The Magical Scotch Tour

Have you considered a trip Scotland? Not only that, have you ever fancied a week of tasting scotch whisky in some of the finest distilleries in the world? Scotland possesses almost ninety operating distilleries and if you like your scotch a trip like this is definitely something to do before you die.

How to perform this trip of a life time will require a great deal of planning. Firstly as someone who has visited nearly all of the ninety I would advise flying to Scotland. With flights so cheap and readily available it saves a long drive up the country on the stressful road network. This however is where I would change tack, the distilleries in question although found in groups are spread out and in many disparate locations.

This makes using a car hire company a necessity. Obviously when you are on your own the use of a hire car is not wholly advisable. Drink driving is both reckless and foolhardy, but if there is a group of you I cannot recommend car hire enough. It is simply the best option; just make sure to have a designated driver.

When touring Scotland you will travel through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. The highlands of Scotland are renowned for their striking features and awe inspiring features. This is the main reason I would advise car hire, while in Scotland it would be a crime to miss out on this amazing natural beauty. Travelling in one of the most sparsely populated regions of Europe is a pleasure at all times with constant gleeful exclamations from passengers.

Car hire in the area could not be simpler in Scotland. Four international airports are in the country and all have a variety of car hire desks by the arrival lounge, it is really a stress free way to travel. When flying in however I would choose either Aberdeen or Glasgow International as my destination as unlike Edinburgh and Glasgow Prestwick they are a far easier drive to the serenity of the highlands.

It can be asserted that Scotland has five separate whisky distilling regions. These are the Scottish Islands, separately the Isle of Islay, the Highland and Lowlands, Campbeltown and Speyside. This is where using car hire services is definitely advisable; the distances that need to be covered despite Scotland's relatively small size are vast and being able to travel at your own rate make life much easier.

If flying Aberdeen Speyside should be your first port of call as it has the largest number of distilleries of all the regions and is clearly the most prolific scotch producer in the country. The Highlands' also possess some fine scotches that are most definitely worth the drive to find them.

I would also advise putting the hire car on a ferry and visiting the Islands, some of the scotches in this region are exquisite and the Islands themselves are stunning. Campbeltown can be seen as Scotland's second largest scotch producing region with almost thirty distilleries and being on the opposite coast it offers the chance for a glorious cross country road trip.

Unfortunately with only three distilleries left in the lowlands this is probably not worth the trip but the other regions equally have pleasures in their own right. The use of a hire car to travel around the various distilling regions is the best way to get a feel for a country with a real heritage.

Locals are pleasant and always happy to share a nip with tourists while there are some superb hotels throughout the country. If you are a fan of your scotch and enough of a connoisseur to take pleasure in sampling the variety of malts this could be the trip for you.