Episode 5

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0:00:19 > 0:00:22Hello and a very warm welcome to Landward.

0:00:22 > 0:00:24This week, we're all about Scottish icons -

0:00:24 > 0:00:28the animals, the produce and the places.

0:00:28 > 0:00:31Later in the programme, I'll be joining a unique whisky tour

0:00:31 > 0:00:34and be sampling a very rare whisky indeed.

0:00:34 > 0:00:38In a moment, Euan looks into the latest drive to produce more venison.

0:00:38 > 0:00:41But first, here's what else is coming up on Landward.

0:00:43 > 0:00:47We join the campaign to save Scotland's most iconic dog.

0:00:47 > 0:00:50They are so devoted to their owners. Mary, Queen of Scots,

0:00:50 > 0:00:54had one actually under her skirt when she was beheaded.

0:00:54 > 0:00:57And Sarah investigates why the road through the Great Glen

0:00:57 > 0:00:59could be grinding to a halt.

0:01:01 > 0:01:03The skyline is one we designed ourselves

0:01:03 > 0:01:07because we knew we had jobs like this, trees this size, to deal with.

0:01:12 > 0:01:16For a country that is famous for its red deer population,

0:01:16 > 0:01:19it's surprising how much venison we import from abroad.

0:01:19 > 0:01:22To cut down on those imports, the Scottish Government

0:01:22 > 0:01:26is encouraging farmers to consider diversifying into venison.

0:01:29 > 0:01:33The Monarch of the Glen is a potent image of Scotland.

0:01:37 > 0:01:40The meat is lean, sustainably produced.

0:01:40 > 0:01:42No wonder it's growing in popularity.

0:01:45 > 0:01:49Venison was once found only in posh butcher's and game larders,

0:01:49 > 0:01:51but these days it's readily available

0:01:51 > 0:01:54in supermarkets and convenience stores.

0:01:54 > 0:01:57But despite the fact that large areas of Scotland

0:01:57 > 0:02:01are virtually overrun with red deer, to meet increased demand,

0:02:01 > 0:02:05we're importing over 1,000 tonnes every year

0:02:05 > 0:02:08from places like New Zealand, Poland, Spain,

0:02:08 > 0:02:10all marked as if they were from Scotland,

0:02:10 > 0:02:13but this one, for example, says on the back,

0:02:13 > 0:02:18"Due to a shortage of deer in the UK, we select from New Zealand farms."

0:02:18 > 0:02:22This one uses material from Ireland and New Zealand.

0:02:22 > 0:02:24In fact, every one of these packets

0:02:24 > 0:02:29shopped at random from a nearby supermarket contain foreign meat.

0:02:29 > 0:02:33So, if the rest of the world can produce venison, why can't we?

0:02:34 > 0:02:37The simple fact is there isn't enough wild venison

0:02:37 > 0:02:39and there aren't enough deer farms.

0:02:40 > 0:02:42To meet demand, the Venison Advisory Group

0:02:42 > 0:02:47has an ambitious target of setting up 400 more deer farms in Scotland

0:02:47 > 0:02:49over the next ten years.

0:02:50 > 0:02:53I've come to Culquoich in West Aberdeenshire,

0:02:53 > 0:02:56which has been selected as a demonstration farm.

0:02:56 > 0:02:59Today, they'll be hosting an event for anyone interested in seeing

0:02:59 > 0:03:01what it takes to produce venison.

0:03:02 > 0:03:06I caught up with deer farmer Ali Loder before the crowds arrived.

0:03:07 > 0:03:10So, how long have you been farming deer?

0:03:10 > 0:03:14We've been doing it for 10 years here. This is our 10th year.

0:03:14 > 0:03:18- And what was the attraction? - Well, they're beautiful animals.

0:03:18 > 0:03:20They're easy to look after.

0:03:20 > 0:03:23And there's a great market for the venison.

0:03:25 > 0:03:28Come on, then. Come on!

0:03:29 > 0:03:33The market's grown a lot over the last few years.

0:03:33 > 0:03:37We're seeing a huge demand for venison that we can't really keep up with.

0:03:37 > 0:03:41- That's why we need more deer farmers coming into the business. - So, are you expanding your operation?

0:03:41 > 0:03:44We've expanded just about every year since we started deer farming.

0:03:44 > 0:03:46How difficult is it to farm deer?

0:03:46 > 0:03:48Because they look as though they'd be difficult.

0:03:48 > 0:03:52- They're an alien species for most farmers. - They're easier than you think.

0:03:52 > 0:03:55The key is obviously to have a good fence because if you just have

0:03:55 > 0:03:58an ordinary fence, they'll go for a walkabout.

