Food, Wine & Golf Vacation in Scotland

The unrecognized flavors of Scotland begin in the morning. A full Scottish breakfast awaits you in the lobby. A fire crackles in the fireplace and adds warmth to the polished tile floor. The elegance of leather seats embraces you at the table. Fried eggs accompany sizzling bacon and succulent sausage. Sautéed mushrooms and baked beans add a layer of hardy richness to the meal. Steam rises out of your tea mug and fills the table with an herbaceous aroma.

You make your way to Carnoustie Golf Club in the morning light. The sunlight layers the horizon in bright pink and deep purple. The grass is covered in a fresh sheet of dew. Carnoustie has hosted the British Open on seven separate occasions and is considered the most challenging venue ever played during the British Open. You place the tee, set the ball, and look out to the fairground. The fairways are long and tend to demand accuracy. Steep bunkers guard sleepy greens. The undulating narrowness of Hole One reaches 401 yards.

A small breeze encourages you to use a wood and swing away. You stay left center and have a view of the entire green. After you play the 18 you are guided to experience Arbroath Smokies. The dish began in the fishing village of Auchmithie with Scandinavian settlers, but the smoked haddock cuisine has become a Scottish sensation. The smoky aroma encompasses the local restaurant and makes your mouth water. The fish has a golden brown coloration with an unbelievable savory, smoky flavor.

The comforts of your luxury hotel are hard to leave; the warmth emanating from the fireplace in the lobby is soothing. The scent of fresh tea is encouraging. The sunlight breaks through the arching glass windows - your private transfer takes you to the Old Course of St. Andrews where you will attempt to be par for the course. The Old Course is the birthplace of golf, the virtual heart of golf lovers everywhere. A stone footbridge arches over a stream that leads to the North Sea.

Historic buildings line certain holes and offer subtle reminders of the course’s deep roots. You can feel over 600 years of history rising off of the ground with every step you take. The grass is soft and the soil is fertile. The brisk breeze carries the scent of the fragrant sea. The morning is serene, bathed in easy light and peaceful ambiance. By the 16th hole you have found your stride and have enjoyed every swing of the club and push of the putter.

The 16th hole is known as the Corner of the Dyke, a par four reaching 345 yards. During the 2015 British Open at the Old Course of St. Andrews, the winner, American Zach Johnson, scored a par. You set the tee into the soft grass and feel the moisture of the early dew. You search for the green and find it tucked in the corner of the Dyke wall, accounting for the hole’s namesake. You stay to the left and play it safe searching for par, the same score of champions. In the evening you settle into the Scottish atmosphere of exceptional seafood at St. Monans.

When morning comes you are eager for your next excursion: the combination of golf and gourmet food encompasses the best of your personal tastes. After breakfast you make your way to Kingsbarns, a course bordered by the North Sea. The waves crash down on top of one another and rush the sandy shores and rugged knolls. Seas spray mists into the air, carried by the breeze. The golf club has houses the game since the late 18th century and continues to challenge players today. Kingsbarns consistently makes the list of the Top 100 Courses in the World. Narrow, deep bunkers disperse around the lush grass and guard the green.

The waves offer a unique soundtrack to your game. It is you and the ball, ready to take on the 11th oldest golf course in Scotland. You grab your three wood and start the journey of the first hole venturing 395 yards. In the evening, you will be treated like royalty at the only Michelin two star restaurant in Scotland. Receive a warm welcome in the opulent space where a Victorian walled garden provides the restaurant’s herbs, fruits, and small vegetables. The decadent cherry soufflé has a hint of herbaceous black licorice flavoring and accompanied by a floral scented ice cream.

You wake up from dreams of the previous night’s meal wishing you could indulge in those flavors all over again. You have the option of enjoying a morning round at the PGA Centenary Course located along the greens of your hotel and designed by Jack Nicklaus himself. The course reaches a total of 7,088 yards, filled with long putting greens and strategic bunkers. The Grampian Mountains run along the horizon and the cool morning air settles over the valley. Whether you play along the Centenary Course or prefer a day to rest your muscles your private transfer meets you at the hotel to escort you to the Nick Nairn Cook School.

The cooking school was opened in the year 2000 along the foothills of the famous Trossachs woodland glen. When you arrive at the school, the aroma of fresh herbs and produce abounds. The chefs use only organic ingredients grown and raised in local gardens or fished straight from the local rivers. The intimate classroom setting allows for individual attention throughout the demonstration. Sample locally grown rosemary and mash peas. Listen to sizzling meat and in the end enjoy bite-sized pieces of lamb with a pea and mint dip. The gentle refreshing mint flavor adds layers while the peas add a sumptuous crunch.

Morning washes over King’s Course and brings lush green and shimmering gold to the landscape. The course is located on property at the luxurious Gleneagles Hotel. The air is cool and refreshing. The early dew lingers in the air before evaporating completely. Celebrated course designer James Braid wanted to create a club that would test the shot-making skills of all players, from amateur to professional. The towering woodlands of the Trossachs sit beneath the rising foothills of the Ben Vorlich, a mountain peak reaching 3,232 feet above sea level.

Pot bunkers encircle the green and offer only small avenues for the ball to cross. The pin cowers behind the sloped knolls and long stretches of green. The bunker on the hole known as Dun Whinny contains a bunker that sinks 20 feet below the green. The wind rustles the trees and carries your ball closer to the green. The encompassing beauty of the landscape enhances the serene pleasure of the course and the game.

The day begins with the familiar aroma of fresh steeping tea. The warm mug fills your hands. Your private transfer meets you at the hotel and escorts you on the quick return to Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. The energy of the streets is in full swing, beginning with the Edinburgh Farmers’ Market. The market is situated on the castle terrace watched over by the imposing Edinburgh Castle. Over 60 suppliers from around Scotland come to peddle their wares, specializing in a variety of offerings, from produce to seafood. The scents of mint and basil mingle throughout the square. Stalls are tented with blue and white awnings. Fresh shellfish sit on ice. Local microbreweries offer samples.

A chocolate vendor sits next to someone selling jams and chutneys. Jovial couples stroll down the lanes and delight in free offerings. People clack their feet against the cobblestone path. In the evening, you make your way to award winning Martin Wishart restaurant located at the port of Leith. The interior walls contain a relaxing cream and mocha scheme. Fresh flowers provide a pleasant sweetness. The menu takes you into the modernized flavors of Scottish cuisine. The elegant dining experience brings to light the nuances of Scottish flavors and the decadence of modernizing tradition. Enjoy the richness of perfectly cooked lobster and smoked haddock soufflé, accompanied by spinach drizzled in soubise sauce.

The Royal Mile is a stretch of road 357 feet long stretching from Edinburgh Castle gates to Holyrood Palace. The historic stone facades are the iconic images of Old Town neighborhood of Edinburgh. Royal Mile Whiskies offers a superb amount of premium Scottish whiskies that range from the lowlands to the Highlands, along with distinguished bottles from around the world. Old Town comes to life in the morning with the aromas of fresh tea and sizzling bacon. Your private transfer meets you at the hotel and escorts you to the Edinburgh airport for your flight home. While in Scotland you have played with the greats and tasted the best. Your trip may be coming to an end, but there will always be more of Scotland to enjoy, from clubhouses to castles.

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