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Castles and Casks Recommendations, history, travel information, whisky, distilleries, and produce from around Scotland

Introducing Scotland's first whisky window - inspired by the famous wine windows of Florence, in Italy 🍷After my trip to...
01/04/2025

Introducing Scotland's first whisky window - inspired by the famous wine windows of Florence, in Italy 🍷

After my trip to Florence last summer, I decided it was about time we had a whisky window in Scotland, and I'm delighted to say that I won the last pick in the staff suggestion box and everyone's dr(e)ams are now a reality 🥃🪟

Already two happy customers this morning.

I'd say they deserve it for this morning's hard work cleaning the windows and cutting the hedges.

Happy International Whisky Day 🥃🎉Look what I got my hands on today to celebrate!Annandale's first unpeated 10 year old s...
27/03/2025

Happy International Whisky Day 🥃🎉

Look what I got my hands on today to celebrate!

Annandale's first unpeated 10 year old single cask whisky available to the public!

After working for the distillery since they only had non-age-statement 3-4 year old whiskies (young whisky worth falling in love with), I am absolutely delighted to be able to add a 10 year old Man O'Words to my collection.

It will sit pride of place right next to the first 10 year old release of Man O'Sword, which I was lucky enough to purchase in December ⚔️

Just need to sort the whisky shelf first 😊

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There's something worth getting excited about later today... And I was lucky enough to get a taste of what's to come 🥃🥃1...
27/03/2025

There's something worth getting excited about later today...

And I was lucky enough to get a taste of what's to come 🥃

🥃1️⃣0️⃣🥃

Keep your eyes peeled on the page today 👀

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Absolutely no filter required ☀️The early evening spring sunshine is something to behold in the production area 😍••• ...
25/03/2025

Absolutely no filter required ☀️

The early evening spring sunshine is something to behold in the production area 😍

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Happy St Patrick's Day ☘️Here's a pic of the most recent Irish tipple I tried, 2 weeks ago (since I don't currently have...
17/03/2025

Happy St Patrick's Day ☘️

Here's a pic of the most recent Irish tipple I tried, 2 weeks ago (since I don't currently have any Irish whisky at home)

Happy St David's Day 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Penderyn Small Batch Autumn 2022 This bottle was exclusively available in France, but was ki...
01/03/2025

Happy St David's Day 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Penderyn Small Batch Autumn 2022 

This bottle was exclusively available in France, but was kindly gifted when the Penderyn team visited our team for a distillery tour on their way through the area.

This bottling was released at Whisky Live Paris 2022 and was made up of three of Penderyn's most unusual casks: 
- an Amontillado Sherry;
- a Jamaican Rum; and
- a Carcavelos Portuguese Sweet Wine.

👃🏼Nose : dried fruits, banana chips, buttery caramel and vanilla custard, leading into subtle oak and dark berries.

👅Palate : Creamy and sweet on the palate with flavours of caramel and cinnamon, then dates and dried bananas leading to subtle woodiness and peppery spice.

🏁Finish : Dry oak and nuttiness 

Bottled at 50%, this whisky was limited to just 1000 bottles, and only available in France. 

Glad I was able to hunt out the tasting notes for this one ✍🏼

The whisky is, however, long gone 🥃🥲

Thanks again to the team at Penderyn Distillery and Visitor Centre

First distillery tour of 2025 🥃✅I was lucky enough to receive and invitation to tour behind the scenes of with for a l...
23/02/2025

First distillery tour of 2025 🥃✅

I was lucky enough to receive and invitation to tour behind the scenes of with for a look behind the scenes of this new distillery, which was founded in July of last year.

Taking a grain to glass approach, Lancaster Spirits Co's wash ('beer') is crafted in the adjacent established brewery and uses a traditional hand stirring mash.

Left to ferment over an unusually long period of around 120 hours, the fermentation involves using the brewery's 200-year-old live yeast, adding a great deal of depth and some really fruity esters.

