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Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre

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kimmsw
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

Marymoose Goes for a Barrel Ride!

  • July 10, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by marymoose99 from Workington, United Kingdom
Marymoose Goes for a Barrel Ride!

---Introduction---

After I'd booked our hotel for our weekend away in Edinburgh I looked on the Internet to see what tourist attractions we might visit on the Saturday. Edinburgh Castle was top of the list because everyone had said it's a must-visit. However it wasn't long before I came across the Scotch Whisky Experience (formally known as the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre) which is located pretty much right next to the castle. Since we generally tend to visit places that I want to visit, hubby was really happy to hear that I'd chosen an attraction with him in mind.

I visited the website - http://www.whisky-heritage.co.uk - and was eager to book us onto the tour. However, when I entered the date for our visit it came up that the tour was under reconstruction. It turns out they were doing a £3million refurbishment. Although disappointed that we couldn't book a tour, the whisky experience was still on our agenda for the day.


---Arrival---

On arrival at the Scotch Whisky Experience we were pleasantly surprised to find out that the tour refurbishment was complete after all - excellent stuff! I should note that at present you still can't book online, but I'm sure that very soon you will be able to. While it wasn't necessary for us, I would imagine that certainly during the summer period that booking onto the tour would be absolutely essential to avoid a long wait!

We noticed that there were two options - a silver tour and a gold tour, and I asked the lady on the desk what the difference was. The silver tour costs £11 per adult, and includes a whisky glass (you get given a flat packed gift box right at the start, and the glass later), and one taste of whisky, along with the tour. Children between 6 and 17 cost £5.95 (no whisky though), under 5s are free, Senior citizens, Disabled and Students cost £8.50.

The gold tour was a whopping £19, and included an additional 4 tastes of whisky, and also a year's membership to the Scotch Whisky Appreciation Society which has such perks as 10% off drinks in the bar, £2 off a 70cl bottle of whisky in the shop (which hubby took up) and a 2 for 1 offer for future tours.

Since we were on holiday, and since we'd got into the castle free we decided to splash out on the gold tour!



---Into the Barrel---

Having been on our feet and having walked a fair distance it was lovely to be seated in a barrel for the first part of the tour, a little ride round in a barrel. This part of the tour can be done in 15 different languages.

I really enjoyed this (not just because we were sitting down), it was interesting learning about making whisky, and the special effects were good (that'll be the £3million spent!). Basically a ghost of a Scottish man talked us through it - hubby and I are convinced he said 'Shite' at one point...I did try and take a few photos for reviewing purposes, but it didn't really work!



---Out of the Barrel---

Out of the barrel and we then walked up some stairs to a room with some displays....it was interesting to learn about how much whisky is lost "to the angels" - 40% over 25 years - which explains why it ends up costing so much.

Then we had a little wait in a small room. They could have done something here perhaps or had a display on the wall. We were waiting for the group ahead of us to finish in the next room.



---The Lecture Room---

We made our way into a room set out in a U-shape with comfy seats and a table in front with each person having a Glencairn glass in front of them which were our glasses to keep. These glasses are specially designed to make the most out of your whisky apparently, and they also sell them for £5 in the shop which is a bit excessive I think!

The room could have held 16 I think, there were 9 of us if I recall rightly. Also on the table were four bottles (between each pair) with coloured dots on the lids.

Our tour guide talked us through the different regions of Scottish Whisky production - there are 5, but the 4 we were taught about (as not much current production in the other) - Lowlands (obviously that includes Edinburgh), Hightlands, Islay and Speyside. There were pictures up on a screen, and the tour guide told us to smell the little bottles at the appropriate times to illustrate the different backgrounds to the whiskies.

Having told us about the single malts, the tour guide proceeded to tell us a bit about blended whiskies - I was interested to learn that the age given to a blended whisky is based upon the age of the youngest whisky in the blend. He used the analogies of a blended whisky being like a football team (with both youth and experience) and like an orchestra. We also learnt about the job of the chief blender - what a job, although mainly using the nose rather than tasting! Although hubby knows more about whisky than me, he did learn something at least.

Then we got to choose which of the four regions we would try a single malt from. I chose the Lowland (well, we were in Edinburgh), and hubby the Speyside. We weren't allowed to drink them yet though.



---The Bottle Room---

We were led into a room with the most amazing selection of whiskies, which were someone's collection. What a waste - all those unopened bottles!

The tour guide talked us through getting the most out of tasting whisky - from smelling it, to swirling it around the special glass to look at how it falls (I couldn't get to grips with this). Then came the tasting. As the man had said that some people like to hold the whisky in their mouths to get more flavour out of it, I made the mistake of trying that! I tried to stop myself, but I couldn't help but cough and splutter quite noisily! It could have been worse, I could have spat the whisky out - but it was still quite embarrassing!

Having drunk our whiskies we had a brief time to look at the bottles, but not enough time really. And that was the end of the tour...unless you have a gold ticket that is!


---I've got a Golden Ticket - The Bar---

Downstairs is a restaurant, but also the Whisky Bar. With our gold tickets we had the choice of either having four malt whiskies - one from each area, or 4 different types of whisky (10 ml servings - so just under half a shot each). Hubby had the first - Lowland (Glenkinchie 12yo), Highland (Old Pulteney 12yo), Speyside (Tamdhu), and Island (Laphroaig - which we usually have at home anyway). I had Blended (Langs Select 12yo), Blended Malt (Monkey Shoulder), Highland Malt (Fettercairn 12yo) and Grain Whisky (Cameron Brig). The whiskies were served on a wooden board with a glass of water too.

