Whisky Tours Scotland

29/12/2024

BEN NEVIS WHISKY; ONLY 100 BOTTLES, I HAVE ONE! To celebrate the 100th anniversary of a Model T driving up Ben Nevis, no less. Came with bottle, box and decanter. Mine is unopened. Any collector interested email [email protected]

21/12/2024

It's a cocktail time of year, so here's my effort. The McLean Cocktail

Take a dram. Take a wee tangerine, a wee tomato and a fiery onion, add a glass and you have the McLean cocktail. Method; arrange as so. To enjoy; remove tangerine, tomato and onion and drink the dram neat. Do what you wish with the tails.

Select any dram, any glass, doll it up so it looks daft, basically, take the p--s out of cocktail land and enjoy the whisky as you are supposed to. My own thoughts, not influenced by anyone else, I don't care really. Enjoy whisky - but don't drink too much. Happy Christmas

15/12/2024

A “crazy” decision to buy a ruined mill and turn it into a destination whisky distillery on the north coast is finally taking shape – 16 years after businessman Martin Murray dismissed the idea as “too complex and too expensive”. Martin, along with his wife and business partner Claire, hosted a topping out ceremony to mark the completion of the two traditional roofs on the 200-year-old mill at Castletown on Wednesday. Alice Calder, who was born in the house attached to the mill, speaks to members of the team in the 1818 wing. Picture: John DavidsonAlice Calder, who was born in the house attached to the mill, speaks to members of the team in the 1818 wing. Picture: John Davidson

The earliest part of the building, which dates from 1818, has fresh Caithness flagstone roof tiles, while a later 19th-century extension is now topped with Welsh slate tiles as it was when it was originally built. The derelict mill had been added to the Buildings at Risk Register in 1991. The grade B listed structure was originally built as a water-powered grain mill by James Traill, pioneer of the Caithness flagstone industry. It was used to produce flour to cater for the growing number of workers at his nearby pavement works.

In November 2020, Dunnet Bay Distillers purchased the mill. But Martin explained that he had been thinking about taking on the ruin, which sits just east of the village of Castletown, for some time.

“I checked an email today and it was 2008 I enquired to buy the mill,” he said. “I signed off an email saying it’s too complex and too expensive, and I don’t think it’ll ever work for us. Fast forward 16 years and we’re nearly there. Castletown Mill and the Stannergill Burn which once ran the watermill. The new whisky will be named after the burn. Picture: John DavidsonCastletown Mill and the Stannergill Burn which once ran the watermill. The new whisky will be named after the burn. Picture: John Davidson
“I think I always had it in my mind, bubbling away, and then trying to find ways to make it work – and then I just had to convince Claire, and that was probably the harder part!”

Claire explained that their gin business began as a way to allow the couple to work at home in Caithness together, but has since grown arms and legs. They only expected it to create two jobs – one for each of them. But she is delighted with the transformation of the historic property. “Right now it’s amazing, just seeing the building,” she said. “You can stand outside and it’s solid and strong again: you pass it and it’s got a roof on it, there’s windows, it feels like a solid structure.” “It’s a big change,” Martin added. “I had to do a presentation recently and compare the mill now to the way it was. When you look back at it, it was an absolutely crazy decision to do what we’ve done! But it’s the right thing to do and I was always so confident that we could do it and that this building could be revitalised.

“You can see it now that it is starting to take shape, but it wasn’t always easy to envisage that. Now, with the roof on and some of the floors in, you can start to see it. That’s a real shot in the arm for us because with all projects, but especially old buildings, there are really hard challenges that exist and we’re through a lot of them.”

One of those hurdles was funding for the £4 million project that is expected to create 12 new full-time jobs when the distillery opens next year.

05/12/2024

The Maclean Brothers
Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean are Charlie Maclean’s sons. Despite spelling their name differently to Paul, they’re family. They are rowing the full Pacific Ocean to raise £1m for charity in 2025.

In 2020, having never rowed seriously before, the boys rowed across the Atlantic to break three World Records. The voyage raised over £200,000 for charity.

