Of Course I’m Having Scotch in Scotland

Scotch-drinking, gin-sipping, tea-slurping, museum-hopping in Glasgow.

Growing up in North Carolina, one of my mother’s best friends was an amazing lady who was born and raised in Scotland and has now been living in the “Tar Heel” State for close to 40 years. She is a wonderful combination of Scottish and Southern.  She taught me how to roll my “Rs” when singing, like a good Scot would, and while she didn’t teach me my love for a good Scotch, she did teach me how to truly enjoy a good beer with even better friends.  

When she told me last summer that she was going back to Scotland for a family visit, I told her, “I’m coming with you and you have no choice in the matter.” Lucky for me, she didn’t mind. Thus begin my adventure to Glasgow.

First stop: Scotch at Auchentoshan

As anyone should do when they first get to Scotland, we went to a Scotch Distillery.  For ease, we went to one right in Glasgow – Auchentoshan Distillery.  They distill their whiskey three times in the same location, which makes it a great single malt scotch.  

Fun fact that I learned (all true Scotch drinkers will shake their heads at me for not already knowing this): single malt scotch can be blended from multiple batches, but all batches must come from the same distillery.  Hence, “single” meaning it comes from one distillery.  It can have multiple different malts though.

 I also learned that – of course – the Scots make good Scotch.  Auchentoshan gives a great tour with a free scotch sample and a free tasting glass for you to take home(!).  On my way out, I bought a 12-year old Scotch that they had been bottled that day, no blending, 120 Proof.  I’m still enjoying it.

Guess what? Scotland is also becoming known for…

If Scotch isn’t your thing, Scotland is also becoming known for (get ready) its gin!  I can’t speak as lovingly about gin.  I remember doing a gin tasting once where, to me, the low end gin tasted exactly the same as the high end gin.  

However, a great gin cocktail bar called Gin 71 in downtown Glasgow did give me a new appreciation.  It has a great date-night vibe and you can choose your type of gin, from local Scottish gins to infused gins. I chose the former; my sister chose a flight where one of the options had ice infused with ROSE PETALS. ROSE PETALS, PEOPLE. In addition to choosing your gin, you also choose various types of tonic water and garnishes.  They help you along the way in case you are like me and know nothing about gin except the fact that, for everywhere but this place, you don’t like gin.  I highly recommend you go for a late night drink.

No trip is complete without getting to know some history (maybe even for free).

For things to do other than drink (though all are highly recommended to do with a drink in hand; I’m pretty sure Scotland  doesn’t have open container laws), we also checked out the Tenement House located in downtown Glasgow.  It’s great for any history lovers and shows you how people lived during the late 1800s / early 1900s.  Glasgow became extremely over-populated after the World Wars but, as there were no men around to build new infrastructure, masses of people moved into Tenement Houses.  This tenement house was owned by a lady named Miss Toward, who didn’t change a thing from when she lived there from around 1911 to 1960. It’s been perfectly preserved so is a sight to see.

Another great thing about Glasgow: all museums are donation-based, so they are free unless you choose to give money (which I did, lest you judge).  I checked out the People’s Palace and Winter Garden and it gave a great overview of the modern history of Glasgow, from the 1800s to today.

I guess Scots, like the Brits, like their tea. 

Finally, after all the walking and drinking you’ve done, you should probably get some food in your belly.  I’d recommend fish and chips on any street corner you can find ’em.  For something quick and a little bit more sophisticated, my sister and I went to The Willow Tea Room on Buchannan Street. (Anything on Buchannan St, the main shopping area in town, would probably be good).  The Willow Tea Room, known for being designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, is a great place to have a proper afternoon tea and lunch.

In all, I really enjoyed Glasgow much more than I thought I would.  Over the last 10 years, they have truly transformed themselves into a vibrant, fun, growing city.  I could have easily spent more time there, happily checking out all they have to offer while drinking — scotch in one hand, gin in the other.

The List

Auchentoshan Distillery
By Dalmuir
Clydebank
Glasgow G81 4SJ

Gin 71
71 Renfield Street
Glasgow G2 1LF
City Centre

People’s Palace and Winter Garden
Glasgow Green
Glasgow G40 1AT

The Willow Tea Room
97 Buchanan St
Glasgow G1 3HF
Buchanan Street, City Centre

Tennyson Blackwood has also written about kind-of sort-of escaping NYC, visiting Disney–without kids and how to do Hong Kong.