Shop Local and Home Delivery in Aberdeen/shire during Covid 19 lockdown

16th June 2020 - Stay Loyal Stay Local

After 13 weeks of constant updates, I've just made my final weekly amendments to this listing and won't be updating it further moving forward. 

Many of you have told me how useful it has been but as we ease into a 'new normal' and places reopen it's now served it's initial signposting purpose. However as the supermarket shelves are once again full, do keep in mind who/where was able to feed you when the usual supply chain broke down. Please continue this local support and direct connection with talented food and drink producers and retailers going forward. #StayLoyalStayLocal

We're in the midst of strange times at the moment and one of the things that has become apparent is how well local producers and food businesses across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have stepped up to the mark to offer delivery and collection services.

To try and help folk track down what's available in the area I created a post on my Facebook  page with a list of local businesses selling and delivering groceries etc  This grew arms and legs and escalated in size and sale very quickly. Facebook only allows you to tag up to 50 pages in a post so I had to include lots of unclickable links. My initial list was based on geography and as the situation developed and lockdown commenced it became apparent that may not be the best classification and that the facebook post despite being seen by thousands and shared by hundreds was somewhat unwieldy.

Cue this new blog post where I've compiled an updated list by category of foodstuff of where in Aberdeen/shire you can shop local for your groceries and/or have them delivered. This list is for groceries only not take away or cakes/sweets etc (with the exception of afternoon teas as folk keep messaging me about that) In current circumstances this list is ever changing and is by no means comprehensive. There will be errors, there will be omissions and for that I can only apologies. I'm doing this entirely off my own bat just to try and support local businesses and help both them and those of us who are doing the right thing by social distancing, isolating or shielding.

Stonehaven Boardwalk Sculptures

Top of your list of things to do in Stonehaven must be a visit to the whimsical collection of steel sculptures adorning the beach boardwalk. The artist is mysteriously unknown. Perhaps the 'Banksy of Sculpture'? The fanciful creations include a lighthouse, fishing trawellers and a viking longship - all crewed by fish and crustaceans. What else to do on your visit to Stonehaven? Dunnottar castle is a must, plus the outdoor swimming pool, land train, a drink at one of the harbour pubs and of course at Hogmanay the Fireballs.

We're all guilty of not always appreciating what's on our own doorsteps and sometime we need a wee bit of reminding. A BBC news story last week about Stonehaven's secret sculptor prompted me to pull together this post sharing details of a collection of fanciful metal artworks that grace the boardwalk in Stonehaven. I regularly walk past these clever creations and often share photos and videos of them on my Instagram account but have never really thought about the where, when, why and how of their existence and the fact that new ones keep appearing to enthrall and delight. 

There are now five sculptures in total on the boardwalk which runs from the Backies car pack at the harbour to Salmon Lane. The most recent one appeared late last year and it's addition seemed to spark a renewed flurry conversation as to who was behind them. They don't seem to be signed in any way and no one seems to know who the artist is. Who is Stonehaven's secret sculptor? Now being tenuously referred to in the media as the 'Scottish Banksy' or the 'Banksy of Sculpture', whomever he/she is they have a fantastic imagination, amazing skill and are making a lot of people happy with their creations. The common theme with the sculptures is a link to the sea but in all of them the traditional roles have been reversed with fish and crustaceans taking the place of humans and vice versa. They are all amazingly detailed and I'm sure I discover something new in each one every time I stop and look. Photo opportunities a plenty with the picturesque town of Stonehaven and the North Sea as a backdrop.

Fine Dining at Douneside House in Royal Deeside

A relaxing visit to an historic and luxurious country house hotel in the heart of Royal Deeside. Douneside House offers fine dining, a range of leisure facilities, stunning gardens and impeccable levels of service.

One of the many things that I love about my blogging journey is that along the way I've had the opportunity to discover some fantastic places to visit, eat and stay that I simply wouldn't have known about otherwise. Last weekend we headed out to Royal Deeside on one such edible adventure. I'd been contacted by The MacRobert Trust to tell me about a property they own called Douneside House which has recently been upgraded and re-opened as a luxury country house hotel. I'll admit that whilst I'd heard of the MacRobert Trust and the fantastic charity work that they support in this area and further afield, Douneside House wasn't on my radar at all. 