The Atlantic opened their eyes to the power of physical challenges with a purpose, inspiring them to form The Maclean Foundation (SC051703) in 2023. This charity is about combining our family’s passions for whisky and adventure to do good. The Maclean Foundation – The Maclean Brothers - is more all encompassing of what we’re doing, i.e. The Maclean Brothers are doing the row to raise money for The Maclean Foundation.
The latest challenge is a world first; no team has rowed the full Pacific Ocean non-stop and completely unsupported. The mission is to raise £1m for clean water projects – Mclean Scotland is proudly supporting this effort. We will be contacting many friends and fellow Maclean's early next year to see how we can ALL help raise funds. https://whiskytours.scot/our-partners/

Can you help? Contact; [email protected] or www.facebook.com/themacleanbrothers

We are three brothers from Scotland who have a passion for adventure.

03/12/2024

THERE IS A SCAM DOING THE ROUNDS; GLENFIDDICH whisky. IF YOU GET AN EMAIL OR FACEBOOK HIT, SAYING YOU CAN GET GLENFIDDICH FOR £2 OR £6 IT'S A SCAM, DINNAE FALL FOR IT

28/11/2024

Maclean's on the loose, get a bottle before they go! I'm over the moon to be working with them on the Maclean Foundation, watch out Australia next year!

Working together on this project with our dad has been so special for us as a family.

Everything we know about whisky, we learned from the best. And with Dad being involved in selecting the cask for our Glen Scotia Whisky release, alongside their Master Distiller Iain McAlister, you know it’s special.

Here’s to you Dad 🥃

And thank you to Glen Scotia, to everyone who’s bought a bottle so far, and to everyone in the Scotch whisky industry who has supported us. You’re all helping to provide clean water to those who need it.

The last few bottles are still available through the link below.

https://rmwlink.co/MacleanFoundationGlenScotia

27/11/2024

some memories and drams ...

27/11/2024

recent drams on tour with Ingvar

25/11/2024

I am supposed to be retired! ha! I would be bored to death, I still run my business of whisky and general Scottish tours. Due to health problems I now cannee drive, which was a huge part of my life, now I appear as crew on group tours, where I annoy folks on the mike! This I still enjoy. Twice a year I go on tour with a great friend Ingvar Ronde, it used to be just us two, now that driving is out, Marcus drives us, in April '25 we are off again, this time Arran, Campbeltown and Islay. We do plan grand trips between us, recently we ended the tour in Edinburgh, dinner and drinks were good at the SMWS. It is such a great thing to sit in the back seats and blether to my pal, great craic, see you soon.

All tours are still designed, planned and booked by myself, I have drivers and coach guides who work for me, all are really good, know their stuff and can handle things on the road.

Lately I am working with the Maclean's, Charlie and the boys, it's charity work which I hope you all consider supporting, see posts on this page, keeping it in the family.

There are bookings in for 2025, so if you wish a fab whisky tour in Scotland (or Ireland for that matter, aye I work there also), drop me a line; [email protected]

22/11/2024

Notes of spice, sweetness and sea air 🌊

As we get closer to gifting season, we just wanted to ask that you consider buying a bottle of our Glen Scotia release for a whisky lover in your life.

Not only will they enjoy a balanced dram crafted by the noses of Dad and Glen Scotia’s Master Blender - you’ll be giving the gift of a lifetime supply of clean water to two people who currently don’t have access to it.

You can follow the link to buy via our bio.

📷 Shannon Tofts

19/11/2024

Diageo has unveiled its YunTuo 云拓 Single Malt Whisky Distillery in Eryuan County, Yunnan Province (15 November). The spirits giant will invest a total of US$120 million (RMB 800 million) into the site — Diageo’s first whisky production site in China — over nine years.

Debra Crew, Diageo CEO, said of YunTuo: “This stunning new distillery marks a significant milestone for Diageo in China and reflects our confidence in the future of Chinese whisky.” She said the company was “proud of the leading role we have played to grow whisky in China with our iconic brands”, which include Scotch whiskies such as Johnnie Walker, The Singleton, Mortlach, Talisker, and Lagavulin. Our ambition is to combine our global heritage and whisky making craftsmanship with deep local insights to create the highest quality China-origin single malt whisky that will fire the imagination of whisky enthusiasts worldwide and place China firmly on the global whisky map,” she said.

