Scotland Adventures... #6

One of the "required" things to do in Scotland is to tour the Scotch distilleries, of course!  There was definitely not a lack of choices for different distilleries to visit.  Some gave free tours, some gave free samples, some tours had to be scheduled, some tours cost £12 with samples.

This was another no-castle-day.  I ventured out in search of a distillery to tour and anything else that tickled my fancy.

Aberlour was rumored to be the best tour, but I just missed their morning tour and didn't want to have to wait 4 hours for the next tour, so the guy there suggested I visit the Glenlivet distillery where the tour was free and anytime!

The Glenlivet Scotch Tree

Everybody made their own Glenlivet for a while.

Stain glass window which has a story behind it that I can't recall.
But it does have important scotch making attributes like the barley and the actual distillery.

The grinder was the only thing I was allowed to take photos of,
all the other machinery was TS//for tourist eyes only.  :(

I was here.

The most popular single malt scotch in America.

A smuggled photo.

Different types/sizes of barrels and their description.

That's the "I'm not so impressed with this crap" face.

After the distillery tour, I was extremely close to Cairngorms National Park, so I figured I'd drive through to say I went.  Then I went on a sticker hunt.  I thought that a national park sticker from another country would fit onto my water bottle very well.  I went to 2 different information/tourist centers and the national park headquarters and learned that they don't actually sell stickers.  W.T.F.?

Driving through Cairngorms.

Just a house... in bfe.

I guessed that that water was pretty cold.

Cairngorms panoramic, the towers fit in so well!

I stopped to figure out where I was going and this was the view.

I don't think this was part of the Whiskey Trail, but Moray definitely has plenty of distilleries.

After a dead-end search for the sticker, I decided that I'd go check out the Cooper (the barrel maker).

On the way, I passed Dewar's distillery.  The name was familiar, so I had to get pics!

Dear Rain, yer great! -<3, Teh Megan

Raindrop tulips make me smile.  I got VERY wet shoes taking these photos, but it was totally worth it.

Coopering.

So much Coopers.

Rings from barrels being worked on.

Smoky from being charred on the inside.

"We've done been Coopered!"

Assembly line to make the barrel lids.

Painted vs not painted.

Unfinished barrels.

Just some Coopers, coopering. 

Where the barrels went to be charred.

Pretty flower.

Pretty flower.

Pretty flower.

Pretty flower.

A barrel man guarded the picnic area.
Who needs scarecrows?

Stacks of barrels waiting to be worked on.

After many hours of driving, 2 tours, a Walker's Shortbread stop, a dead-end sticker hunt (they don't even have them online!), I finally headed back towards Lossiemouth.  I arrived at "the golden hour" so I figured I'd go to the coast and take photos.  Which wasn't an issue till I almost got blown in the water from the super strong gusts of wind!  I don't need the UK Atlantic that much, kthx.

Lossiemouth Beach..  you can see how super windy it was on the water.

The storm clouds were rolling in.

Breakers don't scare waves.

Overall, it was an awesome day, despite the wet shoes and the lack of a sticker for my water bottle.  Water droplets on flowers are just one more reason that I love the rain!!!