The history of Douneside is both tragic and inspiring. The MacRobert family purchased the Douneside Estate as a holiday home in 1888 adding extra rooms and a tower to transform it into the spectacular country house and gardens which are to be admired today. Sir Alexander and Lady MacRobert had three sons, all of whom died under tragic circumstances. The eldest, Sir Alasdair, was killed in pre-war times during a civil aviation accident. His younger brothers were both commissioned in the Royal Air Force, Sir Roderic as a pilot and Sir Iain as a pilot officer. Both of them were killed within six weeks of each other during the Second World War. The MacRobert family were well known locally as significant philanthropists, which is why, following her sons’ deaths, Lady MacRobert decided to set up a charitable trust in their honour. Today, Douneside House is owned and run by the MacRobert Trust in memory of Lady MacRobert, who wished for the House to remain a place of tranquillity and peace. All surplus profits generated at Douneside are either re-invested into the Estate, or donated to charitable causes. In addition Douneside House extends a warm welcome to military guests, with exclusive accommodation periods and discounted rates

Douneside is located in the heart of Royal Deeside on the outskirts of the village of Tarland, 7 miles from Aboyne. The house itself has 14 bedrooms and there are also a range of apartments and cottages on site which are dog friendly. Much to my daughter's disgust we don't have a dog but never-the-less our accommodation was in the Gatehouse Cottage. This charming property located 300 yards from the main house has three ensuite bedrooms (two doubles and a twin), a sitting/dining room, small kitchen and a patio area. It was cosy and comfortable with views across the infinity lawn and pitch and putt. One of the things that we'd been eagerly anticipating about our stay was the opportunity to partake in putting, croquet and badminton on the immaculately manicured Douneside lawn. Fierce competition ensued in all the events - particularly the croquet! We also took full advantage of the swim, sauna, steam and jacuzzi facilities in the adjacent health club (plus pool, table tennis and table football in the games room!). Plenty to keep our teenage kids occupied - and if that failed there was always wifi.

The house sits in 17 acres of stunning gardens which are maintained and nurtured by the MacRobert Trust’s expert horticultural team. These range from formal areas to rock pool gardens, an arboretum, greenhouse and a walled kitchen garden. There are a multitude of nooks and crannies to discover with bridges, seating areas, streams and stepping stones. Organic vegetables, salad leaves, herbs and fruit produced in the walled garden makes its way to the kitchen and onto the menu. Head Chef at Douneside is David Butters. He joined from Gleneagles and has also worked at various other high-end properties, including the five-star Longueville Manor. Non-residents are welcome for lunch, afternoon tea or dinner with advance reservations.

After a busy afternoon we were more than ready for a pre-dinner drink and canapes in the bar. Our stay was inclusive of a set three course table d'hote menu (£35). A six course taster menu (£60) is also on offer which I looked at longingly (even moreso as it was being brought out course by course to fellow diners complete with matched wine pairings!). A colourful selection of canapes was served including an olive surprise, haggis bon bon, smoked salmon and beetroot and goats cheese meringue. A real taste of what was to come. Girl not being the most adventurous of eaters ordered fruit salad, pasta and sticky toffee pudding from the kids menu. Boy meanwhile asked if he could use his paper round earnings to upgrade to six courses. With our dinner order taken and canapes eaten we were led through from the bar into the light and bright dining room which was at Saturday night full capacity. 

There are only two choices for each course although any specific dietary requirements can be catered for with advance notice. Having spotted rather a lot of bunnies causing havoc in the gardens I'd joked about there perhaps being 'Casserole de Lapin' on the menu. It was a case of be careful what you wish for as one of the starters was Wild Rabbit and Foie Gras Terrine! Two of us went for the terrine which was served with a-la-grecque vegetables, parsley, mayonnaise. My son opted for Salmon Gravalax, quail egg, lemon, cucumber, rosemary toasts. The starters both looked and tasted amazing and were accompanied by a selection of delicious homemade breads and whipped butter. Girl surprised us all by devouring four slices of Guinness, Fennel and Rye bread. Perhaps I'll make a foodie of her yet?!

My main was Butter Roast Loin of Monkfish Tail, Pancetta, Pea, Beetroot and Bacon Foam. Another stunning looking and tasting dish. The boys went for the vegetarian option which was Rotolo, Wild Mushroom & Goats Cheese, Garden Herbs, Wilted Spinach. To be truthful we had no idea what it actually was when we ordered it! Turns out Rotolo is a lesser known Italian pasta dish where a filling is rolled up in pasta sheets then rolled like a roulade, poached, sliced then served. Every day's a school day! The presentation was much more rustic than all the other dishes but the flavours were amazing.

