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International Travel Planning … on your own … without a net – Part 8

Scotland: Fall 2009

DAY 10

AVIEMORE

Scotch and CookiesTour!!!

Someone once said you can’t have cookies without having something to wash them down with. I believe they were talking about milk, so they must not have been from Scotland!

Today we are off on a tasting tour of the Highlands. No, we’re not looking for Haggis! We’re not looking for Cullen Skink! We’re looking for cookies … shortbread, to be precise. We’re also looking for something to wash them down with in the tradition of a fine single malt whiskey!

We also need a designated driver!!!

We are going to be able to find both shortbread and whiskey as this is the Speyside region of Scotland. The region is the home of more than half of the distilleries in Scotland. It is also the home of two shortbread manufacturers, one little known on this side of the pond, and the other … well, you can go into almost any grocery store in the U.S. and find their product.

A short trip northeast of Aviemore brings you to Grantown-on-Spey, the gateway to the famous Malt Whiskey Trail.

Aviemore to Grantown-on-Spey
Distance: 14.3 miles
Time: 21 min

Grantown on Spey

http://www.grantownonline.co.uk/visitors/

We are heading northeast on A95 for the small town of Aberlour, the home of Walker’s Shortbread. Since 1898 the company has been baking shortbread and oatcakes.

Their colorful packaging, in both cardboard boxes and metal tins, makes great gifts.

Although not set up for consumer tours, we are hoping to get a “special guest” arrangement to see the manufacturing process.

Walker’s

http://www.walkersshortbread.com/

Also, in Aberlour is the Aberlour Distillery making single malts and offering tours.

http://www.aberlour.com

Grantown-on-Spey to Aberlour
Distance: 21.7 miles
Time: 29 min

Aberlour

http://www.speyside.moray.org/Aberlour/web/page3.html

The Malt Whiskey Trail is actually a small group of distilleries in the Speyside region banded together by a marketing campaign. These are not, by far, the only distilleries in the area that are open to the public.

Within the group, there are actually seven working single malt distilleries including The Glenlivet, and Glenfiddich, one former distillery (now a museum) and one cooperage (barrel maker).

http://www.maltwhiskytrail.com/

Scotch Whiskey Association

http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

Although the distance between the distilleries in the region is not that far, you have to realize that time is not on your side. A tour can last anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours, not including the tastings, nosings, and walking the grounds upon which the distilleries actually sit. And, if you stop to look around at their shops and actually buy some product, it can eat into your day quickly.

So, we have to make a decision, and we still have to get to another shortbread manufacturer before 4 P.M.

If we can not get a tour of Walkers in Aberlour, we have decided to visit The Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown for their three hour tour at 10:00 A.M.

That’s right, (you can sing along now) a Threeeee Hourrrr Tour. Fortunately, there is no boat involved, or a Skipper, or a Professor, Mary Ann …

What is involved is one of the longest, if not THE longest distillery tour in Scotland, and it’s not free at £25 ($40) per person.

There are only two tours per day, Monday – Thursday, and only one tour on Friday. You also need to pre-book as they only take a maximum of eight people at a time.

http://www.thebalvenie.com

Aberlour to Dufftown
Distance: 6.2 miles
Time: 11 min

Dufftown

http://www.dufftown.co.uk/index.php

We’ll leave Dufftown for the short trip over to the small town of Huntly on A920.

Although you might not have heard of them, the award winning Dean’s Shortbread is really good! Although their history is a shorter tale than others, in the 34 years they have been in business, they have gone from a fund-raising activity to a global brand.

We are going to visit their bakery that includes a viewing gallery, gift shop and a café/bistro at which we will be lunching. (And of course, filling a 20’ shipping container full of Dean’s products as they are very difficult to get in our area).

Dean’s of Huntly

http://www.deans.co.uk/

Dufftown to Huntly
Distance: 13.8 miles
Time: 27 min

Huntly

http://www.huntly.net/visitors

After our shopping excursion, we’ll take the A96 to Keith and then back on the A95 to Aviemore.

Huntly To Aviemore
Distance: 59.3 miles
Time: 1 hr 22 min

Next week: Exploring the Aviemore area

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