After a quick breakfast and coffee in Stonehaven, we set out for Inverness.

We arrived at Glenfiddich Distillery just in time for our pre-booked 11:00 tour. Glenfiddich has been a family-owned business since the late 19th century and has experienced exponential growth in popularity ever since, exporting its renowned single-malt whiskey across the globe.

We strolled across the street from the car park and were immediately transported to a Wonka-like tiny whiskey village. The grounds, buildings, lounges, and gift shop were absolutely pristine. But the true gem was the Glenfiddich team. Every person we encountered exuded warmth and excitement about Glenfiddich and their role in its success. They were generous with information, and better yet, they seemingly never tired of our questions and observations.

We learned that Glenfiddich only has three ingredients: Robbie Dhu spring water (piped direct from the source), barley, and yeast. Beyond that, we learned about the process of distilling whiskey…it was quite technical, but extremely interesting. We visited a warehouse filled with oak barrels of Glenfiddich whiskey, some dating back to 1957. Sadly, that warehouse was off-limits to photography (and anything that might create a spark).

The final stop on our tour was a guided whisky-tasting. Only I was allowed to taste the whiskey since Bret was driving, but they sent him with a gift-wrapped set of the wee drams to try later…Slainte Math (pronounced “Slanj-a-va”), or “To your good health!”

Our next Highland adventure takes us to a beautiful farm in Culbokie, just outside of Inverness.