And it was on a trip to the Scottish Highlands with UNTOURS, a company with its own unique traditions, that I got to relish in all of it. UNTOURS puts you up in unusual accommodations in multiple cities in more than a dozen European countries – perhaps a castle, a vineyard, or a delightful old church like ours. It provides a car, inundates you with information, connects you with a local contact to answer questions, and sets you off to see what you want to see when you want to see it, unencumbered by anyone else’s set schedule or preferences.

Should we sleep in – or get an early start? Have dinner out – or eat in. Spend the day exploring our home town – or visit some of the towns within an easy hour car ride? Enjoy a sampling of a variety of Scottish single malts – or revel in other less-indulgent sightseeing options? Such are the many decisions with which we had to cope on our Scottish Highlands UNTOUR, an unrivaled way of traveling that encourages you to live like a local. Which means one decision you never have to make in whether or not to unpack.

We were spending the week in our own apartment, part of an 1837 church in a former life, near our home base of Inverness – and it indeed felt like home. Although a street sign on the corner with arrows pointing to a museum, the bus station, a market, and “Castle and Toilet” warranted a double-take. As did all the neighborhood signs where the Gaelic translation appears below the English ID. Dead language? Not close – they still teach it in school. Very hard to understand though. But then again so is the language they speak, which they claim is English…

Kilts, tartans, whisky – not your everyday window-shopping options.  If there were a singular symbol for Scotland, it might be tartan: from hotel interiors and tabletop items to cookie tins and everyday clothing. And then there are the wings of planes at the airport sporting bright plaid colors. Scottish tradition in inescapable.

Case in point — the Highland Games. A throwback to ancient Scotland, it is a unifying rite of passage for any Scot. Amidst the vast ocean of tartan, bagpipes and clans sits a cultural event steeped in skill, tradition and community going back more than a thousand years. Now, the games are held in several cities throughout the summer – and we found ourselves at one on the only day of our week that was dry and drenched in sunshine.

Similar in style to the Renaissance Faires in the states, only here the men are wearing kilts rather than English robes. The music, of course, the incredibly distinctive bagpipes emanating from competing bands, never leave your ears. And, of course, every pipe band sports its own tartan — all of which I wanted a sweater made of — so the multitudes of plaids create a fashion visual that is hard to forge from your eyes. And I can’t tell you how many times I heard the words bonny, aye and laddie. To say, the Highland games are an assault on all the senses is a wee understatement.

And although some of the games such as track and cycling may be recognizable, the chanter, caber tossing, hammer throw and tug ‘o war are not. Men throwing heavy sticks, balls, hammers – and probably their arms out! The Highland dancers, from age six to seniors all decked out in colorful costumes, their intricate steps, toe-tapping music and enthusiasm galore enchant, whatever the age. At one point, I noticed that silence had descended upon the arena and I realized it was the first time a bagpipe couldn’t be heard somewhere off in the distance. It didn’t last long.

So kilts, bagpipes, Highland games all attesting to Scottish heritage. That still leaves whisky. And, oh yes, the damn haggis.

Scottish single malts – celebrated locally as whisky (no e) – are known all over the world for their richness and smoothness – and cost. With a history dating back as far as the 11th century, Scottish whisky is an important part of the country’s identify, with most of the 140-plus distilleries in the Highlands. Being more of a pedestrian imbiber of alcohol, I was not the ideal candidate for a whisky distillery tour and tasting. But I soldiered on.

At the Glen Ord Distillery, serving up its single malts for almost two centuries, I sampled a flight of their 3 brands of whisky – a dram each which I learned was 25 ml. At 12 years of age, they were just kids. Three very different flavors, or so I was told, but I was useless as a connoisseur. They all tasted the same to me. I’m not proud. Then, as instructed, I added three drops of water to each dram to “separate the flavors.” And yes, I noticed they were more potent – but still tasted the same. I slinked out of the distillery.

But I was braver there than with one of Scotland’s most traditional dishes – the inevitable haggis, a lovely concoction of a sheep’s liver, lungs and heart which I chose not to pursue. I opted for another single malt which should tell you how much I didn’t want haggis.

A visit to The Highland House of Fraser reinforces the uniqueness that is Scotland because there, for a mere $750, you can have your own personalized kilt made. And should you not have your own family tartan, you can choose from 750 different plaids from other clans. And you can even watch a kiltmaker weave your threads while, of course, listening to some bagpipe music.

And lest you think the kilt is itself a throwback to history, not so. They are often worn at every celebratory gathering from birthday parties to weddings to funerals – and sometimes just because. As our local UNTOURS rep told us, he takes his kilt and bagpipes with him wherever he goes – apparently both wrap up well for traveling — which conveys how very much a part of everyday living the old traditions are today.

So despite Britain’s efforts to destroy the language, the clothing, the traditions and the lifestyle of the Scottish people, it all remains alive and well today. And UNTOURS encourages its own traditions. Picking up a roasted chicken and another bottle of wine at a local shop in our home town, we headed back to our cozy apartment to think about what other historic/modern Scottish traditions we would next explore. For more information, visit www.untours.com/scottish-highlands.

P.S. I actually wish I HAD tasted haggis – if only for the sake of this article.