The distillery’s name reflects its location 2,100 metres above sea level. ‘Yún’ (云) means ‘clouds’ and is synonymous with ‘Yunnan’ and ‘Tuò’ (拓) means ‘exploration’. Diageo has designed the distillery, which will be carbon neutral, to access spring water that feeds the region’s Erhai highland lake. The site will also use local raw materials including Yunnan oak for cask maturation. Distillery head Jiao Changyi will lead operations, guided by Jim Beveridge OBE, Master Blender Craig Wallace, and Master Distiller Andrew Millsopp.

The distillery also features a visitor centre, which will contribute to the development of the local tourism economy, Diageo said in a press release. Crew called the distillery a “beacon of local whisky culture that will make YunTuo the pride of Chinese whisky and a jewel in our global whisky portfolio”.

19/11/2024

Mclean Scotland Whisky Tours. Our Partners. Here at mcleanscotland, we work with many people both in tourism and the whisky industry, here are a few friends. When making contact with our friends please tell them you saw then on MCLEANSCOTLAND. https://whiskytours.scot/our-partners

18/11/2024

HMRC has approved plans made by Piccadily Agro Industries, the maker of Indri single malt Indian whisky, to build a new distillery site in Scotland.

Indian spirits group to build distillery in Scotland. Delhi-based spirits producer Piccadily Industries has announced plans to expand its production into Scotland with a new distillery. The company produces Indri single malt Indian whisky and Camikara rum, made with 100% cane juice. Piccadily Industries now plans to invest a total of INR10 billion (£93m) in projects in both India and Scotland to meet “growing demand” for its two brands.

Its Scotland site will span 58 acres (23.5ha) in Portavadie on the Western coast of Scotland, according to Just Drinks. Piccadily has secured approval from HMRC, the publicly-listed company said in a stock exchange filing. Piccadily Industries called its Scottish expansion an “industry-first for any Indian alco-bev company”. The distillery, it added, “positions Piccadily as a prominent player among Indian distillers on the global stage, producing exceptional Scotch-style malts and reinforcing India’s growing influence in the premium whisky industry”.

The business currently has three distilleries, all based in India. Production of its Indri single malt takes place at Piccadily’s site in Haryana in the north of India. The company is planning to expand production at its Indri distillery and build a new plant further south in Chhattisgarh. Piccadily remains the largest independent manufacturer and seller of malt spirits in India. According to its website, the company is also in the process of expanding its warehousing and coopering operations, adding 12 new warehouses and 60,000 barrels in total. This will bring total capacity to 100,000 barrels. Its current production capacity is 12,000 litres of malt spirit daily and four million litres annually.

18/11/2024

I had an enjoyable dinner with drinks in Edinburgh with Ingvar, see you in April!

A couple of my favourite pix

18/11/2024

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24508460.atlantic-conquering-brothers-take-minch-ahead-pacific-row/?fbclid=IwY2xjawGnhk5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHYxLjmgrP39wtI8sqIG7_X72eKYPaefj-fNWbbrWR7DOkXBlPEN_18R_rA_aem_7uf00lg5li7s2EOrTyujgg

DONATE WHATEVER YOU CAN TO THIS CHARITY PLEASE. Paul

17/11/2024

I am home from my "pals tour".Visiting distilleries, just enjoying the craic with Ingvar is a joy I am lucky to enjoy twice a year, here are some images of the November trip, thanks Ingvar, see you next April.

08/11/2024

Whilst on tour next week, working hard, it is tough visiting distilleries, being pushed into trying drams, maybe a bite to eat, good company, it's a hard life. Of course my notebook goes with me, I make notes on ideas for the tours in 2025, as you can see, I'm only doing this torture for your benefit. See you tmw Ingvar.

10/08/2024

this could be my goodnight dram tonight, or this, or this. But before that a few beers and more drams with Alec in the Ship