While there is more to the town of Oban than the whisky that it produces, it is certainly the most well known feature. The distillery lies in the center of the downtown, the gentle smell of burning peat from of the houses mixes with the salty sea air in the same way that the flavors of the 14-year-old single malt that is made only here and exported around the world. Touring the facility we get to see firsthand the process of how the barley is ground, added to some pure local Loch water and a touch of yeast, then run through a series of stills before it is barreled and sequestered away for almost a decade and a half in white oak barrels. Whisky starts out clear and as it ages in the barrel it gains its color, during this period about 28% of a barrel will evaporate through the sealed wood, this is called the “angel’s share” and is the hypothesized reason for the serene smiles we see rendered in stained-glass windows of churches.
After a wee morning dram we are back aboard Lord of the Glens and make our way into the Caledonian Canal to begin our transit from the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea. This logistical achievement was designed by the renowned Scottish architect Thomas Telford, who, despite not being classically trained, accomplished many impressive engineering feats. He is credited with building hundreds of miles of roads, thousands of smaller bridges, and even the first modern suspension bridge. The Caledonian Canal opened in 1822 and was intended to be used as a way to quickly and safely transport the British fleet while avoiding the potentially perilous passage over the north of the country. Taking full advantage of this waterway we are able to push through the heart of the highlands and visit Glenfinnan, where Bonnie Prince Charles first unfurled his banner to call the clans together to his cause, starting the final Jacobite Rebellion that ended with the battle of Culloden on April 16, 1746. To continue our immersion in the culture of the area we are treated to an after dinner performance of musicians playing and singing songs of old then resonate and leave us humming as we tuck into bed after a full day.
