Photo of the Day – 51 Irish coffees for St. Patrick’s Day

by Meg Nesterov on


Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re celebrating today in America, you’re probably planning to drink green beer or a nice pint of Guinness, but why not warm up with an Irish coffee, spiked with whiskey (Irish, of course)? In today’s Photo of the Day, Flickr user jrodmanjr snapped these 51 coffees in action at San Francisco‘s Buena Vista Cafe, which claims to have brought the drink to the United States from Ireland’s Shannon Airport and holds the Guinness World Record for most Irish coffees served. A fun photo bonus: another Flickr user caught the same coffees (and jrodmanjr) at the Buena Vista.

Take any pics of your favorite beverages while traveling? Upload them to the Gadling Flickr pool and we may use it as a future Photo of the Day.

Daily Pampering: Fine and Rare Macallan for $10,500

by Gadling Staff on

Ask a scotch drinker about their dram of choice and often you will hear two words: The Macallan. For today’s Daily Pampering, we head to Speyside in Scotland – the home of malt whisky and Fine and Rare bottles that can be yours for $10,500.

Pull into The Macallan gates to learn about the magic that happens inside.

The tour begins at the distillery. Visitors see the mash tuns, washbacks, stills, and casks and learn about how each part of the process works together to create the golden scotch deliciousness. Several exhibits explain the process of turning new spirit into whisky with stories about the barley, the wood casks, and the tasting notes. Visitors who book the Precious Whisky Tour (lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes for 20 pounds) continue into the nosing room for a tutored tasting of a range of Macallan whiskies. You might even catch a glimpse of Bob Delgarno, Master Whisky Maker working away in his office right next to the nosing room.

Next head to The Macallan shop to stock up on barware, logo-wear, and food products infused with whisky. Flanked in leather and embossed with he Macallan logo, the Hunters Flask included two small metal cups to share whisky on the go. This is the time to check out the Fine and Rare bottles. For the 1937 bottle, enough liquid for 174 bottles were taken from the cask in 1969 – it can be yours for for $10,500.

A visit to The Macallan Estate and Distillery reveals the intense passion of the team that make some of the best whisky in the world. A fine rare experience indeed. Slainte Mhath!

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Daily Pampering: The Ardbeg Double Barrel Experience

by Annie Scott on


Ardbeg USA is offering a travel package that scotch-lovers won’t want to miss — that is, if they can come up with a cool $20,000.

This chocolatey bespoke leather rifle case repurposed as a gift box for two single cask bottlings of 1974 Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch Whisky (so you can taste the difference between casks), as well as silver chalices, tasting notebooks and matching Omas pen, is just one of the perks of the Ardbeg Double Barrel Experience. Beyond tasting the peaty, seductively floral notes of the “ultimate Islay single malt,” purchase of this hand-made gun case includes a VIP trip for two to the Ardbeg distillery, complete with a private tour and a private tasting with a member of the whisky creation team.

The trip includes airfare to the isle of Islay, airport transfer to and from the hotel, accommodation, two breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner. To contact an Ardbeg representative with your interest, call 212-251-8200.
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Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

[Photo credit: Annie Scott]

Scotland wants you to come home

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Even if you don’t have Scottish blood charging through your veins, you’re still invited to Homecoming Scotland. In 2009, the country will host more than 200 events … and yes, you can expect whisky to flow at a few of them.

The year kicks off with the Homecoming Burns Supper, part of an entire weekend (January 23-25, 2009) to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Scotland‘s national poet. Down some haggis and pour a few glasses of The Famous Grouse while celebrating what you didn’t bother to read in high school (or in college).

If dead writers don’t turn you on, there are plenty of other reasons to head across the Atlantic in 2009. You can track ancestry, watch people toss very large poles or take in 18 holes. You may even want to register for some free giveaways.

Need a place to stay? I’ve hit the Dakota Forth Bridge in Edinburgh and had a great time (the duck eggs for breakfast are a must), and rooms are available in January for less than $200 a night. If cities don’t work for you, head out to Loch Tay and spend a few nights at Ardeonaig (the owner and chef is an absolute madman, the genius kind) – you’ll have to call to find out the rates.

Just remember: Scotland isn’t easy on smokers, as I learned the hard way.

Whisky School in Scotland

by Neil Woodburn on

I’m afraid whisky is something I’ll never truly understand.

It’s legions of fans, however, wax eloquently about 100 year old bottles and various malts as though this amber liquid was the nectar of the gods. To me, it will always be a drink that wrenches my face into painful contortions any time I try to swallow it.

For those with more sophisticated palates that appreciate the finer attributes of whisky, there is no more holy ground than Scotland, the birthplace of whisky. Travel & Leisure contributing editor Alexandra Marshall recently traveled to the southwestern Scottish town of Bladnoch to visit the famous Bladnoch Distillery and partake in the local $1,000 per person Whisky School.

While there, Marshall learned about all the intricacies of distilling and can now speak knowledgably about such things as mash. She was also pulled over by the local police for erratic driving on the way home one day despite having not consumed any whisky that afternoon; the fumes from within the distillery were enough to do her in.

Even though I’m not a fan of whisky, the trip and school still sounds pretty cool–although when it comes time for sampling, I’d be down the street at the local pub ordering up a beer instead.

(Oh, and before you complain that I’ve left the “e” off of “whisky,” please realize that this is the Scottish spelling.)