Posts by Peter Ranscombe
One lucky group will get to taste Glengoyne’s 50-year-old whisky
GLENGOYNE will open a bottle of its oldest whisky, a 50-year-old Highland single malt, for one lucky group to enjoy next year. Only 150 decanters of the ÂŁ22,500 Scotch were filled. An online ballot is running until 14 December for groups of five or more people to submit their entry, alongside a description of their…
Read MoreIs this the ultimate Christmas ice cream?
ICE cream maker Mackie’s has joined forces with Crieff Hydro Hotel to create what could be the ultimate festive flavour. Their turkey and cranberry ice cream will be served to visitors at the hotel’s Glen’s Adventure Park. A gingerbread crumble flavour has also be created. Richard Leckie, manager at the park, he said: “Turkey and…
Read MoreMacduff man makes rum in Mauritius
A MACDUFF man has swapped wine making in rainy England for rum making in sunny Mauritius. David Adamson studied winemaking at Plumpton College near Brighton. “I spent some time working at a winery in England, but pruning vines in the cold UK winter wasn’t for me,” he explained. Instead, Adamson has now launched Beach Bum…
Read MoreArbikie launches latest rye whisky
ARBIKIE, the farm-based distillery in Angus, has launched its latest rye whisky. Unlike limited editions of the whisky released over the past two years, the 1794 Highland Rye is not finished in a further cask. Instead, it matures in virgin oak. Iain Stirling, Arbikie’s export director and one of the three brothers who runs the…
Read MoreLidl gets ready to mark ‘daft days’ with poetry
SUPERMARKET chain Lidl has brought together a group of poets to celebrate the “daft days” between Christmas and Epiphany. Poets who have penned verses for the project include Len Pennie, Stuart Paterson, Jo Gilbert, Gary Robertson, and Anne Frater. The German discounter is also running a series of virtual poetry workshops for schools, so pupils…
Read MoreNorth Ronaldsay sheep dyke gets help from a prince
THE Prince’s Countryside Fund (PCF) has given a further grant to the Orkney Sheep Foundation (OSF) to help preserve North Ronaldsay’s sheep dyke. A 12-mile dry stain wall circles the island, keeping its native sheep on the shore to eat seaweed. The fund – which was launched by Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay, in…
Read MoreSouth of Scotland launches virtual advent calendar
SCOTLAND Starts Here, a campaign to promote businesses in the South of Scotland, has launched a virtual advent calendar. Behind each of the 24 windows, Christmas shoppers can find an exclusive experience, gift or treasure, only available from the website. The range of gifts available includes food and drink experiences, sport and outdoor activities, and…
Read MoreScots among Stonehenge ‘heritage heroes’
TELEVISION presenter Sir Tony Robinson will today unveil a display at Stonehenge to celebrate eight “unsung champions of heritage”. Two Scots are among the heritage workers and volunteers from throughout the UK whose contributions are being celebrated. Luke Strachan is chief executive of Wild Things, an environmental charity based at Findhorn in Moray, while Jade…
Read MoreAcceptable in the 80s: Errazuriz’s cabernet
Peter Ranscombe climbs back into his vinous time machine to join a virtual ‘vertical’ tasting of wines from Chile. DO YOU remember 1989? It was the year that Margaret Thatcher road tested her “poll tax” in Scotland. It was the year that David Hasselhoff single-handedly brought down the Berlin Wall. And it was the year…
Read MoreSchools tuck into lamb for St Andrew’s Day
MORE than 9,800 pupils have been cooking and eating lamb donated by Scotland’s livestock auction markets as part of the “Make It Lamb for St Andrew’s Day” campaign. Organisers want Scots to associate lamb with St Andrew’s Day in the same way that we mark Burns’ Night with haggis. More than 1.25 tonnes of lamb…
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