Day 1 - Saturday May 4. 2024
Packing luggage into the car in Pitlochry. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 5/5 2024).
Oslo - Edinburgh - Pitlochry
Then it was time for a trip again, this time a week-long journey to Scotland. I got up at 8:00 AM and got ready for departure. Most of the packing was done the day before, but a few items were added in the morning while I ate breakfast. Fully packed, I left an hour later to the nearest bus stop. I took the bus to Smedstua, where I would transfer to the airport bus. After a short wait, the airport bus arrived, and I made my way to Gardermoen. At Gardermoen, I met Kristen as we had arranged, checked in my suitcase, and then made it through security. After that, we went through passport control and out to the gate, where the rest of the group had already settled. Since they all came from the Fredrikstad area (including one from Sarpsborg) by airport bus, they had arrived well before us.
We waited for a while since the flight wasn't scheduled to depart until 12:00. When the flight was announced, we headed to the gate and boarded the plane. The flight was just under 2 hours, but with a 1-hour time difference, we landed at 12:50 in Edinburgh. After getting through passport control, where we encountered other familiar faces also headed to Scotland, and with our luggage safely in hand, we made our way to the car rental company, Europcar, to pick up the pre-booked car. There, we had to wait with a queue ticket in hand... Kristen had brought some of his own, so the first whisky of the trip was tasted there. After a long wait, it was finally our turn, only to be told that we were in the wrong place! We had to walk back a bit and take a shuttle bus to the location where we were supposed to pick up the car. The booking was made with Europcar, but apparently, we were supposed to collect the car from Green Mountains. The reason was that we had booked a larger car – a 7-seater. When we arrived at Green Mountains, our car had already been lent out since we were about 10 minutes late... As a result, we had to get a larger car, which also meant higher costs. Then there was a discussion about how long we needed the car, and after much back and forth, it was agreed to return it by Thursday at 18:00, which also incurred additional costs! But finally, we were able to set off around 15:20.
Dalwhinnie. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 5/5 2024).
We began driving north towards Pitlochry, which was our destination for the day. The journey went smoothly without any problems. We arrived in Pitlochry and navigated through narrow streets to the Scotland Spa Hotel. Parking was somewhat limited, so the driver had to find a spot a bit further away.
After checking in and finding our room—Kristen and I were sharing a room for the trip—we went back to the reception and had a beer. Then, we gathered and headed into the hotel dining room around 6 PM to order dinner. For my part, dinner consisted of sea bass as the main course and mango panna cotta for dessert. I then ended the evening with a whisky—a 12-year-old Highland Park, which tasted absolutely excellent! After that, it was time to call it a day. The Fredrikstad group had gotten up much earlier than Kristen and me, but we were all tired after such a day of travel.
Pitlochry is a town in Perthshire in central Scotland.
The town is known for its Victorian-style buildings and is a well-known tourist destination, with the royal Balmoral Castle not far away.
The area surrounding the town is hilly, and many people come here for hiking in the terrain.
Historically, the town only began to develop during the Victorian era, especially after a visit from Queen Victoria in 1842 and with the establishment of the railway station in 1863.
However, some of the areas known as Moulin and Port-na-Craig are mentioned much earlier.
Moulin Kirk is mentioned as early as 1180.
(Based on the English Wikipedia.)
Day 2 - Sunday May 5. 2024
The selection to the tasting at Dalwhinnie. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 5/5 2024).
Pitlochry - Tain
After an okay night in the double room, we got up around 8:00 AM. We got ready and mostly finished packing our luggage, then went down for breakfast at 9:00 AM. The others had come down earlier and were well into their breakfast. After breakfast, we checked out and loaded the luggage into the car. We had plenty of time, so we decided to take a short walk around the town.
Pitlochry isn’t a very large town, so we strolled around the center. The others eventually stopped, while I continued on to take some photos of the town. When I returned, I mentioned that there was a whisky shop nearby, and suddenly everyone wanted to go there. We went into the shop and looked around. There were some tastings for those who wanted, and some even did a bit of shopping. Eventually, I needed to use the restroom, so I went back to the hotel before the others. I took care of what I needed and went back out, and by then, the others had also returned. The first bottle - a Glen Scotia - had been opened and was being passed around for a little taste. A bit too early for me...