Cheese is always going to win over chocolate so whilst boy opted for the Milk Chocolate Delice, Candied Orange, Pistachio Ice Cream it had to be the Artisan Cheese Board for myself and Foodie Loon. A wonderful selection of Scottish and French cheese accompanied by quince, celery, oatcakes and frozen grapes. Whilst the kids headed back to the Gatehouse for the Britain's Got Talent Final we retired to the bar for coffee and drinks accompanied by homemade marshmallows and fruit pastilles. A Gin and a Whisky from an extensive choice of both was the perfect end to a wonderful evening.

We headed back to the main house on Sunday morning for breakfast prior to our 11am check out, however they weren't getting rid of us that easily! We'd still to have a croquet rematch, a game of tennis and do some more exploring in the gardens. We even managed an alfresco coffee before the heavens opened which we took that as a sign to head home. Douneside House is a real gem that's full of history and with a high quality food offering combined with impeccable yet unobtrusive service it's sure to quickly cement it's place in the Aberdeenshire hospitality scene. Next time I'll be sampling all six courses. 

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Disclosure: We stayed and dined as guests of The MacRobert Trust and Douneside House. As always, all views expressed are my own.

The Best of Buchan at Saplinbrae Hotel

Dinner, Bed and Breakfast at Saplinbrae Hotel and Lodges, Mintlaw. A country house hotel located in Aberdeenshire's Buchan heartland. Relaxed all day everyday dining with contemporary takes on traditional foods and a passion for provenance and local sourcing.

My husband aka Foodie Loon is from Buchan. St Fergus to be precise. So when we recently paid a visit for Fraserburgh Super Saturdays, Kinnaird Head Lighthouse and Glamping in a High Seas Hobbit he was very much back on his home turf. Whilst his farming and family roots are in Buchan, mine are in The Black Isle. As such I was delighted that on the same trip we were also invited for Dinner, Bed and Breakfast at Saplinbrae Hotel, near Mintlaw which for the last 18 months has been owned by a fellow Black Isler, Joanna Gall and her husband Noel. We'd been told that we were staying in one of their wooden self catering lodges but upon arrival we'd been upgraded to The Old Shooting Lodge, a fantastic historic property with three double and one twin en-suite bedrooms plus a gorgeous well equipped kitchen and three public rooms. For a full tour take a look at my Facebook Live video. Lots of lovely touches throughout with my own particular favourites being the Tunnock's Teacakes and the upcycled Rock Rose Gin bottles. 

After exploring the shooting lodge and arguing over bedrooms - the kids not me - I opted for the master bedroom with the awesome rolltop bath. We headed back to the hotel and into the cosy snug bar for a pre-dinner drink with Joanna and her sister Ailsa where a great choice of Scottish beers and spirits were on offer. I went for a Harris Gin and of course it just had to be matched with the local Walter Gregor's Tonic Water for a perfect serve. Saplinbrae is rightly proud of their relationship with and use of local suppliers and highlights them on their menu which includes Netherton Farm Shop, Farmlay Ythan Bakery, Ugie Salmon, The Store at Foveran, Ewan Morrice Butcher, Buchan Fish, Prime Seafoods, Methlick Salad Leaves, Rora Dairy, Springwood Wagyu, Mitchells (Inverurie) and Grahams Dairy. Joanna explained the ethos behind their offering - good food, drink, provenance, comfort, charm and service with a smile. We experienced all of this and more during our stay. Jo has definitely brought some highland hospitality with her to Buchan. 

We headed through to the busy dining room for dinner and perused the menu. I could quite happily have gone for pretty much anything on it. The boys went for a starter of poached Strichen egg, black pudding, rosti potatoes (£6), girl opted for lentil soup (£4) (almost as good as Grannys - high praise indeed) and I went for Seared seabass and langoustine, cucumber lime gel, burnt orange syrup (£8). The poached egg looked amazing and I hoped that it may also feature on the breakfast menu. My seabass was delicious and perfectly cooked with crispy skin although the cheffy touches of  gel and syrup had melted into a multicoloured puddle on the warm plate. 

When it came to the main event I had to stay local to my own roots and went for Belmaduthy lamb loin, minted herb crumb crushed potatoes, spring greens (£19). (Belmaduthy is Joanna's family farm in The Black Isle) Boy joined me with lamb, Girl went for the Chicken breast, cajan spiced crumb, pan fried vegetables and sweet potato mash. Suffice to say none of her vegetables actually got eaten... Our lamb was beautifully pink, tender and flavoursome however when Foodie Loon's dish arrived I was instantly jealous. He'd gone for the 10oz dry aged Aberdeenshire ribeye ( my favourite cut!) onion rings, wild mushrooms handcut chips, cherry vine tomatoes, peppercorn sauce (£25). It looked absolutely amazing! The pièce de résistance which hadn't even been mentioned on the menu was a deep fried soft boiled egg. To give him his due he did let me have a quarter of the egg, a couple of the chips (amazing dunked in the sauce!) and a mouthful of steak. To accompany we enjoyed a bottle of the house red which was a cheeky little number from a carefully compiled and reasonably priced wine list.

