Lonely Planet

36 Lonely Planet Traveller October 2017For the amateur distiller, making your own whisky has associationswith bathtubs, accidental blindness and concerned visits from thelocal constabulary. Far safer to pay a visit to the tasting laboratoryat the Glengoyne Distillery – one of the most beautiful in allCaledonia, set near the foothills of the Highlands and the pebblycoves of Loch Lomond. Here, novices can have a go at blendingtheir own Highland single malt under the supervision of an expert,being schooled in whisky vocabulary and mixing mellow bourbon-cask malts with sweet sherry-cask varieties. Participants get to taketheir own bottles home, but better to pop one in a backpack and gofor a stroll among the surrounding heather-swathed glens andblustery Munros, all looking radiant in autumn hues. The summitof nearby Conic Hill (361m) is the perfect spot for a dram whilewatching the sun set over the wooded islands of Loch Lomond.``````GLENGOYNE DISTILLERY, SCOTLANDWhisky a go-goThe Glengoyne Distillery Masterclass Tour is available on request (£150;glengoyne.com). The West Highland Way runs straight past the distillery –follow it north to reach Conic Hill (west-highland-way.co.uk).Glengoyne is 40 minutes’ drive from central Glasgow and 35 minutes fromGlasgow Airport. Public transport is intermittent, so it’s best to hire a car –this is easily arranged at the airport (from £33; hertz.com).The Loch Lomond Arms is set in the pretty village of Luss, a short drive fromGlengoyne. Interiors feature a characterful assortment of tartan fabrics, grandfireplaces and taxidermy creatures (from £180; lochlomondarmshotel.com).MAKE IT HAPPEN