Although I'm not a big whisky drinker (but I'll drink anything me!), I enjoyed the experience and at least pretending to know what I was doing! Most importantly perhaps we learnt that the Scottish for "To your good health/Cheers" is "Slainte Mhath"!

For those who don't have a golden ticket, there is a huge menu of whiskies you can buy!


---Off to the shop---

The Scotch Whisky Experience has a fantastic whisky shop with over 300 malts on offer, along with various gifts and things. Hubby was happy to spend the best part of £40 on a 16year old Lagavulin which he then had to lug around for the rest of the day. I just bought a couple of postcards.


---Concluding Remarks---

We were in the Scotch Whisky Experience for just over an hour. Although it was an expensive hour it was very interesting and a worthwhile experience. Well worth a visit if you're a whisky fan, or if you're just a drunk like myself! To find out more check out the website - www.whisky-heritage.co.uk - but I hope I've given a good personal insight into the experience.

Slainte Mhath!!!

Edited slightly from a review written by me on ciao.co.uk

From journal Edinburgh Weekend - April 2009

Editor Pick

Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre

For 10GBP per person, we decided it was about time to go on a whisky tour. Located on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre is located in a convenient location. The tour includes a taste testing. The tour guide will show you the correct glass to use when drinking scotch and how to drink your scotch. There is a science to this as there is a science to drinking wine. You get to keep your glass after you have your Whiskey.

You then begin your tour where you learn more about the difference between Scottish and Irish whiskey. First they will tell you that Scottish whisky tastes better. Then they discuss that Scotch whisky needs to be distilled twice, whereas Irish whisky will be distilled 3 or more times. There are five regions in Scotland that make scotch, and they explain all of the differences of Whiskey within Scotland. There is a miniature reproduction of a real distillery. A "ghost" talks about whisky and you end with a barrel ride through the history of Scotch.

After the barrel ride, you are left at a bar-like area where you can sample whisky (at an additional price). When you are ready to leave, you can get souvenirs of your tour by stopping in the gift shop. Here you will find Scotland, Edinburgh and Whisky Tour branded items. Best of all, there are over 270 varieties of whiskies. They range in age, size, rarity. It is really difficult to choose just one. The staff will try to help you, or you can purchase a variety pack. Whatever you choose, it will be delicious.

You do not have to go on the tour to go to the shop, but the knowledge you get on the tour definitely helps.

For more information about the tour, visit them online.

From journal Honeymoon in Scotland

Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre

  • April 9, 2006
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Em2go from Flower Mound, Texas
I missed the tour, but the shop and information center were fun. I was able to find some nice gifts at a reasonable price. If you are a fan of Scotch Whisky, stop by.

From journal Picked Up by 12 50-Year-Old Women

Editor Pick

Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre

  • December 26, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Tavia from New York, New York
Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre

My mom and I stopped in here after a thorough tour of the castle, and boy, were we ready for something to warm us from the inside out! We went around 4pm and stayed for about an hour--it seemed to be the off-peak period, which was nice, since we got some extra attention from the bartender. She knew her scotch whiskeys, and was she eager to share her knowledge.

We managed to wheedle her into bending the rules for us and switching out the preselected whiskeys in the tasting flight to ones we requested. All told, the whole tasting experience was $30 (after exchange), plus I think we tipped her, which was well worth the warm, glowy, relaxed feeling we walked away with!

The four we tried were the Auchentoshan 10 year, Glengoyne 10 year, Glen Elgin (this was my favorite and wouldn't you know it, only available at their shoppe), and the Caol Ila 18 year. She helped us devise a "flight" of whiskeys that ranged from smokey to peat-y.

This whiskey bar was the perfect way to cap our first day in Edinburgh, especially for scotch whiskey novices like us (and less so now).

From journal Searching for Braveheart

Editor Pick

Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre

  • November 29, 2005
  • Rated 3 of 5 by elusivone from Carrollton, Texas
At the top of the Royal Mile, just outside Edinburgh Castle, lies the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. Though it's not an actual whisky mill, you do still get to sip a taste of whisky. For a couple pounds more you can do a tasting of four scotch whiskies; I found it well worth the extra expense.

As a student (must show valid ID), the tour with tasting was just 13.50 GBP (otherwise 15 GBP for regular; tour only is 9 GBP). Let me say this: the tour is "cheesy" - BUT, enjoyable. I did it after walking from Edinburgh Castle down the "Royal Mile" (which is a bit less than a mile) and then back up. So I was happy to sit and watch the somewhat silly movie about how scotch is made.

The girl who led us through was very good. After the initial film she led us to a room where we got to sniff the different states of scotch - little did you know! From there we were led to another room for another somewhat silly film about "nosing"; again, interesting still! And finally, the silliest of it all, we hopped on a slow moving "ride" through a maze of life-size diorama of each major parts of the history of scotch whisky; this was narrated through speakers in each of the "cars".

The tasting I paid for at the end was great. Now, I'm not a major connoisseur - which is why I did this. I always liked the smell of scotch and in general the taste albeit a slooow sipper. For your tasting you get to choose from two groupings: regional or specialty. I chose regional and enjoyed them each (all 4) thoroughly. With this purchase I was given a membership to the society and a 10% discount off any 70cl purchase in the shop - which I used.

So, yes, silly. But it was a great end to a long day of walking and I really did learn something. The help were fabulously helpful and friendly. I'd do it again.

From journal Fall Day in Edinburgh

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