Ah, brings back good memories.
Category: Whisky (Scotch)
The Speyside Way: Summary of a Long Walk
Before taking the first wee steps on the 100 mile-long walking trail known as the Speyside Way, we needed some breakfast. And where better to have said breakfast than at the Cairngorm Brewery? The tour and tasting offered liquid courage and calories for the long road ahead. The brewery tour guide was an affable old gent, a skilled storyteller…
The Speyside Way Day Nine: Here, Buckie!
The seaside community of Buckie was named after the founder’s dog, a Scottie. I jest. I haven’t the slightest why the town is named Buckie. The area actually used to be called Nether Buckie, which is an appropriate name for a foresaken place. This town architecture is not so bad, but the town…
The Speyside Way Day Eight: Penultimate
On the Eighth Day, god created mushrooms. I have compiled a photologue (http://singlesteppers.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-mushrooms-of-scotland.html) of nearly 30 mushrooms found along the Speyside Way. I would have loved to try some, get in touch with my inner druid. I will have to stick to whisky for now. Unfortunately Day 8 was practically a dry run. The only distilleries…
The Speyside Way Day Seven: Big Butts
“Never mind the whisky at the Glenfiddich,” said the owner of the B&B. “Just go make sure you use the ladies’ room. The one near the reception.” Sure! I quite appreciate a good loo. Don’t you? So I went into the Glenfiddich distillery for a wee wee (that must be a Scottish term–it’s what comes…
The Speyside Way Day Six: Duff!
While you were watching Miley Cyrus, I was getting drunk in Dufftown. And enjoying some fine Black Cock. Actually I lie. Black Cock sucked. And I was not drunk in Dufftown. I tasted 11 different whiskies, plus 2 beers, and did not get drunk. It’s true, I swear. So I saw new mushrooms today….
The Speyside Way Day Five: We are Walkers.
Aberlour, Scotland is a major waypoint on the Speyside Way long distance walk. It also happens to be home to Walkers shortbread. Here’s the short and long of Day Five. Expecting a tourist trap with piped-in bagpipe music and tartans tarting up the walls, I was pleasantly surprised to find Walkers bakery shop has a…
The Speyside Way Day Four: Keeping Spirits High
This is how to lift your spirits while walking 15 miles uphill and through a bog: So at the spur of the moment, we decided to walk a spur route to Tomintoul. It would add an extra 15 uphill miles to our total walking. But at the halfway point was the Glenlivet Distillery. Free…
"Muslims go to Mecca. Swedes go to Islay."
It’s a running joke at the distilleries about the large groups of Swedish men–unfortunately out of shape and gray ones, not boyish blondes–who come to Islay. Like us, they are on pilgrimage for peated malt, and indeed every distillery tour we were on had a Swedish contingency. There were smaller groups of Finns and French,…
Love and Barley 