Whisky pilgrimage

IT HAS BECOME something of a travel cliché: whisky drinkers making the pilgrimage to Scotland's world-famous distilleries. But when you're in the cool, low light of the dunnage house at Cardhu in Speyside, surrounded by American oak casks stacked three-high, and sipping a glass poured straight from the barrel, any concern about unoriginality seems to dissipate.

When you consider Scotch's long history - the first official record of distilling dates back to 1494 - whisky tourism is still a relatively new trend. It began in the 1960s, when Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Glenfarclas opened visitor centres, but didn't really take off until the 1990s.

Today, Scotland's national drink is also its biggest export. Last year, 39 bottles were shipped overseas every second, with an export value of £4.37 billion (S$7.8 billion).