This is a Highland region distillery. Glenmorangie is Scotland’s best selling single malt within Scotland. The tour guide was top notch and went the extra mile to drive me into town to catch my bus.
Tasting Notes: Glenmorangie 10 year old Amber colour, light fruity flavour, light finish. Overall a lovely dram that is welcome to join my drinks cabinet.
Benromach is still in the Speyside region of whisky making. It is the smallest working distillery on Speyside with a staff of two including the manager.
The tour was very well run.
Tasting Notes:
Benromach 10 year old: Pale amber, sweet and a bit smoky, nice flavour bites at the finish.
I would be happy to add this whisky to my drinks cabinet.
The malt is lightly peated for Glenfarclas whisky. There is a range of single cask bottlings under the Family Casks label. You can enjoy whisky for each year from 1952 to 1994. I did not have the opportunity to try all of these whiskies.
Tasting Notes:
Glenfarclas 10 year old. Light colour and mild flavour with a hard finish
Glenfarclas 25 year old. Amber colour, smooth and tasty, 2 drops of water improve the finish making it less harsh.
Glenfarlcas 30 year old. Darker amber colour, very smooth and tasty, bites at the finish. 2 rops of water improves the finish making it less harsh
All three whiskies are most welcome to be part of my drinks cabinet.
The Cardhu Distillery tour was well done. The distillery is owned by the company that makes Johnny Walker and Cardhu is an ingredient of this blend.
The tastings were also well done:
12 year old Cardhu – light, very nice. All in all a lovely whisky
Cardhu Special Cask Reserve – purrs down the throat
Cardhu 18 year old – darker colour and more flavour than the 12 year old
All three of these whiskies were very fine. I gave top marks to the Special Cask Reserve followed closely by the 18 year old. The 12 year old is quite acceptable, but it is in a different league. They are all welcome to come and stay in my drinks cabinet.
The Cragganmore distillery is located nine miles south of Aberlour.
It is part of the Diageo group which meant a free tour with my passport. The malt is unpeated and the casks are ex-Bourbon.
Tasting notes: Cragganmore Distiller’s Edition – 12 years old and a wee bit more.
Aged in Bourbon Casks and then in Port Wine Casks for a few months.
Light colour, delicate nose, sweet taste with a hint of smoke. I would be happy to add this whisky to my drinks cabinet.