The Highland Chocolatier, Grandtully
Iain Burnett The Highland Chocolatier
At Grandtully, Iain Burnett turns Scotland's affection for something sweet into a refined piece of contemporary workmanship.
Making chocolate is not an obvious Scottish craft, which is part of what makes this such an interesting story. Scotland has an affection for sweet things, from tablet, teacakes and snowballs to traditional boiled sweets, Jethart Snails and the traybakes found in cafés and bakeries across the country. The Highland Chocolatier takes that taste for something sweet into a very different register. In Grandtully, Iain Burnett combines international cocoa with Scottish cream, local heather honey and other ingredients, then applies the mastery and discipline of a specialist chocolatier. The first Velvet Truffle took three years and 120 variations of recipe and technique to develop. The result is not a claim for a traditional Scottish chocolate industry. It is an example of world-class contemporary making in Highland Perthshire.
Look beyond the taste alone. Witness the texture, balance, how quickly the chocolate melts, the finish that rewards you afterwards, and the care given to presentation. Each piece can look effortless, but that simplicity is the result of repeated professional decisions about ingredients, recipe, handling and finish.
I enjoy scoffing them! But really what I enjoy the most about the Highland Chocolatier's work is the contrast and balance. Chocolate is not something people instinctively associate with Scotland, yet it feels completely at home in the Highland countryside. We have plenty of familiar sweet traditions, from tablet and teacakes to traybakes, but this sits at the refined end of that spectrum. The care in the texture, finish and presentation is obvious. For me, it is a luxury expression of the Scottish sweet tooth, and something I am genuinely pleased to share or give as a gift from the part of Scotland I regard as home.
Ask about exploring this place or connecting it with others on a guided day in Scotland.
Shaping a private day around what interests you
Whether you are drawn to traditional crafts, industrial history, or dramatic Highland landscapes, Ross shapes private journeys around your interests and pace.
Get in touch