The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: July tenth, sampling Speyside Scotch.

The swift, cold Spey tumbles northeast down to the North Sea from the Grampian Mountains of Scotland's Highlands. Centuries of Scottish history have strode these gravely banks. Along with other rivers and tributaries that drain the granite craigs and peat deep moors, the upper Spey is particularly prized by salmon fishermen.

Further downstream, as the rolling hills sag into broad valleys of barley and pastures of Black Angus cattle, the climate softens somewhat, and the air takes on a smell of flowers and buttered rolls.

The Speyside region is home to half the country's distilleries of that Scotch elixir known as single malt whisky. All along a 70 mile loop promoted as the whisky trail, the coppery, pagoda roofs of old malting chimneys bloom above tight clusters of weathered granite buildings. For Scotch lovers, the names on the front gates are legend, Cardhu, Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, Glenlivet, Macallan and Strathisla. For visitors, these distilleries all offer tasteful tours.

With a population of just 400, the village of Craigellachie boasts two distilleries, a barrel cooperage and the Highland's best hotel, with a bar that stocks over 360 malt whiskeys, enough to taste a different delight every day of the year. Many local pubs do nearly as well.

Today, almost all Speyside distilleries are owned by global conglomerates. Traditional methods have evolved, but the recipes and pure product remain the same. Since distillery managers pride themselves on being stewards of the landscape and history, also unchanged are the area's bucolic, single-malt charms.

This issue of the magazine National Geographic Traveler, a supporter of our program, traces the Speyside whisky trail.

You can register for a free sample copy on our home page.

FMI For information, visit the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board at www.highlandfreedom.com

For whisky trail info, www.maltwhiskytrail.com

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