Around 11:00 AM, we set off towards Tain, which was our destination for the day. We drove north, and around noon, we arrived at Dalwhinnie, where we were scheduled for a tour. However, we had about an hour before the tour was set to begin. We settled down in the shop at the visitor center and waited. There was a bit of shopping for some glasses of whisky, or coffee/tea, with or without a light snack. And, of course, another full bottle for the road.
Eventually, it was time for our tour of the distillery. We took a good walk around and, as usual, ended up in a warehouse. Here, the guide filled a small bottle - 10 ml - directly from a cask for each of us. (We even managed to get one filled for our driver!) Afterward, we had a tasting of six of the distillery's whiskies in a tasting room within the same warehouse. We were served the 15 year old, Winter's Gold, Double Cask, 11 year old sherry cask, Anniversary, and finally a 30 year old. Each whisky was paired with a chocolate confection. All six whiskies were excellent, but the 30-year-old became my favorite.
Tomatin. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 6/5 2024).
Dalwhinnie is a distillery located in the Grampian mountain range near the village of Dalwhinnie.
The distillery is one of the highest-altitude distilleries in Scotland.
It was established in 1897 by Alexander Mackenzie, John Grant, and George Sellar under the name Strathspey, with production starting in 1898.
However, that same year, it was sold to John Somerville & Co and later to A.P. Blyth & Sons.
When the son took over, the distillery's name was changed to Dalwhinnie.
In 1905, the distillery was taken over by Cook and Bernheimer, at the time the largest distiller in the United States.
In 1919, it was sold to Macdonald Greenlees & Williams.
This company was acquired in 1926 by Distillers Company Limited, which later became United Distillers and subsequently Diageo.
In 1934, the distillery was destroyed by a fire and was then rebuilt and reopened in 1938.
A new renovation in 1986 led to the installation of so-called Worm Tubs as the cooling system.
In 1991, a visitor center was opened.
Another renovation in 1992 caused the distillery to be shut down for three years.
The distillery's water source is the Allt an t'Sluie Burn from the mountains of Lochan an Doire-uaine.
The distillery has six washbacks and one wash and one spirit still, with an annual capacity of 2.2 million liters.
The standard 15 year old Dalwhinnie was included in the original Classic Malt series from Diageo as the representative of Highland malt whisky, released in 1988.
(Based on Whiskywiki - wiki.nmwl.no, Scotch Whisky - scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia, and Wikipedia.)
Around 3:00 PM, we were ready to continue northward towards Tain. On the way, we encountered some heavy rain showers, the only ones we experienced on the entire trip. Inside the car, it was now also time for some tastings. We had brought along the glass from Dalwhinnie, so we could taste in a proper manner. The bottle from the morning was one that was passed around, along with a Flora and Fauna from Benromach. Two good whiskies, though not in the same class as the best from Dalwhinnie. Towards the end of the trip, we made a brief stop for the driver to take a smoke break, stretch our legs, and relieve ourselves. Around 5:00 PM, we arrived in Tain and the Royal Hotel Tain, where we would stay for the next three nights.
The selection to the tasting at Tomatin. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 6/5 2024).
We checked in and climbed the steep stairs to our rooms to drop off our luggage. Then we went back down and sat in the bar, which had a good selection of whiskies. (Although some of the bottles on the shelf were actually empty...) That day, we had dinner at the hotel, where I had roast pork with pineapple. The portion was quite large! After dinner, some of us went out to town for a beer and to see what was going on. But there wasn't much happening on a Sunday night! We ended up at the pub Star Inn Tain 2023, where we each had a beer. After finishing our beers, we simply returned to the hotel and went to our respective rooms.
Day 3 - Monday May 6. 2024
Tain
Tain is a town in the Highlands.
The town received its royal charter in 1066, making it Scotland's oldest royal burgh.
Little is known about the town's earliest history, but some of it relates to the local saint, Duthac (Duthus).
A chapel built in his honor was an important pilgrimage site in the late Middle Ages.
During the First War of Scottish Independence, Robert the Bruce sent his wife, Queen Elizabeth de Burgh, and his 10-year-old daughter, Marjorie (from Bruce's first marriage), along with his two sisters and Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Buchan, north to the Orkney Islands (which belonged to Norway at that time) to catch a ship to safety in Norway, where Isabella Bruce, the widow of King Eric II Magnusson, resided.
They never made it that far.
They were overtaken in Tain by the forces of William II, Earl of Ross, one of the Scottish supporters of King Edward I of England.
