Uniquely Scotland launches ‘Culinary ­Adventure’

A LUXURY travel business is looking to showcase the cream of Scotland’s food and drink sector as it rolls out five-day tasting tours of the nation.

The Scottish Culinary ­Adventure is being billed as the “ultimate trip for food ­lovers” and will include highlights such as foraging for wild mushrooms and oyster tasting on the Isle of Mull. A privately cooked meal by a top chef in a romantic castle is also on the menu.

Launched in time for Visit­Scotland’s year of food and drink, the tour is the brainchild of Archie Stirling-Aird, founder of bespoke travel firm Uniquely Scotland.

He said: “Trying delicious new foods has always been part of the cultural experience of travelling and, with tourism so important to Scotland’s economy, we are incredibly blessed with the rich natural larder we enjoy.

“I’ve had guests who have eaten at some of the world’s finest restaurants who agree that nothing compares to enjoying a freshly prepared meal with ingredients sourced, sometimes that day, in Scotland’s natural gardens.”

Stirling-Aird, who has a background in land management and surveying, launched Uniquely Scotland a year ago following stints as a tour guide with Haggis Adventures.

The culinary trips will sit alongside a stable of specialist offerings at Uniquely Scotland, including wildlife watching, walking holidays and a famous film locations tour.

Much of the business to date has come through word-of-mouth recommendations and has centred on overseas visitors, but the firm is seeing a surge in interest from the domestic “staycation” market. The new tasting tour will take in the Highlands, west coast, Loch Lomond and the Isle of Mull. Stirling-Aird, a keen bagpiper, plans to accompany travellers on the trips, which also include a brewery visit and whisky tasting sessions.

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