tasting Tour at the Glengoyne Distillery. We had an excellent diner in The Burbrae Bar in Milngavie and spend the night in the Premier Inn in the same town. On May 8 it took us a little while to find the Auchentoshan Distillery in Dalmuir/Clydebank where we did the Distilled Different Tour. After lunch we set out for Ardrossan to take the ferry to Brodick on the isle of Arran. We dined at the Lochranza Hotel Country Inn and spend the night in the Kincardin Lodge B&B, also in Lochranza. On May 10, we did the Distilling and Tasting Tour at the Isle of Arran Distillery and enjoyed lunch there as well. After lunch we took the ferry to Claonaig and the beautiful coastal road to Campeltown. We had diner at the Big Sheep Bar and stayed the night in the Earadale B&B.
   

Springbank Distillery

On May 10 we visited the famous Cadenhead Whisky & Tasting Shop before participating in the Springbank & Mitchells Glengyle Tour. After a quick lunch in Amelia's Cafe and Bistro we did the Heritage Tour at the Glen Scotia distillery. We had some hot Mexican food for diner and spend the second night at Earadale B&B. On May 11 we took the road to Kennacraig to take the ferry to Port Ellen on the island of Islay. We had lunch in the small town of Bowmore and went on to do the standard tour at the Kilchoman Farm Distillery. We dined at the Islay Hotel in Port Ellen and had booked a room at the Trout Fly B&B in the same village. On May 12 we paid short visits to our friends at Laphroaig and Lagavulin and enjoyed the lunch in the Ardbeg Distillery. After lunch we proceeded to Port Askaig and did the Bunnahabhain Tasting Tour. Afterwards we paid a very nice visit to the Caol Ila Distillery shop. We had a good Pizza for diner and spend our second night at the Trout Fly B&B.

Ardbeg Distillery   

On May 13 we took the ferry back to Kennacraig and proceeded to Oban where we had lunch and took the ferry to Craignure. Another half hour by car brought us to Tobermory on the isle of Mull where we dined at the Mishniss Restaurant and slept in the Moshill Accomodation. On May 14 we had breakfast at the famous Tobermory Bakery before enjoying a Classic Tour at the Tobermory Distillery. Afterwards we took the ferry to Kilchoan. We lunched quite close to the new Ardnamurchan Distillery and drove on to Mallaig where we took the ferry to Armadale on the isle of Skye. We had diner at the Ardvasar Hotel and spend the night at the Hazelwood B&B in the same village.

On May 15 we took the road again to Carbost where we had lunch at the Old Inn before doing the Tasting Tour at the Talisker Distillery. We then proceeded to Portree where we dined at the Sea Breeze Restaurant and slept at the Isles Inn.

Talisker Distillery

On May 16 we hit the road again to Muir of Ord where we had lunch at the Bad Girl Bakery before doing the standard tour at the Glen Ord Distillery. We then proceeded to Tain via Dornoch and spend the night at the Dunbius B&B in Tain. On May 17 it took us 10 minutes to reach the Glenmorangie Distillery where we did the Signet Tour. We lunched somewhere on the way to Brora where we wanted to do the standard tour at the Clynelish Distillery. Unfortunately it was closed for repairs so we only had a dram in the shop. After that we returned to Tain where we had diner and slept at the Dunbius B&B. On May 18 we proceeded to Alness where we did the Standard tour at the Dalmore Distillery. We enjoyed lunch somewhere along the road to Edderton where we participated in the Vintage Moments Tour at the Balblair Distillery before returning to Tain for diner and our last night at Dunbius B&B.

Glenmorangie Distillery

On May 19 we left for Carbridge. After lunch we did the Taste of Tomatin Tour at the Distillery before dining and resting at the Glenan Lodge B&B in Tomatin. On May 20 we drove to Aberfeldy where we had lunch at the Aberfeldy Distillery before doing the Connoisseur Tour. We had a nice pizza in town and spend the night at the Tigh Eilean B&B. On May 21 we visited the Glenturret Distillery where we participated in the Famous Grouse Experience. We then took the (wrong) road to Auchterarder but we arrived just in time for lunch in that city before doing our final Warehouse Tour at the Tullibardine Distillery. We had diner in town and slept in the Allandale House B&B. On May 22 we hit the road for Newcastle where we took the ferry for the crossing to IJmuiden. Our 2nd Whisky Tour had come to an end.

Tour at Glengoyne

Shortly Part 3: Tours and Tastings!