The women sought refuge in Duthac's chapel, but Ross violated the sanctuary and captured them.
He handed them over to the English, who punished them in the most brutal manner.
Tain got its own railway station in 1864.
Today, Tain is a small yet relatively prosperous village and a focal point for the surrounding area.
(Based on Wikipedia.)
Mallards in North Kessock. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 6/5 2024).
This day, we didn’t need to travel, so no packing was required. We got up around 7:30 AM and were ready for breakfast at about 8:00 AM, together with the rest of the group. After that, we were ready around 9:00 AM to head south again to Tomatin, which was the first distillery we planned to visit that day.
We arrived at Tomatin without any issues and got ready for a tour of the distillery at 10:30 AM. The tour went well, although it was a bit lengthy and took its time. However, when it was time to finish with a tasting of six of the distillery's whiskies, the guide suddenly seemed to be in a hurry—he was due for lunch... Still, we managed to taste a few of the whiskies: Legacy, 12 year old, Cask Strength (probably around 8-9 years old), 14 year old, 18 year old, and the peated variant Cu Bocan. My favorite of these was the Cask Strength variant. Compared to Dalwhinnie, I found this to be a step down, but that's just my personal preference.
Tomatin is a distillery located in the village of Tomatin, a little south of Inverness in the Highlands.
The distillery was established in 1897 as Tomatin Spey Distillery.
The company went bankrupt in 1906 but reopened with new owners in 1909.
Until 1958, the distillery had only two stills.
After that, they began increasing capacity by adding more stills, so that by the 1970s, they could produce 12.5 million liters per year.
Starting in the mid-1980s, the number of stills was gradually reduced, bringing the maximum capacity down to 5 million liters, although they don’t operate at full capacity.
The reduction was due to the company nearing bankruptcy again, but in 1986 it was taken over by the Takara Shuzo company along with Okura.
In 1998, Marubeni took over Okura's share.
In 2004, Tomatin launched its own 14 year old single malt.
And in 2013, a peated version was launched under the name Cù Bocan.
The distillery’s water source is Alt-na Frithe, also known as Free Burn.
The distillery has 12 washbacks and 6 wash and 6 spirit stills, with an annual capacity of 5 million liters.
(Based on Whiskywiki - wiki.nmwl.no, Scotch Whisky - scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia, and Wikipedia.)
Glen Ord. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 6/5 2024).
After finishing at Tomatin, we began driving north again, though not very far. We were headed to another distillery tour at Glen Ord, also known as Singleton. On the way, we stopped in North Kessock at a Harry Gow bakery along the road. Here, we bought a light lunch for the day. I bought a wrap, as they were out of several other options, along with something to drink. The weather was nice, so we ate outside with a view of the fjord and Inverness. The town of North Kessock itself was down by the fjord and quite a bit below us.
In the parking lot, there was also a pair of mallards, one of which was a partial albino. According to one of the guys, this is a quite rare variant. And they clearly had plenty to eat, as they weren’t particularly skittish around people.
After finishing our meal, we continued on to Glen Ord. We arrived in plenty of time and browsed the visitor center before it was our turn for the tour. I’ve been on a tour here a couple of times before, and I could clearly see that changes had been made since my last visit. We completed the tour and finished with the usual tasting, this time with three whiskies — Dufftown Singleton, Glendullan Singleton, and a cask bottling from Glen Ord. Without a doubt, Glen Ord was the best, but it was a bit disappointing that there was only one whisky from the distillery.
Glen Ord is a distillery located on the Black Isle peninsula near Inverness. The distillery was founded in 1838 by Thomas MacKenzie and then leased out to Ord Distillery, with Robert Johnstone and Donald MacLennan as the owners. However, the land and area were owned by Thomas MacKenzie. In 1847 Robert Johnstone who had become sole owner, went bankrupt, but despite this, production at the distillery continued. In 1855, new owners took over the distillery: Alexander MacLennan and Thomas McGregor. The former passed away in 1870, and his widow remarried Alexander MacKenzie, who had taken over the distillery by 1877. In 1880, they began selling some of the whisky under the name Glenoran. The distillery was sold in 1896 to James Watson & Son. Due to the First World War, the distillery was closed in 1917 but reopened in 1919. In 1923, the distillery was sold to Thomas Dewar & Sons, which merged with Distillers Company in 1925. During a restructuring of Distillers Company, the distillery was sold in 1930 to the subsidiary Scottish Malt Distillers. In 1939, production was halted again, but it reopened in 1946. In 1949, electricity was installed at the distillery. In 1985, the parent company merged with Guinness, and the distilleries were organized under the subsidiary United Distillers. A visitor center was opened in 1988. Then, in 1997, Guinness merged with Grand Metropolitan to form the new company Diageo, which is the current owner. In 2006, the product was launched under the name The Singleton of Glen Ord. In 2014, production capacity was expanded with eight new stills.
