# Whisky and maybe clothes tour of Scotland



## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Gentlemen and ladies:

Getting your feedback on a Whisky tour next October (details below). What I'd like to know is 1) any interest? and 2) if we add on a clothes tour after are there any good places to visit in Edinburgh or do we have to go to London?
- October 9 - 19, 2011
- Begin in Glasgow; end in Edinburgh
- Tour limited to 22 guests
- We'll visit 10 distilleries
- Travel will include coach, ferry, steam train (the one that goes over Glenfinnan Viaduct, and was seen in the Harry Potter movie)
- Accommodations in luxury hotels (two nights each in four hotels), plus two nights in the cottages on the property of Bowmore Distillery. Not as luxury, but, ohhhhh, so aromatic and authentic for a whisky tour!​


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## Kingstonian (Dec 23, 2007)

Sounds good. Somebody else is driving so you can drink with no worries.

I have done some of the distilleries on the whisky trail. The Glenlivet, Glenfarclas, Mortlach & Glen Grant.

Islay has some excellent peaty whiskies, Bowmore being one of them. Edinburgh has the castle & history. Enjoy.


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## Cavebear58 (Jan 31, 2010)

*Interesting idea...*

There are a couple of kilt wearers' forums that might have a good bit of information to add.

Personally, I only know of Slaters - who have many European labels at low cost and a few interesting interpretations of their own.

No visit to Edinburgh is complete for me without a visit to Kinloch Anderson, suppliers of Highland and country attire to most of the Royal Family. There's also Howie Nicholsby of 21st Century Kilts and his father, a slightly more traditionally tailor!

Cheers. Graham.


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Cavebear58 said:


> There are a couple of kilt wearers' forums that might have a good bit of information to add.
> 
> Personally, I only know of Slaters - who have many European labels at low cost and a few interesting interpretations of their own.
> 
> ...


Any contacts at these establishments? If you have any please e-mail me privately.

Any one else have contact information?


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## JQB (Nov 29, 2006)

Andy said:


> Any contacts at these establishments? If you have any please e-mail me privately.
> 
> Any one else have contact information?


Scotland is famous for its tartans, tweed and knitwear. Any sartorial tour must surely include a visit to e.g. "Lochcarron of Scotland" in Selkirk - the Scottish borders. A must is surely the Tweed mills of Harris - contact the "Harris Tweed authority". As far as clothing manufacturers are concerned - few remain - ones that come to mind are "Johnstones of Elgin" and Pringle (cashmere etc). Most of the clothing manufacturers that remain are found in the Scottish borders (south). All the big ticket shopping names are probably best found in Glasgow. Scotland is probably better known now for its amazing foods, golf, wildlife and country sports. So if food is part of the tour I can give some good pointers there too. Golf - it is very difficult to get into the famous courses.

For the ladies - check out this for Scottish flavoured fashion https://www.nessbypost.com to get an idea of what goes!

You should also arrange a stay in an ancient family castle. e.g. https://www.kelburnestate.com/castle/index.asp (my clan chief!) and your tour should definitely include a stop at Blair Castle 
https://www.blair-castle.co.uk and of course Edinburgh Castle.

Any Scottish named tourers should look up their clan, and maybe buy a kilt in their tartan! or "Trews" - tartan trousers. Great for formal wear. Also consider very special hand-made tartan slippers by shiptons!

If you need a guide - i'm going cheap and i'm here!

Of course if you want to see the finest shoes in Scotland you need to visit us in Crieff! If your tour did want to visit us we do make slippers with all sorts of designs on them - like tartan with or without clan crests etc - and we have many lines of shoes - we'd happily put together a special deal for you and your party.


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## Janetr (Nov 17, 2010)

So if we stick with the existing whisky tour we could add in the following -
Day 2 - visit some Glasgow based designers, meet & visit with Glasgow School of Art rep for Textiles to see upcoming graduate works, lunch or drinks at the Blythswood Square Hotel where every room is decorated in Harris Tweed. 

Day 4 - private visit to the Isly Woollen Mill to hear history and see how they produce their fine tweeds such as that for Huntsman in Saville Row & of course some retail therapy

Day 8 - private tour of Johnstons of Elgin and/or possible event at Culloden House

Day 11 - visit Edinburgh based designers and stay 1 more night with possible guest speaker at dinner - folks may even want to enjoy a millinery experience at Yvette Jelfs

Day 12 - head to the borders to explore the woolen industry of tweeds & cashmere with possble stay for 2 nights at Stobo Castle

Day 14 - Head to Northapton to expore the shoe maker industry or do this in London - 2 or 3 night stay in London with private visit to Huntsman to see the finished products from the Islay Woollen Mill and the shoes and fashion of Jermyn Street - possible private dinner and whisky tasting at Scotch Malt Whisky Society location at Greville Street or nearby 12th Century Medieval Crypt


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Welcome Janetr! Janetr is the driving force/source behind the tours!

There are alternatives besides 
A. Add a couple of days of clothing interests to the Scotch Whisky tour in Scotland. 
B. Add a couple of days and/or additional days in London 
or C. Do a separate tour of London Men's Fashion and shopping at another time.

Any thoughts on these alternatives?