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“I learned early to drink beer, wine and whiskey.
And I think I was about 5 when I first chewed tobacco.”
– Babe Ruth

Dettling Kirschwelt – Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.”
– Frank Sinatra

For many, kirsch is simply a sharp-tasting liqueur that recipes require in a pot of fondue. For the Swiss it is their national drink. For me it was an excuse to tour the Dettling Kirschwelt distillery. To be honest, just the hour-long boat ride from the city of Lucerne to the idyllic village of Brunnen on Lake Lucerne would have been worth it. But the location of Dettling Kirschwelt was not chosen for its setting on the lake; rather for its proximity to native black mountain cherries. Kirsch, once called Kirschwasser in Switzerland (cherry water), is a clear brandy made from double distillation of the juice of small black cherries. The five-generation Dettling Kirschwelt was established in 1867, and has the distinction of being the largest distillery in the world to specialize exclusively in the use of cherries. The 45-minute tour of the visitor’s center is an insightful journey into all things kirsch. The taste is indescribable and, like the finest cognacs, must be felt and tasted. I left Dettling Kirschwelt with a solid kirsch education, and glad I was taking a boat back to the city of Lucerne, rather than driving.

Glenora Distillery – Single Malt Whisky, Nova Scotia

“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite
and furthermore always carry a small snake.”
– W.C. Fields

Located on Nova Scotia’s spectacular Céilidh Trail the Glenora Distillery is the first single malt whisky* distillery in North America. The distillery rests on a rural 300-acre site with buildings housing malt, kiln and milling production, warehouses, bottling and lodging facilities, constructed in a traditional style, similar to distilleries found in Scotland. Tours are offered, as well as a sampling of their 12-year-old heather and honey tasting “uisge beatha” (Gaelic for ‘water of life’). Single malt is a whisky produced exclusively from malted barley that is not blended with another whisky. After my tour, I was told to expect something special, for there was to be a céilidh in the distillery’s pub. A céilidh is a traditional Gaelic musical social gathering that originated in Scotland. Céilidhs flourished in Nova Scotia, where Scottish immigrants would meet with friends for an evening of song, dance and, generally, strong drink. Everyone in the room is invited to participate in the fun. I was pleasantly surprised to see one of the men sharing my table stand up and sing a song in Gaelic. It was the perfect setting to enjoy a wee dram of Glenora’s water of life. I decided it best, though, to book a room for the night in Glenora’s inn.

Guinness – St. James’ Gate Brewery, Dublin, Ireland

“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
– Benjamin Franklin

“Guinness is good for you” might be the ultimate self-fulfilling prophesy. When Arthur Guinness borrowed money from his wealthy aunt in 1759 to establish a brewery, it was with the strict condition that it be a healthy beverage, unlike the gin mills that were ravaging 18th century Dublin. Arthur took it a step further even suggesting that his brew was so healthy that pregnant women should drink a pint of it daily. Although the theory has never been proven, a perfectly poured pint of the black stuff has always worked wonders for me. Guinness brews more than 20 varieties of beer, but is best known for its stout – an extra dark, almost black, top-fermenting beer, made with highly roasted malts. On the days of its roasting, the city air of Dublin takes on a fragrance that’s paradise to the Guinness connoisseur. The best way to learn about Guinness is a trip to the Guinness Storehouse, located at the original 64-acre St. James’s Gate Brewery in the heart of Dublin. The journey begins at the bottom of the world’s largest pint glass and continues up through seven floors filled with interactive experiences that fuse the long brewing heritage with Ireland’s rich history. As you walk through each stage of the process you’ll develop a firm understanding on why Guinness is such a global favorite. And, yes, the tour ends at the rooftop at the Gravity Bar with 360° views across the city’s magnificent skyline with a complimentary pint of that black stuff.

Roskamp Vineyard – Sunnyside, Yakima Valley, Washington State

Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used.”
– William Shakespeare

With the stars above and the lights below best describes Roskamp Vineyard’s enchanting position on top of Snipes Mountain in Washington State’s Yakima Valley. With the majesty of Mt. Rainer and Mt. Adams in the distance, the vineyard was the brainchild of Herman Roskamp (1922 – 2002) and his wife, Gay. They diligently dedicated themselves to the labor intensive work and patience of creating a world-class vineyard from scratch. The Yakima Valley has long been an abundant produce belt for the Pacific Northwest – not to mention its golden hops are exported to the Guinness brewery in Dublin – and it only made sense that vineyards would soon follow. Mr. Roskamp knew his vineyard would be a smashing success for the Yakima Valley is blessed with 300 days of annual sunshine and enjoys the same latitude as the great wine-producing regions of France. When the Washington wine explosion hit the market, Roskamp Vineyard was at the forefront, with their grapes widely sought after from major wineries. Recently two Roskamp Vineyard wines received national attention: The Co Dinn 2014 Roskamp Vineyard Block Two Syrah, which emotes an intense and distinctive bouquet of dark raspberry, herb and plum, and the premium Co Dinn 2015 Roskamp Vineyard Chardonnay that features a unique delicacy and complexity. Today Washington State is the second largest wine producer in the U.S. Mr. Roskamp was selected as Yakima Valley’s rookie wine grower of the year in 2001 at the age of 78-years-young. Roskamp Vineyard is currently managed by Gay, son Michael and his wife.

*Editor’s note: The Scots spell it whisky and the Irish spell it whiskey, with an extra ‘e’. This difference in the spelling comes from the translations of the word from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic forms. Whiskey with the extra ‘e’ is also used when referring to American whiskies.

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