In the mouth, the gums tingle, the throat burns, the belly is set afire; the sensation travels gradually outward to the fingertips, to the feet, and, finally, there’s a lightheadedness that makes even the most reticent want to break into dance.

"In Gaelic, whisky is the ‘water of life’. As the story goes, Queen Victoria used to enjoy a daily dram of Scotch whisky in her tea. In fact, she was partly responsible for popularising Scotch outside Scotland."

Without whisky, Scotland would not be the country it is today. Despite the beauty of its land and the indomitable spirit of its people, take whisky away from Scotland and you take away the heart, reflects SUMITRA SENAPATY, as she cheerfully follows the Malt Whisky Trail.

Down round the southern corner of the Scottish lands there is a field of barley all ripened by the sun. It is cut and harvested and a sheaf offered in thanksgiving, flailed and winnowed; until the ears of grain remain in a heap of pale gold, it is the bread of life. In basic ways the grain is ground and set to ferment. The fermented liquor is then boiled and, as the steam condenses, there emerges a liquid purer than any water from any well. When cold, it is colder to the fingers than ice. It appears to be a marvellous transformation.

In the mouth, the gums tingle, the throat burns, the belly is set afire; the sensation travels gradually outward to the fingertips, to the feet, and, finally, there’s a lightheadedness that makes even the most reticent want to break into dance. In Gaelic, whisky is the ‘water of life’ made from three simple ingredients: water, barley and yeast. The processes are no secret but distillers outside Scotland have never been able to match the subtle quality of ‘Scotch’.

Sweet, heady aromas of fermentation rising from ‘mash tuns’, the gleaming hand beaten copper domes of the stills and the flow of clear new whisky viewed through the windows of padlocked spirit-sample cafes, all combine to form a lasting memory of traditional Scotland. For a ‘taste’ of the real thing, go for the Malt Whisky Trail through the countryside.

It’s a good idea to begin by the River Spey, the famous ‘salmon river’ that finds its way through some of the most stunning and bountiful countryside anywhere. You may wind your way along the trail, visiting the many malt whisky distilleries along the banks of the river, sampling their wares. Over half of Scotland’s malt whiskies are based in this region, providing visitors with a tempting range of tastings.

Alternately, you can opt for a route south-west, following the Malt Whisky Trail to distilleries such as Glenfarclas or Cardhu, finally leaving the trail by the A939 for Royal Deeside. The Royal Distillery, within easy reach of Balmoral Castle, makes the most of its royal patronage. The royal connection can also be followed east, down Deeside on the A93, then south over the wide horizons and open views of the Cairn o’ Mount road, which drops down to the Fettercain distillery.

Queen Victoria fondly recalled a visit to Fettercain in Kincardineshire. Her ‘small, quiet village’ in north-east Scotland is home to one of the country’s oldest licensed distilleries, established the year after the whisky legislation of 1823. Today, the village continues to welcome visitors, and, here at the distillery, you can meet the folk who give Old Fettercain, the 10-year-old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky, its unique character. Tours of the distillery eventually lead to a darkened warehouse where the whisky matures in stacked oak casks. As the story goes, Queen Victoria used to enjoy a daily dram of Scotch whisky in her tea. In fact, she was partly responsible for popularising Scotch outside Scotland.

The unspoiled landscape of Scotland seems little touched by human hand — except the ruined castles which recall the historic past and the traditional inns and cottages that dot peaceful hamlets. Rich pasturelands play host each autumn to clouds of geese arriving for the winter. A brooding castle in a lonely glen, a thistle, a piper in full regalia — kilt, plaid and all — these are the unmistakable symbols of Scotland the world over.

Local peat gives a unique flavor to the malts of the island of Islay — whiskies famed throughout the world. The names, Ardbeg, Bowmore and the seemingly unpronounceable Bunnahabhain and Bruichladdich, are uniquely characterised by the peaty spring waters — the singular flavours also come from maturing the malts in oak casks that absorb the sea air.

Not to be outdone, neighbouring Jura also produces its own island malt, at Craighouse. From the elegant model village of Inveraray, home to the Dukes of Argyll, along the picturesque shores of Loch Fyne to Lochgilphead, the de facto capital of Argyll, this is an excellent touring base. Scotland happens to be surrounded on three sides by water and has about 790 islands, of which only 130 are inhabited. Island hopscotch by ferries seems to be the way to go.

In several Hebridean islands, sheep outnumber people. Jura, however, has the distinction of boasting a larger population of red deer — some 5,000 or so. The deer outnumber humans 20 to one. Most of Jura’s 200 or so locals live around the village of Craighouse, on the south-eastern tip of the island, near the Jura distillery. Unlike the neighbouring island of Islay, Jura has just one whisky distillery, producing the Isle of Jura single malt. Normally bottled at 10 years of age, this is a very different dram, with a dry, salty finish. Make the distillery your last port of call and tuck in a couple of bottles to take home. Jura meaning ‘Deer Island’ in Norse, is an incredibly beautiful unspoiled wilderness. The only road on this haven runs from the south up to the East Coast, and there’s just one hotel.

The turbulent waters off Jura are in sharp contrast to the tranquility on land. Upon arrival, it is quite easy just to wander into the trees and enjoy the sounds of the fauna. But there are things to see — the island has a smattering of standing stones in the south and several iron forts — the largest of which is at An Dunan, near Lowlandman’s Bay. Also, there’s Barnhill, the house where author George Orwell stayed while penning the haunting futuristic novel, 1984. To the extreme north is the Corryvreckan Whirlpool. On a rough day, try to catch a glimpse of the tides rising high. A dramatic sight indeed. To the west, Jura is completely uninhabited and has some of the world’s most impressive raised beaches.

On shelf, the Isle of Jura captures the heart of real, island life. The distillery — at the village of Craighouse since 1810 — remains an essential part of island life and provides employment for the islanders. There is evidence that illicit distilling took place in a nearby cave for a long period of time. The Isle of Jura single malt reflects the true nature of the island, its fresh spring water, temperate westerly winds, and surprisingly rich and intriguing nature. With a light, subtle, but full, taste, the only whisky produced on the island is the perfect alternative to its better known, but perhaps less romantic cousins.

To sample the variety in ‘water of life’, experts suggest a selection of six varieties. It’s best to start with sips of Invergordon single grain, which demonstrates the lightest of styles, then maybe Lowland, the lightest malt. Then one can move through the region in the following order: Speyside, northern Highland, Campbeltown and Islay. The drinks get progressively heavier. The recommended ratio is two parts whisky to one part water. The taster should hold the whisky in the mouth for about 12 seconds or a second for each of the years the whisky has aged. Tasters can also create their own blends by mixing one or more of the malts with some of the grain whisky, which adds a further dimension in taste.

Without whisky, Scotland would not be the country it is today. Despite the beauty of its land and the indomitable spirit of its people, take whisky away from Scotland and you take away the heart. But, at the precise moment you’re reading this, over a hundred litres of the ‘amber nectar’ is evaporating from Scotland’s distilleries. Which means, every year, up to 80 million litres are lost to the heavens. If you visit any of the distilleries, you can actually see it, since the alcohol fumes form a natural black mound on the roofs of the warehouses. The generous Scotsman is not perturbed: he calls it the ‘angel’s share’!