Somehow there is always room for dessert. The kids had chosen theirs almost as soon as we sat down. Warm chocolate brownie, chocolate sauce salted caramel ice cream (£6). The brownie was huge and perfectly squishy in the middle yet crunchy on top. I would usually go for the cheese but was swayed by Rhubarb and custard cheesecake, poached rhubarb (£6). I am rather partial to a dessert wine so went for the Pedro Ximénez, San Emilio, Solera Familiar, Andalucia as the menu said it's 'characteristic date and fig notes marry well with the cheesecake'. Perfect contrasts of sharp and sweet to round off a wonderful meal. It was up to Foodie Loon to take on for the team and order the Scottish cheeseboard. House chutney, oatcakes Smoked Applewood cheddar, Clava brie, Blue Murder (£8). Of course this required the classic pairing of a Ruby Port to wash it down. 

Top tip for all restaurants out there, if you offer a desert wine pairing 99 times out of 100 I can have my arm twisted to partake (the other 1% I'll be driving!). After fantastic food and friendly, knowledgeable service we returned to the snug for a nightcap (more Harris Gin and Walter Gregor Tonic) before heading back to The Old Shooting Lodge where a bubble bath had to be taken before retiring for the night (gorgeous complimentary Ness toiletries). Comfy beds and peaceful surroundings made for a good nights sleep, if a rather warm one as the thermostats must have been set a wee bit too high. 

Girl preferred a long lie to a hotel breakfast so only three of us headed to sample the full Buchan Breakfast. I was sorely tempted by Sandend smoked haddock, poached egg, black pudding but we all opted for the full Scottish. However I did also have to go for the Yoghurt, granola, summer berries with Rora Dairy Yoghurt as we'd organised to visit them later on during the weekend so I thought I'd better taste their offering in advance. I'd spotted Rora Dairy on Twitter only a couple of weeks previously and had got in touch with them to find out if they were really the Rora near Mintlaw - yes! And the same Middleton of Rora Dairy where Foodie Loon worked during the summer holidays as a teenager. Yes again! The yoghurt was deliciously smooth and creamy - more about the dairy to follow. Our hearty breakfast most definitely set us up for the day, in particular the awesome tattie scone. Time was ticking by so we returned to The Old Shooting Lodge and packed up or bags to head off for the rest of our adventures at Fraserburgh Super Saturdays, Glamping at High Seas Hobbit and visiting Kinnaird Head Lighthouse and Museum.

On our way home from Fraseburgh we dropped in to visit Middleton of Rora Dairy and find out a wee bit more about their 'Simple Pure Scottish' yoghurt. Whilst the dairy farm owned by Bruce and Jane Mackie has been in operation since 1966 it's only in the past few weeks that yoghurt has gone into production. The diversification came about in an attempt to minimise the effects of the closure of Muller's Aberdeen processing plant which has forced dairy farmers in the area to pay to have their milk taken to the central belt for processing. Currently yoghurt is made once a week with 500 litres of milk and a natural flavour. However there is scope for increased capacity and plans are afoot for fruit and honey flavours to launch soon. You can find a list of local stockists on their website.

We headed out to the dairy shed to meet the 240 Holstein Friesian cows who produce over 2 million litres of milk annually. The impressive set up contains four robotic milking machines where the cows patiently line up and wait their turn to be milked. It is a bright, calm and quiet environment with direct access to the fields outside. The robotics continue with a sweeper robot who pushes the silage towards the cows, lasers that scan the udder and a tag round each cows neck which reports everything about her and her milk to a computer in the office. Suffice to say the set up has changed drastically since Foodie Loon had a summer job there in the 1980's! As a farmer's daughter it was absolutely fascinating to see modern agriculture in practice.

It was great to go full circle and finish up or trip to Buchan by seeing where our breakfast yoghurt at Saplinbrae had come from. Literally just 3 miles down the road, farm to spoon. Unfortunately we didn't manage to squeeze in everything that we wanted to on our flying visit and must return to check out their Cafe at Aden Park, walk around Pitfour Lake and bag some tantalisingly close Geocaches. I was also delighted to discover that Saplinbrae serves a traditional High Tea (4.30-6pm, Monday-Friday). Not so delighted to discover that I'd missed out on their apparently famous cocktails. Why did no one mention Cammy's Cocktails whilst we were there?! Yup a return visit is definitely on the cards.