Next door, we were met with the distillery's unusual part-copper, part-stainless steel wash still. Again, there was nothing automated in here, and the steam powered still gave this part of the distillery a wonderful aroma and atmosphere.  

They're using only fresh, first-fill casks, which speaks volumes. Some of their casks have already been purchased for private ownership, as the distillery is running an exciting new cask programme.

I've got to say, I was delighted with the natural colour of their spirit at such a young age!

This is definitely one to watch! 🥃

I would like to interrupt everyone's newsfeed to say thank you and farewell to my colleague Ben, who has moved on to his...
21/02/2025

I would like to interrupt everyone's newsfeed to say thank you and farewell to my colleague Ben, who has moved on to his next journey and said farewell to the team last week 🥲

Ben was the first person I met at when I started my career in the whisky industry after lockdown.

During a visit to the distillery shop after a coffee with my mum in the café, Ben greeted us and had a chat with me about the whisky and the tours. He was the one to pick up the phone and ask the boss to come and speak to me, which ultimately led to me being offered a job and being able to relocate back to where I grew up after a lockdown stuck on my own with no family and friends nearby.

It wasn't just a job I got offered that day, it was a pathway into my career and a real saving grace for me.

Ben is the reason I created this account in the first place. We met so many other people in the industry who we wanted to stay connected with online, and even some whisky (and Annandale) fans with their own whisky pages. Starting the account even got me a role change and kick-started a career in marketing, where I could build even more relationships with the whisky community online and be more creative.

There's so many things I have experienced and achieved in the last few years, and all it took was for Ben to take that chance and pick up the phone that day in 2020, after I'd had the worst year I could have imagined.

Thank you for taking the chance, teaching me everything I needed to know, encouraging me and pushing me to be my very best self (as well as getting on my very last nerve) 😅

Apologies for the long and soppy post. I just feel like it's important to shout about the people who have helped us along the way, and acknowledge how they have helped shape our lives.

If you want to keep up with Ben's next adventure, make sure you give him a follow on - and maybe stalk him at some whisky festivals or something 👀🥃

See you later Ben 👋🏼 Thanks for the memories 🥲

Slàinte Mhath 🥃

Happy International Scotch Day 🥃🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Here's one from a work trip up to almost 2 years ago. What a stunning day it was...
08/02/2025

Happy International Scotch Day 🥃🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Here's one from a work trip up to almost 2 years ago.

What a stunning day it was for a tasting with some of the most stunning views I've ever seen 🏞️

New year, new cask ends 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣🥃•••••
29/01/2025

New year, new cask ends 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣🥃

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Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie,O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!Thou need na start awa sae hasty,Wi’ bickering ...
25/01/2025

Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi’ bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee,
Wi’ murdering pattle!

Happy Burns Night 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥃

It's been a cold one since returning to work 🥶🥃
08/01/2025

It's been a cold one since returning to work 🥶🥃

📍Angel of the North, Gateshead, North East 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Another weekend hill climb event 🚲 another drive out. I've driven past...
23/10/2024

📍Angel of the North, Gateshead, North East 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Another weekend hill climb event 🚲 another drive out. I've driven past a few times but finally got the chance to get up close with the famed Angel of the North.

Made of 3,153 steel pieces, standing 20 metres tall, with a wingspan of 53 metres, this giant piece of public artwork was commissioned by Gateshead Council and completed in 1998.

I couldn't get over how close to the A1 it is, and it's so easy to get to. Maybe I should have visited sooner instead of driving past!

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The Northern Lights were a paid actor 🌌Last year, I received a bottle of Winter Edition 2023 and set it with my other ...
16/10/2024

The Northern Lights were a paid actor 🌌

Last year, I received a bottle of Winter Edition 2023 and set it with my other bottles, waiting for the perfect idea for a photo 📷

I'd say it was worth waiting for last week's natural light show, especially the way this label really pops with the northern lights as a backdrop 💫🌌✨🥃

📷 Credits to .fawcett (wee sis) for driving around with me and being my hand model 💅🏼🥃

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