Whisky Tour

Email from my favourite shop, the Celtic Whickey Shop in Dublin.

I very very much doubt I'll even be capable of going, but hope springs eternal.

If your interested you can email Ally at ally.alpine@celticwhiskeyshop.com

Joe



Hi,

The (hopefully) much awaited Islay Trip has finally been arranged. I’ve extended the trip by one day from last year to allow us to take in Springbank & Glengyle Distilleries in Campbeltown as well as Auchentoshan Distillery, Glasgow and all the Islay Distilleries (Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Kilchoman). This is just about the ultimate trip for whisky aficionados! We also, have lunches and dinners arranged in some of Argyll’s finest restaurants and hotels.

The Dates – Wednesday 17th October to Saturday 20th October.

The Cost – Cost is 750 Euro per person.
This includes all travel (flights, ferry, mini-bus, drivers), Lunches (x 4; 2 in distilleries, 2 in restaurants), Dinners (x 3 in top restaurants plus fish supper), Distillery Tours and/or Tastings ( x 11 – have requested all tastings to include something extra). Dinners & lunches (where applicable) include a half bottle of house wine per person. Most menus will be set due to large party. Most of the accommodation is in shared cottages. A surcharge of 50 Euro will be required if you require your own room as most rooms are twin. There are a limited number of double rooms. I’m waiting for confirmation but cost should include holiday insurance.

How to book – Places are available on a first come, first served basis. To confirm a place, I’ll need a non-refundable deposit (unless I resell the place) of 250 Euro. The balance will be due by end of September.


The Itinerary Below is approximate and might vary.

Wednesday 17th October

Dublin Airport
Aer Lingus EI224
Depart Dublin 9.20am Arrive Glasgow 10.15am
http://www.dublinairport.com/index.asp

10.30am – Collect Minibuses (I’ll try to book the correct amount this year!)

11.15am – 12.45pm
Auchentoshan Distillery, Tour & Tasting
Visit Glasgow’s distillery where all its whisky is unpeated and triple distilled.
http://www.auchentoshan.co.uk/

Scenic drive to Loch Fyne (If it’s not raining)
http://www.argyllonline.co.uk/

2.15pm-3.15pm
Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, Cairndow, Argyll
http://www.lochfyne.com/pages/content.asp?PageID=58

Another Scenic drive to Campbeltown

5pm-7pm
Springbank and Glengyle Distilleries, Tour and Tasting
http://www.springbankdistillers.com/
http://www.kilkerran.com/

8pm
The Hunting Lodge Hotel, Bellochantuy, Argyll
Dinner
http://www.thehuntinglodgehotel.com/


Thursday 18th October

7.30am Breakfast if you’re up.
The only free breakfast of the trip!

8.15 am Sharp
Depart for Kennacraig

Kennacraig
Calmac Ferry
Depart 9.45am, Arrive Port Ellen 12.05pm
http://www.calmac.co.uk/

12.20pm -1pm Lagavulin Tasting and visit to shop.
http://www.islayinfo.com/islay_lagavulin_distillery.html

1.30pm-3pm
Ardbeg Lunch plus Tasting and visit to shop.
http://www.ardbeg.com/

3.30pm – 5pm
Laphroaig Tour and Tasting
http://www.laphroaig.com/

5.30pm
Arrive at Bowmore Cottages
http://www.bowmore.co.uk/BowmoreCottages.aspx

7.30pm
Bus from Bowmore to Port Charlotte

8pm
Dinner Port Charlotte Hotel
One of the highlights of last year’s trip. Seafood was as good as I’ve tasted!
http://www.milford.co.uk/go/portcharlotte.html

10.30pm
Bus back to Bowmore


Friday 19th October

Breakfast
Make your own! Each cottage has their own cooking facilities. The Co-op across the road will open your eyes to the delight of Square sausage and morning rolls!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliced_sausage

Depart
9.30am
Drive to Bunnahabhain

10am-11am
Bunnahabhain Distillery Tour and Tasting
http://www.bunnahabhain.com/index.php

11.30am
Caol Ila Distillery Tasting
http://www.discovering-distilleries.com/caolila

12.45pm-1.45pm
Lunch at the Lochside Hotel
To ensure late night drinking in Bowmore’s late bar, I thought we should maybe have lunch there!
http://www.lochsidehotel.co.uk/

2pm-4pm
Bowmore Distillery Tour and Tasting
http://www.bowmore.co.uk/

Some free time to go to the pub, go to bed or take the famous Lighthouse trip!
http://www.islayinfo.com/portellen.html

8pm Dinner at the Harbour Inn
http://www.harbour-inn.com/


Saturday 20th October

Breakfast – Same story as yesterday!

Depart Bowmore Cottages 10am

10.30am-12noon
Bruichladdich Distillery Tour and Tasting
http://www.bruichladdich.com/web_cam.htm

12.30pm-2pm
Kilchoman Distillery Lunch and Tasting
http://www.kilchomandistillery.com/

3.30pm-5.35pm
Port Askaig to Kennacraig Ferry
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/islay/portaskaig/index.html

7.30pm
Inverary Fish and Chips or Deep Fried Mars Bar
http://www.mr-pia.co.uk/

Glasgow Airport
Depart Glasgow 10.15pm Arrive Dublin 11.10pm
http://www.glasgowairport.com/


I’d be delighted to answer any questions.

Sláinte


Ally.

Work, Work, Work

How does one keep up with the notes, the data, the files, all of the general day to day stuff on sites. I'm finding it hard to keep up with all of it. I have 3 or 4 big projects all on the go and I need to get the notes, data, and all the other stuff for these together.

But I have gotten to play with some nice new kit recently.
Cisco ASA 5500 Firewall
Cisco 1806 Router connected to a BIPS or MPLS system.

WW

Busy

Been mad busy over the last while between work and getting home for the weekends.

With regards to work I've finally got the regional offices done and now only have to tidy up the terminal servers in the Dublin office and I can strike that one off. But as usual more new jobs and more complex scenarios at that.

Hopefully it should all calm down a bit in another week or two.

I'll catch up later today, as I have to replace a PC on a site that has soooooo much stuff on it I'm surprised it actually works. Of course the client will want it all to work!

Joe