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Disclosure: We stayed, ate and drank as guests of Saplinbrae Hotel and Lodges. As always, all views expressed are my own.

Fraserburgh - Kinnaird Head Lighthouse and Glamping in a High Seas Hobbit

Sampling the best of Buchan at Fraserburgh Super Saturdays, sleeping in a Hobbit House at Down on the Farm Glamping in Rosehearty plus a visit to Kinnaird Head Lighthouse. 

I spent my childhood on a farm in The Back Isle only moving to Aberdeenshire when I went to University. Prior to that I made an annual pilgrimage to the area during the Easter holidays. Firstly to Aberdeen and latterly to Frasebrugh. My Mum's Aunt, Aunty Meg lived in Don Street in Aberdeen before moving to Scalloway Park in The Broch (the local name for Fraserburgh) and then to sheltered housing in Cross Street. My Mum along with my sister and I used to stay with her for a week each Easter. I remember those holidays as always being warm and sunny. There are certainly a selection of photos taken by my Mum on her Kodak Instamatic that would back that up. Happy days spent on the beach, eating ice creams, burying each other in the sand and riding ponies. All those nostalgic memories came to mind when I was contacted by Fraserburgh Super Saturdays and asked if I'd like to join them for their inaugural 2017 event and spend the weekend sampling the best of Buchan. How could I refuse?

Our weekend kicked off at Saplinbae Hotel near Mintlaw, but I'm going to save those adventures for a separate blog post so watch this space. Suffice to say we enjoyed fantastic hospitality and wonderful food which showcased the best local produce from the area. With full bellies from a substantial Buchan Breakfast we headed to the Broch for Super Saturday - Fraserburgh Celebrates. Organised by Fraserburgh Development Trust, Super Saturdays are family friendly themed community events celebrating all that is great about Fraserburgh. They take place in the town centre and feature a huge variety of stalls, entertainment, food and fun.

Dates for your diary for the remainder of 2017 are:

• June 10th - International
• July 8th - Get Fit Fraserburgh
• Aug 12 - Fraserburgh Back to the Future
• Sep 9 - Taste of Fraserburgh
• Dec 8th & 9th - Frozen Fraserburgh (featuring an ice rink!)

We had a quick look around to get our bearings before it was time for the kids fancy dress competition which I was judging. Great effort from all (including one adult - you know who you are!) but there could only be one winner. Congratulations to the Broch Dragon! The event had plenty to keep the kids entertained with bouncy castles and the likes and the main attraction being a fee show from Artie's Tartan Tales which by all accounts went down a storm. My daughter's eyes popped out of her head when she spotted a Nutella Calzone at Basic Kneads. Theirs did likewise when she removed her jacket to reveal a Nutella hoodie!!! A match made in heaven. 

Time to properly explore the stalls and find out more about what Super Saturdays is all about. There was a great turnout of local suppliers selling everything from cupcakes and cheese to preserves and pies, fudge and fish. In addition to the food, there was also a really good selection of craft, charity and community stalls, over 40 in all. On top of the foodie goodies to take home there were also plenty of options to eat there and then. We enjoyed Paella, Pizza, Burgers, Coffee and Ice Cream. As well as a DJ, entertainment was provided from local drama, dance and singing groups - plus visitors from a galaxy far, far away... Myself and my daughter got roped in to trying out the belly dancing with the fantastic Tribal Mutiny. It is really hard work, but I'd totally be signing up for their classes if I lived closer. Such good fun! 

The local Rotary club did a sterling job manning the tasting gazebo dishing out samples from local shops and producers and cooking up tasters of wonderful fish dishes. We tried fish soup, Arbroath smokie risotto and fish fingers. All were amazing! I headed over to the fish stall to buy some Smokies and recreate the risotto but someone had clearly had the same idea and he'd just sold the last pair!

Super Saturdays is a great joint initiative from the local community, Aberdeenshire Council and Fraserburgh Development Trust to bring folk into the town centre. It's a challenge that many market towns face these days and it seems that local business in the Broch have also come on board as many were offering Super Saturday discounts and offers. The increased footfall in the area clearly means better trade for all so its a win win situation. Their ambitious plans for an Ice Rink at the December event are to be applauded and supported. 

Our Saturday night accommodation was in the 4 Bed High Seas Hobbit House at Down on the Farm in Rosehearty, 4 miles west of Fraserburgh. This was actually our third visit having stayed there in March 2013 and again in July 2013. Since our last stay there has been the addition of a 2 bed hobbit, a coastal carriage, a harvest hut and a 'teas and seas' tea room. Rosehearty is clearly Aberdeenshire's Glamping capital! We were welcomed by a fantastic hamper of produce from local suppliers. Bakery goods from Murdoch Allan and Websters Bakery, Eggs from Aberdeenshire Choice and Meats and Pies from I.J.McIntosh Butcher. What an absolute feast! 

