Distillery and Whisky News January 2022 - Jura

Thank you to so many of you who sent your kind wishes on the lead up to our house move - after a fair bit of swearing we made it in on Christmas Eve and are now proudly living in the Kingdom of Fife 🥳

We're feeling hopeful for 2022 and all it will bring. We've a few distilleries on our bucket list that we're looking forward to visiting, not least those harder to reach ones, and of course plenty of new whiskies to try. 

Don't forget to visit your local distillery or put a further flung one on your #WhiskyHoliday itinerary if travel restrictions allow. Distilleries employ so many people across so many different roles, and every visit supports rural and local jobs. Enjoy, and let us know if you find a new whisky you love!

Podcast - 6 month round-up

We've had some fascinating guests on the DistilleryTours Podcast over the past six months - catch up with them now.

July - Rikki Scott, then Visitor Centre Manager at the Aberlour Distillery. Rikki talked to us about avoiding the power of suggestion at a tasting, and how whiskies can evoke a different memory for everyone.

August - Lauren Mustard, VIP Ambassador for Balvenie and Glenfiddich. Lauren talked about her favourite dram, the never-to-be-repeated, Snow Phoenix; and how Glenfiddich is experimenting with their whisky.

September - Paul McDonagh, Owner of the Bon Accord in Glasgow. Paul says whisky is like a conversation in your hand – there's so much to know and talk about from the taste to the way it's been distilled. 

October - Mark Westmorland, Global Brand Ambassador for the Wolfburn Distillery in Thurso. Mark told us about the team at Wolfburn and how their motto of ‘Fortune favours the brave’ leads them in all they do.

November - Pierrick Guillaume, Distillery Manager at the Lagavulin Distillery on Islay. Pierrick talked about the sights and smells of Islay, why he loves working at Lagavulin and the journey that brought him there.

December - Andy Bell from the Lagg and Lochranza Distillers. Andy told us about Lochranza's unique history, compared the processes at the two distilleries, and told us about their project which brought the two spirits together.

LISTEN NOW

Thanks to CalMac for sponsoring the podcast - if you're visiting the islands this year check out calmac.co.uk for travel information and tourist inspiration. 

Date with a Dram: Cardhu

Our first Date with a Dram of 2022 is with the Cardhu Distillery, the Speyside Home of Johnnie Walker, and the very first distillery to be brought into the Johnnie Walker family, back in 1893.

Cardhu 16 Year Old is the third release from their ‘Four Corners of Scotland Collection’, beautifully showing the classic aromas and tastes of the region, and made to commemorate the refurbishment of the Cardhu Distillery in 2021.

Normally only available online at a price of £150, the Cardhu Distillery has kindly put forward a bottle for one lucky winner of our Date with a Dram competition.

The whisky has a creamy-smooth texture, with lively, fresh and floral aromas on the nose. The taste starts sweet, then there is a delicious spicy dryness as really peppery warmth lasts into the pleasingly long finish, with a sweet chilli-pepper heat aftertaste.

COMPETITION TIME!

Want to be in with a chance to win a bottle of Cardhu 16 Year Old? Simply follow DistilleryTours.scot on Facebook and share our 'Date with a Dram' post dated 5 January. The lucky winner will be chosen at random and announced in our February newsletter!

And congratulations to Jemma Warby from Newmarket who won last month's competition of a bottle of The Glenturret Distillery's Triple Wood - enjoy, Jemma!

You must be 18 years old or over to enter. Please note, will never approach you for your credit card details or personal information, send you friend requests or ask you to click on a link. Please stay safe online.

FOLLOW AND SHARE TO ENTER!

Venue of the month: Glenmorangie House

The Morning Room at Glenmorangie House

Glenmorangie House has transformed its boutique Highland hotel into a sensory playground, and it's absolutely stunning.

You can now enjoy Glenmorangie through a technicolour aesthetic with flavour-inspired rooms.

The Dining Room table, shot through with copper, and molten-style candelabras, pictured below, echoes the heat of the Distillery’s copper stills. The Morning Room’s golden wallpaper, pictured above, hints at one of whisky’s key ingredients, recreating the sense of walking in a field of ripening barley.

Glenmorangie’s range of whiskies inspire the House’s 6 bedrooms. The burnt oranges and purples of the Sunset room are inspired by The Lasanta’s rich, sunset-like tastes. Knitted cakes made by a local artisan bring a playful touch to a pink-and-yellow hued room reflecting The Nectar d’Or sweet patisserie scents, while bespoke candles hint at the flavours of Glenmorangie’s flagship, The Original.

Guests have a chance to explore Glenmorangie’s single malts, enjoy local food, try stargazing, learn about beekeeping at the Distillery’s hives, forage for cocktail ingredients in the Walled Garden, play croquet on the grounds, walk deserted beaches and more.

Find out more about Glenmorangie House on their dedicated page on the DistilleryTours.scot website.

GLENMORANGIE HOUSE

Distillery of the Month: Isle of Jura

Jura Distillery, Isle of Jura

The Jura Distillery was founded in 1810, at a time when the Isle of Jura was home to more than a thousand people. ⁠ ⁠ From 1901 fortunes changed though and, compounded by two World Wars, the roof came off the distillery and it fell into disrepair, taking with it many jobs from the island. ⁠ ⁠ Seeing an opportunity to bring life back to the island, local landowners, Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith decided to enlist some help of blender Charles MacKinlay & Co and the famous distillery designer, William Delme-Evans, to start work rebuilding the distillery. ⁠ ⁠ In 1963, the Jura Distillery was reborn, bringing life back to the island and the community. ⁠ ⁠ And what a success it’s been. Today, almost every family on the island has a member who works in the Distillery, with their Distillery or in whisky-related tourism. And because Jura matters more to the people who make it, you can taste their dedication in every sip.

Find out more about the Jura Distillery, their whisky and their tours on their dedicated page on the DistilleryTours.scot website.

JURA DISTILLERY

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