4 ms·
Busloads of tourists rolled into Talisker (Diageo) on the August day we visited. We sat in the Talisker 'experience' while waiting for our time slot. After an
by drsim 12y ago
Busloads of tourists rolled into Talisker (Diageo) on the August day we visited. We sat in the Talisker 'experience' while waiting for our time slot.
After an hour we were ready and got taken around by a suited guide with gilded lapel badge. She took us through the usual history, distillation process and then to the tasting: a nice range of their ages and brands.
A slick, well-packaged distillery.
A few days later we arrived on Mull and toured the Tobermory Distillery. Small and cute just like the town. The tweeded master distiller had so many stories, transporting us back through its varied history.
That history sure made the dram taste great.
Looking forward to making it onto Islay next time.
Slàinte!
- zedpm 12y agoIslay is amazing. If you make it there, consider staying at The Bowmore House[0]. Andrew and Alison are wonderful hosts, the breakfasts are marvelous, and the rooms are great too. [0] http://www.thebowmorehouse.co.uk/ http://www.thebowmorehouse.co.uk/
- arethuza 12y agoIf you go to Islay, it might be worth going to Jura that has it's own distillery, interesting scenery (if you like fantastically rough coastlines and raised beaches), the house where Orwell wrote 1984 and at the north end between Jura and Scarba the infamous Gulf of Corryvreckan with its whirlpool: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Corryvreckan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Corryvreckan
- tptacek 12y agoTobermory, of course, being owned by Distell, itself a pretty big spirits firm. :) The big difference I noticed between big and small distilleries was automation. A large-scale distillery still has a blinged-out spirit safe, but the LCD screen showing the stats on the stills is more important, because it's what's making all the decisions. The Benromach people were doing all that stuff by hand and eyeball. On the other hand: I'll probably drink 4 bottles of Balvenie for ever 1 bottle of Benromach I drink. I'll let you know when I manage to finish the first bottle of Benromach I bought. It's good stuff, but the big distilleries can produce stuff that's better.
- mnem 12y agoBetter is all very subjective :) Both Balvenie and Benromach are produced by Scottish companies, so I have a nationalistic soft spot for them :)
- mathattack 12y agoPeople like to turn their noses up at the mega-brands in Whisk(e)y, Wine and Beer, but the reality is they do help distribution. It used to be seeing any Glen or Guiness made a bar worth attending. Now we have (pay for) an abundance of choices.