Arbikie 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…

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Lidl 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…

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North 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…

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South 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…

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Scots 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…

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Acceptable 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…

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Schools 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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Doddie toasts whisky auction success

RUGBY legend Doddie Weir has toasted the results of a whisky auction, which raised more than £50,000 for his My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. The Whisky Shop’s online auction was one of the foundation’s biggest fundraising events this year. The charity supports people with motor neuron disease (MND) and funds research. Foundation chief executive Jill Douglas…

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Inverness hotels share positive figures

RESIDENTS in the North of Scotland are being encouraged to discover “what’s on their doorstep” as Inverness’s hotels report brighter figures amid the covid gloom. Chris Taylor, regional leadership director at national tourism marketing agency VisitScotland, said: “Right now, we are encouraging local people in the Highlands to discover what’s on their doorstep, in line…

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Scots firm unveils plastic-free crackers to support food banks

SCOTTISH company Love Tiki has unveiled plastic-free Christmas crackers to support food bank operator The Trussell Trust. The Central Belt business, which made its name supplying equipment to bars and restaurants, has launched four festive designs, made from Kraft paper. All the crackers are recyclable and don’t contain plastic. The gifts inside the crackers are…

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