Requesting advice from our Scottish members :-

[rayny]

This is the year that I intend to do my Scottish tour but I have two options.

Option 1) I have always wanted to visit Islay (Think Laphroaig), the choice is flying up from Southampton to Islay for 2 days. or driving up from Hastings and travelling over from Kennacraig on Calmac Ferries for a day on the island.

Option 2) Driving up from Hastings to Speyside and touring some of local distilleries, for this I would allow a 5/6 day holiday sometime during late June or early July.

Any advice (other than buy a V8 AMG) would be appreciated.

My favourite malts are Laphroaig and Aberlour. if this helps.

For what it is worth I did get up to Scotland about 20 yrs ago in an old Ford Escort but was stuck in Stirling for 3 days whilst it was being repaired. I did enjoy my time in Stirling but am looking to get further north this time.

[paulqv]

Hi

When yopu are on Skye or the islands then thereis less to do and less choice. They are quite small bu if you intend to do tastings then driving isnt going to be an option!
There are many more distilleries in speyside and a well established whisky trail, but again the same point! Who is going to do the driving if you intend to imbibe?
If th islay smoked malts are your thing then I would stick to where your palate is happiest and work out how you will get around and how long you can spend at each distillery. One looks much like the next after a while! They do give small samples but if your serioulsy looking to sample and buy some of the older ones then I owuld phone and see what they can do for you if they think you serious about buying older malts. They arent cheap as you know but have wonderful flavour!
If you can get to Gatwick and fly up and hire it wouild save you a about 400 miles, to Glasgow, about 470 to hastings and then abou 3 hours to Skye
Paul
xx

[KB_S1]

Islay is gorgeous. You can get great food, great drink and spend some time on great beaches.
There is a taxi that does a good deal for a full island distillery tour.
The tours are good value if you don't drive.

The drive to Kennacraig is good fun but it takes a fair bit of time.

Arran is a 'slightly' more accessible alternative.

[peterzoom]

This little place is an absolute gem www.glengoyne.com - Dumgoyne, Glasgow Area, Glasgow - 01360 550 229 and if you are stopping off in Glasgow the a trip to the whisky room at www.hotelduvin.com/hotels/glasgow/glasgow.aspx is not to be missed.
Wherever you go you are bound to enjoy the drive! Have fun.

[Scotty2209]

Personally i would go for option 2, my parents have had a static caravan at Aberlour ever since i was little so i know the area pretty well now! staying somewhere in the middle of Moray gives you access to a lot of distilleries, Aberlour in Aberlour (obviously!!) in dufftown there's glenfiddich, in and near rothes there is glen grant, glenrothes, and the macallan, in Elgin there is Glen Moray, and there is benromach, cardhu, cragganmore, dallas dhu glenfarclas and glenlivet all fairly close by, there's way too many to mention, the real question is how much time have you got to spare visiting everything!!!

But if you head to the islands this year you can plan to go to this next year Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival the festival runs every year and more than likely you'll meet my dad if you went to any of the tours, i think he's going to a good half dozen tours at least this year! just watch out for the tours that go to a few distilleries i remember one that started at about 10 in the morning and finished at about 4 in the afternoon, there were enough tastings to make even the hardest drinker a little tipsy!!

Edited by Scotty2209 on Sunday 3rd April 20:24

Edited by Scotty2209 on Sunday 3rd April 20:24

[VetteG]

If you do Islay, dont forget the other 7 distilleries!

G

[rayny]

Thanks folks,

Paul - I have now decided to drive up, I think the scenery will be worth staying sober for. Though I'm sure I will be sampling a drop or two of Gods golden water in the evenings

KB S1 - I have now been persuaded to go to Skye - Portree looks like a reasonable base for a couple of days on the island.

Peterzoom - Thanks for the links, but the hotel would be wasted on me as I am a man of simple tastes - aside from Whisky and Mercedes. With all due respect to Glasgow, I think I would prefer not to visit it.

Scotty2209 - Thanks for your input, I shall be too late for the Speyside festival, but will be spending a couple of nights in the area so will use the link for general information on the area (somebody reminded me about the Cardhu).

VetteG - It looks like Islay will have to wait another 20 years for my visit.

My plan is now to drive up from Hastings to Scotland, pick up the A82 and then the A87 over to Skye. After a couple of days on Skye, I shall take a drive over to Speyside for Cardhu and Aberlour for a couple of days. Then the drive home via Braemar for the scenery in the Cairngorms.

[JM]

Don't forget to go to Tallisker distillery when on Skye.

Good tour and well stocked shop. But check the local (Portree and Broadford) shops incase they have deals on. I got 'stung' paying full price at the distillery when the co-op in Broadford had it at reduced price.

Late June would be better for quieter roads etc, before the school holidays start in July.