Local Food & Drink Experience
A fun tour through the northern counties featuring our ‘local food and drink experience’ – a RobbieMac Far North Food and Drink Tour and culinary and whisky tasting experience’ with history and culture added to the mix.
Scotland, the home of whisky the water of life, and gin and beer can be tested and tasted with a hearty Scots ‘Slàinte Mhaith’ (and, if you can’t pronounce our Scots Gaelic version of ‘cheers’ then try saying ‘slan-ge-var’)!
Join us for bespoke Half Day 4 Hours/ Full Day / Multi Day Tours with a driver-guide exploring the beating heart of Caithness, the most northern whisky county on the mainland. With fresh air and the finest water in abundance it gives us amazing ‘uisge beatha’ long known as the ‘water of life’!
On day or multi day tours it is possible to plan visits of at least two different distilleries per day and try local food options as well (the final choices are yours).
The food evolution in Caithness is really the food revolution! In the 18th century the staple diet of the Highlanders was oatmeal porridge, cakes made from barley or stoneground oat-flour, with home grown vegetables, and home bred animals providing milk, butter, eggs and cheese.
Time honoured favourites remain, but we have also adopted and adapted foods from many other locations and cultures!
Highlights (choice of Half / Full / Multi Day Tours)
Half Day Tour (4 Hours): Option 1
- Depart with your guide and enjoy the tour and tasting at award winning Wolfburn Distillery in Thurso – the most northerly whisky distillery on mainland Scotland (the tour may run in reverse for pickup from Wick).
- Then head out from Thurso past ruinous Thurso Castle (one home of the Sinclairs) taking in views along the Pentland Firth.
- Enjoy the coastal views across the Pentland Firth to Stroma and the Orkney Islands.
- Then onto John o’Groats where it is a must to have your photo taken at the now famous Journey’s End signpost.
- The bistros have a wonderful supply of local ‘home cooking’ which certainly must be tried. Choose from hearty local meals; fish and chips from the red van on the harbour; or cakes and cookies from the deli – all a part of our Caithness cuisine!
- We then drive along the coastline to the 200 year Old Pulteney Distillery in Wick for a tour and tasting of their fine maritime malt whisky.
- Return to your hotel, train or cruise ship after a drive back through Caithness farmlands.
- Exclusion – meals and personal expenses not included.
- Inclusion – entrance fees to attractions.
Day or Multi Day Tours: Option 2 (pick ‘n chose available)
- Depart from Thurso with your guide and enjoy a tour and tasting at award winning Wolfburn Distillery in Thurso – the most northerly whisky distillery of mainland Scotland (the tour may run in reverse for pickup from Wick).
- Head out from Thurso past ruinous Thurso Castle.
- Enjoy the coastal views across the Pentland Firth to Stroma and the Orkney Islands.
- Next stop is a tasting at Dunnet Bay Distillers, home of Dunnet Rock Rose Gin and Holy Grass Vodka made from local botanicals.
- We can discuss the inclusion of the special high tea served next door by the Dunnet Sands Hotel after distillery visits – treated with either prosecco or rock rose gin and fever-tree.
- An early lunch choice here – take lunch here and do try their smoky cullen skink chowder, succulent roast local lamb, venison terrine or fish*.
- We take a leisurely drive out to Dunnet Head, the most northerly point in mainland Britain and enjoy the views across the Pentland Firth to Stroma Island and Orkney Islands.
- Then onto modernised John o’Groats where it is a must to have your photo taken at the now famous Journey’s End Signpost. There will be some time to visit the specialty craft shops for a wee bit of retail therapy.
- * OR enjoy a later lunch – at the Seaview Hotel and taste test from their extensive selection of local malt whiskies or boutique beers. They do great fish and chips for a local test or fine dining from the menu.
- After a short diversion to Duncansby Head, we will follow the coastline onto Wick and drive around old Wick Harbour – once famous for the ‘silver and the gold’ (silver herrings and golden whisky being sent on sailing ships in barrels to the colonies).
- Alternatively, visit the CoCo Chocolatier in Wick with chocolate workshops, high teas and Chocolate Shop – taste test luxurious Caithness hand made chocolates. Chocoholics will need to reorganise your visit to take a chocolate making workshop!
- Return to Wick and enjoy lunch at historic Mackays Hotel, Wick on the shortest street in the world (Ebenezer Street, listed in the Guinness Book of Records). Taste test whiskies from their extensive collection and dine at their AA Rosette ‘No 1 Bistro’.
- Return to your hotel, train or cruise ship after a drive back through Caithness farmlands.
- Exclusion – meals and personal expenses not included.
- Inclusion – entrance fees to attractions.
Day or Multi Day Tours: Option 3 (pick ‘n chose available)
- Depart with your guide and enjoy the tour and tasting from Wick. (the tour may run in reverse for pickup from Thurso).
- Drive a short distance out to Old Wick Castle ruins, sitting in a field on the North Sea coastline overseeing modern oil platforms – this Viking castle built in the 12th century, is one of the earliest castles in Scotland and has a bloody past!
- Drive out and walk across to Castle Sinclair and Girnigoe ruins, ancestral home of Clan Sinclair, the Earls of Caithness and former Earls of Orkney. The castle was built in the 15th century by the 2nd Earl and sits atop dramatic cliffs close to Wick.
- The Castle and Gardens of Mey is a beautiful site built by the 4th Earl of Caithness in the late 16th century. It is the former holiday home of the Queen Mother, with a beautifully restored castle and gardens and the new luxury Granary B&B in the grounds (tours can be tailored for collection to and from this venue). Their visitors centre has quality giftware and their local cream teas and cakes are legendary.
- Return to Wick and enjoy lunch at historic Mackays Hotel, Wick on the shortest street in the world (Ebenezer Street, listed in the Guinness Book of Records). Taste test whiskies from their extensive collection and dine at their AA Rosette ‘No 1 Bistro’. It has the finest locally sourced cuisine with a choice of Scotch beef or freshly caught seafood and organic Scottish vegetables. Simply delicious! Murray and staff are real whisky aficionados and will walk and talk you through the meal and drinks.
- Then onto 200 year old Old Pulteney Distillery Wick for a tour and tasting of their fine prize winning maritime malt whiskies.
- Return to your hotel, train or cruise ship after a drive back through Caithness farmlands.
- Exclusion – meals and personal expenses not included.
- Inclusion – entrance fees to attractions.
- Office: +44 1955611542
- Mobile: +44 7854638268 / +44 7799688379
- Email Enquiries: info@robbiemactours.co.uk
- Website: www.robbiemactours.co.uk
RobbieMac Tours & Ancestry Services © 2021