Cairngorms Distilleries

The distillery at Dalwhinnie just south of Newtonmore in the Cairngorms National Park produces one of the world's finest malt whiskies. It's likely that cattle drovers founded an illegal still here in the 1700s to fortify them on the long journey south to the markets at Crieff and Falkirk. Today, the 'Gentle Spirit of the Glen' comes from one of the highest distilleries in the UK and is a full-bodied, wonderfully smooth and warming malt. They offer great tours and guides, for more info.

Speyside, home to 46 distilleries 'more than half the number in the country' Speyside malt whiskies are produced along the length of the river in the eastern Highlands. However, surprisingly few distilleries draw their water from the Spey itself. They prefer to take it from mountain springs instead. These whiskies are essentially sweet with little peat or smoke and tend to be rich, full-bodied and highly perfumed having matured in sherry-wood.

Drumguish, this distillery near Kincraig was established in 1895 but closed in 1911, and it wasn't until whisky enthusiast George Christie decided to build a new distillery in 1962 that it was revived. Work wasn't completed until 1987 however, and it took another three years before the first distillation using water from the River Tromie. The distillery now bottles Drumguish and Speyside 12-year-old. At present it is not open to public tours.

Royal Lochnagar, just north of Balmoral in Royal Deeside , the Scotch Whisky Trail meanders through the Cairngorms National Park  much like the river. A brief detour from the trail allows the visitor to take in the distillery at Lochnagar a short distance from Balmoral Castle.

Glenlivet, originally distilled illegally by whisky smugglers using the icy waters of the smooth-flowing River Livet in a wild and isolated glen in the hills of Cromdale, Glenlivet has survived as an unhurried, smooth single malt. George Smith recognised its potential and built a distillery ten miles north of Tomintoul close to Josie's Well, a natural cold spring bubbling from the dark, peaty earth. There are also may sites of illicit whisky stills.