As I’ve always liked shortbread and we were wanting presents to bring home with us. This seemed a good place to visit. It was.
Dean’s is a family run company that has been making shortbread in Huntly for nearly 40 years and is a major employer in the town. Started in 1975 by Helen Dean to raise money for the Huntly Pipe Band it has grown and grown. The factory in the centre of Huntly has a viewing gallery, cafe and shop. You can’t miss it as it is a bright red building next to the fire station, just off the A96.
Steps lead up to the viewing platform with information boards about the history of Dean’s and manufacturing. The viewing area is a bit disappointing as it looks over the packing area. There is a better view of production with the large stainless steel mixing bowls through the glass window behind the till in the shop.
This is attractive, light and airy selling a wide selection of shortbread in boxes or tins. As well as the traditional plain shortbread there is the ever popular choc chip as well as rather more exotic offerings like coconut or pecan.
They also bake a range of oat biscuits, plain, savoury and sweet. There were samples of small round oat biscuits with cheese or cheese and chile to sample. Crisp and very more-ish. The stem ginger oat biscuits are also very good. There is also a good range of jams and marmalades
Don’t miss the baskets selling packs of seconds very cheaply. They also sell big bags of shortbread crumbs which are very popular and sell out quickly. We were unlucky, they had sold out.
The cafe is also excellent serving breakfasts, lunches, sandwiches and cakes.
Not only did we have a very filling breakfast, we came out with presents bought for family and friends as well as some biscuits for us.
“Website.”:http://www.deans.co.uk/
