I've always said that if you do just one tour in Speyside, it should be at Balvenie. After visiting Ballindalloch, I may have to rethink that position.
The re-opening of neighbour Brora was the biggest whisky news of 2017. Far less people know that the current Clynelish distillery was actually closed for a large part of the same year, and re-opened halfway through 2017.
Would I recommend visiting Glen Moray? Yes. If you've never been to a distillery, then this is an excellent one to pop your cherry. And even the more experienced distillery visitor will enjoy the warehouse experience.
Edradour and I. The two of us have a love-hate relationship. There was a point in time when it was only love. That changed when I actually visited the distillery.
"I walked out of Waterford Distillery with a big, fat smile on my face. Something special is happening in this giant, ugly factory in a small Irish city. Fascinating stuff. I can't wait to see how it all works out in the end."
Dalmunach will probably mostly produce for blends, but judging from the 4-year old cask sample I tasted, it will one day become a welcome addition to the world of single malt.
The Saladin maltings at Benrinnes Distillery made for an eerie experience. The kind of stuff you might see in horror movies, where you expect some slasher type to jump out of a dark corner. It was like a Doomsday decor.