Single Malt Lover!

Our plan today was to arrived Edinburgh before 2:00 to meet the other Taiwanese to go clay pigeon shooting..  I forget if I mentioned earlier that my trip is partially sponsored by Caldbecks Taiwan, a join venture of William Grant & Son and Bacard.  I should meet other people in the industry to “enjoy” three days of luxury tour.  However, I got the call from Jamie, Glenfiddich brand manger of Taiwan, saying that they didn’t leave Taiwan as most of the guests are scared of the London bombing on July 7^th and she feel sorry about it but she has arrange the accommodation and the distillery tour for me.  As I don’t have the clay shooting in the afternoon, I changed my plan immediately and head north.

My first stop today was Tomatin.  Tomatin’s tour doesn’t get too much positive point on the reviews.  However, I personally think it still worth a short stop because of the friendly tour guild and visitor center workers.  The tour is free and starts in a well organized video film, the most interesting part in the video is it kept saying Tomatin sold quite well in Gorden &Maphfeil and in Royal Miles Whisky, as if they are afraid visitors take Tomatin as an un-famous single malt.  I was quite surprised to learn that Tomatin is the biggest Single Malt distillery in terms of production volumes.  Our tour does not go through the working process but we can at least see the stills in a distance, though not being able to take pictures.  After a short but detailed explanation, we move to a traditional dunnage warehouse, specially prepared for the visitors, where you can sit on several 1965 Tomatin casks  for pictures and then smell it.  Oh! It smell so good.  Our guide said they intend to let it matured for a couple of years more and see if they can stand until 50 years old.  I was also very surprised to learn that Tomatin mainly use Sherry Cask to mature.  I quite doubt it as it has such high production volume and it is not possible to get all those sherry casks.  Another surprised was the fact the Tomatin said it was lightly peated but I can hardly feel it.  The tour guide said they also have some heavily peated ones but in a very small portion.  Then the kids are happy as they bought the highland cow toys while we enjoy our wee dram of

Our main activity today is “A Day out with Thomas”.  Aviemore s a famous to be a  ski town as well as the home of the steam engine.  The railroad is operated by the Strathspey Railway from March to October by using Steam and Diesel Engine.  It starts from Aviemore to Boat of Garden to Broomhill.  As this year is the 60 anniversary of Thomas the Tank Engine, “A day go out the Thomas and his friend” are held all over UK.   The most exciting one is the one in Avimore as the original steam engine will be painted as the real Thomas.  My kids are the real fans of Thomas the Tank Engine.  My wife found the news earlier by chance as she was surfing on the internet trying to find a good hotel between Elgin and Edinburgh.  We were so excited that we book the tickets immediately. 

Though the first train leave Avimore was 10:30, as we have nothing to do, we left the hotel almost right after the breakfast.  It was quite a surprise when we entered the platform by 9:30 to take Diesel and Edwin to see the shads as well as lots different tank engines.  The REAL Thomas, (oops, sorry!  the FAKE maniacal Thomas!), arrived in the station by 10:20.  I have to admit that I am as excited as my kids when I saw the smiling face moving slowing to me.  The kids just can’t wait and get on board immediately.  As the train move towards Boat of Garden, Sir Steinfenson walk along the train and say hello to every one.  The journey only last for 20 minuets and we have to change to Daisy to Broomhill. Broomhill was at nowhere but was famous as the shooting station for a BBC film, Monarch of the Glen.  They also have Percy stay by the platform for photos.  The kids took the train back and forth until 3:00 and we head back to the hotel and jump to the swimming pool directly. 

Not too surprise that we wake up at 4:30, and has to wait until 7:30 for breakfast.  Lucky that we had some cereal for the children.  We start to rent a car today at Thrifty.  It is a VW Passat Estate.  Thrifty offers a very good price over the internet and we actually get an up-grade as we reserved a smaller Renalt Laguna Estate.  And it’s a very new car, has only runs for 1,500 milage.  Driving on left is not really a problem to me, as I have the same experience in Australia.  However, it is very important to have a partner help you with the map.  My wife is very good at it and she checked with the e-map even before we left home. 

Our first stop is the Aberfeldy, with is also the home for Dewar’s world of whisky.  We choose this place to be the first stop not only because it’s on the way up to the highland, but also most tour books, not only whisky ones, mentioned that it is quite a good place for family visit.  The tour start as a self guided tour in the Dewar’s World of Whisky.  It is more like an educational museum, contents lot’s of information about Dewar’s history as well as whisky knowledge.  It also contains quite a lot interactive computer games to play with.  My daughter had quite some fun but the little one feel quite boring inside.  I found most interesting to play on the computer to create your own blend.  As a peat freak, I can’t help but put lot’s of Islay Malt in my blends and not too surprise to get a comments saying that this blend is too smoky to drink.  There were also some other stuff like interactive quiz and some of the questions are very difficult. 

Arrived London in the early morning.  No chance to see the Duty Free Shops, but the shop near the domestic flight offers some good single malt like Lagavulin 12yo 2004 edition, Talisker 1991 Double Mature, Glenfiddich “Caoran Reserve”, BTW, BA offers Caoran Reserve at discount price on air.  Our flight to Edinburgh delays for 30 mins.  But should has nothing to do with the bomb in London one day earlier.  I didn’t hear anybody discuss it while waiting, though BBC is doing life in the same time as one day earlier at the bombing areas.  Our hotel in Edinburgh is Holiday Inn, just next to the Edinburgh Zoo.  Our plan is to visit the zoo in the afternoon.  

Edinburgh Zoo is quite famous as it’s well organized for family visit.  This zoo is quite different from the one I’ve visited, very ROYAL I’d say. My kids were quite excited to see the famous penguin parade.  But I was a little bit disappointed as I thought all the penguins will come out but only 8 were out for a 100 meter walk.