Posts Tagged ‘whisky’
Caledonia on my mind
Like many of those born outside Scotland to avowedly Scottish families, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart has a complicated relationship with the mothership. “WITH a name like Dugald Alastair Roddick Bruce-Lockhart, you must be Scottish,” says the casting director, studying my CV with a frown. It’s a good question – and one I’ve never known quite how to…
Read MoreHow Scotch helped Belvedere enhance vodka’s flavour
Vodka brand Belvedere took a leaf from whisky’s book to create its latest drink. Peter Ranscombe finds out why. VODKA is – if I’m feeling generous – a blank canvas on which bartenders can paint exciting pictures through cocktails. At its best, it’s neutral and unobtrusive; at its worst, it’s just plain boring. You can…
Read MoreAberfeldy picks Pauillac for Bordeaux cask finish
WINE casks from Pauillac in Bordeaux have been used to flavour John Dewar & Sons’ latest limited edition whisky. The Aberfeldy 18-Year-Old French Red Wine Cask is going on sale exclusively at the distillery’s shop for its first month, before being released in selected markets. The whisky spent between four and five months in the…
Read MoreFirst whisky from organic distillery
ORGANIC distillery Nc’nean launches its maiden whisky this morning, becoming the first British spirit to be sold in recycled clear glass bottles. The distillery, which is located on the Morvern peninsula, is powered by renewable energy. Nc’nean’s single malt was made using organic Scottish barley and was aged for three years in a mix of…
Read MoreA Week in Whisky: Is this the ultimate prize for a Scotch fan?
MEMBERS of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) have the chance to win an entire cask of whisky from Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh. It’s the first time the society has given away an entire barrel from one of its partner distilleries. The prize is worth around ÂŁ10,000 and includes duty and ageing for 10 years.…
Read MoreA Week in Whisky: Going, going, gone
THE Isle of Raasay Distillery has sold all its maiden single malt ahead of its release in November. Raasay, which lies off the coast of Skye, has sold 4,350 bottles through the internet, with the remainder of its 7,500-bottle run bought by retailers, restaurants and bars. The whisky is made with Scottish barley and is…
Read MoreRestaurants get 100,000 free glasses of wine to tempt customers back
As the UK Government’s “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme ends, wine importer Hallgarten is giving restaurants and bars a helping hand – and Peter Ranscombe picks some exciting bottles from its warehouse. MANY restaurant owners have hailed the “Eat Out to Help Out” scheme as a massive success, bringing customers out for early week…
Read MoreWhat makes Aldi’s new Scottish gin so special?
As the Old Curiosity Distillery prepares to restart its tours, Peter Ranscombe hears the story behind the gin it’s created for Aldi. GOOD things come to those who wait – or so the old saying goes. For Hamish Martin, that adage was certainly true. He took over a derelict site just south of Edinburgh in…
Read MoreCastles, museums and distilleries continue to reopen
MORE of Scotland’s historic landmarks have announced dates for reopening as the coronavirus lockdown continues to ease. Blackness Castle will reopen on Monday, followed by Inchcolm Abbey, Huntly Castle and Melrose Abbey on Wednesday, and Elgin Cathedral and Caerlaverock Castle on Friday. Doune Castle, Dunstaffnage Castle and Linlithgow Palace will then reopen on 26 August,…
Read MoreArdbeg’s first beer supports clean water projects
ISLAY distillery Ardbeg has teamed up with social enterprise Brewgooder to create its first beer and raise money for clean water projects in Africa. All the profits from “The Shortie Smoky Porter” will support projects in Malawi. The beer – which is named after Ardbeg’s mascot, Shortie the Jack Russell – was created by flatmates…
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