Business of the month: Glenmorangie Distillery & House
By the tranquil shores of the Dornoch Firth, amidst the golden barley fields that border the Royal Burgh of Tain, lies the Glenmorangie Distillery. Here you will find a warm Highland welcome from our select craftsmen, the Men of Tain. With skills passed down the generations, they have dedicated themselves to creating exceptional single malt whisky for the last 175 years.
We caught up with Annette Mackenzie, Glenmorangie Distillery Visitor Centre Manager in Tain to find out more.
1. What makes Glenmorangie Distillery the perfect stopping point for those travelling on the North Coast 500?
Whether you are a whisky expert or have never tasted a drop in your life, a trip to the Glenmorangie Distillery should always be part of your plans! We offer a variety of different tours to suit your whisky knowledge, but all our tours will allow you to discover how we make our treasured spirit. Add in the perfect location (literally 20 metres from the NC500 route, 1hr north of Inverness), great scenery, staff with knowledge and wit and the best stocked Glenmorangie “showroom” in the world, it really is one attraction on the NC500 that shouldn’t be missed.
2. How do you cater to small groups doing the North Coast 500?
We have welcomed some fantastic groups through the Distillery from Classic Cars to Harley Davidsons and are delighted to help in planning their itineraries. During the summer season, we have tours every ½ hour and bookings can be made in advance, so it is very easy for organisers to include Glenmorangie in their itineraries. We also make sure we look after any drivers by offering a sample for them to enjoy responsibly later.
3. Do you have anything new for 2019?
There is always something new just around the corner at Glenmorangie! We have launched two new tours for 2019, both of which have been really well received.
Our Men of Tain tour is designed for the whisky enthusiast. With a maximum of 8 guests and lasting around 3 hours, it offers a “deep dive” into the world of Glenmorangie and how we craft our whiskies – guests get to sample each stage of the process, will fill and sign a Glenmorangie cask and visit the exclusive warehouse 7 to discover the complexity of Glenmorangie whiskies. The Sunset tour is perfect for the end of the day – starting at 6pm every Wednesday, guests enjoy cocktails and canapés, crafted by the chefs at the award winning Glenmorangie House, before a full tour of the Distillery and a tasting.
We are also just about to launch a new tasting room within the Visitor centre that will allow guests to come and simply enjoy a dram and an informal tasting with one of our team.
This year we are launching a series of rare and single cask releases exclusively for those making the pilgrimage to the Distillery. The first is a 16yr old whisky, aged in PX Sherry casks. Having had the pleasure of tasting it, I can confirm it is a very special whisky – absolutely delicious! With only 636 bottles released, it is selling fast and likely to be very collectable. The 3 other single casks will be released through the course of 2019.
4. Do you offer any Distillery exclusives?
The rare and single casks mentioned above will only be able to be purchased at the Distillery.
Glenmorangie Allta, is our 10th Private Edition whisky. This collection is where we showcase our innovation and craftsmanship through our whisky production and for this release, we have created our own strand of wild yeast, cultivated from the Barley that goes into our whiskies (Allta means “wild” in Scots Gaelic). It has created a whisky that is rich and fruity and very easy to enjoy.
5. What other offerings do you have on site?
Only 20 minutes away from the Distillery we have our home – Glenmorangie House. It is a boutique hotel for all to enjoy and restore their tranquillity. It’s a real home away from home with real fires, rare drams, serene bedrooms, stunning views and sumptuous dining. They are experts at pairing the local larder – cheese, shellfish, meats – with our range of whiskies so your stay can be both educational and fun.
6. Can you tell our NC500 visitors what sort of sights and activities does the surrounding area offer?
For the golfer, there is the world famous Royal Dornoch Golf Course 15 mins drive away or even closer, you have the Tain links course – a real hidden gem. There is the trout fishing ponds at Dornoch and near Fearn, dolphin watching at Nigg and on the Black Isle at Rosemarkie. The town of Tain is the oldest Royal Burgh in Scotland where you can visit Tain Through Time, the Collegiate Church and the Museum which stands in the grounds. Local walks include Tain Hill or, if you fancy a steeper climb, Fyrish Hill which is approximately 25 mins away where, on a clear day, you can see for miles and miles.
