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Festival Time on Speyside
For five days in May the normally sedate surroundings of Speyside had a distinctly festive air. The ninth annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival was underway, and this year the attractions were bigger and better than ever. As before, the Aberlour Distillery Whisky Dinner and the Aberlour Masterclass and Tour were among the highlights. And as well as the whisky and other activities, there was all that scenery to enjoy.
A Blessing Upon a’bunadh
The Reverend David Knight could hardly believe his luck when he heard that he was the winner of last summer’s a’bunadh competition. His prize was a trip to the Aberlour Distillery to help make the cask selection for the next batch of this hugely popular expression. For three hours David and his wife Nicola, who shares his taste for a’bunadh, nosed their way through 75 samples of cask-strength Aberlour single malt. Heavenly or what?
Aberlour Spirit at The Mash Tun
At The Mash Tun pub in Aberlour you can stay in the delightful Aberlour Suite, choose from a range of Aberlour malts in the bar and mingle with visitors to the Aberlour Distillery, which is just around the corner. The proprietors, Mark and Karen Braidwood, have enterprisingly turned The Mash Tun into one of Speyside’s most charming hostelries. More than that, they recently shared a unique Aberlour experience . . .
Chef Wins with Aberlour 16 Year Old
The first “Spirit of Speyside Chef of the Year” competition ended in triumph for Graham Harvey of The Craggan Mill restaurant at Grantown-on-Spey. His three-course menu, which had to blend one or more of Speyside’s celebrated malt whiskies with local produce, was unanimously voted the winner by the judges. A key ingredient of the main course was Aberlour 16 Year Old – an award-winner in its own right.
Speyside Walk of the Month
Visitors to Speyside who feel like stretching their legs may like to follow Alan Winchester’s walk of the month. With the winter snows finally receding there is spring in the air, and Alan has selected one of the region’s most picturesque locations – the River Findhorn – for his seasonal stroll. Of course if you’re not going to make it to Speyside, you’ll just have to read about it. A glass of Aberlour Single Malt will help.
Diary Note
If you haven’t yet visited the award-winning Aberlour Distillery, why not plan a trip soon. It’s all part of the Aberlour experience, and not to be missed.
Slainte mhath – Good health! |
