Whisky Month Comes to Scotland in May

PHOTO: Ascending the heights of the Cameron House Whiskey Bar with its Whiskey Ambasador. (Courtesy Cameron House)

As far back as ancient Greece, poets imagined the blood of the gods as a divine liquid they called ichor. In Scotland it was called whisky but to everyone else it was simply Scotch (and when we do call it whiskey, we add an e for reasons that only amuse the Scottish). The Scots will be celebrating Whisky Month this May, the liquid part of Visit Scotland's "Homecoming Scotland 2014." The month will see such local whisky fests as the Spirit of Speyside Festival, Edinburgh's Whisky Strammash all of the international celebrations around World Whisky Day and ending in the blissful surroundings of Feis Ile - The Islay Festival.

In May, hundreds of events will be held across the country for both Whisky Month and the Homecoming. The 28 luxury country house hotels, golf resorts, city properties and exclusive-use properties of Connoisseurs Scotland will be showcasing their whisky as well as their accommodations.

More than 300 whiskies crowd the shelf at the Road Hole Bar at The Old Course Hotel in St. Andrews representing every operating distillery in Scotland. Bordering the 17th "Road Hole" of the world's most famous golf course, the 144-bedroom luxury resort also features a tasting room and a special "whisky turndown" service with a miniature Old Course Hotel whisky, shortbread and chocolate.

The Whisky Ambassador at the Great Scots Bar at Cameron House on Loch Lomond guides guests through more than 270 whiskies, including 17 limited editions and one made especially for Cameron House. Guests can even purchase a "whisky locker" at Cameron House, customized with their name. A key to the locker will await guests at check-in so their preferred whisky can be enjoyed as they settle in to their accommodations.

Boath House, located in Speyside where more than half of Scotland's malt whiskies are born, features a selection of fine and rare malt whiskies. Boath House and two other Connoisseurs Scotland properties - Rocpool Reserve Hotel & Chez Roux and The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa - are located within an easy drive of Glenmorangie Distillery, which offers tours as well as private tastings with an expert guide.

Little's Chauffer Drive, a Connoisseurs Scotland partner that operates a fleet of luxury vehicles, offers a whisky tour through the five main regions known for whisky-making: the Highlands, Speyside, the Lowlands, Islay and Campbeltown. That much tasting can make even the highest road feel a little low and vice versa, so it helps to have one of Little's personal chauffeurs to allow the guest free to indulge and indulge. Little's can also assist in making hotel reservations and other details during the planning stages of a trip to the country.

The Royal Scotsman train is offering a five-day, four-night Classic Whisky Journey that departs on April 28. In association with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the luxury sleeper train will take 36 guests on a Scotch whisky adventure across Scotland. Passengers will experience a round trip from Edinburgh's Waverly Station featuring private distillery tours and whisky tastings at both Glen Ord and Tullibardine distilleries. They'll also visit Glenlivet Distillery, home of the malt that inspired the Speyside region. A special component of the trip is entry to the vaults at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Leith. Rates for this journey start at $6,530 per person.

Somehow it's those aspects of Scotland that are most connected to the land which make it most interesting to visitors. Golf, walking, castles, legends and yes, whiskey all weave through Scottish tourism. As their divine poet Robert Burns put it in 1785,

Gie him strong drink until he wink,

That's sinking in despair;

An' liquor guid to fire his bluid,

That's prest wi' grief and care:

There let him bouse, an' deep carouse,

Wi' bumpers flowing o'er,

Till he forgets his loves or debts,

An' minds his griefs no more.

Follow me on Twitter @JRuggia1.

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