We managed to fit in a couple of local Geocaches before returning to base camp to get a fire going and cook up some of our treats. New potatoes were wrapped in tinfoil and popped into the side of the fire to bake whilst we fried up sausages, burgers and kebabs. Picky Girl declared the Chicken and Mealie Burgers the best ever, I was smitten by the coleslaw and suffice to say that the Prime Steak, Cheese and Spring Onion burgers are deserving of their 'Best Burger in Scotland' accolade. Dessert was in cake form with a huge caramel topped and cream filled sponge from Websters Bakers for the little kids and Baileys Marshmallow Shots for the big kids.

The Baileys Marshmallow Shots caused a bit of a stir on my social media. Here's how to make them if you fancy giving them a try at your next BBQ or campfire.

For the ultimate Glamping Tipple... Carefully toast a marshmallow (the bigger the better!) allow to cool slightly then gently remove the outside layer to create an edible glass.

Slainte! 

Time to retire for the night in our cosy Hobbit House. If anything we were too cosy and certainly didn't need to use the fan heater. The Hobbit comes with all mod cons. Electricity, fridge, microwave and kettle plus crockery and cutlery. Outside there's a cupboard stocked with pots and pans, cooking utensils and everything you'll need to get a campfire burning. The 'facilities' are by means of an award winning Loo in a Whisky Barrel and there's even a shower. All you need to bring are sleeping bags, pillows, towels and a sense of adventure.

A long lie in on Sunday morning saw breakfast turn into brunch, and what a brunch it was! Sausages, tattie scones and fried eggs fae Strichen! There may even have been a cheeky burger. We all particularly loved the Mini Butteries from Murdoch Allan and I was delighted to see 'Mini Plate Scones'. These were a smaller version of what I remember my Grandma Corntown making which she called Girdle Scones. 

Time for a few more Geocaches on the road back to the Broch before a visit to Kinnaird Head Lighthouse. We'd missed the start of a tour up the lighthouse by 10 minutes so headed off to explore the museum which tells the tale not only of this particular lighthouse but that of the Northern Lighthouse Board, the engineers who built the lights and the keepers who tended them. I've always been fascinated by lighthouses - I blame Blue Peter who seemed to regularly visit them - and we've actually stayed in one of the cottages at Buchan Ness Lighthouse just a wee bit further south down the coast in Boddam. The museum gave a fantastic insight into the skill, courage and technical genius required to establish and keep the lights flashing.

As we headed outside to the Lighthouse we learned that it was Scotland's first - the leading light! In 1787, Kinnaird Head Lighthouse started off life as a giant lamp positioned on the roof of Kinnaird Castle. When structural problems began to appear, Robert Stevenson engineered a foundation, walls and a spiral staircase through the heart of the castle, completing construction in 1824. The sun was shining as we entered the lighthouse and climbed the spiral staircase to the top, stopping off to see the preserved keepers quarters enroute. However as we reached the top where there were amazing views, we could see the weather rolling in and by the time we made our way back down there was torrential rain and thunder and lightening! A rather soggy end to our trip as we retired to Stevenson’s Tea Room for a cuppa. A fascinating tour and only made me even more keen to find a lighthouse that I can spend the night in. I feel another edible Scottish adventure in the planning...

Disclosure: We were invited to Buchan as guests of Fraserburgh Super Saturdays. Thanks to Down On The Farm and The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses for their hospitality and to Murdoch Allan, Websters Bakery, Aberdeenshire Choice and I.J.McIntosh Butcher for our dinner and breakfast.

As always, all views expressed are my own.

Thanks to John Alexander Johnston for additional photography.

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BrewDog DogWalk and Glen Garioch Distillery VIP Tasting

Post in collaboration with Visit Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen Festivals

Craft Beer and Malt Whisky in Aberdeenshire visiting Brewdog's DogTap and DogWalk Brewery Tour in Ellon plus a VIP Whisky Tasting at Old Meldrum's Glen Garioch Distillery. 

