The Belmond Royal Scotsman: Scotch Malt Whisky Trail
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Palace Tours 12000 Biscayne Blvd. #107 Miami FL 33181 USA 800-724-5120 / 786-408-0610 Call Us 1-800-724-5120 The Belmond Royal Scotsman: Scotch Malt Whisky Trail Tour the whisky distilleries of Scotland by luxury rail. Experience the comfort of Belmond Royal Scotsman as it whisks you through beautiful Scottish scenery, stopping for whisky tastings, castles, and authentic Scottish activities along the way. As you journey on the luxury Belmond Royal Scotsman train, you will find that each part of the journey allows you to delve into unique tastes of whiskies produced in the region and also dine on fine local cuisine. For this unique experience, the Belmond Royal Scotsman has partnered with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, experts in single-cask, single-malt whiskies. At the end of this particular tour you will come away with a richer and deeper understanding of the many whiskies produced in Scotland and visit some of its most famous distilleries. Itinerary Day 1 - Edinburgh to Keith - Speyside whisky region Meet your whisky ambassador in the Balmoral Hotel and enjoy a welcome dram before departure. Belmond Royal Scotsman departs Edinburgh Waverley Station and travels north across the Firth of Forth over the magnificent Forth Railway Bridge. Afternoon tea is served as you journey through the former Kingdom of Fife. The train continues east along the coast, passing through Carnoustie, Arbroath and Aberdeen before arriving in the market town of Keith in the heart of the Speyside whisky region. After an informal dinner, enjoy traditional Scottish entertainment by local musicians. Day 2 - Keith to Muir of Ord - Glen Ord Distillery Early morning you leave Keith and push towards Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. Lunch will then be served on board Belmond Royal Scotsman before you step off at Muir of Ord and enjoy a private visit of Glen Ord Distillery. As you tour this distillery you will understand how it has survived and thrived as one of the oldest in the country. Here you can also experience a tasting and nosing session of whisky that is drawn straight from a cask. Once this section of the tour ends, the Belmond Royal Scotsman will take you to Kyle of Lochalsh and you can enjoy some of the most spectacular scenery in Britain. On this route you will pass the ancient Loch Luichart and the Torridon Mountains which, according to geologists, formed before life on earth began. Impressive scenery will greet you along the way as the train travels along the rim of Loch Carron and passes through Attadale and Stromeferry until it reaches the beautiful fishing village of Plockton. At the end of this day you will find a formal dinner awaiting you in the dining car and you can then spend time tasting coffee and liqueurs that are served in the Observation Car. Day 3 - Muir of Ord to Carrbridge - Glenlivet Distillery This morning head toward Carrbridge. On board the train indulge in a whisky tasting session guided by the whisky ambassador and participate in a tasting of specialist single cask. Then you can enjoy lunch as the train passes through Carrbridge and takes you to Glenlivet Distillery, which produces an iconic malt whisky associated with the Speyside region. After this tour you will head back to the train at Boat of Garten station which is located on the private Strathspey Railway. Following an informal dinner, a Scottish highlander will regale you with the tales from The Belmond Royal Scotsman: Scotch Malt Whisky Trail(© www.palacetours.com) 1/10 Scotland’s past and even give you some insight into its colorful heroes. Day 4 - Carrbridge to Dundee - Rothiemurchus Estate & Tullibardine Distillery Travelling by coach you will head to Rothiemurchus Estate which is located deep in the Cairngorms National Park. In this area you can indulge in a number of activities associated with the countryside, including clay pigeon-shooting, fishing, and an estate tour. Returning you will head to Kingussie and rejoin the train where lunch will be served as you pass through Blair Atholl and Pitlochry to Dunkeld. The latter half of the day you will visit Tullibardine Distillery located in Blackford village. Here you get a private VIP tour of the distillery and a session featuring nosing straight from the cask. Following this, visit a bonded warehouse where you will be guided through a tasting session featuring three Tullibardine Highland single malts. You will return to Belmond Royal Scotsman in Perth where you will be able to enjoy a formal dinner as the train heads to Dundee. As you listen to the beat of the music during the after-dinner entertainment, you may be enticed to participate in Scottish country dancing right on the station platform. Your unique and classic trip comes to a lively conclusion this final night. Day 5 - Dundee to Edinburgh - Farewell