The selection to the tasting at Glen Ord. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 6/5 2024).
The distillery's water sources are Loch nam Bonnach and Loch nan Eun.
There are 8 washbacks at the distillery, along with 7 wash stills and 7 spirit stills, with an annual capacity of 11.5 million liters.
(Based on Whiskywiki - wiki.nmwl.no, Skotsk whisky - scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia, and Wikipedia.)
After Glen Ord, we drove back to Tain via the small roads on Black Isle. But eventually, we got onto the main road and could pick up the pace a bit. By 5:00 PM, we were back at the hotel. Kristen had bought a Ballindalloch in the shop in Pitlochry, and it was opened in the room so we could taste it. It was definitely the best whisky of the day! We got ready and then went down to the hotel bar. There, both beer and whisky were enjoyed, but for me, it was just a beer.
Around 7:00 PM, we headed down to the train station and to the restaurant Platform 1864. Here, we had dinner, and the food was reasonably good. After dinner, we all walked back to the hotel with a quick stop at Tesco for some of the guys. Some went to their rooms, while others of us wanted to go out on the town again. We searched for a place called Archways Public House, and we found the building, but where was the entrance? We turned around and started slowly heading back to the hotel when we met a person who told us how to find it. The entrance was through a back alley! We ordered a beer each and drank it. Even on a Monday night, there wasn’t much going on in this town. So we went back to the hotel and went to bed.
Day 4 - Tuesday May 7. 2024
Tain
Royal Hotel Tain. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 7/5 2024).
Another day with plans to visit two distilleries. We got up at 7:15 AM and got ready. Then we headed down for breakfast around 8:00 AM with the others. Since we might not have much time for lunch later, we went out to buy lunch before we left. I personally went to a different Harry Gow branch and bought myself a ciabatta with cheese and ham. After everyone had made their purchases, we were ready to set off for Clynelish, the first destination of the day, around 9:00 AM.
The journey north went smoothly, and we arrived at Clynelish at ten to ten. We walked up to the visitor center, only to find it closed - it wouldn't open until 10:00 AM. At 10:30, we gathered for the distillery tour. Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit the still house as there were scaffolding being taken down. Production had just restarted after a break for maintenance in the still house. As a result, the tour was quite quick, and we returned to the bar for a tasting of four whiskies: a 14 year old, a 12 year old sherry special bottling, a distillery exclusive bottling, and a 16 year old from the Four Corners series. As a fan of Clynelish, I naturally enjoyed these whiskies, with the 16-year-old being my favorite. After the tasting, we did some shopping in the store.
Clynelish is a distillery located near the town of Brora in the Sutherland area of northern Scotland.
Right next to it lies the twin distillery Brora, which is the original Clynelish.
Therefore, it’s natural to include the entire history of both Clynelish and Brora when telling the story of either one.
Clynelish was founded in 1819 by the Duke of Sutherland.
The distillery began producing whisky in 1820 under James Harper.
In 1827, Harper went bankrupt, and John Matheson took over the distillery.
In 1846, the distillery was sold to George Lawson & Sons.
James Ainslie & Heilbron purchased the distillery in 1896.
In 1912, Distillers Company took over the distillery with James Risk.
The distillery was closed in 1931, but some whisky was produced during World War II.
Production resumed in 1960.
In 1967, a new distillery was built on the same site next to the old one.
The two distilleries were called Clynelish A (Clynelish) and Clynelish B (Brora).
(I’ve also heard them referred to as Clynelish I and Clynelish II.)
After one year of simultaneous production, the old distillery was shut down.
But just one year later, the old distillery was reopened, now under the name Brora.
The reason was a shortage of peated whisky for blends since Caol Ila had been shut down for rebuilding, and Islay was also experiencing a drought.
In 1983, Brora was finally closed.
