Aberfeldy
UK & IRELAND diary : Day 10 - 20th April 2017
Aberfeldy is a striking town which lies to the north of Edinburgh last a distance of about 3 hours drive. We got to visit the Dewar's Whisky Distillery, in Aberfeldy as a part of the "Highlands and Whisky tour" with RABBIE'S TOURS, after visiting DUNKELD that day. Rabbie's is a highly professional company that ensured delivery of maximum value for the price we paid. Priding itself for perfection in creation of single malt whisky, this ancient DEWAR's distillery has been owned, upgraded and operated for generations by the "Dewar" family. We had the wonderful opportunity to discover the secret of making this world famous Scottish Scotch Whisky. A guided walking tour of the distillery was the highlight.
The Whisky making process was explained at length and the entire tour lasted for about an hour. It was fascinating to learn facts while simultaneously understanding the working of various machines utilised in the several processes. We moved from room to room as the tour progressed. The smell of strong, raw whisky surrounded us in one such room where we stood gaping at the "royal liquid" being churned out, in closed vessels called the "MASH TUN ". Their sizes were so big that just 4-6 such vessels occupied a large room. Each vessel had a separate opening, shaped like a small window. Mechanised, vertical churners ran into each of these vessels, at their centre point, doing their job silently, as we stood keenly listening. We were allowed to have a peek into the darkness of these vessels, while our noses were at play. One of the employees, fished out a bit of the "brown hydrous liquid" in a ladle and offered a "tasting ". What seemed redolence to most, was extremely strong and highly overpowering to my senses.
We moved from room to room, quite absorbed in the explanations provided by the guide. We found 4-5 gigantic structures shaped like huge horns in one such room. These structures are referred to as WHISKY POT STILLS. These glossy wonders caught our attention, as they stood occupying a large area. The process seemed easy but interesting. It transported us for a short while, back to our school days, where we were taught the "Distillation" process. To summarise the process - There is a boiler under each of these POT STILLS that sets the alcohol boiling. It collects the vapour in the top portion ( the neck) and sends it to a condenser . The boiling and cooling happens in a repetitive fashion till the "fine alcohol" is separated.
Lastly, we reached the Storage room. The sheer size of the area gave me goose bumps. Barrels & Barrels of Alcohol lay stored in large quantities, neatly labelled and stacked. The guide explained thoroughly the double ageing process and the system of storage. The one hour just flew past and the tour came to an end. We were guided back to the reception desk where we were offered some tasting of few varieties. Those interested were extremely thrilled, a few others ended up purchasing a few bottles to carry back home. Overall it was a fine experience and some rich learning.
We got back on track after the distillery visit. The bus zoomed around excellent roads, offering some eye catching sights. The greenery didn't seem to stop. There were flocks of off-white, fluffy, sheep on every green land. I couldn't wait to take a closer shot of these lovely looking animals. I Finally requested the bus to slow down a bit to get my perfect picture.
The next stop in the tour was at the Village of Kenmore. The bus stopped in the parking lot of Taymouth Castle. The Castle is where Queen Victoria spent the days of her honeymoon. We didn't have an opportunity to visit the castle. We were lead to an open place overlooking river Tay (pronounced tea). This Serene, medieval, victorian style village, dates back to the 16th Century. It lies on the banks, at the end of the long Lake Tay. It is a tourist's paradise with loads of walking trains around the mountainous region, plenty of water activities and relaxation. A few ducks welcomed us on the banks overlooking the lake. The tour provided a half hour stop in this area. The water was pretty cold and therefore we decided not to venture into it. There were no boats seen around.
The areas of Pitlochry, Aberfeldy, Kenmore, Dunkeld offer plenty of attractions and activities for tourists. We were happy to cover most of these areas with RABBIE's tours.
From Kenmore, we dashed off, yet again, to reach Fortingall village. Not to forget the exquisite landscapes all along the way. We reached the remote Church of Scotland inside the village. After a visit to the grave yard and taking a peek at the 'CAIRN OF THE DEAD' placed inside a huge farm like place, we were lead to reach the end of a street near this church. We saw the WORLD's OLDEST LIVING BEING - the 5000 years old YEW TREE OF FORTINGALL there. It was really delightful to see a tree that has lived so long. Though its trunk was weirdly shaped, all knotted up, the leaves were fresh green. The surrounding farm areas were a photographer's delight. We got back to our bus and headed back to Edinburgh. This was our last stop for the day. End of day 10 of our trip.