The Background
Last month we were invited to Inverness for a little adventure with Bentley Motors, to celebrate their new Continental GT Speed and the recently released Bentley x The Macallan ‘Horizon’ whisky, which involved driving, dining, and whisky tasting, in the scenic countryside, with great people.
This was a quick trip, which was part of the appeal. We’ll relay the exact stops, in case you want to try your own mini (approx. 8 hours) road trip from Inverness to Crewe.
The Trip – Day 1
After a quick flight from LHR to Inverness, we were dropped off at hotels (Hotel 1881 and The Dowans) that were close to The Macallan Estate in Speyside, which was our destination for the afternoon.
The Macallan Estate
We’ll put our hands up. We don’t love whisky, or tours. But this one… When we pulled up to the Estate, a building that looks like a James Bond bunker – contemporary design disguised by grass to fit into the Scottish grounds – we knew this one might be different, and it was.
Estate highlights included a wall that showed the evolution of the spirit and bottle, as well as their collaborations, which have included limited-edition packaging from creative greats such as Mario Testino and Rankin; their shop; the tour itself (which was swift and interesting); and their theatrical, hidden cellars.
TimeSpirit
Also a highlight, to celebrate Macallan’s 200-year anniversary, they recently opened an outstanding restaurant, TimeSpirit, which was designed by the incredible David Thurstrup, the architect also behind Noma, with a menu created by the legendary El Celler Can Roca brothers; quite the collaborators! The restaurant – the lighting, menu, design, views – was worth the trip alone.
Bentley x The Macallan ‘Horizon’ Whisky
To showcase the new whisky, Kirsteen Campbell, The Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker, introduced the blend (which of course was inspired by both brands) and the aerodynamic bottle, which lays horizontally. As it retails for approx. £43K, this is definitely one for collectors or those with deep pockets, but as far as partnerships go, this one seems grounded in authenticity and collaboration, fusing design, heritage and tech.
The Trip – Day 2
After handing over our driver’s licences (to ensure we actually had one!), we hopped into the new Continental GTs and sped off – with great trepidation, we might add. For a car that starts at £240K, everyone seemed remarkably laidback about giving our group the keys. Thankfully, we made it to our next destination (without a scratch), the stunning Cornhill Castle for lunch, driving motorways, back roads, bridges, with a small motel-vibe roadside stop along the way. It was a glorious day behind the wheel, and driving what felt like a floating tank was a treat.
The Bentley Motors Factory
After lunch, we carried on to the Bentley factory, home to all things related to the car’s production, as well as factory experiences, in Crewe. They also own a country abode nearby for further experiences, The Mews, a property that previously was reserved for Bentley CEOs.
Should you ever find yourself wanting to test drive a Bentley (why not), contact them to see what’s possible. All interiors are customisable and feature things like detailed personalisation and hidden gadgetry (a dashboard of clocks flips around to a digital screen, for example), which is worth checking out.
The train back to Victoria is approx 1.5 hours, or stay over at the neighbouring Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa in Cheshire and make a night of it.
