The Best Luxury Vacations For Scotch Lovers
A worker at Bruichladdich distillery in Islay takes a whisky sample from a cask in Bruichladdich, Islay Scotland. Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.
You can spot a Scotch whisky lover by the way they write the word whisky. (There's no 'e' in 'Scotland,' but there is if it's made in 'Kentucky.') Connoisseurs are quick to recite knowledge of the spirit's geographic authenticity, strict production laws, traditional techniques, and historical depth. Its development is closely tied to Scottish identity, from its medieval monastic roots to its status today as one of Scotland's most prized cultural exports.
The best luxury vacations for Scotch lovers, naturally, begin in Scotland. However, as bars and lounges billed around a specific spirit become more common, it's not impractical to hop the entire globe in pursuit of the best Scotch. Where to send Dad this Father's Day to scratch his itch for Scotch? Here are seven destinations worth flying to.
A view of Princes Street from Calton Hill, with the Scott Monument in the background, in Edinburgh, Great Britain.
Balmoral Hotel. Edinburgh city. Scotland, UK. Number One restaurant (in the basement) has held a Michelin star for more than 20 years, while the Scotch bar offers more than 400 selections of the namesake liquor.
Originally built in 1902 for the North British Railway company, the storied Balmoral Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Edinburgh might double as the setting for the next Wes Anderson film. The screenplay, like many of the hotel guests, could focus on food and drink alone. The restaurant (in the basement) has held a Michelin star for more than 20 years, while the Scotch bar — the appropriately named Scotch — offers more than 400 selections of the namesake liquor. Dad can consult one of the bar's Whiskey Ambassadors to help find the perfect tipple. The Balmoral is a Forbes Travel Guide five-star hotel.
Ocean Club Suite Living Room onboard an Azamara Cruise, which offers a 12-night Scotland intensive cruise.
What better place to sample scotch than at sea? Azamara Cruises offers a 12-night Scotland-intensive cruise departing June 19 from Southampton and arriving in Dublin on July 1. Along the way, visit the 200-year-old Glen Garrioch Distillery in Aberdeen for a close-up look at whisky-making traditions (tasting included) in the Scottish countryside. It's a rare opportunity for dad to visit some of Scotland's lesser-known ports and circumnavigate some of the UK's finest coastal cities.
The Commons Club bar is inside the Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, with distilled elixirs on the menu. The Scotch Whisky Experience is a four-minute walk from the hotel.
Nestled in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, the Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is housed in five separate historic buildings. Book the Castle View King Suite, where dad can open his drapes to glimpse the historic Edinburgh Castle. To whet your whistle for scotch, visit the Commons Club bar and restaurant, where a locally distilled concoction is always on the menu. Better still, visit the Scotch Whisky Experience (a four-minute walk from the hotel) for an award-winning tour, tasting, history lesson, and/or bite to eat. For hardcore scotch connoisseurs, the 90-minute platinum tour includes a tutored nosing and tasting of four single malts and one blended malt Scotch whisky.
Loch Lomond Manor is one of a curated selection of luxury villas and manor homes in Scotland for Scotch adventures.
On the outskirts of Glasgow sits Loch Lomond, whose shiny waters reflect the rugged, lush hills of the surrounding national park. Book a stay at Loch Lomond Manor via Oliver's Travels, a historic estate that puts dad (and up to nine of his pals) in touch with pastoral luxury living. The home is filled with original artworks, tapestries, and period features that capture the spirit of the early 20th century. Stocking up on scotch? The manor is a short drive from several nearby distilleries and offers easy access to tastings, scenic walks, and Highlands day trips.
Grand suite in the Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort, Glasgow after a £20 million renovation to the heritage 5-star hotel. Photo credit: Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort
Set on 240 acres on the banks of the River Clyde, Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort re-opened in May following a thorough $27 million renovation. Upgrades touched every area of the property, including the three Grand Suites, which come with either a grand piano or pool table. Unwind on a cozy blue couch in Sláinte, Mar Hall's signature cocktail bar, with a selection of Scotch from the menu (such as the Clydebuilt Sailmaker Blended Malt, from the Ardgowan Distillery near Inverkip on the West Coast). The tastefully reimagined old-world estate will tempt dad to stay indoors, while the golf course abutting the river will satisfy any craving to hit the links in the ancestral birthplace of golf.
The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Arizona desert is far from Scotland in climate and in spirit, making it an unlikely home to one of the finest combinations of scotch and golfing in the U.S. The Scotch Library, located at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, features more than 125 single malts and 25 blends imported from all six whisky regions in Scotland: Speyside, Highland, Islay, Islands, Lowland, and Campbeltown. In all, the collection represents nearly half of the Scotland distilleries, ranging in age from 10 to 40 years. Every Friday at 6 p.m., the Resort hosts 'An Evening of Scotches,' a tasting event featuring three selections of scotch. Adding to its unique charm, the resort features live bagpipe music at sunset every Friday and Saturday, a tribute to Scottish golf traditions and a memorable way to end the day.
The beautiful Stanley Hotel is located 10.4 miles from the Rocky Mountain National Park. The grand, upscale hotel dates back to 1909.
Although the Stanley Hotel is best known as the inspiration behind Stephen King's The Shining, it also has plenty to attract whiskey lovers. Its Whiskey Bar claims to have the largest selection of bourbon, scotch, and whisky-based spirits in the state. In addition to serving the spirits neat or in cocktails, the bar offers whiskey-tasting sessions for guests. Flanked by the jagged skyline of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley has something for every traveler. Besides the historic hotel, accommodations include the boutique-style Lodge, modern apartment-style rooms (Aspire) and The Residences, fully equipped 1- to 3-bedroom condominium dwellings.
