Enjoy a dram in our Whisky Lounge

In our whisky lounge you will find over 300 bottles of Single Malt Scottish Whisky. From the standard entry level to the very rare and exclusive ones.
Have a look at our collection.

In the Heart of Speyside

Moray, not only famous for it's whisky, but also skiing, fishing, castles, the impressive coast and beautiful and sometimes challenging golf courses.

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Yes, Dufftown is slowly getting back on track! The

Yes, Dufftown is slowly getting back on track! The first overseas guests have returned from Switzerland and even Singapore! And Dufftown is ready for you. Have a look at The Seven Stills - Historic Pub, Scottish Restaurant and Malt Whisky Bar for a drink and excellent food. Book in advance, because you might miss out: https://sevenstills.co.uk

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MONKEY SHOULDER The unconventional name ‘Monkey

MONKEY SHOULDER
The unconventional name ‘Monkey Shoulder’ harks back to whisky making heritage. Years ago, distillery workers would shovel tons of malting barley hour after hour for long shifts. This hard work would sometimes cause their arm to hang down, a bit like a chimpanzee’s. The men called this temporary affliction ‘monkey shoulder’. Luckily the working conditions have changed, which means this injury has been consigned to the past.

There is a story about a doctor that once had his practice in todays Tannochbrae in Dufftown, who is said to have coined the phrase "Monkey Shoulder" when a distillery worker came to his door with this affiction.

There are several lesser-known animal/body part afflictions that affect people of whisky. For instance, there’s Flounder Toe, a condition suffered after dropping a full cask on your foot, very similar to the lesser-known but equally painful Squid Hand. There’s Donkey Face, which is a colloquialism for the nerve damage one suffers after falling into a tub of fermenting mash.

William Grant & Sons started producing Monkey Shoulder Blended Whisky in 2000. Then it had 3 different whiskies in it (hence the thee monkeys on the shoulder of the bottle): Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie. Nowadays many other whiskies are used, because the whisky became so popular that the three distilleries couldn’t produce enough of it.

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THE JACOBITE GLASS The Jacobite movement in Britai

THE JACOBITE GLASS
The Jacobite movement in Britain was one born out of a support for the exiled Catholic monarch, James II & VII, and later his descendants James III & VIII and Charles Edward Stuart, who would become known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

To combat this support and maintain the new Protestant line of succession, the Whig government passed a series of strict sedition and treason laws, with capital punishment posing a very real threat to those who disobeyed. To effectively subvert these laws, the Jacobites devised their own secret language of code, allowing them to express their political sympathies to others in the know without running the risk of arrest and prosecution.

To drink to the health of the Stuarts was a treasonable offence but this did not stop Jacobites like Henry Jones having their toasting glasses and decanters engraved with emblems of their faith. However, to avoid discovery, many of these engraved glasses were destroyed and it became the custom to smash the glasses after the toast to the Jacobite cause had been drunk.

The Glenfarclas in the photo is a Distillery Exclusive whichhh was available during the Whisky Festival in 2017. A very popular one. People queued up till the parking lot for it! It is a really good dram though. Bottled at 59.4% ABV, this young Glenfarclas has all the taste you would expect from a much older one. Raisins and sweet dried fruit. Only one bottle in our lounge, so better hurry if you want to try it! https://www.thegablesbb.co.uk

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COPPER DIPPING DOG A traditional size dipping dog

COPPER DIPPING DOG
A traditional size dipping dog has a penny at the bottom. Copper dipping dogs originated in the 1800's in Scotland. Distillery workers crafted dipping dogs to lower into aging barrel to steal whisky. The dipping dogs were attached to chains or rope, secured to the workers' belts and concealed in their trousers legs. The thieves could then easily take a drink on the job or sneak it out of the distillery. The cylinder became known as a ‘dog’ on account of it being a man’s best friend that, it never leaves your side as it was also kept on a lead.

Dufftown 1892 - Between the 14th September and 6th October 1892 William Clark, who was a labourer in Dufftown, stole two quarts or ten gallons of spirit at the Glenfiddich Distillery by drilling a hole in a copper pipe or “worm”. He pleaded not guilty, but there were seven witnesses and Clark was sent to prison for 30 days. He was released on bail of £10.-

WHISKY THIEF
A whisky thief is a tool that master distillers use to extract small portions of whisky from an aging barrel for sampling or quality control. The old-fashioned ones are made typically of copper and resemble a drinking straw in design. It has a coned narrow hole at the bottom and a vent hole at the top in which a distiller can cover with the thumb once the device is inserted in the barrel to trap and lift the whisky out.

In the picture my beloved Balvenie New Wood 17 year old. The oak notes and sweet honey notes. This all from having 17 year old whisky from traditional oak cask finished for four months in new White American Oak. Why is it that they stop producing once a product is perfect?

Available in our lounge. But gone once it's gone. https://www.thegablesbb.co.uk

#scotland #dufftown #speyside #VisitScotland #scotch #whisky #whiskylover #whiskey #singlemalt #scotchwhisky #singlemaltwhisky #thegableswhiskybb #whiskygram #instawhisky #whiskylife #whiskylove #dram #instadram #visitspeyside #whiskytime #whiskyfun #whiskyporn #onlyinscotland #whiskeycommunity #whiskeyfabric #wateroflife #whiskycommunity #whiskyfabric #morayspeyside #balvenie

QUAICH
Most people pronounce the word as ‘quake’ with a hard ‘k’, however, it’s pronounced as a more Scottish ‘ch’ sound, similar to loch. A Quaich is a traditional Scottish bowl which was used for drinking and its name comes from the Gaelic “cuach” which means “cup”. Quaichs were used for special drinks, such as whisky or brandy.

