The Gillies Club of Australia is thought to be the oldest single malt appreciation club in the world, having been established in February 1977. While I’m not a member myself, I was fortunate enough to be able to join them on their most recent tour of Scotland for 10 days at the start of September.
This would be my sixth visit to Scotland, but I’d never been on a tour like this before. Twelve people from all over Australia, visiting no less than 15 distilleries over 10 days, with plenty of other great stops along the way. The tour was put together by Andrew Derbidge of Whisky & Wisdom, current Laird of the Macquarie branch, in conjunction with Maclean & Bruce.
Andrew has over 30 years’ experience in the whisky industry, including a stint as Director and Cellarmaster of SMWS Australia, and is the current Chairman. He is also one of the few Australians to be inducted as a Keeper of the Quaich. Maclean & Bruce was founded in 2013 by Charles Maclean and Victoria Bruce. Charles Maclean MBE is obviously one of the most recognised people in whisky worldwide, while Victoria Bruce spent many years with Adelphi and was a key figure in establishing Ardnamurchan Distillery. With so much experience involved in organising this tour, I had no doubt we were in safe hands.
One thing worth saying up front: there’s no way a single article can do 10 days and 15 distilleries justice. What follows is the trip as I experienced it rather than a deep dive into each place – I’ll be giving some of them their own articles in the future. All the following images can be clicked to enlarge.
- Before the tour
- Day 1: SMWS Vaults
- Day 2: Aberfeldy and Glenfiddich
- Day 3: Orkney
- Day 4: Speyside
- Day 5: Dunkeld and Pitlochry
- Day 6: Off to Islay
- Day 7: Islay – western distilleries
- Day 8: Islay – southern distilleries
- Day 9: Campbeltown
- Day 10: Rosebank and goodbyes
Before the tour
I arrived in Edinburgh two days before the tour. What greeted me was the typical grey skies and rain synonymous with Scotland, but this would thankfully be a rare occurrence in the coming days. Although not part of the tour, I decided to kick things off early with a trip to Falkirk Distillery, one of the newer operations in the Lowlands. A family run affair, it was founded by George Stewart along with his daughter Fiona, with production starting in 2020. By chance I arrived early and was lucky enough to meet Fiona and have a good chat beforehand. You can read my review of their flagship release here.
To cap the day off, it just so happened that the September Outturn preview was on at the SMWS Vaults that night, which was thoroughly enjoyable. The standout dram of the night for me was 10.305, a 12-year-old from distillery 10 matured in a 2nd-fill ex-Bourbon hogshead.
Day 1: SMWS Vaults
The tour officially kicked off with a meet and greet down at the Malmaison, Leith. Once introductions and formalities were out of the way, it was back to the SMWS Vaults for lunch and a whisky tasting led by SMWS Tasting Panel Chairman and society legend Olaf Meier. This saw us enjoy a fantastic three courses paired with three SMWS drams, while Olaf talked us through each one and regaled us with stories of how he got into whisky. The pick of the three for mine was 7.285, a 19-year-old from distillery 7 which spent 16 years in ex-Bourbon before the remaining three years in a 1st-fill ex-PX barrique.
After lunch most of us gathered in the SMWS members’ rooms for extra drams. Among these was a great whisky from distillery 50 (50.124), a 7-year-old 1st-fill ex-Oloroso from its new era, when David Prior took ownership and appointed Nick Savage as Master Distiller and Head of Operations. After an enjoyable first day I spent the afternoon exploring Leith. Tomorrow, the distilleries begin.
Day 2: Aberfeldy and Glenfiddich
We were greeted outside the hotel by our driver, Davie, from GWM Executive Travel, who would be with us for the next 10 days. Our first stop was Aberfeldy – the home of Dewar’s. A distillery often overlooked by whisky enthusiasts, with most of the spirit going into the Dewar’s blend, but the tour was very good with some cracking drams to finish and one real highlight: a 24-year-old Aberfeldy finished in white Port casks. This dram was exceptional and gave me a newfound appreciation for Aberfeldy spirit.