(In 2017, plans were made to reopen Brora.)
In 2018, plans were announced to give the Clynelish visitor center a significant upgrade, which was completed a few years later.
In 2021, a new series called Four Corners was launched by Diageo, featuring the four base whiskies in Johnnie Walker blends, with Clynelish representing one of the four, each symbolizing a different region.
(The other three are Glenkinchie, Cardhu, and Caol Ila.)
The distillery's water source is Clynemilton Byrne.
It has 10 washbacks, 3 wash stills, and 3 spirit stills, with an annual capacity of 4.8 million liters.
(Based on Whiskywiki - wiki.nmwl.no, Skotsk whisky - scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia, and Wikipedia.)
Clynelish. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 7/5 2024).
After wrapping up at Clynelish, we began our journey back. Since we planned to stop by Glenmorangie on the way, which is near Tain, we headed south and suddenly found ourselves with plenty of time. We decided to make a detour to Dornoch for lunch. In Dornoch, we found a restaurant at Dornoch Castle Hotel and entered through the bar, which had an impressive selection of whisky. In the restaurant, I ordered pizza, as did everyone else, along with a beer. The lunch I had bought earlier stayed untouched in my bag.
After lunch, we stopped by a whisky shop on our way back to the car, but this time, no purchases were made. We got into the car and continued our journey, arriving at Glenmorangie with plenty of time to spare. At 2 PM, we began our tour of the distillery, although indoor photography was not allowed. However, much of the tour took place outdoors, and there were several spots where we could peek inside and take photos from those angles. As usual, the tour concluded with a tasting, this time featuring just two whiskies - Tusail and Spios. However, before the tour began, we had the opportunity to taste a Sauternes finish in the visitor center. Out of the three, the Sauternes finish was my favorite, though none of them ranked among the best Glenmorangies I've tried.
Glenmorangie is a distillery located just north of Tain in the northern Highlands.
The site originally housed a brewery dating back to the 1730s, but it wasn't until 1843 that William Matheson converted it into a distillery, also changing the name from Morangie to Glenmorangie.
In 1887, the Glenmorangie Distillery was purchased by the Glenmorangie Distillery Company.
In 1918, the distillery was sold to Macdonald & Muir and Durham & Co.
Over the years, the distillery underwent several expansions, including the addition of two new stills in 1976.
In 1990 four more stills were added and the old still house was transformed into a visitor center.
In 2004, the Glenmorangie Company purchased the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and the Macdonald family sold the group to Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Further expansion occurred in 2009 with the installation of four additional stills.
In 2018, plans were announced to build two more stills in a separate still house, which by 2024 were realized.
These new stills are not used for regular production but are dedicated to experimental use.
Glenmorangie is renowned for its stills, which have exceptionally tall necks, contributing to the distinctive character of their whisky.
The distillery's water source is the Tarlogie Spring.
It has 16 washbacks, six wash stills, and six spirit stills with an annual capacity of 6 million liters, along with one wash and one spirit still for experimental purposes.
(Based on Whiskywiki - wiki.nmwl.no, Skotsk whisky - scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia, and Wikipedia.)
The selection to the tasting at Clynelish. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 7/5 2024).
After our visit to Glenmorangie, we took the short drive back to the hotel. Like most of the others, I went to my room to take a rest.
Around 6 PM, we gathered in the bar, where I enjoyed a beer. A little over an hour later, we headed down to Platform 1864 once again for dinner. This time, I ordered scampi, and like the previous evenings, the food was excellent. We had planned to check out a third pub, but unfortunately, it had just closed by the time we arrived. So, we headed back to the hotel and had a whisky in the bar before calling it a night and heading to bed.
Day 5 - Wednesday May 8. 2024
Tain - Stirling
Our days in Tain had come to an end, and it was time to head south once again. We woke up at 7:45, with Kristen, as usual, getting up a bit earlier and finishing in the bathroom by the time I got up. We packed our suitcases, more or less ready to go, and headed down for breakfast at 8:15. After breakfast, we went back to the room to finish packing and brought our luggage down the stairs. Once everything was ready, we checked out of the hotel, fully prepared for our departure.
Glenmorangie. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 7/5 2024).