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A worker at Bruichladdich distillery in Islay takes a whisky sample from a cask in Bruichladdich, Islay Scotland. Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. You can spot a Scotch whisky lover by the way they write the word whisky. (There's no 'e' in 'Scotland,' but there is if it's made in 'Kentucky.') Connoisseurs are quick to recite knowledge of the spirit's geographic authenticity, strict production laws, traditional techniques, and historical depth. Its development is closely tied to Scottish identity, from its medieval monastic roots to its status today as one of Scotland's most prized cultural exports. The best luxury vacations for Scotch lovers, naturally, begin in Scotland. However, as bars and lounges billed around a specific spirit become more common, it's not impractical to hop the entire globe in pursuit of the best Scotch. Where to send Dad this Father's Day to scratch his itch for Scotch? Here are seven destinations worth flying to. A view of Princes Street from Calton Hill, with the Scott Monument in the background, in Edinburgh, Great Britain. Balmoral Hotel. Edinburgh city. Scotland, UK. Number One restaurant (in the basement) has held a Michelin star for more than 20 years, while the Scotch bar offers more than 400 selections of the namesake liquor. Originally built in 1902 for the North British Railway company, the storied Balmoral Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Edinburgh might double as the setting for the next Wes Anderson film. The screenplay, like many of the hotel guests, could focus on food and drink alone. The restaurant (in the basement) has held a Michelin star for more than 20 years, while the Scotch bar — the appropriately named Scotch — offers more than 400 selections of the namesake liquor. Dad can consult one of the bar's Whiskey Ambassadors to help find the perfect tipple. The Balmoral is a Forbes Travel Guide five-star hotel. Ocean Club Suite Living Room onboard an Azamara Cruise, which offers a 12-night Scotland intensive cruise. What better place to sample scotch than at sea? Azamara Cruises offers a 12-night Scotland-intensive cruise departing June 19 from Southampton and arriving in Dublin on July 1. Along the way, visit the 200-year-old Glen Garrioch Distillery in Aberdeen for a close-up look at whisky-making traditions (tasting included) in the Scottish countryside. It's a rare opportunity for dad to visit some of Scotland's lesser-known ports and circumnavigate some of the UK's finest coastal cities. The Commons Club bar is inside the Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, with distilled elixirs on the menu. The Scotch Whisky Experience is a four-minute walk from the hotel. Nestled in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, the Virgin Hotels Edinburgh is housed in five separate historic buildings. Book the Castle View King Suite, where dad can open his drapes to glimpse the historic Edinburgh Castle. To whet your whistle for scotch, visit the Commons Club bar and restaurant, where a locally distilled concoction is always on the menu. Better still, visit the Scotch Whisky Experience (a four-minute walk from the hotel) for an award-winning tour, tasting, history lesson, and/or bite to eat. For hardcore scotch connoisseurs, the 90-minute platinum tour includes a tutored nosing and tasting of four single malts and one blended malt Scotch whisky. Loch Lomond Manor is one of a curated selection of luxury villas and manor homes in Scotland for Scotch adventures. On the outskirts of Glasgow sits Loch Lomond, whose shiny waters reflect the rugged, lush hills of the surrounding national park. Book a stay at Loch Lomond Manor via Oliver's Travels, a historic estate that puts dad (and up to nine of his pals) in touch with pastoral luxury living. The home is filled with original artworks, tapestries, and period features that capture the spirit of the early 20th century. Stocking up on scotch? The manor is a short drive from several nearby distilleries and offers easy access to tastings, scenic walks, and Highlands day trips. Grand suite in the Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort, Glasgow after a £20 million renovation to the heritage 5-star hotel. Photo credit: Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort Set on 240 acres on the banks of the River Clyde, Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort re-opened in May following a thorough $27 million renovation. Upgrades touched every area of the property, including the three Grand Suites, which come with either a grand piano or pool table. Unwind on a cozy blue couch in Sláinte, Mar Hall's signature cocktail bar, with a selection of Scotch from the menu (such as the Clydebuilt Sailmaker Blended Malt, from the Ardgowan Distillery near Inverkip on the West Coast). The tastefully reimagined old-world estate will tempt dad to stay indoors, while the golf course abutting the river will satisfy any craving to hit the links in the ancestral birthplace of golf. The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. The Arizona desert is far from Scotland in climate and in spirit, making it an unlikely home to one of the finest combinations of scotch and golfing in the U.S. The Scotch Library, located at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, features more than 125 single malts and 25 blends imported from all six whisky regions in Scotland: Speyside, Highland, Islay, Islands, Lowland, and Campbeltown. In all, the collection represents nearly half of the Scotland distilleries, ranging in age from 10 to 40 years. Every Friday at 6 p.m., the Resort hosts 'An Evening of Scotches,' a tasting event featuring three selections of scotch. Adding to its unique charm, the resort features live bagpipe music at sunset every Friday and Saturday, a tribute to Scottish golf traditions and a memorable way to end the day. The beautiful Stanley Hotel is located 10.4 miles from the Rocky Mountain National Park. The grand, upscale hotel dates back to 1909. Although the Stanley Hotel is best known as the inspiration behind Stephen King's The Shining, it also has plenty to attract whiskey lovers. Its Whiskey Bar claims to have the largest selection of bourbon, scotch, and whisky-based spirits in the state. In addition to serving the spirits neat or in cocktails, the bar offers whiskey-tasting sessions for guests. Flanked by the jagged skyline of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley has something for every traveler. Besides the historic hotel, accommodations include the boutique-style Lodge, modern apartment-style rooms (Aspire) and The Residences, fully equipped 1- to 3-bedroom condominium dwellings.
