Honey, I Blew Up the Grouse!

“Look, even he’s wearing a cosy hat” I said to my partner, gesturing towards the large statue which posed in front of us. This was a playful dig at Kyle who would much rather complain about the cold on his ears, than dress appropriately for it. We were standing in front of a very famous chap in Crieff, and no it wasn’t the lovely Ewan MacGregor. It was of course the Famous Grouse in all its shiny-copper glory, sporting some super-cute winter woolies. Welcome to the Famous Grouse Experience, your tour starts here

The Famous Grouse really is famous, and not just for the whisky. The cute cartoon animation is so popular that the attraction receives fan mail asking for inside scoop on the theme and broadcast time of the festive adverts. The whisky itself is blended and bottled in Glasgow - so why is The Famous Grouse Experience in Crieff? This highly rated visitor attraction is in fact home to the Glenturret distillery, one of multiple single malts which are used in The Famous Grouse blend. Aside from its claim to The Famous Grouse fame, it is also the oldest operating distillery in Scotland, presently home to around 6,000 casks of maturing whisky. The site has been a hot-spot for whisky production since 1717, when tax-dodging bandits illicitly distilled our ‘water of life’ over a hundred years before such activity was legalised. How naughty. “Nowadays we pay our taxes” joked our local guide Louisa, as she went on to explain that the only echoes of the past are in the distillery’s traditional production methods.

Isn’t it nice when you stumble across somewhere which hasn’t been invaded by the technology aliens? Glenturret has the only open mash tun in Scotland, allowing the grain to be mixed solely by hand. I like that, especially given the physical exertion involved. It was refreshing to see that the distillery hasn’t succumbed to techie temptation, and instead relies upon old-school methods of whisky production. This is largely due to the distillery’s traditional values, and its wee size. I appreciate this, and the meticulous methods which see three simple ingredients - barley, water and yeast - transform into single malt whisky. All this talk of whisky is making me thirsty!

Naturally, the hour long ‘Distillery Experience’ tour finishes in the bar with a couple of wee drams to warm your taste buds; one of The Famous Grouse and one of the Glenturret 10. Kyle was driving so I very kindly “looked after” his drams for him, before posing for an essential happy-tourist photo with the giant bottle of The Famous Grouse. When I say giant, I actually mean the ‘World’s Largest Bottle of Whisky’ - just in case you weren’t suitably impressed by the grouse outside. The 228 litre marvel was installed in 2012 to celebrate 10 years since the distillery was bought over by Edrington. I decided to celebrate 10 post-dram-minutes of feeling ravenous with a trip upstairs, to the revamped Glenturret cafe for a spot of lunch.

The cafe has recently been taken over by luxury caterers Wilde Thyme, whose food offerings can be found in the National Museum of Scotland and in numerous castle attractions in Northern Scotland. Self-service has been swapped for table service, and their focus is on local produce, which is always a big foodie thumbs up from me. For lunch I opted for a classic soup and sandwich combo - bacon and lentil soup with honey roast ham, Drum Loch cheddar and tomato sandwiches. It was all very fresh and satisfying, a nice change from bog-standard packaged sandwiches found in so many visitor attractions around Scotland. The interior has also undergone a complete overhaul and now boasts a contemporary Scottish theme, with warm colours and an even warmer feature fireplace surrounded by inviting sofas. Gill the Manager agrees that the lighting and soft features have been key in creating the desired atmosphere, and thinks that the food quality is better than before.

She also told me that the eatery will soon open its doors for dinner service three nights a week, a welcome addition to Crieff’s dining scene. After just over two hours at the award winning attraction, we set off into Crieff to pick up some supplies for our overnight stay. We popped into McNee´s delicatessen for some essential breakfast items - black pudding and eggs - and some non-essential, but highly desirable tray bakes. Little did we know, the real treat was waiting for us just outside the town.

Driving along a wee country road, we saw a big set of wooden gates ahead. The gates automatically opened as we approached, revealing our home for the night. It was like the curtains drawing back on stage at the finale of a grand production, and there would be no better finale to our day out in Crieff, than an overnight stay at Gamefield. The moment we stepped inside the entrance hall and felt the heat from the open fire and underfloor heating, I decided there and then that I didn’t want to leave. Ever. As we were shown around the dreamy house, my eyes caressed every corner of the rooms, taking in each thoughtful feature; the original artwork, unique furnishings, statement light fittings, sink-into sofas, chubby pillows and the mammoth master bed. Adjacent to the main house, the same attention to detail has been applied to the two bedroom Indie House, an option for parties over 10. Gamefield is a masterpiece, and I didn’t have to look far to find the man behind it.

The estate is the product of Property Developer William Frame’s passion and expertise. He bought the property in the too-good-to-miss location 18 years ago, a fraction of its current size. He has since turned it into a stunning five bedroom home which he and his wife Wendy have been letting out for the past two years. This venture adds to their portfolio of achievements, including Wendy’s nursery business and William’s fish and chip shop in St Andrews, which was shortlisted for the ‘Independent Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year Award’. It’s safe to say that William and Wendy are a couple who don’t do things by halves. They had prepared a gorgeous welcome basket for us, filled with melt-in-the-mouth fudge and banana loaf, amongst other treats, and had two bottles of Prosecco and a tub of antipasti from Delivino waiting in the fridge. Before leaving us to live a night of luxury, they recommended nearby Yann’s at Glenearn House for dinner. It was here I met another couple with a great story.

Going from Gamefield to Yann’s was a seamless journey of comfort and style. Set inside a pretty Victorian house, the restaurant spans over four rooms on the ground floor of the hotel. From the French bistro-style menu I chose Chicken Liver and Foie Gras parfait to start and for my main, it had to be the hottest couple of the French culinary world; Duck and Dauphinoise Potatoes. Delicious! I chatted to our friendly server Shari, who turned out to be one of the owners. She and her and husband Yann met 23 years ago when Shari was on a gap year in Chamonix. Smooth operator Yann approached Shari and went straight in with “Let’s open a restaurant together and have babies”, scooping the award for the best chat up line I’ve heard. You know how this story ends - they did both!

Arriving back at Gamefield, there was just one more thing we had to do before heading to bed for the night. Saving the best until last, we set off down the garden in matching bathrobes to the Summer House. We poured drinks in front of the wood burning stove, then made our way back into the cool, night air for a midnight Jacuzzi session. Switching on the light feature, the water flashed the same pastel colours which illuminated the sky during the brilliant sunset earlier that night.

I’m sure you can imagine how well we slept that night. From the giant grouse to the amazing house, it was a perfect day in Perthshire. 

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Find out more about The Famous Grouse Experience.

Find out more about Gamefield Luxury Accomodation.