A quiet Saturday I dropped by on my lonesome to see my favourite distillery – just a half hour up the road. Pulling into the car park, just ahead of the tractor, was a wee bit surprised just how many cars were already there! A busy day for whisky it seemed. I really like coming here – we both do (Liz) – is it the staff? Is it the owner Andrew? Is it the whisky (lots of it)? Well, it’s all of the above, we get such a nice welcome here, so friendly plus it’s a very scenic place to visit. One of my main reasons was to check out the new distillery up the hill. I met Andrew, chatted for a while over certain bottles available in the shop, we needed a couple of his excellent drams, came away with Ballachin XPTMXCIH, a 2003 delight at 62.7%, a wee peaty/smoky number, also a bottle of his Edradour PTMXPE 14 year old single malt, 58.7%, fab choices from the distillery range, managed also to grab a bottle of his Clynelish 20 year old 1996, a 20 year old dram bottle number 314, cask 8787 for all you whisky geeks. A refill butt at 46% this won’t last long with us! After securing these wee beauties we headed up the hill to the new facility. It’s the first time I have made this walk and was amazed really at the size of the place. It continues all the way up the hill, white buildings, with the Edradour red and black paint on doors and windows. These new warehouses along with the existing can now hold 30,000 casks if needed, but as Andrew said, probably not, as casks are moved in and out daily. They have been producing their spirit here since January and 30 casks or so filled already. You need remember here, Edradour is not one of the big boys, is this a problem? NO, definitely no, it makes the whisky better in my opinion, as more care is taken, hands – on and loved – every drop, a real care is taken here, plus, I am told, it tastes exactly the same as the original dram, must be something to do with the new stills being exact replicas of the old ones, giving a total output of some 450,000 litres annually. The landscaping is still ongoing, a touch of paint here and there, but for all purposes they are up and running, grand stuff!
I enjoyed my private tour/chat with Andrew, there are plans afoot to release real aged stock in the near future, cannee wait. Wandering back to the shop we bumped into Allan, another friend who cannot stop smiling, have known him for years, leaving Andrew at the shop, we wandered up to the bar – as you do. Still driving sadly, Allan made me my usual cuppa tea. In between serving thirsty customers he and myself licked our lips at the whiskies inside the cabinet – all for sale by the way I found out, now if it is a grand dram you want, you can buy many at this bar, from £3 onwards and upwards. My attention however was held by these … 1970 Bowmore 40 yo @ £90 a nip (25ml), 1974 Bowmore 41 yo @ £90 a nip, 1966 Glen Grant 50 yo @ £165, and a Kinlaith 1969 40 yo @ £140 a nip. All of these bottles are not full, so some wondrous whisky lovers have partaken in these bottles, I was jealous I can tell you, it’s just as well Liz and myself are here shortly on our own, nae car for a tour and sit – in at the bar! Staying locally overnight, we may need help so if anyone happens to be around 21 April, let us know.
Luckily for me, I am back here very soon, in the company of Ingvar Ronde, we are taking a Scottish tour researching the 2019 book. We have quite a few tours coming also throughout the year. Why do we love going to Edradour? Because we can! Because we get a great reception and we do love their whiskies. OK, love affair over – for a while, until next time.
