Arbroath Smokie

The method came from the fishing village of Auchmithie, north of Arbroath, and moved to the town in the nineteenth century when families relocated. Haddock is headed, gutted, dry salted, tied in pairs by the tail and hung over a fire of hardwood in a half whisky barrel sunk into the ground, covered with hessian; the fish are hot-smoked, so they cook as well as cure, taking around forty-five minutes and coming out copper-coloured and ready to eat without further cooking. Protected geographical indication was granted in 2004, restricting the name to fish smoked by this method within eight kilometres of Arbroath. Several family firms still smoke in barrels behind their shops in the town, and the smoke is visible over the harbour streets when a batch is running.

What you actually see

• The barrel pits - half whisky barrels sunk in the ground, fired with hardwood.
• The paired fish - haddock tied by the tail over the smoke.
• The eight-kilometre rule - a protected radius around the town since 2004.
• The ready-cooked result - hot-smoked fish eaten without further cooking.

When to go

Year-round; smoking runs most days and the smell and smoke over the harbour streets are part of the visit. Batches come out through the morning, so early gives fish still warm from the barrel.

Honest expectations

They are strongly smoked and oily, and not a mild fish. Eating one warm from the barrel is much better than a chilled supermarket version. The harbour smokehouses are small working premises, not visitor attractions, and tours are informal at best.

Nearby

Arbroath Abbey is in the town; Auchmithie, where the method began, is up the coast.