Before we began our journey south, we took a brief detour north to visit Balblair Distillery. It was only a short drive, and we arrived just after 10. We had a tour scheduled for 10:30, and like at some other distilleries, photography wasn't allowed indoors. However, after asking nicely, I was granted permission to take some photos. After the tour, we returned to the shop for a small tasting, starting with the 12 year old and 15 year old expressions. As the tasting progressed, we were treated to a couple more samples - the 1987 and a BYO (bottle-your-own) option. All four whiskies were excellent, with the BYO being my favorite. Naturally, I couldn’t resist purchasing a bottle!
Balblair is a distillery located in Edderton, in the northern Highlands, not far from Glenmorangie and Tain.
The distillery was founded in 1790 by John Ross.
In 1824, his son Andrew Ross became a co-owner.
The Ross family owned the distillery until 1894 when it was sold to Alexander Cowan.
In 1895, the distillery was moved a few hundred meters to be closer to the new railway line.
The distillery was closed in 1911 and during World War II, the premises were used by the army, including some Norwegian units.
In 1948, the distillery was purchased by Robert James "Bertie" Cummings, and production resumed in 1949.
In 1970, the distillery was sold to Hiram Walker.
Hiram Walker and Allied Vintners merged in 1988 to form Allied Distillers.
In 1996, the distillery was sold to Inver House Distillers.
A visitor center was opened in 2011 (or possibly 2013) in the building previously used for malting.
Balblair used to sell whisky by vintage, but in 2019, they switched to age statements.
The distillery's water source is Allt Dearg Burn.
It has six washbacks, one wash still, and one spirit still, with an annual capacity of 1.6 million liters.
(Basert på Whiskywiki - wiki.nmwl.no, Skotsk whisky - scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia, og Wikipedia.)
We began our journey south from Balblair at 12:50, and when we reached Aviemore, we decided to stop for lunch. However, we found that there weren’t many dining options available at first. So, we stopped at a Co-op, where everyone picked up something light for lunch. I just bought a drink since I still had the ciabatta I had purchased the day before. It had dried out a bit, but it served as a makeshift lunch nonetheless. After everyone had finished their lunch, we continued our drive. It turned out that we had stopped too soon, as we discovered that Aviemore actually had plenty of dining options further along!
The selection to the tasting at Glenmorangie. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 7/5 2024).
We continued our journey south towards Stirling, making a stop along the way for the driver to have a smoke break and for those who needed a restroom break. It was also a good opportunity for everyone to stretch their legs. As we got closer to Stirling, we made another similar stop. Eventually, we arrived at the University of Stirling campus and reached our hotel for the night, the Stirling Court Hotel, a little before 6:00 PM.
We checked into the hotel and headed to our rooms, only to be surprised by the fact that there was just a single small double bed—what they call a Queen size! At the previous hotels, we had two separate beds, but not here. To make matters worse, the same situation occurred for the others as well. We tried to get our rooms changed, but it wasn't possible. The hotel provided us with an extra duvet since there was only one on the bed. I decided to take the larger duvet and the bedspread to set up a spot on the floor, while Kristen took the bed. The duvet was large enough to cover me both on top and underneath, with the bedspread acting as a makeshift mattress underneath.
After getting settled in our room, we headed down to the bar and had a beer. By around 7:30 PM, everyone had gathered there, and we had dinner in the bar. I opted for a chicken dish. After dinner, we stayed for another beer in the bar. Then, it was time to head back to the room and brace myself for a night on the floor! (It turned out I wasn’t the only one who ended up sleeping on the floor that night...)
Day 6 - Thursday May 9. 2024
Balblair. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 8/5 2024).
Stirling - Edinburgh
Stirling is a city in central Scotland, positioned at the border between the Lowlands and the Highlands.
It holds a significant place in Scottish history and even served as the capital of the Kingdom of Scotland at one point.
The city’s strategic importance comes from its elevated, easily defensible position, where a fortress was built, and its location near the River Forth, making it a natural hub.
Stirling was granted a royal burgh charter in 1130.
During the wars with the English, the Scots won a significant victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, led by Andrew Murray and William Wallace.
In 1314, Robert Bruce defeated the forces of Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn.
Near the fortress stands the Church of the Holy Rude, one of the city's most historically significant buildings.
The church was rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1405 and, apart from Westminster Abbey, is the only surviving church in the UK to have hosted a coronation.
In 1567, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned as James VI there.
Stirling was also the site of a battle during the English Civil War in 1648 and was a focal point during the Jacobite uprisings in the 18th century, although the fortress remained unconquered.