0:03:58 > 0:04:02They're a little bit more nervous than, say, sheep or cattle.

0:04:02 > 0:04:05And they're a bit more flighty, so their response would be

0:04:05 > 0:04:08to run away a bit quicker if they get a fright.

0:04:10 > 0:04:14But as an animal to manage and to handle, they're very easy.

0:04:14 > 0:04:17It's not a problem. I do it on my own quite often.

0:04:19 > 0:04:22Those considering joining the Scottish deer farming revolution,

0:04:22 > 0:04:25alongside some new-starters in the industry,

0:04:25 > 0:04:29are out in force today, as 80 farmers, landowners and land managers

0:04:29 > 0:04:34have made the journey to see Ali's operation first-hand.

0:04:34 > 0:04:36The mood is overwhelmingly positive.

0:04:36 > 0:04:38We're still very much in the learning process.

0:04:38 > 0:04:41We're getting our first deer calf crop next month

0:04:41 > 0:04:45and we want to be a farm that very much does best practice.

0:04:45 > 0:04:48And the deer farming community is very small.

0:04:48 > 0:04:51So, actually today is also a day to network with other people

0:04:51 > 0:04:52who've taken the same step that we have.

0:04:52 > 0:04:54So was it the ease of farming them

0:04:54 > 0:04:57or the huge profits involved that attracted you?

0:04:57 > 0:04:59A bit of both, potentially,

0:04:59 > 0:05:03but, no, mainly the ease of management, really.

0:05:03 > 0:05:05I'm looking after them myself at the moment

0:05:05 > 0:05:08and I wouldn't be able to do that if it was cattle.

0:05:08 > 0:05:12I think it's got a big future. I think the demand for venison is steadily increasing.

0:05:12 > 0:05:14It's a healthy product, a lean product.

0:05:14 > 0:05:16I think it's a sensible thing to be involved in.

0:05:18 > 0:05:21But the question remains, why can't the demands for venison

0:05:21 > 0:05:24be met from the wild deer population of Scotland?

0:05:24 > 0:05:27After all, controlling some populations on estates

0:05:27 > 0:05:29is a major headache for landowners.

0:05:29 > 0:05:33Well, with me is Dick Playfair of the Scottish Venison Partnership.

0:05:33 > 0:05:36Dick, why don't you just go and cull some more?

0:05:36 > 0:05:40Um, well, in practice we can't do that because we've seen

0:05:40 > 0:05:45the cull drop over the last five years from 69,000 to about 57,000.

0:05:45 > 0:05:47And we're probably at the right level now. I mean,

0:05:47 > 0:05:52people will tell you there are too many deer in the wild. For red deer, that's probably not the case.

0:05:52 > 0:05:56But is there a demand for wild venison from the Scottish hills?

0:05:56 > 0:05:59There's a demand for all venison, whether it's wild or farmed.

0:05:59 > 0:06:01But the fact is, if you're getting venison from the farm,

0:06:01 > 0:06:05you get a consistent product, all killed at the same age,

0:06:05 > 0:06:07all of the same quality.

0:06:07 > 0:06:10And that really is what a lot of the retailers are looking for now

0:06:10 > 0:06:13and that's why we're still importing from New Zealand.

0:06:13 > 0:06:16New Zealand dominates this market. Other countries, Spain, Poland,

0:06:16 > 0:06:18are getting involved as well. Are we going to be left behind?

0:06:18 > 0:06:21To be blatantly frank, we are left behind now

0:06:21 > 0:06:22and we're playing catch-up.

0:06:22 > 0:06:26And we're talking about trying to increase our production

0:06:26 > 0:06:28by another 1,200 tonnes by 2020.

0:06:28 > 0:06:31Now, in real terms, that's 22,000 animals,

0:06:31 > 0:06:33which is a lot of big farms.

0:06:36 > 0:06:40I've spoken to many farmers over the years in Scotland, and some

0:06:40 > 0:06:44of them are really struggling to make a decent living from cattle or sheep.

0:06:44 > 0:06:46They're constantly being told to diversify,

0:06:46 > 0:06:50but the countryside can only have so many farm shops or fish ponds.

0:06:50 > 0:06:53But this could have the serious potential

0:06:53 > 0:06:56to change farmers' lives in Scotland forever.

0:07:00 > 0:07:03And later in the programme, Nick will be cooking

0:07:03 > 0:07:06some farmed venison in the Landward street-food van.

0:07:06 > 0:07:09But will the people of Glasgow know what it is?

0:07:09 > 0:07:12- Is it some type of beef? No? - Not beef, no.- No?

0:07:17 > 0:07:21Now, if you're travelling along the A82 from Glasgow to Inverness

0:07:21 > 0:07:24this summer, you can expect to face some delays.

