Distillery and Whisky News August 2022 - Arbikie
Hello whisky lovers, and welcome to our August edition of Distillery and Whisky News.
Did you know that in America, August 25th is National Whisky Sour Day? Now, I am not saying you should use one of your prized bottles of Scotch to join the celebrations later this month... but if you have a 'less-favoured' bottle lying around, then perhaps this is the time to use it? Summer and cocktails do go hand in hand after all!
Speaking of cocktails, our latest Premium Distillery, Arbikie in Angus, offers a Cocktail Experience where you make two of your own creations and then savour them in the bar while overlooking Lunan Bay Beach. Sounds dreamy!
Date with a Dram: Scarabus
This month we have teamed up with Ardnahoe Distillery to bring you the chance to win a bottle of Scarabus Single Malt.
Distilled on Islay, this tasty dram offers peat smoke and sea salt on the nose, followed by warming leather notes, stewed rhubarb, and wonderful vanilla sweetness in the mouth, leading to a rich lingering finish.
Competition Time!
Want to be in with a chance to win a bottle of Scarabus Single Malt? Simply follow DistilleryTours.scot on Facebook or Instagram and share our 'Date with a Dram' post dated 1 August. The lucky winner will be chosen at random and announced in our September newsletter!
Congratulations to Dave Rea from the South of England who won a bottle of Glen Ord Distillery's Singleton Exclusive Single Malt. Enjoy Dave!
You must be 18 years old or over to enter. Please note, will never approach you for your credit card details or personal information, send you friend requests or ask you to click on a link. Please stay safe online.
DistilleryTours Podcast - 6 Months Of Great Guests
We've had some brilliant guests on the DistilleryTours Podcast over the past six months - take some time to catch up with them now.
February - Roslyn Frame of Tullibardine Distillery told us how her preconceptions of the distillery didn't match the reality and how the whisky changed when Terroir Distilleries took over, giving them access to Burgundy casks.
March - Jonathan Wilson of Dewar's Aberfeldy Distillery told us what it's like being part of the Bacardi family while living the history of Dewar's.
April - Billy Walker of the GlenAllachie Distillery is one of the industry's most 'well-kent' faces so it was great to hear him tell us more about his 50 years working in Scotch whisky.
May - Sam Hale and Jo McKerchar talked to us about the history of the Caol Ila Distillery, touching on its unique and stunning setting as well as its role at the heart of the community that surrounds it.
June - Master Distiller, Dennis Malcolm spoke to us about what makes the Glen Grant Distillery so special, he also talked about being awarded the OBE for services to whisky and what it's like to have a 60-year-old 20,000 euro whisky named after you!
July - Matthew McFadyen of Glasgow's The Good Spirits Co. joined us in July to talk about how his passions for interesting whiskies, sprits and wine led him to set up the business.
There have been plenty of other great guests over the last couple of years including Annette Mackenzie of the Glenmorangie Distillery, Rikki Scott of the Aberlour Distillery and way back at the beginning our first guest was Jamie Morrison of the Glenturret Distillery so head over to DistilleryTours.scot and take your pick!
Thanks to CalMac for sponsoring the podcast - if you're visiting the islands this year check out calmac.co.uk for travel information and tourist inspiration.
Malt Of The Month - The Murray
Our brand new feature Malt Of The Month is now live on the DistilleryTours.scot website featuring The Murray from Tullibardine Distillery.
Distilled in 2008, The Murray 2008 has been matured in first fill American oak casks and bottled at cask strength.
On the nose, honeycomb candy with butterscotch fudge, layers of candy floss, crème brûlée and molasses all drenched in a warm spiced bergamot orange liqueur.
Rich creamy toffee flavours infused with citrus fruits, brownie baked Alaska with hints of choc chip mint ice cream combine leaving a long lingering velvety finish.
DistilleryTours Shop - Take Three T-Shirts
Head over to the DistilleryTours.scot shop for more details on these fabulous whisky-themed t-shirts.
Which one would you choose? How about going for a triple shot and treating yourself to all three?
These fully organic t-shirts have been made to the highest quality and designed to be hard wearing and comfortable. You can find out more over at the DistilleryTours.scot shop.
Venue of the month: Scotch Malt Whisky Society At The Vaults
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is the world’s leading whisky club, offering members an ever-changing variety of rare and exceptional single cask whiskies. The Society’s focus is on unique whiskies bottled from a single cask at natural strength without the addition of water or colouring.
As hosts of the world’s most colourful whisky experiences, the Society also bring its members together to share their passion, at its Members’ Rooms, tasting events, festivals, and international partner bars.
Discover the world's widest collection of single cask whiskies, all lovingly selected for their exceptional quality and interest by an expert Tasting Panel. Unique, distinctive and strictly limited to a single cask, every one of the whiskies is a case study in the distiller's craft.
Non-members and members alike can book a private room for a special meal and whisky tasting.
Find out more about SMWS At The Vaults on its dedicated page on the DistilleryTours website.
Scotch Malt Whisky Society At The Vaults
Distillery of the Month: Arbikie
Arbikie Distillery
DistilleryTours.scot is delighted to have welcomed Arbikie Distillery on board as one of our Premium Distilleries.
We loved our recent visit to the distillery which is situated on a family-owned working farm perched on the east coast of Angus. This is an estate profoundly shaped by its environment: the red sandstone-tinted soil, the powerful sea and the turbulent weather give Arbikie a character found nowhere else.
And here, situated where land meets sea, sits the distillery – created from an ancient barn, it is a place with all the ingredients required to produce authentic spirits of the highest quality.
If you would like to know more about this fascinating distillery then the Arbikie Whisky Experience is the right way to go. Take in the views of golden crop fields where the whisky journey begins, learn about the different grains they farm, feel the heat from the copper pot stills and take in the aromas of maturing casks from the traditional dunnage warehouse.
Once equipped with the knowledge of how the whisky is made, take some time to join one of the distillery's ambassadors overlooking Lunan Bay Beach, and enjoy a tutored tasting of drams including an expression of their 1794 and Limited Edition Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky.
Find out more about Arbikie Distillery, their whisky and tours on their dedicated page on the DistilleryTours.scot website.
Looking for inspiration for your next Distillery Tour? Follow us on TWITTER, FACEBOOK and INSTRAGRAM to hear more, and subscribe to this newsletter at DISTILLERYTOURS.SCOT/SIGNUP.