Noble Isles Guide to the UK: The Craigellachie Hotel, Speyside.
At Noble Isle, we work with a variety of celebrated producers to source the extracts for our fragrant Bath & Body collections and multiple luxury hotels around the British Isles. We wanted to take the opportunity to give you Noble Isle’s Guide to the UK, by asking the people who know the area best, where the hidden gems of the region are.
This month we contacted The Craigellachie Hotel in Speyside, a luxury hotel located in the beautiful Scottish countryside, nestled between 50 whisky distilleries!
Q1. The Craigellachie is such an amazing hotel, can you tell us a little more about it and its history?
The Craigellachie Hotel opened its doors in 1893 as a high-end hotel located in the heart of Speyside, known for outdoor sporting pursuits such as fishing, hunting, shooting and golf. London based Victorians would escape the city by train (the track of which was located a stone throw away from the hotel) for the fresh air of Speyside once described as having ‘the invigorating quality of champagne’ – a wonderful description found in an old hotel brochure, kindly donated to us by a local chap.
The pub downstairs, known to us now as Copper Dog Pub was later frequented by local distillery workers, coopers, coppersmiths who all gathered together after a hard days work to talk about what whisky they had pinched from the casks that day. It was a known fact that these old time whisky rascals would use their Copper Dog (a handmade implement made using copper piping, a penny which was soldered to the bottom and a wee bit of string attached to the top) to dip into the hole at the top of the barrels and take out what they could from the precious liquid, all behind the head distillers back. They used to take their Copper Dogs to local pubs, like the one at The Craigellachie Hotel and mix the liquids together to create their own blends. Hence the same of the pub and the name of our own brand whisky, Copper Dog.
In 2013 the hotel was later bought over by London based entrepreneur and night club god father, Piers Adam, owner of brands such as Mahiki, Alberts club and once owned the punch bowl with Guy Ritchie. Piers had a close association to Speyside through his father and has made The Craigellchie what it is today – supporting local producers, local people and the village of Craigellachie itself.
The hotel is home to 2 food and beverage outlets, the Copper Dog and Quaich whisky bar. The Quaich has up to 1000 whiskies lining the walls including some of the oldest and rarest in the world. Our 26 rooms are individually decorated which Johnstons of Elgin accessories, Noble Isle toiletries, Roberts Radio, complimentary Nespresso machine and views towards the River Spey. We also have 2 Treatments Rooms in house where we offer a range of treatments from waxing to massages to facials.
Q2. You have one of the largest whisky93 bars, could you tell us a little more about it and what famous whiskies we can find there?
The Quiach is home to nearly 1000 whiskies, nearly all of which are Scottish, which I suppose you could say is our niche. The bar is designed by Soane London and the bar is finished with an engraved band of silver design by prestigious silversmith, Stephen Webster.
We have most Scottish whisky ranging from 1940’s Macallan at £295 for a nip to the full range of the family owned Benromach whisky. We also have Balvenie which is the whisky used to create the wonderful ‘Water & Whisky’ range by Noble Isle.
Q3. The area is home to more than 50 whisky distilleries, do you get a lot of whisky connoisseurs staying with you?
Speyside is home to more than half of all of Scotland’s whisky distilleries and you won’t have to go to far down the road until you see a distillery popping up out of the landscape. We do get lots of whisky connoisseurs staying with us, also whisky journalists, writers and bloggers. We also get whisky tourists who come to the area to explore Speyside’s ‘ Malt Whisky Trail.
Q4. If we were to spend 24 hours in Speyside, where should we go?
Definitely a distillery – there are lots to choose from!
Take a tour of the Johnstons of Elgin mill in Elgin – the producers of some of the finest cashmere products in the world and who make products for the likes of Burberry, Hermes, Chanel….you get the idea.
Take a walk along the Speyside way to Aberlour which runs along the bottom of the hotel grounds.
Sqeeze in a walk along Lossiemouth beach – the coast of which was once voted by National Geographic Magazine as being one of the top coastlines in the world!
Dine in Copper Dog Pub for local produce and be entertained with live music and delicious cocktails!
Pop up to the chilled out Quaich bar for a post dinner cocktail and funky tunes.
Q5. Are there any local delicacies we should try?
Certainly the salmon!
Any fish caught in the Moray Firth, just half an hours drive down the road.
Local venison is pretty special, as is the melt in your mouth beef/steak.
Q6. Is there anything you would like to tell our readers about The Craigellachie Hotel?
We hold gorgeous, intimate weddings for up to 54 guests. Guests are invited to create their own day and build a package that suits them meaning no wedding is the same and we can tailor it to the individual personalities of the bride and groom.
Q7. And lastly, what is your favourite Noble Isle fragrance?
Whisky and Water of course!