0:07:24 > 0:07:27For once, it isn't roadworks.

0:07:27 > 0:07:29Sarah's been investigating

0:07:29 > 0:07:31the reason behind the cones and traffic lights.

0:07:34 > 0:07:40Welcome to the A82, one of Scotland's great iconic roads.

0:07:41 > 0:07:44It may not quite have the ring of Route 66,

0:07:44 > 0:07:48but this is one of Scotland's most stunning and challenging roads.

0:07:48 > 0:07:51It winds its way from Glasgow to Inverness,

0:07:51 > 0:07:55taking in some of the most spectacular scenery along the way.

0:07:58 > 0:08:02The first 20 miles take you along the shores of Loch Lomond,

0:08:02 > 0:08:08before heading north through Glencoe, past Ben Nevis and into Lochaber.

0:08:18 > 0:08:22But the trouble comes when it reaches here in the Great Glen.

0:08:22 > 0:08:25Many years ago, these steep slopes would have been almost bare,

0:08:25 > 0:08:29but now they're covered in acre after acre of mature forest.

0:08:29 > 0:08:33They need to be felled before they fall and block the road.

0:08:33 > 0:08:36But that is easier said than done.

0:08:36 > 0:08:39I'm meeting Alex MacLeod of the Forestry Commission,

0:08:39 > 0:08:43to find out just what the problems are.

0:08:43 > 0:08:46We need to fell these trees because they've reached maturity.

0:08:46 > 0:08:49And if we don't fell them, then, as the years go by,

0:08:49 > 0:08:52the risk of them blowing down during a storm event increases.

0:08:53 > 0:08:55We have a huge site here.

0:08:55 > 0:08:59Can you give us an idea of the scale of the project?

0:08:59 > 0:09:02The scale of the project in terms of geographical area

0:09:02 > 0:09:06runs from Glencoe up to Drumnadrochit in the Great Glen.

0:09:06 > 0:09:10There's over 100,000 cubic metres of timber to be harvested in that area.

0:09:10 > 0:09:13And there's over 30,000 cubic metres of very large Douglas fir

0:09:13 > 0:09:17that was planted in the early 1920s, so it's a fair job of work.

0:09:17 > 0:09:21Now, I know a lot of fancy equipment is needed to carry out this operation, so I'm keen to see it.

0:09:21 > 0:09:24- So can we go and have a look? - We'll go and have a look, yes.

0:09:29 > 0:09:32Callum Duffy has more than 20 years in the forestry business

0:09:32 > 0:09:36and tough jobs like this one are his speciality.

0:09:40 > 0:09:42- Hey, Callum.- Hey. How are we doing?

0:09:42 > 0:09:44How are you doing? Good to meet you.

0:09:44 > 0:09:46- I hear this is where we're heading. - Yes, indeed.

0:09:46 > 0:09:48That's where we're going.

0:09:48 > 0:09:51- I take it the only way to get there is by foot.- Only way is by foot.

0:09:51 > 0:09:55- Are you a foot man?- I am.- Piggyback later?- No way.- Come on, then.

0:10:02 > 0:10:04SHE PANTS

0:10:04 > 0:10:08Callum, that's quite a walk - or in my case, crawl - to work.

0:10:08 > 0:10:11- Yeah. We're not even halfway yet. - We're not even halfway?

0:10:11 > 0:10:13- No.- How many times do you do that a day?

0:10:13 > 0:10:14Just once a day, to be honest.

0:10:14 > 0:10:18You know, let's say we're only halfway, but we walk up.

0:10:18 > 0:10:20- But the view is worth it. - The view is definitely worth it.

0:10:20 > 0:10:22It's incredible.

0:10:22 > 0:10:23What sort of equipment are you using?

0:10:23 > 0:10:27- Because I assume that a harvester can't operate here.- No, no.

0:10:27 > 0:10:29We're standing on probably about 85% slope at the moment,

0:10:29 > 0:10:33so harvesters only go up to 45%, maybe a bit more.

0:10:33 > 0:10:35CHAIN SAW BUZZES

0:10:36 > 0:10:39The steepness of the incline means that the trees

0:10:39 > 0:10:42have to be felled by hand.

0:10:42 > 0:10:47Callum's team then use a specialist piece of kit called a skyline

0:10:47 > 0:10:51to get the trees safely down the hill.

0:10:51 > 0:10:55It's one of only two machines of its kind operating in Scotland.

0:10:57 > 0:11:00The skyline is one we designed ourselves.

0:11:00 > 0:11:02We've taken a lot of ideas from previous machines

0:11:02 > 0:11:05that we've had, and made something that is what we have now,

0:11:05 > 0:11:08which is probably very fit for purpose.

