By my latest count, I’ve visited approximately 30 distilleries in Scotland, and I’ve got another 15 or so slated for my upcoming trip that begins in just three weeks. During those visits and the copious amount of time I’ve spent checking in on Scotland’s pubs, I’ve had the opportunity to taste untold hundreds of different whiskies. Some have been rare masterpieces, rich and dark and old as a grandparent; others have been nice, easy-drinking drams but somewhat uninspiring; and other whiskies have matched every descriptor I could devise between the two extremes.
That’s a lot of whisky data. I’ve mostly used it to determine what whiskies I like and stock in my closet (hence the photo on this post), but I realize that many people don’t share the same zeal for single malt Scotch that I do… Read more...
Off in Scotland’s hinterland, among the rural villages and close-knit islands, there is a sign language common to all travelers of the road. Native Scots deliver these signs from behind the wheels of moving vehicles with some combination of hand, arm, and head movement, and to the average visitor unschooled in such speech the meaning is always reduced to a simple salutation. Some would simply say that a person is “waving.”
But then, much is lost in translation even between English-speaking cultures.
In fact, the different hand-waves of Scotland are nuanced with myriad meanings depending on the circumstances. Read more...
Welcome to the final installment of the beginner’s guide to single malt whisky. The first part of this guide introduced the concept of whisky and touched on the members of the whisky family tree before narrowing our focus to single malt Scotch whisky. The second part pulled back the curtain on the process of making single malt Scotch whisky and discussed the various parts of the process that impart flavor to the finished product. Part three rolled open the map and surveyed Scotland’s whisky regions before changing gears and providing a cheat sheet for reading the often-complicated whisky labels.
This last chapter covers the process – or should I say a process – for enjoying single malt whisky. Let’s get this caveat out of the way now: There is no single, correct way to enjoy… Read more...
The Isle of Mull off Scotland’s west coast is a sanctuary, a peaceful, wild island teeming with wildlife and resonating with powerful good vibes. As I’m gearing up to move on to posts about Glasgow and to fill in the gaps of my previous trips, I thought it’d be nice to collect my writings on Mull first. I wrote a similar post to wrap up my writing about Islay and many found it helpful. This isn’t the end of Mull on Traveling Savage – there are plenty of tidbits left to convey and it’s likely I will return – but consider this the bow on a nicely wrapped-up package.
I experimented with writing vignettes during my trip, and my first Mull vignette relayed how welcoming the island felt – I certainly felt like no stranger. Read more...
I’m happy to bring you today’s post from David McNicoll of Highland Experience USA. David is something of a sage on Scottish history (and really, all things Scottish), and today he shares one of the spookier tales from Scotland’s past. Enjoy and happy holidays!
It had certainly been a rough week since the Scarlet Fever had taken hold in the school, and recently many of the boys had taken a turn for the worse, but for now all seemed quiet in the makeshift ward. Feeling the need for a stretch of her legs the duty nurse decided on a five-minute break and headed out the door for some fresh air. As the door shut, Francis Mackenzie, Lord Seaforth, awoke. Seaforth, a twelve-year-old lad found himself alone in the gloom, scanning the room… Read more...
A hunter, oft-stubbled and bleary-eyed, driven by an insatiable hunger for exploration and experience - and perhaps a chance to thin the herd of caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. From the highlands and islands to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Borders, I explore Scotland with a pen in hand and a fire in the belly (which could be partly from the whisky). 