Our next stop saw us visit the distillery responsible for the world’s biggest selling single malt Scotch whisky – Glenfiddich. Again, some whisky aficionados may scoff at visiting the workhorse distillery, but for those on the tour who had never been, it’s good to get some perspective on the scale of production here compared to other distilleries. There’s also a lot of history here, and many whisky obsessives have Glenfiddich 12 Year Old to thank for their introduction to single malts – myself included.
After a busy first day on the road, it was time to head to our accommodation for the next three nights – The Dowans Hotel in Aberlour. This is a fantastic family run hotel and a prime location for exploring Speyside. Everything here was amazing, from the food to the staff – and what a whisky collection!
The day wasn’t over yet, though. We were treated to another tasting with none other than Charles Maclean and Victoria Bruce. A bucket list item for me, meeting them both for the first time, especially Charles Maclean after reading and owning many of the books he has written over the years. Charles and Victoria held the room with stories from their time in whisky that you could sit and listen to for hours, but all good things must come to an end.
Day 3: Orkney
A very early start saw us boarding a flight from Aberdeen to Orkney for the day. We were greeted at the airport by mother and daughter duo Lorna and Carrie from See Orkney Tours. While it’s hard to explore Orkney in a day, they provided us with a fantastic few hours seeing the sights and I highly recommend them for anyone visiting. Scapa Flow, the Italian Chapel, St Magnus Cathedral and the Ring of Brodgar were among the sights we saw, along with a few others. Drams were shared among the group there, which Andrew mentioned is a tradition on these tours – this being the fifth he has put together.
Of course, no trip to Orkney is complete without a distillery visit. Unfortunately, being short on time, we only managed one – Highland Park, where we enjoyed a great tour led by former Managing Editor of Whisky Magazine Rupert Wheeler. After this it was back on the plane to Aberdeen for a relaxing evening of dinner and drinks at The Dowans Hotel.
Day 4: Speyside
Myself along with a lot of others on the tour were looking forward to this day the most. It kicked off with a quick visit to Speyside Cooperage, a very impressive operation indeed – no time to hang around though, as it was off to Ballindalloch Distillery. A new operation in Speyside in the grand scheme of things, even though they have been running since September 2014, although there is a history of distilling here stretching back to 1824. It’s housed in heritage listed buildings on the Ballindalloch estate, where we arrived to be greeted by Clare Macpherson-Grant and her husband Oliver Russell. Clare’s family have held the estate for generations, and the pair previously owned and ran it before handing the reins to their son Guy Macpherson-Grant and his wife Victoria, who are responsible for starting the distillery.
We were then treated to a fantastic tour, followed by one of the best tastings so far, including a sample from The Gillies Club’s own cask which they have maturing here. The spirit being produced is nothing short of sensational, with a wonderful creamy mouthfeel. While it was a hard decision, the pick of the tasting was their distillery exclusive single cask ex-Bourbon – stay tuned, I’ll be reviewing that soon.
Next it was off for lunch and a tour at GlenAllachie, brought back into the light by whisky icon Billy Walker. Like a few of the other distilleries, I had toured here before, but that didn’t make the experience any less enjoyable. I quite enjoy returning to distilleries as you always pick up something new each time. Once we were finished it was back to The Dowans Hotel for a quick freshen up and change, then on to one of the highlights of the tour – dinner at Glenfarclas.
We arrived at Glenfarclas to be welcomed by Ian McWilliam, a legend of the industry and someone who has done it all. Having worked at Glenfarclas for over 35 years, starting in the warehouse, he has done just about every job in the distillery before eventually becoming their marketing executive. We were treated to an in-depth after hours tour, but what happened next was unexpected.
While touring one of the many dunnage warehouses, in walked Master Distiller Callum Fraser and the owner himself, John Grant – what a treat! They would be joining us for dinner, but as if that wasn’t enough, John was kind enough to take us into their private bar for some pre-dinner drams. What followed was one of the highlights in all my years of whisky obsession. Standing before us was a family cask bottling from almost every single year dating back to 1952, followed by Callum asking everyone what they’d like to try.
I’m always taking down notes during tastings, it’s something I’ve always done and enjoyed, but in that moment it felt right to sit back and take it all in, which is exactly what I did. I sampled three drams – 1958, 1968 and my birth year, 1986 – and while they were all phenomenal there always has to be a winner. For me it was 1968, and no surprise that this was the vintage Callum himself recommended. This surreal experience was then followed by a fantastic three course meal and an evening of great conversation with John, his wife Ishbel, Callum, Ian and everyone on the tour.