0:11:08 > 0:11:11We knew we had jobs like this, trees this size, to deal with.

0:11:13 > 0:11:16So I take it you've got a good head for heights.

0:11:16 > 0:11:18Yeah, you've got to have a good head for heights, yeah.

0:11:18 > 0:11:20It's definitely an advantage.

0:11:22 > 0:11:25It's incredible to see the skyline operating,

0:11:25 > 0:11:28but what's more impressive is that all this has been felled

0:11:28 > 0:11:31by just a few men and their chain saws,

0:11:31 > 0:11:34and this is going to be the story all the way along the A82.

0:11:36 > 0:11:39This is a big job.

0:11:39 > 0:11:42It could take up to 15 years to clear these forests,

0:11:42 > 0:11:44and we'll be lucky

0:11:44 > 0:11:48if it doesn't disrupt a bit of traffic along the way.

0:11:48 > 0:11:49There is good news.

0:11:49 > 0:11:53Once these trees are gone, there will be no more like them.

0:11:53 > 0:11:57Native species like oak and birch will be replanted,

0:11:57 > 0:12:01so there won't be need for work on this epic scale ever again.

0:12:08 > 0:12:12Earlier in the programme, Euan visited Culquoich in Aberdeenshire

0:12:12 > 0:12:14to see how farmed venison

0:12:14 > 0:12:17can satisfy the Scottish demand for the meat.

0:12:17 > 0:12:19Now, Nick's made his way to Glasgow

0:12:19 > 0:12:21to give the public the chance to taste it,

0:12:21 > 0:12:24and for the next few weeks in Buchanan Street,

0:12:24 > 0:12:27in the heart of the city, he'll have a new helper.

0:12:30 > 0:12:33I have recruited the glamorous Sarah as my assistant.

0:12:33 > 0:12:35Thank you very much, Nick.

0:12:35 > 0:12:36And of course, later on,

0:12:36 > 0:12:38Nick and I are going to be hitting the streets

0:12:38 > 0:12:39to find out what these guys out here

0:12:39 > 0:12:41think of what you're cooking, which is...

0:12:41 > 0:12:43- Venison!- Venison, fantastic.

0:12:43 > 0:12:46This is red deer, and it's farmed red deer.

0:12:46 > 0:12:49What I'd like to know is can people actually recognise

0:12:49 > 0:12:51the taste of venison?

0:12:51 > 0:12:53So what we're going to do is sear it over here.

0:12:53 > 0:12:55- But first, of course, we have to season it.- Yes.

0:12:55 > 0:12:57- You'll be familiar with the process of seasoning?- I do.

0:12:57 > 0:13:01- I know salt and pepper. - If you'd like to do the pepper, I'll do the salt.- Brilliant.

0:13:01 > 0:13:04- You always season just at the last minute before you cook it.- Let's go.

0:13:04 > 0:13:08What we're going to do is get a little bit of olive oil on top of the venison.

0:13:08 > 0:13:10Venison is an incredibly healthy meat.

0:13:10 > 0:13:15Less cholesterol than chicken, and it's a really distinct flavour.

0:13:15 > 0:13:18It is very gamey, isn't it? I think people will recognise that.

0:13:18 > 0:13:21I think they'll spot the fact that it is quite gamey.

0:13:21 > 0:13:25Well, I don't know, because this is farmed venison.

0:13:25 > 0:13:28And farmed venison has a different lifestyle to wild venison.

0:13:28 > 0:13:32Different diet, and therefore has a different flavour. It's a bit milder.

0:13:33 > 0:13:38You've seasoned, you've put some oil on, and we're searing. But how long for?

0:13:38 > 0:13:39Until it's ready.

0:13:39 > 0:13:43- Hilarious.- Which is the facetious answer.

0:13:43 > 0:13:45But a piece of venison this size

0:13:45 > 0:13:48is going to take approximately seven to eight minutes to cook.

0:13:48 > 0:13:51And I'm going to leave it quite pink on the inside.

0:13:51 > 0:13:54Because venison is so lean, it doesn't like to be overcooked,

0:13:54 > 0:13:55because it's got very little fat in it.

0:13:55 > 0:13:59It dries out if you overcook it. So it needs really to be served medium rare.

0:13:59 > 0:14:03Would you like to take the core temperature of this piece of venison?

0:14:03 > 0:14:08- 41.- 41. 40...- That's medium rare. Let's have that guy off, OK?

0:14:08 > 0:14:12I don't eat venison that often, but it does look really good.

0:14:12 > 0:14:14This is the saddle, the loin of venison.

0:14:14 > 0:14:16If it was beef, it would be sirloin.

0:14:16 > 0:14:20It's best just kept fried like this, seared like this, kept medium rare.

