From haggis to whisky, sampling Scotland’s best

One of VisitBritain’s key ongoing missions is to promote the U.K.’s culinary scene, and part of that mission, it’s safe to assume, is to counteract the country’s long-standing (if undeserved) reputation for less-than-stellar food.

Last spring, I tagged along on a VisitBritain-sponsored fam trip to Scotland, led by Rabbie’s Tours, that offered an overview of that country’s culinary scene, with flavors leaning heavily toward the traditional but with an occasional nod to more modern tastes.

In Edinburgh, our group was accompanied by Alan Chalmers of Eat Walk Edinburgh for a three-and-a-half-hour tour of the city’s Old and New towns, the former dating to the 12th century, the latter to the 18th century.

Highlights included a stop at Makars Gourmet Mash Bar, specializing in what its website describes as “classic Scottish dishes” made with “healthy, locally produced” ingredients. 

Once we had settled into the packed dining room, our group sampled the braised ox cheek and black pudding, served alongside the restaurant’s titular mash (mashed potatoes). A raspberry-infused local gin proved a refreshing palate cleanser, with the berries providing a bright, sweet complement to the liquor’s classic arboreal, herbal notes. 

And while it was tempting to take another sip or two of that gin, I resisted, knowing that the tour’s next stop would lean heavily on the libations. 

At the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, we dipped into an enviable array of single-cask selections, many of which bore elaborate names and fanciful descriptions. For example, a 10-year-old whisky from the Speyside region labeled Nutty Mocha Frappuccino was described as having flavors reminiscent of “crushed nuts tumbled into molten chocolate as praline merged with vanilla ice cream and wafers on coconut chocolate bars and frothy coffee.oft”

I detected more Scottish Highlands than Starbucks, but your mileage may vary, and I wouldn’t dispute that it had a smooth, sweet finish. 

It was at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society where I had my first-ever taste of haggis, that iconic (infamous?) savory Scottish pudding traditionally stuffed in a sheep’s stomach. 

Chalmers informed us that it’s rare today for haggis to be encased in the traditional manner; the version we sampled, prepared in a synthetic casing, reminded me of scrapple, though haggis’ combination of sheep’s organs, oatmeal, onions and more was far less dense than its mid-Atlantic analog. Not bad — or maybe it was the whisky talking.

The next day, we headed to the Isle of Arran, where the whisky continued to flow courtesy of the Isle of Arran distillery. Our hourlong tour began with a short video about the history of Scotch (said to have been introduced to the country by Irish monks), which led into an overview of the distillation process, followed by sampling their wares in the tasting room and a light lunch at the distillery’s Cask Cafe.

In the gift shop, I splurged on a limited-edition bottle of 12-year-old single malt aged in rum barrels (as opposed to the customary bourbon barrels).

On Arran, one culinary highlight was dinner at Crofters, a casual eatery where I and most of our group finally got a fish-and-chips fix. Just as satisfying was my bowl of Cullen skink, a creamy potato soup with smoked haddock. Reminiscent of clam chowder, it was the perfect, soothing antidote to a slightly chilly, seaside spring evening.

Of course, the whisky helped, too.