Mclean whisky tours

06/11/2024

Haggis and whisky celebration will close Oban Winter Festival.

Prepare those tastebuds for a flavourful finale, as the Haggis and Whisky Festival returns to close Oban Winter Festival once again.
Haggis judges William Rocks, left, Douglas Scott and Colin Felgate at the 2023 Haggis and Whisky Festival.

Photograph: Kevin McGlynn

On Sunday November 24 the public, prior winners and competition officials will gather on Stafford Street at 12.45pm to be led through town by Oban High School Pipe Band. Twelve butchers have already signed up for this year’s competition, hosted at Oban Distillery. The dozen different haggis’ will be judged in two different competitions, the Golden Haggis Award, in which an esteemed panel of judges decide the champion, and the People’s Choice Award, where the public put the options to the test. All tasting across both competitions will be carried out blindfolded.
Both trophies are made locally - the Golden Haggis Award is made by Oban High School technical teacher David Berry.
Every year David, along with his family and friends, go to the beach to pick out a haggis shaped stone on which David works his magic to transform it into a golden haggis.

The People’s Choice Award is made by local woodturner Graham Stone. Graham selects a particular piece of wood, from a tree grown in the local area and transforms it into a beautiful haggis. Entries are restricted to one per business and must consist of one ball haggis of 500g minimum weight. Entries close tomorrow, Friday November 8.

For those averse to haggis but still keen to join the festivities, the Whisky Festival is running at the same time. It is an opportunity to sample the best of what Oban Distillery has to offer, and there will be a stall with a variety of drams to sample. The distillery is also offering a number of shorter tours of its facilities, as well as offering a 20 per cent discount during its winter weekend on all items below £500.

02/11/2024

I could murder a Greggs Steak Bake!

A dram of fine single malt and food. Famous for their sausage rolls and bakes, how many times have I said this to myself? Thousands of times.
We have so many celebrity chefs these days who like to match a dram with food, ok, they can be good, but cannee beat this.
Diced beef in a rich and tasty gravy, wrapped in a golden puff pastry parcel. If you’re after a little taste of lunchtime lovin’ baked in the oven, then you’ve come to the right place. Packed with diced cuts of prime beef in a rich and tasty gravy, this golden puff pastry parcel has been a firm favourite for years.

AND, since they’re freshly baked in their shops every day, there’s probably one coming out of the oven RIGHT now. Unless you’re reading this at 4am. In which case, go to bed. And dream of tomorrow.

It’s safe to say that UK bakery chain Greggs is a national institution, with many of us partial to one of their baked pies, sausage rolls or iced buns. Then there’s of course the famous steak bake that has long been a favourite for those craving a lunchtime treat or on the go snack. Because who doesn’t love that delicious golden puff pastry packed with mouthwatering meat and a rich gravy?
And there’s more …

The Nation’s favourite Sausage Roll. Much like Elvis was hailed the King of Rock, many have appointed Greggs as the (unofficial) King of Sausage Rolls. Freshly baked in the shops throughout the day, this British classic is made from seasoned sausage meat wrapped in layers of crisp, golden puff pastry, as well as a large dollop of TLC.
LUNCHTIME MAYBE?

A steak bake with a delicious dram – maybe a double – of Glendronach 18 year old. The GlenDronach 18 year old Allardice is named after the distillery’s founder, James Allardice. The Highlander was matured completely in Oloroso sherry casks, and was originally released in 2009 following the distillery changing hands back in 2008. An exceptional fruity sherried single malt.

I ADMIT I COMIT MURDER QUITE OFTEN.

01/11/2024

Winter tours - Curling Tours, whisky or a blend of both
Excellent facilities for curlers coming from around the globe to play here, meet the locals, we can arrange competitions against them as a part of your tour. Typically winter months for curling, we also blend in whisky and sightseeing, Scotland looks very different covered in snow. A typical tour covers Perthshire right up to Inverness in the north. We have attracted groups from Scandinavia, Canada, USA and mainland Europe for curling here in Scotland. [email protected]

28/10/2024

am looking for anyone who has Britiains lead soldiers for sale, has to be Scottish regiments, money available now, email with pix to [email protected]

Send a message to learn more

27/10/2024

BEEN THERE DONE THAT TASTED THAT

Fettercairn Distillery in Aberdeenshire. But who owns it?
Emerador Distilleries is one of three companies within the Alliance Global Group, headed by Dr Andrew Tan, a self-made Chinese Filipino billionaire whose business interests embrace not only drinks but also real estate and fast food.

Emperador is now the world’s best-selling brandy, retailing 400 million bottles in Asia during 2013. The company owns the renowned Bodega San Bruno in Jerez, Spain and vineyards in Toledo. With the acquisition of the Bodega came a significant quantity of brandy that is maturing in ex-Sherry casks.

In Scotland, Emperador owns Glasgow-based Whyte & Mackay, which operates Dalmore, Fettercairn, Jura and Tamnavulin malt distilleries, along with Invergordon grain distillery, and produces Whyte & Mackay blended Scotch whiskies and the Glayva liqueur.

November 2014 saw the completion of a £430 million deal between Emperador and United Spirits of India for Whyte & Mackay Distillers, with the sale being forced by the UK Competition and Markets Authority after Diageo bought into United Spirits.

I will be visiting this November Dr Tan, hope t he drams are waiting!

25/10/2024

We’ve been getting a lot of time on the oars recently as we prepare for more than 120 days at sea.
Every week or two we’ll try and do a bigger row, a 2 or 3 day expedition — up to Handa Island, Sandwood Bay, or into the Sea Lochs towards Kylesku — and we’ll also do a few trips venturing to the outer Hebrides where there’s a bigger swell to be found and you’re much more exposed.
The rowing here is tough, and even though the waves pale in comparison to the Pacific, the conditions are varied and challenging; when we’re out in The Minch, the boat actually gets tested and when something goes wrong, you need to react fast before it get’s dangerous, just like it will be out on the Pacific.

25/10/2024

We’ve been getting a lot of time on the oars recently as we prepare for more than 120 days at sea.

Every week or two we’ll try and do a bigger row, a 2 or 3 day expedition — up to Handa Island, Sandwood Bay, or into the Sea Lochs towards Kylesku — and we’ll also do a few trips venturing to the outer Hebrides where there’s a bigger swell to be found and you’re much more exposed.

The rowing here is tough, and even though the waves pale in comparison to the Pacific, the conditions are varied and challenging; when we’re out in The Minch, the boat actually gets tested and when something goes wrong, you need to react fast before it get’s dangerous, just like it will be out on the Pacific.

23/10/2024

I may as well get it out of my system, that time of year will be here before we know it

23/10/2024

a great dram, now disappeared

23/10/2024

winter is on the way, time to stock up on a few items

23/10/2024

say no more...

23/10/2024

cannee go wrong with a Maclean.