0:14:20 > 0:14:22- That's room temperature. - That's OK, I'm just checking.

0:14:22 > 0:14:25So what happens is that during the cooking process,

0:14:25 > 0:14:27the fibres of the meat shrink, and it squeezes in like this,

0:14:27 > 0:14:30squeezing all the juices in towards the centre.

0:14:30 > 0:14:32If you take that off of there now, and you cut into that now,

0:14:32 > 0:14:34all of the juices will get squeezed out.

0:14:34 > 0:14:36You will see blood coming out,

0:14:36 > 0:14:39and you would lose the flavour, and you'd lose the succulence.

0:14:39 > 0:14:40The meat would be dry and flavourless.

0:14:40 > 0:14:43So that's why we leave it to sit after comes off the grill.

0:14:43 > 0:14:47- Sit for at least the same amount of time as we cooked it.- To rest.

0:14:49 > 0:14:53- So...- Right.- Lovely piece of roast venison....

0:14:53 > 0:14:55Time to slice.

0:14:55 > 0:14:56But can the good citizens of Glasgow

0:14:56 > 0:14:59tell us what this is just by the taste?

0:15:02 > 0:15:04Mmm.

0:15:04 > 0:15:09- That is delicious. Yummy, succulent.- I agree.

0:15:09 > 0:15:10That is absolutely delicious.

0:15:10 > 0:15:13But I'm not sure people will be able to tell what it is.

0:15:13 > 0:15:17- Well, shall we see?- There is only one way.- Let's do it, baby.

0:15:17 > 0:15:20Let's do it. OK. Take it to the good citizens of Glasgow.

0:15:25 > 0:15:29- You all look so worried.- Can you tell me what animal it comes from?

0:15:29 > 0:15:31- I thought it was beef. - BOTH: You thought it was beef?

0:15:33 > 0:15:36Is it...? Is it some type of beef?

0:15:36 > 0:15:39- I think it would be kangaroo or something.- Steak?

0:15:39 > 0:15:40Is it mutton?

0:15:40 > 0:15:42- No, it's not mutton. - Is it not just beef?

0:15:42 > 0:15:45I know what it is because I had it last week.

0:15:45 > 0:15:48- You had it last week? What is it? - Venison.- Venison!- Venison.

0:15:48 > 0:15:51- So you're a man with a...?- No, my mum made it.- Your mum made it?

0:15:51 > 0:15:54- That was steak. - I say venison as well.

0:15:54 > 0:15:56You say venison?

0:15:56 > 0:15:58- Or was it just because he said venison?- I heard you earlier on.

0:15:58 > 0:16:00ALL LAUGH

0:16:02 > 0:16:05I was impressed. A lot of people liked it.

0:16:05 > 0:16:07But only one person actually knew what it was.

0:16:07 > 0:16:08Yeah, only one person.

0:16:08 > 0:16:10- But everyone liked the flavour.- Yeah.

0:16:10 > 0:16:13I think farm venison has got a really bright future in Scotland.

0:16:13 > 0:16:16I know it does, probably. Let's have a wee taste.

0:16:16 > 0:16:18We'll be back here again in Buchanan Street next week,

0:16:18 > 0:16:21and we'll be trying to find out - can people can tell the difference

0:16:21 > 0:16:24between ordinary pork sausages and wild boar sausages?

0:16:24 > 0:16:25- Can I tempt you?- Yes, you can.

0:16:31 > 0:16:34- DOUGIE:- Now, after Sarah's washed up Nick's dishes,

0:16:34 > 0:16:37we sent her across the country to investigate

0:16:37 > 0:16:39why one of Scotland's most iconic breeds of dog

0:16:39 > 0:16:42is facing an uncertain future.

0:16:44 > 0:16:46- SARAH:- Back in the 19th century,

0:16:46 > 0:16:51the story of Greyfriars Bobby made the Skye terrier world famous.

0:16:51 > 0:16:54The story goes that when Bobby's owner died,

0:16:54 > 0:16:59the faithful terrier spent the rest of its life guarding his grave.

0:17:00 > 0:17:03Whilst the story of Bobby's 13-year vigil

0:17:03 > 0:17:07here at Greyfriars churchyard may not be entirely true,

0:17:07 > 0:17:12the breed's reputation for loyalty caught the public imagination.

0:17:12 > 0:17:15They became very trendy during Victorian times,

0:17:15 > 0:17:20but sadly today, they are one of the rarest breeds in the world.

0:17:28 > 0:17:31I'm visiting the annual Scottish Breeds Show,

0:17:31 > 0:17:35featuring native dogs such as the golden retriever,

0:17:35 > 0:17:38Scottish deerhound, and the Skye terrier.

