Fresh from our night of Scotch drinking in Aberedeen, Patrick and I decided to get some fresh air with run along the shore. As previously noted, Aberdeen has a beautiful and extensive pier that runs along the ocean and we took full advantage of our close proximity to it on Tuesday morning.
After a quick three miles under our belts, and a breakfast of fresh eggs and toast, we hopped back into Jake the Juke and headed for the Highlands.
Once again, we had sunshine and clear skies to guide our way. The first stop was the famous Glenfiddich to see if we could sneak our way onto a tasting tour. Unfortunately they were fully booked, but we did pop into their cafe for a quick coffee and research on the other distilleries in the area. From there we ventured on to The Glenlivet where we were able to tour the distillery and participate in a tasting with our guide, Beatrice. Their facilities are beautiful and impressive given the amount of Scotch that is pumped out of those doors on an annual basis. We learned that they even have dry season during the summer where the staff take a few weeks off to regroup for the year ahead. We purchased a bottle for home and were off to the next tasting tour. We pulled up to Glenfarclas with only a bit of knowledge about the place from our Fodor’s book – but man are we SO glad we stopped!
Glenfarclas is a family owned distillery located in Speyside, between Edinburgh and Inverness. Out of nearly 400 distilleries in the country, a local bartender named Donald confirmed that roughly less than 20 of those 400 are still family owned, so this stop was special for sure. From the moment we walked through the beautiful oak doors, to the minute we sat down in a tartan themed tasting room, we could tell that every detail was closely cared for. We selected two scotches to taste – their 10yr and 15yr. Both were quite tasty, but I much preferred the 10yr because it was a bit sweeter, with hints of vanilla and wood. Our lovely waitress – who also shared the distilleries family history with us – also noted that the 15 and 30yr bottles cannot be found in the U.S. because of our bottling restrictions. We had to buy some, right? We did! And we’re happy to be, in a small way, contributors to the beautiful family owned shop nestled in the Highlands.
From there we hurried on to Inverness for our next stop at Culloden Battlefield. Culloden is home to the most important battle in Scotland’s history – because it is where Bonny Prince Charles and the Jacobite rebels lost to the English in what is said to be a matter of minutes. According to records, the English slaughtered more than 700 Jacobites on Culloden field and from then on out, the clans disbanded and never regained power. Culloden ultimately marked the start of Scotland’s fall to the British, and afterwards, no Scottish king or queen ever ruled again.
The field was massive and desolate. The wind and rain were whipping in our faces and a cool chill set in. You definitely got the feeling that bad things and horrible memories marked the land. Just as I was starting to get disappointed about the weather though, the skies opened and the sun began to shine through, creating the most majestic rainbow over the clan gravestones. We snapped some beautiful photographs and had a moment of silence as we read over the historical monument that pays tribute to the fallen. Even though it was just a field, the memories of Culloden will stick with me forever, much like any major gravesite or memorial does.
A short drive down the hill from the battlefield led us to the home where we were staying for the evening at Culloden House. Culloden House is one of the oldest homes in Inverness, and dates back to the early 1400s. It is a Georgian style mansion that boasts beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and has a great deal of historical menacing to the town as well. In fact, it is the same home that the Bonny Prince Charles stayed in during the battle of Culloden before he escaped with his Jacobite protectors.
When we pulled up to the front gate, we both looked at each other and smiled. It was insanely beautiful — we had to pinch ourselves. We were greeted at the front door by an adorable butler, at which point I immediately felt like I was in a real-life episode of Downton Abbey. The front doors swung open, we climbed the carpeted, plush staircase lined with photos and memorabilia from the early 14-1800s, and entered our suite. A fire was burning in the living room, and our windows were open to an expansive view of the grounds and gardens. Not. Real. Life!
It was such a welcomed change from Jake the Juke and the many miles driven since landing in Manchester a few days before. Patrick and I regrouped by the fire and readied ourselves for dinner at Dorris Inn on Lochness. We had confirmed the reservation that day and we’re pretty excited about their fresh seafood menu.
We drove the twisting, winding roads through Inverness and along the Loch until we found Dorris Inn. As the sun was beginning to set and the Loch was completely still, we hopped from our car to snap some photographs just in time. We admired the colors along the water and kept our eyes peeled for a sighting of Nessy the Lochness monster.
Dinner, as expected, was fantastic with loads of assorted breads, cheeses, haggis and nips, smoked salmon and greens. We were blown away by the flavors and we’re grateful to have chosen the loch as our dinner spot in the Highlands.
A night cap was in order when we returned to Culloden House simply because the bar and sitting rooms were insane! They were so beautifully decorated with Victorian styled bar carts, Scottish artwork, comfortable furniture, warm fires burning, and a chess board calling our name. We ordered some drams of scotch based on what we learned earlier in the day, and Patrick schooled me in a hard fought game of chess.
It was a day for the books, with another big day looming on the horizon. Stay tuned for our ventures through the Highlands and on to Isle of Skye (the West Coast).
Hugs from Scotchland,
Maggie and Pat #TwoforTakeoff