Day 5: Dunkeld and Pitlochry
No distilleries today, but that doesn’t mean no whisky. Today would see us leave The Dowans Hotel for a night in Pitlochry, but not before a stop in Dunkeld to visit the Dunkeld Whisky Box. Will and Helen started this in 2019 after Will stepped away from the travel industry (he was Andrew’s tour partner and driver on previous tours). It’s a small shop, but Will tries to focus on stocking bottles you won’t find at your usual whisky shop. We were treated to a superb tasting here of three whiskies, including one only released days before from Aberargie. I was also able to try their first shop exclusive independent bottling from Thompson Bros – an 11-year-old from one of my favourite distilleries, Blair Athol. An amazing dram, and with only two bottles left one had to come home with me – it’s already open and being enjoyed.
After arriving in Pitlochry we had the afternoon to explore. Having been here on two previous occasions, I headed down to my favourite cafe in town, Cafe Calluna. This was followed by a browse in one of my favourite whisky stores in Scotland – Robertsons of Pitlochry. The evening saw us get kilted up before an evening of whiskies and organic home cooked food from Hamish & Liberty’s at Tombane Farm.
Day 6: Off to Islay
Halfway through the tour and today saw us begin making our way to Kennacraig to catch the ferry to Islay. We said goodbye to Pitlochry and headed towards our first stop, The Loch Fyne Oyster Bar. Here we were treated to a delicious seafood lunch including smoked haddock and salmon, mussels and of course oysters. With lunch over we took a short trip into Inveraray for some shopping and, in my case, a cheeky pint. We boarded the last ferry to Islay, landing in Port Askaig, with a quick look and some photos at Caol Ila on the way through to the hotel – no tour unfortunately, as we arrived too late.
Day 7: Islay – western distilleries
Today would see us visiting three distilleries on the western side of Islay – Bowmore, Kilchoman and Bruichladdich. First up, Bowmore. It was an early start, so early in fact that we arrived before the distillery was even open. The Gillies Club’s first ever bottling was from here back in 1981, and interestingly I learned they are responsible for coining the name of the Black Bowmore. A great tour, and along with some cracking drams at the end we were able to try a drop straight from the cask in the dunnage warehouse – a 10-year-old ex-Oloroso with plenty of umami and savoury notes.
Onwards to Kilchoman, the family run distillery founded in 2001 and built at Rockside Farm, with production starting in 2005. It became the first new distillery on Islay in 124 years. They grow a portion of their barley on site and still use traditional floor maltings for some of it. A working farm like this is a different experience entirely, and the tasting at the end was extra special, including their 20-year-old anniversary release. For me though, a surprising winner – their 14-year-old 1st-fill ex-Bourbon. At 50.9% ABV and peated to 20ppm, this was a great creamy, light and floral dram that allowed Kilchoman’s character to shine.
Time for the final stop of the day, and one I’d been looking forward to – Bruichladdich. I’m a big fan of this distillery and everything they do. I’m also a huge admirer of Jim McEwan and all he did to get Bruichladdich where it is today. I enjoyed how they conducted this tour too. Instead of a final sit down tasting at the end, our wonderful guide Eva had three bottles for us to sample along the way. I quite enjoy tours done this way; there’s nothing like taking it all in with a dram in hand. These included the unpeated Bruichladdich Old Skool, an 18-year-old Port Charlotte and the just released Octomore 17.2.
Day 8: Islay – southern distilleries
Today saw us visiting the big three on the southern side of the island – Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Unfortunately, due to an extended silent season and a lot of work being done around the distilleries, tours were unavailable at both Lagavulin and Laphroaig. This didn’t stop us being provided with some very good tastings. Lagavulin holds a special place in many whisky enthusiasts’ hearts, with the 16-year-old being responsible for many people’s introduction to Islay single malt.
Luckily this wasn’t the case at the iconic Ardbeg, where we again enjoyed a dram while you walk style tour. We were taken through both their old and new production areas in detail, finishing with a final dram in one of the dunnage warehouses – a cask filled in 2010 and matured entirely in an ex-PX Sherry butt. Pedro Ximénez can be tricky to mature in, especially for full maturation, but this was exceptional and quickly became one of the favourite drams of the tour. We rounded things off with a spot of lunch at the distillery, where I had the best venison pie I’ve ever eaten!
