For more than 30 years I have been a professional musician and teacher, with experience of touring the world as a session keyboard player, and with a PhD in educational music composition.
However, over the past 15 years, I have become more and more obsessed with whisky!
I moved to Highland Perthshire in 2009, and have spent much of my spare time paying homage to my obsession by visiting distilleries all over Scotland.
Hanging up my teaching shoes, but continuing my music as a sideline and still based in glorious Perthshire, I set up Westie Whisky as a total change from the classroom.
Me with our much-loved West Highland Terrier, Lottie, after whom Westie Whisky Tours is named
Westie Whisky has been established as an enterprise whereby whisky enthusiasts can holiday in Scotland, leaving all accommodation, tour, itinerary and ferry bookings to me, and, most importantly, having me as the designated driver. Although I have visited distilleries from Highland Park in Orkney to Bladnoch in the Lowlands, with most stops in between, my real love is west coast whisky.
Westie Whisky looks to organise travel and distillery bookings in distilleries from Campbeltown, Islay, Oban, Arran, Mull, Morvern (Nc’Nean), Ardnamurchan, Skye and Raasay, with forays to Harris and even Barra possible. Of course, the Speyside, Lowland and Highland whisky areas are perfectly feasible too if your preference is to shun the west, but why would you?
My love of all things whisky stems from a love of Scotland, and your travel is supported by a teacher’s knowledge and passion for sharing information. I am also mad about travel. You may choose to book a Westie Whisky tour simply to use me as a taxi driver and to save you the hassle of sorting out a complex itinerary. Or you may be new to Scotland, and want to combine your whisky experience with gaining a broader overall Scottish experience. While driving you from distillery to distillery, I can be as chatty or as taciturn as you wish!
What you gain from booking with me is a true enthusiast’s guide to all things whisky and Scottish travel related.