Breakfast After breakfast, the train will head over Tay Bridge which will take you through the former Kingdom of Fife. Step off the train at Waverley Station in Edinburgh at which point your whisky ambassador will accompany you to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s headquarters. Here you will end your journey of Scottish culture and whisky immersion. Destination Information Boat of Garten Boat of Garten is a small village ideally located on the banks of the River Spey, right on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park. The village directly owes its existence, and name, to the railway. Cairngorms National Park incorporates the largest mountainscape in the United Kingdom, as important as a quarter of Scotland's native woodland. The River Spey is renowned for being a top fishing spot. Carrbridge Carrbridge is a village in Badenoch and Strathspey, Highland, Scotland. It is about 10 km north of Aviemore, and is part of the Cairngorms National Park. The village was an early centre for skiing in Scotland, and the A9 road passes close by, though before the 1980s bypass was constructed it ran straight through the village. Carrbridge itself is served by Carrbridge railway station on the Highland Main Line. Carrbridge's most famous landmark is the old bridge, built in 1707, from which the village is named. This was severely damaged in the "muckle spate" of 1829 which left it in the condition we see today. Sadly it is now unstable and is recommended only to be viewed from afar. Dundee Once heavily industrialized, Dundee is now developing exciting commercial, cultural, artistic, and scientific dimensions to take it forward into the 21st century. The city centre is a shoppers' paradise with the Murraygate, Wellgate and the magnificent glass- fronted Overgate shopping centers housing major department stores and retailers to suit all interests. Look out for City Quay, on the Dundee waterfront, where factory outlets aim to guarantee designer labels at low prices. The city's burgeoning cultural quarter is home to highly regarded Dundee Rep Theatre and Dundee Contemporary Arts centre while elsewhere visitors can enjoy an impressive range of galleries and museums covering a wealth of subjects. Even before its Victorian heyday, Dundee was an important centre and the city proudly remembers its long sea-faring and industrial heritage with the textile heritage centre at Verdant Works, Europe's Top Industrial Museum in 1999 while just across the city centre, on the bank of the River Tay, Captain Scott's famous Antarctic expedition ship RRS 'Discover' is berthed at the award-winning Discovery Point Visitor Centre. The Belmond Royal Scotsman: Scotch Malt Whisky Trail(© www.palacetours.com) 2/10 Dunkeld First capital of Scotland, Dunkeld sits on the banks of the River Tay amongst the forests of Perthshire. Dunkeld was proclaimed the first ecclesiastical capital of Scotland by Scotland's first king, Kenneth MacAlpin. The majestic ruin of the cathedral dominates the town. The Atholl Memorial fountain was erected in 1866 by public subscription in memory of the 6th Duke of Atholl. From here Cathedral Street leads to Dunkeld Cathedral, standing idyllically amidst lawns that sweep down to the River Tay. Today part ruin and part parish church, the cathedral features the tomb of the notorious 'Wolf of Badenoch'. The brightly colored 'little houses' of Dunkeld were built in the early 1700s. A walk along Atholl Street's variety of specialist shops will prove fascinating. A riverside path provides excellent views of Thomas Telford's Dunkeld Bridge. Edinburgh As the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh is a dynamic city offering two distinct sides: the medieval Old Town, where visitors can enjoy the well maintained architecture, and the New Town, offering classical Georgian architecture. Today, Edinburgh has grown into a major cultural centre, full of activities and events. The city's Castle proudly dominates the Scottish capital. There are one thousand years of history sitting on the top of the famous rock. Discover Princes Street, Scotland's greatest thoroughfare, where locals and visitors can enjoy numerous shops, restaurants and most of all, the spectacular panorama of the Old Town and the stately castle. Keith Located in Moray on the Speyside Whisky Trail, Keith is an agricultural town situated on the River Isla, which came into existence in the 8th century. The town is today an important stop on the Speyide Malt Whisky Trail, with the Strathisla Distillery as its main attraction. Dating from 1786, Strathisla Distillery is the oldest working distillery in Scotland. As part of the Scottish heritage, the distillery activity is still a landmark of the city, and Keith and its near area offer four distilleries to visit. The town is made of two parts: the "Old Keith" which lies on the west side of the river and the "New Keith" on the east bank of the River Isla.