Glasgow’s Whyte & Mackay Join Glasgow’s Whisky Festival
Posted by Mark in Exhibitors on August 30, 2010
We are pleased to announce that Glasgow’s very own Whyte & Mackay will be coming along on the day with their Jura, Dalmore, Fettercairn and of course Whyte & Mackay whisky. The company has had a long association with the city and we are very proud to add them to our lengthy lineup.
It’s Not All About The Whisky
Posted by Bill in Exhibitors on August 16, 2010
A former distillery manager will be attending Glasgow’s Whisky Festival – selling the ideal Christmas presents.
Ronnie Learmond, formerly manager at Auchentoshan, has branched out on his own and now runs Pot Still Publishing.
He has spent the last year or so travelling Scotland taking photographs of distilleries which he is publishing as a high-quality calendar.
Ronnie is also offering prints taken from the images – and all at a special price for those attending the festival.
It’s a date!
A Book At Bedtime
Posted by Bill in Exhibitors on August 10, 2010
A whisky festival is the idea place to try some new drams – or at least drams that are new to you. If you’re not sure which ones you’d like, Glasgow’s Whisky Festival has the answer. Renowned whisky author Ian Buxton will be at the event selling copies of his must-have book, 101 Whiskies To Try Before You Die. It would make someone a very acceptable Christmas present.
Glasgow’s Whisky and New Spirit Festival
Posted by Mark in Exhibitors on August 5, 2010
We are proud to announce the first ever festival appearance of the Abhainn Dearg Distillery (Red River to us non-Gaels), Scotland’s newest distillery, located on the Isle of Lewis. Whilst they will not actually bottle whisky until 2011, we’re sure they will give you a taste of what’s to come…
Find out more at www.abhainndearg.co.uk where there’s a link to a brief video tour, by yours truly, on YouTube.
A Double From Compass Box
Posted by Bill in Exhibitors, Masterclasses on July 20, 2010
One of the world’s most innovative whisky makers is coming to the festival – and taking the second of our master classes.
The Compass Box Whisky Company has set the whisky world alight with its new approach to making top class whisky – and courted controversy with its use of wooden staves inside the casks.
Toasted barrel ends now do the work of the staves and the company has four times been named Innovator of the Year in a whisky magazine. Since 2000 it has won 60 medals or awards worldwide.
We’re pretty chuffed they’ll be in Glasgow in November.
Sounds Like Satin
Posted by Bill in Exhibitors on July 8, 2010
We’re happy to announce yet another addition to the Festival - Tomatin Distillery.
The distillery is located in the Monadhliath Mountains just south of Inverness. Established in 1897, Tomatin (to rhyme with satin) is also one of the highest distilleries in Scotland at 315 metres above sea level.
The soft waters of the Alt-na-Frith (Free Burn) which run clear and pure through the Monadhliath Mountains help to create Tomatin single malt.
Tomatin is a community as well as a distillery. It is one of the last to provide housing for its staff, and around 25 families live on the 140 acre estate. They form the core of the workforce and, in several cases, whole families are employed in various roles within the Company.
We’re delighted they are joining us on November 13, along with so many others.
Ben and Glen Join Line Up
Posted by Bill in Exhibitors on June 25, 2010
BenRiach and GlenDronach are the latest distilleries to announce they’re taking space at Glasgow’s Whisky Festival - now almost at sell-out status.
In April 2004, BenRiach, ‘The Hill of the Red Deer’, which was previously under the ownership of Chivas Brothers, was acquired by threee entrepreneurs, led by Scotch Whisky industry veteran Billy Walker. The BenRiach Distillery Company was then born.
In 2008, the company purchased the GlenDronach Distillery, located in Forgue by Huntly in Aberdeenshire.
GlenDronach is world famous for producing richly sherried single malt whisky and has a long standing history dating back to 1826.
Today both the BenRiach and GlenDronach Distilleries are once again producing single malt whiskies as independent distilleries and we’re delighted the Speysiders have added their names to our festival.
Everyone’s Favourite Islay Malt Joins Us
Posted by Mark in Exhibitors on June 4, 2010
Yes, folks, Ardbeg will be joining us in November for our little gathering. This distillery has something of a fanatical following which is justly deserved as their peaty products are classic Islay.
Another Independent Joining Us
Posted by Bill in Exhibitors on June 3, 2010
Glasgow’s Whisky Festival has attracted yet another independent bottler -A D Rattray.
Founded by Andrew Dewar and William Rattray in 1868, A D Rattray began trading as an importer of French wines, Italian spirits and olive oil. More importantly, however, the company also established itself as a specialist in the field of blending and storage of malt and grain whiskies.
In the latter part of the 1800s A D Rattray Ltd came to represent a number of well-known Highland Malt distilleries – most notably Stronachie – selling bulk whisky to West of Scotland wine and spirit merchants, publicans and the main Scotch whisky blending houses in and around Glasgow.
The A D Rattray Ltd whiskies which form its Cask Collection portfolio are sourced from distilleries throughout Scotland. This extensive range of whiskies is bottled at natural strength and colour without any unnecessary chill-filtration.
As the company says: “All of the flavour from the cask… in a bottle.”
Additionally, Stronachie – the company’s own 12 year old single Highland malt – continues to form an integral part of A D Rattray Ltd’s product portfolio.
A Splash of Water With Your Dram?
Many whisky experts believe you should add a drop of water to open up your dram, and festival goers will be able to do just that now that StrathLomond has come on board to be the official water supplier for the Festival. A bottle of StrathLomond will be in every goody bag and dotted around the festival site.
StrathLomond natural mineral water is sourced beneath the beautiful rolling Campsie Fells. The whole area is crossed east to west by the Campsie fault, which guides and filters the water through rock and earth structure deep beneath the fells, creating a light, fresh, soft and clean natural mineral water of the highest quality.
We raise a glass to our latest sponsor. Of water, naturally!