The city’s location by the River Forth made it an important port, contributing to its economic growth.
However, with the development of the railway, the port became obsolete and was closed in the mid-20th century.
Stirling was granted city status during Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee in 2002.
The University of Stirling was established in 1967 and, in addition to traditional academic disciplines, has a sports science division created in 2008.
(Based on Wikipedia.)
The selection to the tasting at Balblair with the guide Angus. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 8/5 2024).
After a "hard" night sleeping on the floor, where I surprisingly got more sleep than expected, I woke up at 8:00 AM. By that time, Kristen was already up, had showered, and gone down for breakfast. I took a shower, which felt especially refreshing after a night on the floor. Afterward, I joined the other guys for breakfast downstairs.
After breakfast, we returned to our room to pack up our suitcases. Once we had everything ready, we headed back downstairs with our luggage and checked out together with Kristen. We gathered with the group, and by 9:45 AM, we were on the road again. The next destination wasn't far, so after just about fifteen minutes, we arrived at Deanston Distillery. We had plenty of time, so we spent a while waiting before our scheduled tour. The 11:15 AM "tour" wasn't a traditional one; instead, it was just the concluding tasting session, held in Warehouse 4. The tasting was a bit different from usual since we sampled directly from three different casks: a 2012 Lepanto butt, a 13 year old Bourbon single 1st fill (though the barrel was labeled as 2nd fill), and a Sherry butt PX 1st?! fill from 1992. Back in the shop, we had the opportunity to taste a couple more samples - Chronicles and Tequila. For me, the bourbon cask was the standout, but trying three cask samples was certainly an exciting and unique experience!
Deanston is a distillery located along the River Teith near Stirling in Perthshire, Scotland.
The distillery was founded in 1966 by Brodie Hepburn, but its origins trace back to 1785 when the building was initially a cotton mill.
Whisky production began in 1969, and the first whisky produced was named Bannockburn.
In 1972, the distillery was acquired by Invergordon Distillers, and two years later, in 1974, the first whisky branded as Deanston was released.
The distillery was closed in 1982.
It wasn't until 1990 that Burn Stewart Distillers purchased Deanston, leading to the resumption of whisky production the following year.
In 1999, CL Financial acquired part of Burn Stewart, eventually taking full ownership three years later.
A visitor center was opened at the distillery in 2012.
Deanston's water source is the River Teith.
In the distillery there is eight washbacks, two wash stills, and two spirit stills, with an annual production capacity of 3 million liters.
(Based on Whiskywiki - wiki.nmwl.no, Skotsk whisky - scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia, and Wikipedia.)
After our visit to Deanston, we had originally planned to take a tour at Tullibardine Distillery.
However, we had to cancel this plan due to an unexpected change in our car rental arrangements.
The rental company contacted us with a message stating that the car needed to be returned by 5:00 PM - an hour earlier than initially agreed upon.
This sudden change meant that we wouldn't have enough time to complete the 3:00 PM tour at Tullibardine.
Having a rental company alter the terms after the car has already been rented and paid for is frustrating and unprofessional.
It's definitely a lesson learned, and it's clear that we'll be avoiding this company in the future.
Deanston. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 9/5 2024).
After the abrupt change in plans, we drove straight from Deanston to Edinburgh Airport to return the car. Despite the change in schedule, we arrived with plenty of time to spare and smoothly handed over the vehicle. From there, we took the shuttle bus with our luggage to the airport, where we walked the short distance to our hotel for the night, the Hampton by Hilton. Once at the hotel, we checked in and made our way up to our room, ready to settle in for our final night of the trip.
After relaxing in our rooms for a bit, five of us gathered in the hotel lobby and took the tram into Edinburgh around 3 PM. We got off at the Princes Street stop in the city center. Our first stop was Robertson 37, a pub where each of us enjoyed a pint. As hunger set in, we headed to All Bar One for dinner. Afterward, we walked up to Edinburgh Castle, hoping to explore it, but unfortunately, it was closed for the day. We began strolling along the Royal Mile but quickly stopped to visit The Scotch Whisky Experience. Although we browsed through their selection, none of us ended up making a purchase. Continuing down the Royal Mile, we searched for a spot to grab another drink, but most places were quite crowded. However, we eventually found a small table outside at Deacon Brodies Tavern, where we happily settled in for another round of beers.
