Speyside Cooperage & The Macallan

CAPTIONS:

• Speyside cooperage
• The Quaich Bar
• Arriving @ Macallan
• Easter Elchies House
  
  In typical ultimate luxury I got collected in The Macallan Range Rover today. Together with my fabulous host, Tom, we made out way through from the green hills of the Highlands to Speyside. We stopped off @ a Castle ( no trip to Scotland would be complete without one) and a cooperage. Now I was like a kid in a candy shop, I was @ the largest cooper in Speyside, seeing barrels being mended, re-charred and quality tested was mind blowing! The coopers spend 4 years learning to master the trade, and master it they do, its no easy job.
  Oh and on our way out, we saw whisky legend Richard Patterson! Amazing!Just before 'home' stopped off and had our first dram for the day @ Craigallachie Hotel; super tiny whisky bar where the walls are literally filled with whisky over 600!!!My Highland Park 18 went down very well!
  We arrived at The Macallan, settled in and I took a stroll in my Wellies + Macallan jacket to the gushing River Spey... Stunning, a few fly-fishers scattered down the river and the sound of a fast flowing river, looking up to fields of barley...scenic I tell you!
  Driving along the Speyside roads was like paging through a whisky encyclopedia, every sign post covered in boards to world famous distillers... Glenfarclas, Cardhu, Glenfiddich. Surreal.
  Tonight we dine @ Easter-Elchies house, currently sipping a Macallan 10 Sherry Oak, will fill you in on menu tomorrow morning before my distillery tour. Slainte!
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