Traditional quaichs were carved from a single block of wood, they were used across the Scottish Highlands and Islands to offer a welcoming drink to a visitor. Whether it was presented by a clan chief or a crofter, the quaich was a humble creation that represented friendship. The trust element of the cup exists in the relationship between the giver and receiver. The cup is typically offered so that the receiver grasps both handles, the idea being that doing so would make it impossible for the receiver to use any weapons. The two chiefs would drink first from the Quaich, followed by the rest of the clans. This sounds nice, however glass bottom Quaichs were invented to keep an eye on rivals whilst the Quaich was being drunk from!

The Laphroaig Cairdeas Origin in the picture is my very first purchused Cairdeas from Laphroaig. In those days they were exclusively for the Friends of Laphroaig. Totally flabbergasted these bottles are priced now at £799.-.

The dram has a wonderful taste of oak and orange peel. Even something sweeter, maybe nuts. And of course the Laphroaig Peat. Still available in our lounge: https://www.thegablesbb.co.uk

#scotland #dufftown #speyside #VisitScotland #scotch #whisky #whiskylover #whiskey #singlemalt #scotchwhisky #singlemaltwhisky #thegableswhiskybb #whiskygram #instawhisky #whiskylife #whiskylove #dram #instadram #visitspeyside #whiskytime #whiskyfun #whiskyporn #onlyinscotland #whiskeycommunity #whiskeyfabric #wateroflife #whiskycommunity #whiskyfabric #morayspeyside #laphroaig

DRAM If you like whisky, you must have heard of a

DRAM
If you like whisky, you must have heard of a dram. And probably know it’s a measure of whisky, preferably in a whisky glass. But how much is a dram precisely? Did you know a dram started as an apothecaries weight measure (the little coins on the book) before it was used as a fluid measure and actually originated from ancient Greece? The fluid dram (or fluid drachm in British spelling) is defined as 1⁄8 of a fluid ounce and is exactly equal to 3.5516328125 millilitre.

In Scotland, dram came to mean a small draught of alcohol; hence the term dram-house for the taverns where one could purchase a dram. In those days whisky was a rare luxury hence the small measure. I think the best definition given for today’s dram is: “A dram is a lot of whisky, which is determined by the generosity and mood of the person who is pouring.”

The 11 year old Bladnoch in the picture really surprised me. Lots of flavour this young one has! Honey sweetness and candied apple. Bottled at 46.7% and matured on bourbon casks. This is a must have Bladnoch. Want to try it first? https://www.thegablesbb.co.uk

#bladnoch #whiskyhistory #scotland #dufftown #speyside #VisitScotland #scotch #whisky #whiskylover #whiskey #singlemalt #scotchwhisky #singlemaltwhisky #thegableswhiskybb #whiskygram #instawhisky #whiskylife #whiskylove #dram #instadram #visitspeyside #whiskytime #whiskyfun #whiskyporn #onlyinscotland #whiskeycommunity #wateroflife #whiskycommunity #whiskyfabric #morayspeyside

Fairly new in our collection is this Highland Park

Fairly new in our collection is this Highland Park Saltire Edition Nr.2. Just 13 years old with an ABV of 43%. It's a typical Highland Park. Easy drinkable, but I prefer the Twisted Tattoo which is a bit bolder.

Highland Park adds: "The packaging design is inspired by Scotland’s national flag – displayed proudly by David Coulthard on his F1 crash helmets and cars, throughout his career."

The only flavour I could agree on is the Aromatic smoky peat. There's a bit sweet flavour like vanilla or toffee and a bit fruitiness. But it's only a light flavour compared to the peat. ~No mango for me... Give it a try before you buy in our lounge: https://www.thegablesbb.co.uk

In online shops for almost £300.-... at Highland Park for £250.- less. 😉 Just saying. Slainte!

#scotland #dufftown #speyside #VisitScotland #scotch #whisky #whiskylover #whiskey #singlemalt #scotchwhisky #singlemaltwhisky #thegableswhiskybb #whiskygram #instawhisky #whiskylife #whiskylove #dram #instadram #visitspeyside #whiskytime #whiskyfun #whiskyporn #onlyinscotland #whiskeycommunity #wateroflife #whiskycommunity #whiskyfabric #morayspeyside #highlandpark #saltireedition2

HOT TODDY One story about the toddy is that it was

HOT TODDY
One story about the toddy is that it was invented by 18th-century Scottish doctors as a medicament, in fact the drink was invented to disguise the flavour of raw Scotch. “Sugar, dates, saffron, mace, nuts and cinnamon were piled on to hide the foul taste. It was given to patients in hospital as part of their treatment, but it was also common to prescribe hot wine or a measure of hot whisky. A special copper ladle was used to warm an exact amount of the liquid.

The earliest known use of hot toddies is from 1786 and is also known as hot whiskey in Ireland. It is typically a mixed drink made of liquor and water with honey, herbs and spices, and served hot.

In 1905, the Stephen Cottage Hospital in Dufftown were still prescribing wine and whisky to their guests... sorry ... patients, haha! All was written down in this so called Wine Book (see pictures). The copper item in the photo is a antique toddy maker.

Hopefully it wasn't this wonderful Dallas Dhu from 1979 that was cooked and boiled! A magnificent dram this is. Barley, butterscotch and dried fruit. Have to try it yourself. https://www.thegablesbb.co.uk

The word ‘Dallas’ is from the Gaelic word ‘dalais’, which means Valley or water. The word ‘Dhu’ means black and is from the Gaelic word ‘Dhub’. Whether Dhu is a reference to dark water or a dark valley is undecided.

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