Whiskies come to life in Scotland

DUFFTOWN, Scotland – Nothing happens overnight in whisky. 

That is especially the case with a 60-year-old scotch whisky like The Balvenie Sixty, which was first laid to rest in cask in 1962 and woken from its slumber in time for a special anniversary celebrated in October 2022.

The distillery’s oldest and rarest whisky release yet, which commemorates malt master David Charles Stewart’s 60-year tenure with the company, will be available globally from the first quarter of 2023.

Off the back of the launch of The Balvenie Sixty, a trip to Dufftown in Speyside unveiled how many hands go into creating the perfect dram – from the coopers who repair, build and refill casks; to the staff manning and maintaining the multiple 50,000-cask warehouses; to the malt master, who signs off on the spirit, making sure it maintains its quality and consistency over time.

Positioned between Inverness and Aberdeen, the whisky-producing region in northern Scotland is best known for its fruit-forward style of whiskies and high concentration of distilleries. Flavours such as apple, pear, honey, vanilla and spice feature in expressions, many of which are typically matured in sherry casks.

Autumn is a perfect time to visit, with the vivid reds, yellows and oranges of the Scottish countryside providing the perfect backdrop for a distillery tour or two.

Distillery tours

The Balvenie Distillery

Where: Dufftown, Keith AB55 4BB
Info: £50 (S$80) a person. Bookings are essential via str.sg/wyvX

The Balvenie has the distinction of being the only distillery that still grows its own barley, uses floor maltings (the traditional way to turn barley into malt) and keeps both coppersmiths (who fashion and maintain copper pot stills) and coopers (who make wooden casks) on-site.

Only a handful of tours are done every day, with each lasting around 2½ hours and ending with a whisky tasting.

Here, the attentive staff have an encyclopaedic knowledge of scotch whisky and a plethora of stories.

Above the cacophony of clanging metal and whirring machinery, one of the most memorable parts of the tour was watching the coopers work like clockwork to shape and piece together wood staves like a puzzle, binding them with hoops to create casks that will one day hold the whisky.

With fewer than five distilleries in Scotland that have on-site cooperages, it takes four years to train as a cooper. The team of about 14 coopers and apprentices here produce about 1,000 casks a week.

From a walk through the historic and attractive distillery, it was also apparent how the landscape has proved a source of inspiration for whisky releases.

For instance, the red-hued Second Red Rose – a 21-year-old whisky finished in ex-Australian Shiraz barrels – was inspired by the history of the Balvenie Castle on the edge of the distillery grounds. Many centuries ago, a former tenant’s rent to King James II was paid with a single red rose.

Glenfiddich Distillery

Where: Dufftown, Banffshire AB55 4DH 
Info: £20 a person for a standard, 1½-hour distillery tour, and £60 a person for a more in-depth, 2½-hour tour that includes a warehouse visit. Book via str.sg/wyv2

Home to more than 50 distilleries in Scotland, Speyside has the greatest concentration of malt whisky producers across Scottish whisky-producing regions.

The Balvenie’s neighbour and sister company Glenfiddich, for instance, is one of the world’s largest and most prolific distilleries. At three times the size of The Balvenie, it has an output of 21 million litres, with capacity to grow further.

The distillery’s old stillroom, with its handsome line-up of copper pot stills, is one of the most photographed in the world, while a stone’s throw away is the new stillroom, its spiffy and shiny high-tech cousin.

Save time for The Glenfiddich Shop, where you can buy, fill and label your own bottle of a distillery-exclusive 15-year-old Glenfiddich.

Glen Grant Distillery and Garden

Where: The Glen Grant Distillery, Rothes, Aberlour, AB38 7BS
Info: £7.50 for a 40-minute distillery tour, tasting and access to the gardens. Book via str.sg/wyvL

More than the distillery tour, the real draw of Glen Grant Distillery is its almost 9ha manicured gardens, which house an apple and cherry orchard, lily ponds, mini waterfalls and bridges, and quaint streams straight out of a children’s picture book.

Roaming around the idyllic surroundings – with cinematic bursts of sunlight through the tall Douglas fir trees as you ascend and descend on the paths – will make you feel like a hobbit on an adventure.

The gardens are perfect for a break from the distillery hopping or if there are non-whisky drinkers in your group.

Make sure to wear sensible footwear, as parts of the trail can be steep and slippery.

Where to stay

Boath House

Where: Auldearn, Nairn IV12 5TE; go to str.sg/wyvb

Nestled in the Scottish Highlands in the town of Nairn, this Georgian mansion-turned-hotel sits on lush, serene grounds once owned by a baronet.

It also houses a restaurant which serves garden-to-table dishes whipped up with seasonal vegetables grown in the surrounding plots.

While you are on the retreat-like grounds, pay a visit to the friendly ponies.

At current rates, prices range from £250 for a classic room to £550 for a four-bedroom lodge.

Rothes Glen

Where: Rothes, Aberlour AB38 7AQ; go to str.sg/wyvu

Located in the heart of the whisky trail in Speyside, this whisky castle, which has 14 suites, offers one of the more traditional and luxurious hotel stays.

It is so exclusive that you have to book the whole castle, which can host up to 30 guests at a time.

From a grand dining room run by a private chef and round-the-clock staff, to the taxidermy animals and antiques that dot the stairways, lobbies and drawing rooms, it is Scottish luxury by way of a whisky-loving owner.

Wooden barrels are tucked away around the landscaped grounds, each hiding four glasses and a bottle of the house blend whisky for when you fancy a cheeky dram.

The tower is home to a Whisky Observatory, a circular room lined with rich wood panels to mimic the inside of a whisky washback (the vessels within which the whisky fermentation process takes place).

A narrow stairway up to the roof leads to another whisky-filled wooden barrel and an uninterrupted view of the sky. On a cloudless night, you get one of the clearest views of the constellations.

At current rates, two nights for the booking of 10 rooms is priced at £12,685 or £15,855 for 14 rooms.

* The writer’s trip was hosted by The Balvenie.

* In Quest Of is a series on the joy of niche exploration amid the resurgence of international travel.