0:17:39 > 0:17:42The Skye is the oldest terrier breed in Scotland,

0:17:42 > 0:17:44and dates back to at least the 14th century.

0:17:44 > 0:17:47They were originally bred to control vermin,

0:17:47 > 0:17:49but soon became the height of fashion

0:17:49 > 0:17:52due to some very high-profile owners.

0:17:54 > 0:17:57Gail Marshall is the owner of this Skye terrier, Wolfie,

0:17:57 > 0:18:01and she is also branch secretary of the Skye Terrier Club.

0:18:01 > 0:18:07- Are you show ready?- Not quite. We're getting there. We're getting there.

0:18:07 > 0:18:10- So this is a Skye terrier? - Yes. This is a cream...

0:18:10 > 0:18:13Well, he's probably going to end up silver,

0:18:13 > 0:18:16but you get cream, silver and blacks.

0:18:16 > 0:18:17How rare are they these days?

0:18:17 > 0:18:20Very, very rare. They are critically endangered.

0:18:20 > 0:18:23- Really critically endangered. - Why are there so few left?

0:18:23 > 0:18:27An awful lot of people are now going for your labradoodle type breeds.

0:18:27 > 0:18:30They've become fashionable.

0:18:30 > 0:18:33I mean, at one stage, there were Skye terriers

0:18:33 > 0:18:35in every close mouth in Scotland.

0:18:35 > 0:18:39I believe there is a bit of a royal connection as well.

0:18:39 > 0:18:41Yes, very much so.

0:18:41 > 0:18:44If you go right, right back, Mary Queen of Scots had one

0:18:44 > 0:18:47actually under her skirt when she was beheaded.

0:18:47 > 0:18:49They've got such fabulous temperaments,

0:18:49 > 0:18:52and they're so devoted to their owners.

0:18:52 > 0:18:54And Queen Victoria was a big fan as well, wasn't she?

0:18:54 > 0:18:56Yes, she had a kennel full.

0:18:56 > 0:18:58You can see them in some of Landseer's paintings.

0:19:00 > 0:19:02- What makes a good Skye terrier? - The three Ls.

0:19:02 > 0:19:06They've got to be long, they've got to be low to ground - short legs -

0:19:06 > 0:19:09and they've got to have a very level topline.

0:19:09 > 0:19:12They must have a good head structure.

0:19:12 > 0:19:14Must have correct bite,

0:19:14 > 0:19:16and there is just something about them.

0:19:16 > 0:19:19When they flow around the ring, they should flow.

0:19:19 > 0:19:22They should really motor around the ring.

0:19:22 > 0:19:25There are 29 Skye terriers entered into the show,

0:19:25 > 0:19:29and competitors come from far and wide.

0:19:29 > 0:19:32Professional dog breeder and groomer Sarah Richardson

0:19:32 > 0:19:36has travelled all the way from South Wales.

0:19:36 > 0:19:38How much work goes into getting them ready for showtime?

0:19:38 > 0:19:40Not as much as you would imagine.

0:19:40 > 0:19:44I can turn him round for the show in an hour, an hour-and-a-half.

0:19:44 > 0:19:46- Who have we got here?- This is Ben.

0:19:46 > 0:19:47Hello, Ben.

0:19:47 > 0:19:49Now, Ben...

0:19:49 > 0:19:51I assume he can see me through all that hair?

0:19:51 > 0:19:53Do you want to see his beautiful eyelashes?

0:19:53 > 0:19:55This boy doesn't need extensions.

0:19:55 > 0:19:57Wow! Hello.

0:19:57 > 0:20:01He's got the most fabulous eyelashes which keep his hair out of his eyes.

0:20:01 > 0:20:04How difficult is it to get a Skye terrier? To get a puppy?

0:20:04 > 0:20:08To get a Skye terrier, you have to go back to how you should get a puppy.

0:20:08 > 0:20:11You have to approach a responsible breeder

0:20:11 > 0:20:13and possibly you'll have to go on a waiting list.

0:20:13 > 0:20:17Because the gene pool is small, there aren't a lot of puppies being bred.

0:20:17 > 0:20:20Last year, we only had 15 puppies born in the UK.

0:20:20 > 0:20:22So they are very few and far between?

0:20:22 > 0:20:26Yeah, but once you've had a Skye, once you've experienced the devotion,

0:20:26 > 0:20:30the love, the foolery, the "clownness"...

0:20:30 > 0:20:31I can tell you are dedicated.

0:20:31 > 0:20:33They're a wonderful breed, they really are.

0:20:38 > 0:20:42It's sad to think of any Scottish breed critically endangered.

0:20:42 > 0:20:46And these really are lovely, little dogs.

