Duncan Harley

One of the joys of feature writing is that awful feeling when, despite your best efforts, you get it spectacularly wrong. It’s a bit like putting your head on the block really. Once in print, there’s no way back really. Digital stuff is different – but that’s a story for another day. In far off 2013 I had penned an article about Maggieknockater. It was published in a couple of places including Leopard Magazine and of course Aberdeen Voice.   For those not in the know Maggieknockater is a tiny village on the A95 made famous many years ago when an Aberdonian named George McLean built an apiary by the roadside. Now, I soon discovered that George’s efforts had led an Englishman by the name of John Drewry to pen a 32-step jig about the place. Aptly named ‘The Bees of Maggieknockater’ the dance was inspired when John drove past George’s banks of bee-hives on his way to Craigellachie. John seemingly failed to stop and almost certainly never tasted George’s heather-honey. But he was ...

A couple of years ago I was invited by Glenfiddich to pen an article about the Braemar Gathering. No Gathering would be complete without an evening meal and a dram to round off the weekend and both athletes and journalists were treated to a meal at Mar Lodge on the Saturday night. The very best of Scottish produce and the very best of Scottish whisky led to the very best of Scottish conversation. As a succession of dishes arrived at the long table, ranging from locally caught Deeside Salmon to pan-fried Aberdeen Angus Beef, whisky specialist and Glenfiddich brand ambassador Ian Millar produced, as if by magic, a succession of unique malts. As the evening drew on, the 15 year olds gave way to the 20 year olds and in a magnificent gesture Ian poured a few drams of the rare Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix. Created using whisky saved from broken casks that lay in warehouses collapsed under snow during January 2010, the Snow Phoenix is a poignant reminder of those heady days of a wild win...