After finishing our beers, we decided to call it a day. We walked back to the tram and took it back to the airport, followed by a short walk to the hotel. Outside the hotel, I noticed some rabbits and stopped to take a few pictures. Meanwhile, the others had decided to gather in the hotel bar. When I returned to the room, Kristen went down to the bar without letting me know about the gathering. I started packing my suitcase in preparation for the flight home the next day. Once I was done, I wondered where Kristen had gone, so I headed down to the bar and found everyone else there! I joined them for another beer, and we had a final chat about the trip. After everyone finished their drinks, we wrapped up the evening and headed back to our rooms to get some rest.
The selection to the tasting at Deanston. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 9/5 2024).
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, located in Midlothian, but it functions as its own administrative area along the shores of the Firth of Forth.
The city has held the title of Scotland's capital since 1437 and has been the seat of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, along with the government and the highest court.
The city is built on several hills, with evidence of ancient settlements dating back thousands of years.
Edinburgh received its charter as a burgh in the early 12th century.
Throughout history, control of the city and its surrounding area shifted between Scottish and English rule from the 600s until the union was established in 1707.
The city is also home to one of the world's oldest universities, founded in 1582.
In the 1600s, the city's growth was constrained by the city walls, leading to the construction of tall buildings, often exceeding 11 stories, which were early precursors to modern skyscrapers.
Edinburgh's police force, established in 1611, is believed to be the oldest legally instituted police force in the world.
The late 18th and early 19th centuries saw Edinburgh become an industrial hub, with traditional industries like printing, brewing, and distilling, as well as new industries like rubber processing and engineering.
The arrival of the railway in the 1840s further spurred this development.
Most of this industrial growth occurred in the New Town, while the Old Town fell into disrepair.
However, improvements to the Old Town in the 1860s led to the replacement of the old high-rise buildings with the Victorian structures that dominate the area today.
With the establishment of Scottish devolution, the Scottish Parliament and government were officially located in Edinburgh in 1999.
(Based on Wikipedia.)
Day 7 - Friday May 10. 2024
Edinburgh - Oslo
From Edinburgh. (Photo: Terje Pettersen-Dahl, 9/5 2024).
Finally, the day had arrived for our journey home. Our flight wasn't scheduled to depart until 11:10, but with the usual procedures of check-in and security checks at the airport, we needed to start early. We woke up at 7:15 and headed down for breakfast about fifteen minutes later. After breakfast, I returned to the room to get ready and finish packing my suitcase. Once everything was in order, we checked out of the hotel. The group gathered together, and we made our way as a group across to the airport, ready to begin the journey back home.
Once we arrived at the airport, we proceeded to check in for our flight. After that, we checked in our luggage and handed it off. We made our way through security, which went smoothly, and then headed towards our gate. On the way, we passed through the duty-free shops, and I couldn't resist a special offer, so I ended up with an extra bottle in my luggage. Once we reached the gate, all that was left was to wait until it was time to board the plane. After a short while, boarding began, and soon enough, with everyone on board, we were ready for takeoff.
The flight home went smoothly, and as usual I managed to get some sleep during the journey. We arrived at Gardermoen around 2 PM and disembarked, making our way through passport control. Afterward, we picked up our luggage. Since I had more than the allowed duty-free quota, I went through the red channel to declare my items and pay the necessary fees. As I was waiting, there was a young woman in front of me with a small dog. The dog seemed quite uneasy with the situation and ended up leaving a mess on the floor. The woman tried to clean it up but didn’t do a very thorough job. So, when it was my turn, I had to be careful not to step in the shit. I paid for my extra items and was advised to download the customs quota app for next time.
Once I had made it through customs as the last one in the group, Kristen had already headed off to catch the train, while I went to catch the airport bus. I spotted the Fredrikstad group waiting for their bus, but mine was about to depart soon. I managed to say my goodbyes and thanks for the trip before boarding my bus, which started moving shortly after. I was a bit surprised that the bus was already on the move since there were still five minutes left until the scheduled departure. However, after a short distance, the driver stopped to take care of some things, and I realized that this was the previous bus, which had been delayed. The stop was brief, and soon enough, I was on my way home again. As usual, I got off at Smedstua to transfer to the local bus that took me to Stovner. From there, it was just a short walk up the hill to my apartment.
Once home, the wonderful trip to Scotland had officially come to its end.