0:20:46 > 0:20:51Let's hope their numbers do increase and the breed manages to survive.

0:20:54 > 0:20:58We heard about the plight of the Skye terrier from a Landward viewer.

0:20:58 > 0:21:01If you have an idea for the programme,

0:21:01 > 0:21:05get in touch by e-mailing us.

0:21:05 > 0:21:09You can also go online to get our five-day weather forecast.

0:21:15 > 0:21:19Now, you can't get more iconic than Scotch whisky.

0:21:19 > 0:21:22It's our biggest single export.

0:21:22 > 0:21:26According to the Scotch Whisky Association, 3.5 million

0:21:26 > 0:21:28bottles are exported every single day.

0:21:30 > 0:21:34But what did whisky taste like in the days before mass production?

0:21:35 > 0:21:39TV: Now, here's the place for the connoisseur. Hundreds of casks stacked and mellowing.

0:21:44 > 0:21:46Welcome to the pre-war whisky tour.

0:21:46 > 0:21:50Today I'm joining a group of enthusiasts from Belgium, Italy

0:21:50 > 0:21:52and even further afield.

0:21:52 > 0:21:54They don't just like any old dram.

0:21:54 > 0:21:57They like a really, really old dram.

0:21:59 > 0:22:02Just as soon as you walk into the bottling hall,

0:22:02 > 0:22:04the smell of whisky fills your nostrils.

0:22:04 > 0:22:07It's a lovely smell first thing in the morning!

0:22:08 > 0:22:11They've each brought a bottle from their own collection

0:22:11 > 0:22:15and they'll be opening them in the very place they originated.

0:22:15 > 0:22:18The only stipulation is that the whisky must have been

0:22:18 > 0:22:22bottled or distilled before the end of the Second World War.

0:22:22 > 0:22:25The first stop is Gordon & MacPhail in Elgin

0:22:25 > 0:22:28where they've been bottling and selling whisky

0:22:28 > 0:22:30for well over 100 years.

0:22:30 > 0:22:33We're being shown around by managing director Michael Urquhart.

0:22:33 > 0:22:37He's impressed that the enthusiasts have brought whiskies back

0:22:37 > 0:22:40to where they were bottled many years ago.

0:22:42 > 0:22:43They're great guys, you know,

0:22:43 > 0:22:47going and taking old bottlings from Gordon & MacPhail and opening them

0:22:47 > 0:22:50where the business is located

0:22:50 > 0:22:52is really something quite special.

0:22:52 > 0:22:56And some of the whiskies are really fantastic -

0:22:56 > 0:23:01whiskies going back to the '30s or '40s.

0:23:01 > 0:23:04And to think what's gone on in the world since then,

0:23:04 > 0:23:06it's really mind-blowing.

0:23:06 > 0:23:09It's half-past ten in the morning and time for a dram.

0:23:26 > 0:23:29I brought this Glen Grant,

0:23:29 > 0:23:31bottled early '40s, 42 years old.

0:23:31 > 0:23:34Does it make it even more special that you're bringing

0:23:34 > 0:23:37the whisky back to where it was bottled or where it was distilled?

0:23:37 > 0:23:39Yeah, of course.

0:23:39 > 0:23:42Whisky tastes better in a warehouse than it tastes at your own place

0:23:42 > 0:23:45because it's got that factor,

0:23:45 > 0:23:49that emotional factor, and that adds up.

0:23:49 > 0:23:53So this is obviously a fun trip, but it's an emotional trip as well?

0:23:53 > 0:23:55It's a very emotional trip, yes.

0:23:55 > 0:23:57I'm from Belgium

0:23:57 > 0:24:00and I drank my first whisky in '97.

0:24:00 > 0:24:02It was an Oban 1914.

0:24:02 > 0:24:04And lightning struck

0:24:04 > 0:24:06and I never turned back

0:24:06 > 0:24:10and I'm looking to find the best whisky ever made.

0:24:12 > 0:24:14I'm from Italy, Venice, Italy.

0:24:14 > 0:24:15Aha.

0:24:15 > 0:24:19I brought from my own personal collection,

0:24:19 > 0:24:23distilled in 1939.

0:24:26 > 0:24:29And bottled by Gordon & MacPhail where we are now.

0:24:29 > 0:24:33- And so I brought it back home. - What does the whisky taste like?

0:24:33 > 0:24:34It's very, um...

0:24:34 > 0:24:38Feminine, very delicate, fruity.

0:24:38 > 0:24:41Very easy to drink, especially at this time in the morning.

0:24:41 > 0:24:42LAUGHTER

0:24:44 > 0:24:47After a spot of lunch and a lining on my stomach,

0:24:47 > 0:24:50it's on the road to remote Glenlivet,

0:24:50 > 0:24:53the first legal distillery in a glen that was

0:24:53 > 0:24:55once full of illicit stills.

