A Trip of a Lifetime – Edinburgh, Scotland
Ever have a trip you dreamed about? One you just knew you would take someday, when you had the time. I completed my Whiskey Sommelier Level 3 certification a week before my family’s 10-day trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, in late May. Every person in our group had bucket-list places to see and experience. It was no surprise that mine revolved around whiskey, given that Edinburgh is one of the top whiskey experiences in the world.
Planning this trip required mapping out how much whiskey I could realistically bring back home. My newly acquired 12-bottle Vingarde aluminum luggage was going to be put to the test. My handy trick of baby socks was ready to go, stuffed with 2-ounce Boston amber round bottles labeled with the bourbon I planned to share at my stops. Two bottles of Ironroot Distillery Harbinger bourbon were loaded, because if you are going to take bourbon to share, it should be from one of the best and, of course, from Texas! Google Maps was pinned with places to shop, distilleries and experiences to visit, along with a wide variety of pubs and restaurants to find delectable sips and bites, all planned out according to recommendations from whiskey colleagues I had been collecting over the year. I was beyond the moon excited and thought I was ready… so I thought!
Turns out that planning and excitement change as soon as you land and get more recommendations from locals in the area involved in the whiskey industry. I took all of their recommendations and did my absolute best to modify my arrangements around my family’s historic and golfing plans. My experience was only enhanced by these ever-evolving changes, as I had ten days to absorb as much as I could. Being part of the whiskey industry had a significant impact on my experiences, but that does not mean it lessened my family’s plans or any plans you may have to visit Edinburgh as well.
Every place I visited had me passing out my bourbon handshake bottles. Sharing exclusive bourbons they could not obtain there was such a gift! Being in the whiskey industry has its benefits, but sharing whiskey with others is the best feeling. Seeing their expressions of excitement for a bourbon beyond their Jack, Jim, Buffalo Trace, and possibly one or two other options was no different from seeing a unique bottle myself while I am out in our local shops or restaurants.
Leave plenty of space in your luggage for special treasures! Whiskey merchandise and bottles are a must. Many distilleries and shops offer small tasting sets and limited offerings that you will never see outside the distilleries. Spend time in the tasting rooms or take advantage of any free tastings you are offered before purchasing. Try the unknown. Lesser-known distilleries, experimental barrels, higher proofs, and offerings that add or remove peat keep things interesting and make you want to try more and more. Do not forget to visit the duty-free shops on your way home for travel-exclusive items! I am not talking about the great deals on things you can purchase at home. I mean those that you will not find anywhere else. They offer tasting opportunities as well. My carry-on luggage had two bottles secured that I could not find anywhere else!
Planning restaurants and pubs usually meant reviewing menus ahead of time to account for everyone’s dietary preferences. Scotland was great at listing food allergens on their menus and was also extremely specific about asking before serving anyone. Having your entire order ready at the beginning was necessary everywhere we went. Food would come out in stages, but they preferred to have everything put in at once for planning purposes. Reservations were also the best way to guarantee a place anywhere we went. Busy times and small spaces fill quickly, even outside the high-tourism times of the year. Study the whiskey menus. Many offered the same whiskey options we are used to seeing. Their cocktail menus were where their expertise shone! There were so many more delicious combinations in their cocktails than I would have ever dreamed of creating. One cocktail introduced me to the local flowering shrub, gorse (like horse), with its delicate coconut fragrance and taste. I tried a new cocktail with every meal and studied its ingredients as a whole new world was opening up.
Lastly, the whiskey experiences were the highlight. The Scotch Whisky Experience was first on my list. I took the Gold tour because it offered more tasting samples. The experience was great for someone learning about the distillation process and what makes whiskey special. I had my family tour the Port of Leith Distillery. An upcoming distillery that has not yet released its own offerings was an educational experience that explained the decisions behind the distillery and the history of the Port of Leith. My unexpected trip to Inverness led me to Glen Ord – The Singleton Distillery, one of three, and the one that caters to Asian flavor preferences. I wanted to see and do more, but time was limited, and family experiences were the priority.
I am already planning my next trip to explore the other regions of Scotland. I would love to return to the Port of Leith to see its growth and taste its whiskey, which has finally aged enough to be scotch. Public transportation made it easy to get to my destinations. All I need are cooler-weather clothes, space for new bottles, and my Vingarde luggage to take me to the farther regions. I might also need to consider more stretchy clothes… the food was absolutely delicious!
Renita Reavis’s Edinburgh adventure is part of an ongoing whiskey conversation in The Kendall Gentleman. To understand the agricultural craft behind scotch and bourbon, read about mashbills — the agricultural recipe for whiskey. For a deep dive into American whiskey history, explore bottle-in-bond, the first whiskey guaranteed to be safe to drink. And if travel inspires you, The Pecos River and the Starlight Canvas offers another Hill Country adventure worth taking.