For three days last weekend I was a tourist in my own back yard. I must admit that when I received an invitation to a press trip in Aberdeen, initially I wasn't exactly jumping up and down with enthusiasm. However once I saw the full itinerary my attention was grabbed by what was on offer in terms of food (LOTS), drink (Craft Beer & Malt Whisky), accommodation (luxury) and entertainment (the suave and sophisticated Curtis Stigers). The trip took place during the Aberdeen Jazz Festival and profiled the city and shire's food, drink and cultural/music scene. Whilst I was familiar with all of the eateries we were visiting - all establishments that showcase the area particularly well - I'd never visited either Brewdog or Glen Garioch. Why is it that you never seem to get around to visiting places on your own home turf? Our base for the weekend was the Skene House Apartment Hotel on Rosemount Viaduct. I lived in Rosemount for almost 10 years before moving from the City to the Shire and it's location was a fantastic base. An abundance of food was consumed at Eat On The Green, Foodstory, Meldrum House, Musa and Rye and Soda but for this post I'll concentrate on the booze. The eats deserve their own 15 minutes of fame. But what about the Jazz I hear you cry? For that I refer you to my blogging colleague Elizabeth who flew down from Shetland for the trip and has written a fantastic Aberdeen Jazz Festival 2017 roundup piece on her blog. (I hereby confess to being the person who was shushed by serious Jazz fans at the Lampie and likewise also wish I'd asked for a selfie with Curtis)

I am absolutely by no means an expert in either Craft Beer or Whisky so this post is very much a tourist eye view of both operations rather than a connoisseurs and I apologise now for anything I've got factually incorrect! By the fifth nip of whisky I was struggling to remember my own name let alone what we were drinking!

First stop BrewDog DogTap and Brewery Tour. Located on the outskirts of Ellon, BrewDog is undoubtedly Scotland's most infamous beer. As well known for its stunts, provocative marketing and general controversy as its brews. Whatever your opinion of them, at the end of the day there's no denying they are a huge success story. I'm not quite sure what exactly I was expecting but suffice to say the whole operation was bigger, bolder and brasher than I could ever have imagined. Founded in Fraserburgh in 2007 by 2 men and one dog it has grown to a multinational company with 55,000 Equity Punks worldwide - and I'm one of them! 

There are 250 people (plus 50 office dogs) employed at the Ellon site which operates 24/7. Our tour was led by the affable Sydney Paulsen who was as informative as she was passionate. You don't have to be a hipster to work at Brewdog but it helps. There's almost a cult like indoctrination going on amongst the staff. If you cut them I expect they would bleed IPA. The proudly displayed brewdog charter is taken as read rather than taken as ironic. Their most recent press has on one hand been about their planned expansion to include a BrewDog Hotel being thwarted by a deluded council and on the other about the introduction of Puppy Parental Leave. When quizzed about the Paw-ternity leave Sydney couldn't confirm if a litter of eight pups would get 1 week off on full pay or 8. Either way my 12 year old now wants to go and work for BrewDog if it means I will buy her a puppy.

One we had signed a disclaimer and donned safety glasses and hi-vis vests the DogWalk could begin. First stop on the tour once you pass a rather impressive giant lego model of BrewDog HQ is the epic Site 3 Brewhouse. This is craft brewing on a truly industrial scale. Can it still actually be craft beer? Sydney assures us that it is. Moving on we see the malt room, fermentation, dry hop infuser and the quality labs full of scientific beer geeks. Time to stop for a taster in the staff canteen and learn more about the perks of working at Brewdog. In addition to puppy dog leave, staff get a case of beer a month, profit share, a gym and a subsidised canteen with rather delicious sounding food, a fridge stocked with other breweries beer and an enormous table shuffleboard on which I was desperate to have a game. Alas before you could say shuffleboard cheese we moved on past more funky artwork and four legged friends to the most recent addition to the BrewDog empire.

It was pretty much inevitable that BrewDog would at some point expand into spirits. Step forward Lone Wolf Distilling. The somewhat surreal copper still setup looks like a cross between a chemistry set and a brass band. A section of the brewhouse roof had to be removed to allow the installation of a colossal 19m high rectification column - to get the purest, cleanest spirit possible. The ESP of BrewDog distilling is that it's the only craft distillery in Scotland to also make its base spirit grain under the same roof (others buy in neutral spirit in bulk). Lone Wolf Gin is currently on V3 release (which is actually the 181st prototype) Time will tell if the final version merits a place on my Gin Shelf.

The penultimate part of the tour was the original Site 1 Brewhouse which also houses the packaging plant. Rolling off the production line at a rate of knots were dead ponies on their way to those who love hops and live the dream. Back to the DogTap for some final tasters and a peek at the Pilot Brewery. By this time stomachs were beginning to rumble and although the Pizza on offer looked rather tempting we had a date with Kilted Chef Craig. Only time will tell if my next visit to BrewDog HQ will include a night at a Beer Hotel.