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## blairrob (Oct 30, 2010)

JQB said:


> your tour should definitely include a stop at Blair Castle
> https://www.blair-castle.co.uk


 Hmmm, you have now piqued my attention...

Blair


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

Andy said:


> Gentlemen and ladies:
> 
> Getting your feedback on a Whisky tour next October (details below). What I'd like to know is 1) any interest? and 2) if we add on a clothes tour after are there any good places to visit in Edinburgh or do we have to go to London?
> - October 9 - 19, 2011
> ...


I would be interested, but October seems a horrible time of the year to visit Scotland.

I've heard English and Scottish wine is suprisingly good as well.


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

Andy said:


> Gentlemen and ladies


Don't forget honorable members, as I'm sure there's quite a few on here.


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## Janetr (Nov 17, 2010)

I am from the central belt of Scotland, West Lothian, and growing up there the months of July & August were always very pleasant and even warm! This has changed in more recent years, and typiclly these months seem to get more rain than normal. 
Autumn weather in Scotland can be spectacular. When a high pressure sites over the country, the combination of blue skies, cool crisp temperatures and autumn foliage on the trees make for a memorable experience. The whole of the UK has so much to offer, other than weather, so I think we should be ok. I've got my fingers and toes crossed now that I've said that!
So should we count you in for an October tour?

I hate to say but due to the lack of sunshine in Scotland grapes don't always do that well, so typical Scottish wines are elderberry, plum, ginger, silver birch etc. Moniach Castle just out of Inverness produces quite a range. England and Wales are doing much better with their vineyards and their sparkling wines are on the up.


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## Janetr (Nov 17, 2010)

the existing whisky tour is already set with the itinerary so unforunately due to timings etc, we would not be able to add in a stop at Blair Castle etc., that you mentioned but they are wonderful suggestions perhaps for another tour...so would you prefer a seperate fashion tour or what would you like added into the existing whisky tour to grab your interest?


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

An alternative though. What about not tagging on the clothing tour to the whisky portion, but maybe doing a separate tour in London at a different time?

Any opinions on this?


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## Janetr (Nov 17, 2010)

Absolutely. What time of the year would work best? A couple of suggestions to tie in with may be - Graduate Fashion Week in London at the beginning of June or London Fashion Week which will be held 18-23 Feb, 2011. Any thoughts on these dates or any othe time of the year?


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

Personally, I would prefer a tour of the Scottish and English countryside with more than just whiskey stops. As for clothing desintations, there's Bookster, A. Hume and a few others.


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## blue suede shoes (Mar 22, 2010)

I'm with hockeyinsider: Personally, I would prefer a tour of the Scottish and English countryside with more than just whiskey stops.

For those interested in whiskey, there is a new book by food bloogger Kate Hopkins titled "99 Drams of Whiskey" which would probably be a good read before departing.


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## RayPearson (Nov 14, 2010)

blue suede shoes said:


> I'm with hockeyinsider: Personally, I would prefer a tour of the Scottish and English countryside with more than just whiskey stops.
> 
> For those interested in whiskey, there is a new book by food bloogger Kate Hopkins titled "99 Drams of Whiskey" which would probably be a good read before departing.


I totally concur with the recommendation of Kate Hopkin's "99 Drams of Whiskey" as a pre-trip read. Three of the Scotch whiskies Kate writes about were served in my home for a Thanksgiving Open house. And (no surprise here) they are from distilleries on our Whisky Tour next October: Oban, Laphroaig, and Auchentoshan. There is such a difference in aromas and flavors between American whiskEy and Scotch (no E) that the exploration is magical. Let's hope we are lucky enough to experience a wee bit of rain - just for atmosphere. A friend in Scotland once told me, during a downpour, "Ach ... a perfect day for making whisky". More on the trip: www.whiskytastings.com and go to What's New.


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## RayPearson (Nov 14, 2010)

It's a windy, chilly, intensely clear day here in Southern California...perfect for thinking about our October 2011 whisky tour around Scotland! The travel section of the Sunday paper, as if on cue, features a full-page article about "Scotland's Main Street", meaning the Royal Mile. The article cites several of the highlights of our tour - the Balmoral Hotel ("fancy historical hotel"), Scotch Whisky Heritage Center ("... [its shop] stocks enough whisky to euthanize the city, and is sold in sturdy boxes able to travel safely") and delightful tidbits in and about Edinburgh. Conde Nast Traveler Magazine has just announced that Edinburgh is "the best tourist city in all of Britain - even surpassing London." For those of you considering the tour, please reply, and let's have a wee chat.

Ray Pearson
Whisky Guide on the trip


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## recoveringchef (Nov 17, 2009)

No golf?


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## RayPearson (Nov 14, 2010)

Scotland has so much to offer, it's hard to do justice to it all in just ten days - therefore the reason for the focus on whisky for this trip ... with possible extensions for fashions. In addition to your suggestion about golf, there are genealogical tours, art & architecture tours, visits to castles (both modern and ancient), the Western Isles, etc. What courses are of interest to you?


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## Janetr (Nov 17, 2010)

Adding to Ray's comment you can of course arrive a day or two earlier or stay a little longer and we would be delighted to set you up with tee times, a caddy etc ... where would you like to play?


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