Blair Athol Distillery stands at the gateway to the Scottish Highlands in the picturesque town of Pitlochry, Perthshire. Set in open moorland south of the town in the foothills of the Grampian mountains, Blair Athol’s ancient source of water – the Allt Dour – flows through the grounds from the slopes of Ben Vrackie, contributing to the whisky’s, mellow quality and smooth finish.
The grounds are just beautiful. I could have spent hours enjoying the peace and tranquility of it (my tour got there early).
One thing that fascinated me about the grounds surrounding the distillery was blackened brick and trees. The strong concentration of alcohol in the air promotes a mass growth of harmless black fungus which uses ethanol for its carbon nutrition. It is harmless but gives the look of being burnt. The contrast of the black and green foliage is hauntingly beautiful.