The day started bright and clear with beautiful reflections on Loch Ness seen from our B&B at High March – our host had spent some time living in Perth while working on the dark side (Matt 😊). . .
Colours of autumn foliage are just starting to show on the trees
The find of the day – Clava Cairns . . .
Or was this the ultimate tour to end all tours?
Hosted by Drew – almost three hours of whisky production and tasting and we didn’t come away empty handed!! 😁
First stop the cooperage – no they don’t make their own barrels – they are not allowed to use Scottish oak and all of their barrels are “second hand” barrels, so the cooperage is for repair before reuse – up to 3 fills per barrel. Nothing that Balvenie bottle is aged less than 12 years – first 12 years in bourbon casks and then finishing in Spanish sherry, French pineau. Each year the angels take 2% of the barrel contents.
The Balvenie has 950,000 filled barrels in 44 warehouses!
After which the sprouted grain has to be dried . .
Using heat from burning anthracite – smokeless, of course.
And on to the distillery . . . .
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