If Brewdog is the irreverent young pup of the Aberdeenshire drinks industry, Glen Garioch (pronounced Geery) Distillery is the auld master. Located in Oldmeldrum only 10 miles from BrewDog, it is one of the oldest (and the most easterly) operating distilleries in Scotland. Official records state that whisky was first made in 1797, but there’s belief in some quarters that it’s even older. Our tour guide was Jane Cattanach who has worked at the distillery for longer than I suspect our Brewdog tour guide has been alive. Her warmth, genuine passion and knowledge really shone through and was enhanced by her doric tongue. Being a Foodie Quine (Quine is doric for a young woman, girl or daughter. A female person from Aberdeen/shire) I loved how doric translations and phrases were used on signage and display boards throughout the tour. My particular favourite was 'Ca canny fin yur crossin e road!'

There have been a lot of twists and turns in the distillery's 200 year history. It has changed hands on numerous occasions, been part of an innovative greenhouse project utilising waste heat to grow tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and cucumbers in polytunnels and witnessed periods of closure and changes of style. The most recent reopening was in 1997. Prior to mothballing in 1995 the distillery’s own floor maltings were in operation. As part of our VIP tour we got to visit the the spacious malting floors where you really could feel the history surrounding you. Glen Garioch now uses unpeated malt, which is a big contributor to its unique Highland style. 

Glen Garioch is a rare find indeed, but warmly appreciated by those who like a hearty Highland malt, non chill-filtered as nature intended, with a wholesome maltiness, honeyed sweetness and delicious creamy texture to savour.

There was no production taking place on the day of our visit but Jane took us through the whole process and answered questions and explained the history throughout our tour. It was a fascinating part museum, part working distillery experience which took us through the mash tun and washback culminating with the gorgeous copper stills in the still house. The final stop was the bonded warehouse viewing gallery. For me the most fascinating part of our tour and something that I haven't experience elsewhere was the opportunity to use a rather wild looking mallet to unbung a cask of whisky. We all got to have an attempt to remove the bung and nose the contents. This forms part of the Glen Garioch Distillery Cask Bottling experience where visitors can hand fill a bottle of Highland Single Malt from one of the specially selected casks and label their own bottle. The experience carries a rather hefty price tag but I can totally see its appeal if Whisky is your thing. 

Final stop on the tour was the recently refurbished bothy tasting room. This was formerly the excise hut but is now beautifully decked out complete with a roaring fire. Confession time. I'm really not much of a whisky drinker, which I always feel a wee bitty guilty about. I love the smell of it and the flavour it gives when used in cooking. But a dram of whisky would be far from my first choice of tipple. Could Glen Garioch convert me? Apparently there is a whisky out there for everyone. Was I about to find mine?!

First to be tried was 'The Rare Pair' cheese and whisky matching with water and oatcakes if you wanted them. The cheese was from Aberdeenshire's Devenick Dairy.

15 Year Old The Renaissance 2nd Chapter paired with The Reeds Aricht

15 Year Sherry Cask Matured paired with The Coos R Oot

To follow we tried the three variations that are currently available as the Cask Bottling experience. Glen Garioch 1997, Cask number 8 (Sherry cask matured), Glen Garioch 1991, Cask number 4557 (Bourbon cask matured) and Glen Garioch 1978, Cask 11001 (Bourbon cask matured). My favourite was the final one costing a rather eye watering £495. However this was the fifth whisky I had tasted which may have more to do me choosing it than my refined palate! Despite my reservations I very much enjoyed the whole tasting experience and came to realise that drinking whisky is as much about the people you are with and where you are. Perhaps you can never fully enjoy a dram of Glen Garioch until you have seen how and where it's made.

Tours & Prices (current as of 03/17)

BrewDog DogWalk

Monday - Friday at 4pm and 6pm.

Saturday & Sunday at 12 pm, 2 pm and 4 pm

£15 per person, book 48hrs in advance

Glen Garioch
Founders Tour £7.50
Wee Tasting Tour £15
A Rare Pair - Whisky & Cheese Tasting £50
VIP Tour £50

To book call the distillery on +44 (0)1651 873450 or email visitor.centre@glengarioch.com

Whilst the Aberdeen Jazz Festival is all over for another year there are still eight further festivals to come in the Granite City's line up for 2017. Next up is Look Again which runs from April 27th - May 1st. Surely the perfect excuse for a visit to Aberdeen for some food, drink and cultural adventures. 

www.aberdeenfestivals.com

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Disclosure: I stayed, jazzed, ate and drank as a guest of Visit Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen Festivals. All views expressed are my own.