Distillery and Whisky News January 2021
Hello whisky lovers and welcome to our January 2021 edition of Distillery and Whisky News. Well done! You've almost made it through January, and many of you in lockdown! Give yourself a good pat on the back.
January's not so bad really - we had Burns Night earlier this week (dancing the Gay Gordons in our living room wasn't quite the same as going to a Ceilidh, but we gave it a good try!) and if you live in the UK you've probably spent some time sledging or building snowmen this month.
And if you haven't don't worry - there's still time!
Roll on the vaccine though, and some sunny, warm weather - we can't wait to be out in our shorts and t-shirts again, and visiting distilleries!
DistilleryTours Podcast: Glendronach
Stewart Buchanan from Brown Forman
This month we spoke to Stewart Buchanan, Global Brand Ambassador for Brown Forman, owners of the Benriach, Glendronach and Glenglassaugh Distilleries.
Stewart talks about the different whisky profiles of the three distilleries, gives his high points from the Benriach Distillery restoration, tells us more about the history of Glendronach and the surrounding area, and whets our palate with the tasting notes from the Glendronach Port Wood.
If you’d like to find out more about the Glendronach Distillery and its whisky, check out their dedicated page and click on the Book Now button on the Glendronach listing.
Date with a Dram: Scapa
The Scapa 18 Year Old Bourbon Cask Strength
A marriage of five casks, the Scapa Distillery Reserve Collection 18 Year Old Bourbon Cask Strength is exceptionally sweet and fruity on the nose, with aromas of honey-baked plums and juicy red apples. A gentle ginger spiciness undulates through silky golden syrup followed by a burst of tangy grapefruit.
The taste is of juicy ripe pears, balanced perfectly with rich all-butter shortbread and delicate heather honey. Smooth marzipan and a hint of nutmeg spice add depth, before a sweet and gently spiced finish.
Competition Time!
Want to be in with a chance to win a bottle of Scapa Distillery Reserve Collection 18 Year Old Bourbon Cask Strength? Simply follow DistilleryTours.scot on Facebook and share our Date with a Dram post dated 27 January. The lucky winner will be chosen at random and announced in our February newsletter!
And congratulations to Don Waller from East Sussex who won our January competition to win a bottle of The Glenlivet Distillery Reserve Collection 12 Year Old First Fill Butt 2019 bottling.
Venue of the month: Luvians Bottle Shop
Luvians Bottle Shop, Cupar
With vast shops in both Cupar and St Andrews, Luvians Bottle Shops offer everything a whisky-lover could want.
Not only do they have an incredible selection of whisky to buy in the shop or online, they also have a fantastic array of wines and other spirits, and they even make and sell their own ice cream! Yes, that's right - ice cream!
They're also holding 'Luvians Lockdown' online tastings over Zoom every Friday - including a Glenfiddich Masterclass with Mark Thomson on Friday 5th February at 7pm. Find out more, order your bottles to taste and book your tickets here - and we'll see you then!
Find out more about Luvians Bottle Shop in Cupar and in St Andrews and, if you're visiting, please adhere to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Distillery of the Month: Tobermory
Tobermory is a place like no other, a place of extraordinary beauty
The Tobermory Distillery lies in a tranquil harbour in an area known as Ledaig, meaning 'safe haven' in Gaelic.
You might know Tobermory from the kids TV show Balamory ("What's the story, Balamory?"), and the town's celebration of creativity is obvious not only in its popularity as a location for TV programmes, but for its colourful houses, framed by the dramatic landscape of the beautiful Isle of Mull.
But if you're a whisky-fan it's more likely you know Tobermory for its distillery, which produces two very different single malts: the fruity, non-peated Tobermory and the robust and smoky Ledaig. Two distinctive spirits reflecting the island's passion for art in nature.
Support the Tobermory Distillery and buy a bottle of Tobermory or Ledaig direct from their shop.
Find out more about the Tobermory Distillery on their dedicated page on the DistilleryTours.scot website and, if you're visiting, please adhere to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
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