.: MENU's UK Adventure 5. Banff and Speyside

John’s great-grandfather was born in Banff, so we drove there for a look, crossing the River Spey en route

by a steel suspension bridge

with trout (or salmon) fishers in the shallows

On the front at Banff. The rocks reminded us of Sea Point beach

We watched a lobster fisherman examining his pots

Old seafront cottages with more modern houses above on the hill

and watched gannets diving for fish. Very similar to those in Lamberts Bay back on the Cape West Coast

It's a small harbour

watching the not at all frenzied activity

This was the fisherman who had returned from examining his pots

and the pleasure craft

We checked out this pub, but decided that we could do better. It was lunch time and there was no one in it.

although we were amused by this sign in the window

Northern oystercatchers on the beach, another similarity to Sea Point

before making our way into town where we looked in the old cemetery for graves of Duncans

who might have been John’s ancestors

This one showed that many children did not survive long

and then popped in to the oldest pub for a pint; The Market Arms,

the oldest building to have been continuously occupied in the town – since 1585

The beer was good, we tried always to drink local beer.

a bitter from a 300 year old brewery

and the company very convivial

Then back to Rothes where we were greeted by the hotel’s dog

who had his head in a bucket to stop him licking his recently operated on “bits”

We decided to do a whisky tasting in the bar of our hotel

This was interesting, if a little like Fawlty Towers at times

especially when one wants to taste some of their 100+ whiskies and none of the staff,

or even the owner, knows where to find the one you ask for or even knows the price

Nor could they talk knowledgeably about whisky, it seems they don’t often drink it

Fortunately we met a whisky writer, Jim Coleman (of Whisky Boys www.whiskyboys.com) who introduced us to this excellent whisky, Glen Moray (pronounced Murray) 10 year old, matured in Chardonnay casks, a rich, full-flavoured delight at £6.50. Thankfully, a Scots dram is twice the size of an English tot. We shared the tots

We also tried this Glen Keith, at £4.50, and best suited as a mixer in cocktails, it was rather flat, neat or with a dribble of water

Enough said. The next morning we felt well enough to explore

The Glen Grant distillery and its gardens are just behind our hotel in Rothes,

so we made it our first stop of the day

introduced ourselves at the tasting room

and were shown to a table on the terrace

next to the distillery, which is owned by Campari,

by whisky ambassador Lynne Strathdee, who was so helpful and friendly

She brought us the Glen Grant 10 and 16 year old malts to taste

Lynne did the tasting while John looked on enviously. He was able to nose the glasses but not taste

The whiskies are gentle and complex, we found notes of honey and butter, toffee and spice and they are so seductive

Age definitely helps a single malt to show its true character

Lynne tastes them neat and then adds just a drop of water

The 16 year old is only available at the distillery. £65 per bottle

Note the "doggie bottle" of 16 year old gifted to the driver who enjoyed it later after dinner!

The Scots do not like you to drink and drive

After the tasting, we walked in the huge gardens, so well planted

alongside the burn

and through the forest

Green tunnels

and tinkling water

to the gardens

The biggest Gunnera manicata or giant rhubarb we've ever seen

a hint of autumn

This little hut is a shelter with a special attribute

not just the antler candelabra

but a whisky safe. Great if you know someone with a key. You do a tour with them and they unlock the safe

We stopped for a bite at the coffee shop

Two sandwiches, a coffee and a raspberry drink - £10.80. Best not to convert to Rand!

The discovery of the trip was the Fentimans Sparkling Raspberry

It is truly the best expression of raspberry in a glass, just like fresh raspberries and low in sugar

We wish we could get these in SA

Then on to the new, very modern Macallan distillery in Craigellachie

From a distance it looks like three barrows on the hill then as you get closer you spot the glint of windows below

It is an amazing building; we were in awe at the beautiful architecture, the views from it

and the way it embraces the surrounding country

However some of the locals do not like it at all; one even called it Tellytubby land

And, no, she has not visited it. Yet

The only people you see are visitors and guides. The distillery is completely computer controlled

Huge displays of Macallan whiskies through the ages

in glass cases

and some very special bottles, like this 6 litre Macallan “M” Lalique decanter

Seventeen craftsmen spent over 50 hours to create just one bottle of this whisky

and only two out of a stock of four were ever made available to the public,

which probably has something to do with the Macallan “M” being the most expensive whisky ever sold at auction,

netting £477,405 at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2014

Christened Constantine, the giant decanter, sold to an anonymous bidder,

is the only one of the four to feature the engraved autographs of the three principal creators:

Lalique’s Silvio Denz, Fabien Baron and Bob Dalgarno

Elegant modern architecture

Giant copper pot stills

surrounded by stainless steel mash tuns

Mark Rooney, the F&B manager guided us through a tasting

(driver John was only allowed to sniff)

We have to confess that The Macallan is one of Lynne’s favourite whiskies

The tasting she had was

"THE SIX PILLARS EXPERIENCE
Join one of our friendly and knowledgeable guides to learn about the foundation stones that underpin the character of The Macallan. After discovering how our unparalleled investment in the finest casks contributes to the natural colours, aromas and flavours that set The Macallan apart, you will experience a nosing and tasting of some carefully selected Macallan whiskies and our wonderfully rich new make spirit
Cost: £15.00 per person"

It was an exploration of how the whisky reacted to being matured in different wood casks. An 18 year old in a sherry oak cast from Jerez in Spain that once held Oloroso sherry, A 12 year old double matured in an American oak cask and in a European oak cask and another Triple matured in classic European and American sherry oak casks and in an ex-Bourbon American oak cask. They were very different and all had character and depth