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Highland Spirits
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BMW Rockster
Peter Starr
Summer 2004
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Photography by Chris Close
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Before bottling, spirits from the Macallan distillery spend as many as 25 years maturing in oak casks that first housed sherry in Jerez, Spain. (Click image to enlarge) |
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Far too
soon, my “uisge beatha” (water of life) sojourn was coming to a close. I left
early the next morning under a cloudy and threatening sky. “I’ve seen the best
of the weather,” I thought as I headed north through Glen Rinnes to Dufftown
along the B9009. The roads were almost deserted, except for a few agricultural
vehicles whose operators—either in admiration or in pity—paused to glance at
this lone cyclist motoring by so late in the season.
I cut west through
Craigellachie along the A941, waved a mental good-bye to the Craigellachie Hotel
and The Macallan Distillery, and headed toward Rothes and Elgin. Passing through
the small village of Fogwatt, I glanced about for Hogwarts, the wizard school,
certain that J.K. Rowling had to live close by. In fact, she spent several of
her “Harry Potter” millions on a Scottish castle, but not close to Fogwatt.
Edinburgh lay about 200 miles to the south, through the wilds of the
Caingorn Mountains and the Spittal of Glenshee. The country appeared gloriously
open and rugged, awaiting the first snows of winter and the ski season. I needed
to be in Edinburgh by dinnertime, so I kept the motor wound up to Blairgowrie
and Perth, then joined the M90 motorway to Edinburgh.
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(Click to enlarge) |
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My last evening found
me at the lovely Bonham Hotel, Drumsheugh Gardens, in the heart of Edinburgh,
dining with Chris Close, the photographer who chronicled my Highland days. We
nosed and sipped Macallan, Balmenach and Glenfarclas whiskies as I planned my
next motorcycle tour of Scotland...because the quest for the perfect single-malt
probably never ends.
--Getting there
From Los Angeles – Virgin Atlantic Airlines –
www.virgin-atlantic.com
800.862.8621
London to Edinburgh – Virgin Trains –
www.virgintrains.co.uk
--Where to stay
--Edinburgh
Sheraton Grand Hotel and
Spa
+44.131.229.9131
--Bonham Hotel
www.thebonham.com
--Speyside
Craigellachie
Hotel of Speyside
www.craigellachie.com
--Spey
Valley/Glen Livet
The Minmore House
www.minmorehousehotel.com
--Distilleries
The Macallan Distillers Ltd.
www.themacallan.com
Glenfarclas
Distillery
info@glenfarclas.co.uk
Balmenach
Distillery
www.visitscotland.com
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