Distillery and Whisky News March 2020
Hello whisky lovers and welcome to our March edition of Distillery and Whisky News, at a time when, to be honest, we could all do with a whisky.
At the time of writing, Scotland's recorded cases of the Coronavirus have reached the low-hundreds, and we're all preparing for more across the world.
Many of Scotland's distilleries have paused their tours until more information becomes available - if you're planning a visit, please do check the individual distillery's website before doing so, and if you're feeling unwell in any way please postpone to another time.
The tourism industry in Scotland and all over the world is being greatly affected by the virus - if you'd like to support your local distillery, why not purchase a gift voucher for either a friend or yourself to attend in future, or treat yourself to a nice bottle of whisky by buying online. It's a nice way to help out and gives something to look forward to for everyone.
We hope it won't be too long until we have normality back, but until then, keep safe and help each other in any way you can.
DISTILLERY OF THE MONTH: KINGSBARNS
Kingsbarns is a new distillery – it opened in 2014 and laid down its first whisky in March 2015, releasing its inaugural single malt, Dream to Dram, in early 2019 – but its local and historical roots run deep.
The distillery is run by the Wemyss family, landowners in Fife since the 12th century, and from the outset they have been determined to craft a product that reflects the provenance of its location.
‘Our starting point was that our family comes from just down the coast, so that connection to Fife was very important,’ explains William Wemyss, managing director of Kingsbarns and Wemyss Malts, the family’s independent whisky bottling business. ‘So we set out doing everything we could locally, with local farmers growing all our barley, taking water from an aquifer below the distillery and carrying out all our maturation in Fife.’
The Wemyss family had a clear flavour strategy. ‘We set out to make a Lowland style,’ says William Wemyss, ‘looking for light, fruity, peach and pear notes – we wanted it to be an approachable whisky.’
That means long fermentations – three to five days in Kingsbarns’ case – and lots of copper contact during the distillation process, which helps to strip out unwanted impurities and to impart a clean, light, floral and fruity character to the new make spirit.
Read more about the Kingsbarns Distillery by Richard Woodard on our News page.
Find out out more about the Kingsbarns Distillery on their dedicated page on the Distillery Tours Website and why not have a bottle delivered.
VENUE OF THE MONTH: DORNOCH CASTLE HOTEL
Dornoch Castle Hotel is a family business celebrating its 20th year
Our next recommendation from our Drink, Sleep & Buy Whisky section is the Dornoch Castle Hotel.
As well as an incredible historic castle and luxury hotel, their Whisky Bar has won multiple awards, and they've now launched their own whisky and gin distillery on the grounds of the Castle.
The Dornoch Distillery is a traditional, organic microdistillery within the Old Fire Station, launched by brothers Simon and Phil Thompson.
Having successfully developed one of the best Whisky Bars in Scotland Simon and Phil are now putting their vast knowledge and experience to the test. The Dornoch Distillery Company has been operational since August 2016 and producing the Thompson Brothers Organic Gin whilst patiently waiting for their Old Style Whisky to mature.
Find out out more about the the Dornoch Castle Hotel on their dedicated page on the Distillery Tours Website and contact them to purchase a gift voucher or book for later in the year.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO THE WESTERN ISLES
Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris
While you're cooped up indoors, why not plan a trip for later in the year to one of Scotland's most remote and beautiful areas - the Western Isles.
Our recommended six-day tour incorporates the Talisker, Torabhaig, Isle of Raasay, Abhainn Dearg and Isle of Harris distilleries, which are spread across the stunning isles of Skye, Raasay, Harris and Lewis, which form part of the Western Isles - find out more about these distilleries on the DistilleryTours.scot website.
In addition to the distilleries, there's lots of ways to enjoy the fresh air:
Beaches: White sands, incredible views over the islands, dramatic skies - the Western Isles are home to the likes of Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris (pictured) and are simply magical.
Fairy Pools: If you’re not the rambling-aimlessly kind and need a destination for a well-deserved dram from your hipflask, why not walk to the insanely romantic Fairy Pools on Skye? Don't forget your bathers, and be prepared for it to be a bit chilly!
Skye Boat Trips: The islands boast a fantastic range of wildlife, with dolphins, seals and sea eagles in abundance. Leaving from Portree Harbour on Skye, both the Portree Bay and Sound of Raasay Boat Trips last around two hours - and bookings are taken from the Fish & Chip shop in Portree, so you can round off your journey with a locally caught dinner.
Standing Stones: The Western Isles are rich in prehistoric remains, and the Callanish Standing Stones are the best example. Dating back more than 5,000 years, Callanish contains around 50 stones in a cross-shape, the tallest of which is 4m high.
Check out full details of this and other tours, including accommodation tips, on our Plan Your Trip pages.