Sadly, come the end of the day it was time to say goodbye to Islay and catch the ferry back to Kennacraig. It’s not all bad though – Campbeltown and the distillery with the largest cult following awaits.
Day 9: Campbeltown
Once known as the whisky capital of Scotland, with over 30 distilleries at its peak, it fell on hard times towards the end of the Victorian era, with over 17 distilleries closing in the 1920s alone. Today there are only three – Glen Scotia, Glengyle and of course Springbank.
After arriving in Campbeltown late the night before, we gathered outside the Royal Hotel in the morning for the short walk down to Springbank. We would be touring both Springbank and Glengyle today, with the two being owned and operated on the same site.
We arrived to see fresh casks from Jerez being unloaded, and were then greeted by our very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide Carlos. Over the next couple of hours he took us through all areas of Springbank and Glengyle production, including a rare look into their bottling hall. You could tell he was passionate about working here and the love he had for the distilleries.
To top off the tour we were treated to a dunnage warehouse tasting of four drams, one of each whisky they produce – Hazelburn, Springbank, Longrow and Kilkerran:
- 2017 ex-Bourbon, 9-year-old Hazelburn at 54.9%
- 2019 ex-Calvados refill, 6-year-old Kilkerran at 60.9%
- 2011 ex-Oloroso, 15-year-old Springbank at 56.8%
- 2015 ex-Bourbon, 10-year-old Longrow at 51.4%
Each one was an unreal dram, made even more special by sampling them inside the Springbank dunnage. Contrary to what I mentioned previously, I couldn’t pick a standout. They were all so different, but the Springbank seemed to be the consensus in the group if you had to choose. For me though, the unique cask influence of the ex-Calvados on the Kilkerran was the memorable one.
After this it was lunch in town, followed by a quick visit to Glen Scotia for a look around the visitor centre. No time for a tour though, as we needed to be back on the coach to head to Glasgow for the night.
Day 10: Rosebank and goodbyes
The final day of our tour saw us visiting just one distillery, the re-established Rosebank. Once considered the “King of the Lowlands”, after 150 years of operation it closed in 1993, having been deemed too far gone to save. Famous whisky writer Michael Jackson described the closure as a grievous loss. This was further compounded in 2008 when it was discovered the original stills had been stolen for their copper. Rosebank’s revival came in 2017 when Ian Macleod Distillers bought the distillery and began bringing it back to life. Almost 30 years after closing, spirit once again flowed on 5 June 2023.
When we arrived we were once again – as we have been so often this trip – greeted by a veteran of the industry: Gordon Dundas, International Brand Ambassador for Ian Macleod Distillers. We enjoyed a great tour through the resurrected, state of the art distillery. It became immediately apparent how well the building had been set up for visitors, with the layout and attention to detail both impressive.
The tour was capped off by a tasting of some new make, some aged refill ex-Bourbon spirit and one of the last Rosebanks on the market from before it closed – a 31-year-old bottled in 2022. Gordon explained how they have rebuilt the stills using exact, slightly scaled up replicas to maintain Rosebank’s light and floral style, still using triple distillation and worm tub condensers. He mentioned that respected industry figures have already been through and remarked on how similar it is to the Rosebank of old.
The 31-year-old was sublime – fresh flowers, potpourri, green apples with a buttery mouthfeel and a slightly grassy finish. I could see the similarities between this and the new make spirit.
What a trip! I thoroughly enjoyed every part of it from start to finish – great people, great distilleries and of course great whisky. Andrew’s knowledge and connections in the industry meant we were able to meet people and experience tours you wouldn’t normally be afforded, and it was much appreciated. A huge thank you to Andrew and Maclean & Bruce for putting this together, and to Davie from GWM Executive Travel, who was an amazing and knowledgeable driver.
I learned a lot on this tour, and gained a newfound appreciation for some distilleries and whiskies I usually wouldn’t gravitate towards. After a long time in the planning it was sad to see it over, but I look forward to my next trip to Scotland.
Sláinte.