Unforgettable summer journey through Scotland's Whisky Heritage 🏰 - Day 4: A Jam-Packed Saturday – GlenDronach, BenRiach, and Benromach
In 2014, a group of friends and I embarked on our first whisky adventure, and now, ten years later, we continue to explore the world of whisky with the same passion and curiosity. Despite a brief pause during the pandemic, our dedication to uncovering the beauty of distilleries and deepening our whisky knowledge remains strong. To celebrate our tenth journey, we returned to Scotland, the heart of whisky production. Scotland, along with Ireland, offers not only a rich history but also a relatively accessible destination for us Czechs. Over six days, we planned to visit 12 distilleries and had the unique opportunity to meet two of the most respected figures in the whisky industry—David Stewart and Alan Winchester.
GlenDronach Distillery
Saturday began with an early start as we headed towards GlenDronach Distillery. Thanks to our friends at Brown-Forman, we enjoyed a private tour before the visitor center even opened. Our guide led us through the history and future of the distillery, teasing some upcoming renovations and expansions set to take place by 2025. It’s always exciting to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at such developments!
The tasting at GlenDronach didn’t disappoint. We sampled several core expressions, including the GlenDronach Portwood and the latest release of Cask Strength Batch 12. We were also treated to hand-filled samples from casks aging in PX and Oloroso sherry butts, and while both were fantastic, the PX stood out as particularly rich and full-bodied. Although I opted to take home an Oloroso hand-fill, GlenDronach’s consistent quality made every drop a pleasure.
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BenRiach Distillery
From GlenDronach, we headed to BenRiach Distillery, where we embarked on another private tour, courtesy of Darren. Though the distillery was in its “silent season,” Darren still gave us an engaging walkthrough, sharing interesting tidbits about BenRiach’s unique production process. BenRiach produces three styles of whisky—classic, peated, and triple-distilled—which is rare among Speyside distilleries. Our tasting here included the Malting Season Second Edition, an 18-year-old distillery cask, and several other gems. It was a memorable experience, and it’s clear BenRiach’s reputation is well-earned.
Benromach Distillery
Our final stop of the day was Benromach Distillery, located just outside Forres. Like BenRiach, Benromach was also in silent season, but that didn’t take away from the tour’s charm. Benromach is known for its light peat profile, a throwback to the traditional Speyside style, and the tour offered great insights into how they’ve revived this once-closed distillery.
But it was the tasting at the end that stole the show. Benromach surprised us with two 40-year-old whiskies, which were absolute showstoppers. Rich, elegant, and packed with complex layers, these whiskies were a treat beyond words. To taste not just one but two 40-year-old drams was a rare privilege, and we savored every sip.
After a long day, we wrapped up our Saturday in Forres with a cozy dinner at Mosset Tavern, reflecting on the day’s extraordinary experiences.
Stay tuned for the final part of our journey, where we’ll dive into more distilleries and share even more unforgettable memories from our whisky-filled adventure!
SlĂ inte mhath!
Pavel, The Whisky Game
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