0:24:57 > 0:25:00'We're given a look at how they produce whisky today,

0:25:00 > 0:25:04'but all my colleagues want to do is try the old stuff,

0:25:04 > 0:25:08'made before the advent of assembly lines and mass production.

0:25:09 > 0:25:12'What makes it so special?

0:25:12 > 0:25:15'The tour organiser, Philip Thompson, has an idea.'

0:25:18 > 0:25:20The production techniques were fairly different.

0:25:20 > 0:25:23It resulted in, yes, inconsistency, but every now and again,

0:25:23 > 0:25:26you get a spike of quality that's just beyond belief.

0:25:26 > 0:25:30Nowadays, the industry's very, very, very consistent,

0:25:30 > 0:25:32which is great for whisky globally, but...

0:25:32 > 0:25:35to get these magical spikes that you got in the past is, you know,

0:25:35 > 0:25:39something special, and these guys, you know, we're all serious geeks -

0:25:39 > 0:25:42we just enjoy trying something completely different.

0:25:42 > 0:25:46So, with each individual bottle of prewar whisky,

0:25:46 > 0:25:50you never quite know what you're going to get until you open it.

0:25:50 > 0:25:53And there's an air of nervous expectation in the room

0:25:53 > 0:25:57as a very, very special bottle is uncorked -

0:25:57 > 0:26:02an 1899 Glenlivet, bottled in 1914.

0:26:02 > 0:26:05It's quite a unique bottle. It could be the only one left in the world.

0:26:05 > 0:26:07None of us have ever tried it before.

0:26:07 > 0:26:10Not many people get a chance to try whisky, malt whisky,

0:26:10 > 0:26:12distilled in the 19th century, so...

0:26:27 > 0:26:29It smells quite good, actually.

0:26:29 > 0:26:35And, after a few tense moments, its quality is revealed.

0:26:37 > 0:26:38POP!

0:26:38 > 0:26:39CHEERING

0:26:39 > 0:26:41- Look at that!- Whoo!

0:26:41 > 0:26:43All right, guys.

0:26:45 > 0:26:47It's looking fantastic. Um...

0:26:47 > 0:26:50I mean, there's a little bit of haze to the actual spirit, but...

0:26:51 > 0:26:54On the nose, it's really... absolutely fantastic.

0:26:54 > 0:26:57A really old style of whisky which is not made at all in this

0:26:57 > 0:27:00country any more. It's a completely extinct style of distillate.

0:27:00 > 0:27:04Just so thick and waxy and smoky, and... It's really fantastic.

0:27:06 > 0:27:08And I'm getting to taste it.

0:27:13 > 0:27:15Oh, my God.

0:27:15 > 0:27:17Oh, that's incredible.

0:27:18 > 0:27:22That is absolutely...astonishing.

0:27:22 > 0:27:25An amazing glass of whisky.

0:27:26 > 0:27:28You can taste... You can really taste the kind of deepness

0:27:28 > 0:27:31of the colour, you can taste the wood and everything...

0:27:31 > 0:27:32Oh, it's beautiful.

0:27:32 > 0:27:35And being around those guys has really kind of made me

0:27:35 > 0:27:39understand whisky a lot more. It's a lovely thing to do -

0:27:39 > 0:27:42bring a bottle back to where it was distilled, have a wee drink

0:27:42 > 0:27:46with some people who understand what this is all about.

0:27:46 > 0:27:48Not a bad way to spend a day.

0:27:50 > 0:27:53I'm just going to sniff this for a wee while.

0:27:56 > 0:28:01What a great honour - to sample such an historic dram.

0:28:01 > 0:28:04Now, coming up next week's programme,

0:28:04 > 0:28:06Euan shows off his nautical skills in Loch Etive.

0:28:06 > 0:28:09Away you go, Colin. Go and relax. It's in safe hands now.

0:28:09 > 0:28:11Experienced skipper, here.

0:28:13 > 0:28:17And Sarah goes in search of the animal causing devastation

0:28:17 > 0:28:18in the Great Glen.

0:28:18 > 0:28:20How much area has been damaged, Lee?

0:28:20 > 0:28:23Probably a quarter of my land that I rent here.

0:28:23 > 0:28:25I don't know how you repair this.

0:28:28 > 0:28:31Please join us for that and much, much more at the same time

0:28:31 > 0:28:35next week, Friday night, 7pm, on BBC Two Scotland.

0:28:35 > 0:28:37In the meantime, from all the Landward team,

0:28:37 > 0:28:38thank you so much for your company.

0:28:38 > 0:28:40Bye for now.