21 Jan Tomatin Distillery, Inverness-shire, Highland
‘Wi’ isquebae, we’ll face the devil. Burn’s line is touchily ambiguous (strange how the expression evolved as Dutch and not Scotch courage). The name whisky derives from uisge-beatha, meaning in Gaelic the water of life. When it was first drunk is not clear, but there is a record of King James IV tipping at the turn of 15th and 16th centuries.
Even before then, though, the stuff was being distilled at Tomatin (pronounced like Tomato). One modern drink, but connoisseurs of malt pronounce Tomatin’s product today to be light and peaty. The present works came into operation in 1909, and today are thoroughly mechanized, yielding roughly one million gallons proof per annum.
Tomatin Distillery is a must see for any whisky fans, contact Ireland & Scotland Luxury Tours now to organise your visit on your tours of Scotland!