Finally in the Highlands

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River Tummel below the dam at Loch Faskally

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We are finally in the Highlands, after spending 3 days in the lowlands between Edinburgh and Crail Scotland, St Andrews and Dundee.  

This is a wonderful small town you can find yourself never leaving.  Small Loch Faskally and River Tummel running through the western side of town.  The setting is the thing here.  It's mountain, loch and river are picturesque and even though built on tourism still has a special charm. 

Visited Edradour Distillery once owned my American Gangsters during prohibition.  This distillery produces about 12 casks of whiskey (whisky is English) each week.  This is a minute amount compared to the other distilleries in Scotland. However, this is one of the best Scotch Whiskys I have ever tasted. Smooth and Smoky it is quite distinctive in its flavor. 

Pitlochry Train Station on Highland Train Line

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For us Americans.  NO ICE! You need a bit of water to open the bouquet of the single malt, but using ice has the opposite effect. 

I sampled in the tasting lounge the 20 year old (250 pound per bottle) Single Malt Whisky, less smokey than the 10 year old, but well worth the 4 pound fee for the dram.  I absolutely enjoyed it. 

Pitlochry is perfect for hiking and walking, the area is beautiful and is accessible via train from Edinburgh and is on the way to Inverness. The train station is absolutely is a Victorian style station.  The dam has a salmon ladder that allows fish to migrate around the dam to Loch Faskally.  I saw a couple salmon jump and every ounce of fisherman in me knew desire. 

I finally got a feel for how much land is dedicated to farming outside of Edinburgh.  Pitlochry is surrounded by farmlands and reminds me of growing up on my families farm.