Distillery and Whisky News October 2024 - Lagg & Lochranza
Hello whisky lovers, and welcome to our October edition of Distillery and Whisky News.
Autumn is now well and truly upon us, but who cares? It is the perfect season to visit your favourite distillery and enjoy a tour and tasting. Even better if you can find an open fire somewhere to sit in front of with a delicious dram (or two).
If you are in the market for a new bottle, we will be at the Edinburgh Whisky Festival on 5 October for which there are still some tickets available for session 2. Treat yourself and enjoy an afternoon filled with hundreds of dreamy drams, come on by and let us share some delicious whiskies by Dewar's Aberfeldy, Wolfburn, Glenturret, Tullibardine, GlenDronach & Speyburn distilleries.
Until next time...
Distillery Of The Month: Lagg & Lochranza Distilleries
Arran has soaring hills and rugged coasts, rich farmland and dense forests, all concentrated into a compact parcel floating in the Firth of Clyde between the Ayrshire coast and the Kintyre peninsula. It’s known as ‘Scotland in miniature’, as it shares some of the characteristics of the Highlands and Lowlands, the mainland and the Western Isles.
While on the island, a visit to both Lochranza and Lagg distilleries is an absolute must - both offer fantastic tours and tastings and are blessed with stunning backdrops.
Scottish actor Ewan McGregor recently returned to Lochranza Distillery for a special occasion. It was here in 1998 that Ewan first toasted the inaugural cask of Arran Single Malt, marking the beginning of the distillery's journey.
Now, over two decades later, the distillery has partnered with Ewan to bottle and auction 150 exclusive bottles from his own personal 1998 cask. All proceeds from this auction will go to Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), a charity close to Ewan's heart that provides vital support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
If you would like to bid on one of the exclusive bottles you can do so here.
Find out more about Lagg Distillery and Lochranza Distillery at their dedicated pages on the DistilleryTours.scot website.
Lagg Distillery and Lochranza Distillery
Venue of the Month: The Bon Accord
Glasgow's Bon Accord began life as a pub specialising in real ale and pub grub, but it has since been carefully cultivated into a specialist whisky bar, it has even won UK Whisky Bar of the Year!
In fact, the venue has collected many such awards over the years including those for excellent beer and cider selection and is also proud to have received National Winner Independent Pub Category award 2015 for Best Bar None Scotland. A testimony to the safe and welcoming pub it is.
The pub sells more than 800 different real ales per year and there are more than 400 whiskies on the gantry, and yet the quality of selection does not suffer. There are many old and rare whiskies available to try, the pinnacle of the collection being a 70-year-old Glenlivet.
Find out more about The Bon Accord on its dedicated page at the DistilleryTours website.
Date With A Dram: Glen Scotia Distillery
For October's Date With A Dram competition we've teamed up with Glen Scotia to offer you the chance to win a bottle of their Release No.2.
The second in the Icons of Campbeltown series is inspired by the marking depicting Saint Michael, the courageous Archangel, who heroically slayed a fire-breathing dragon with his spear.
Competition Time
To be in with a chance of winning a bottle of Glen Scotia's Release No.2 simply follow DistilleryTours.scot on Facebook or Instagram and share our 'Date with a Dram' post dated 1 October. The lucky winner will be chosen at random and announced in our November newsletter!
Congratulations to James Spizer from Surrey who won September's competition - a bottle of Speyburn 10 Year Old Single Malt.
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 and remember to drink responsibly.
DistilleryTours Podcast
We have a fantastic back catalogue of podcasts just waiting for you to explore.
Head to the website now and you'll find 40 podcasts with some of the industry's most interesting and knowledgeable individuals. Our three most current episodes featured Clydeside, Rosebank and Lindores Abbey distilleries and with plenty more to choose from, you've the makings of a perfect afternoon of aural pleasure.
DistilleryTours Malt of the Month: Holyrood Ambir
For our Malt of the Month we learn more about Holyrood Distillery's Ambir Single Malt.
The third of Holyrood's single malt releases, the mindset for Ambir was to create a deliciously sticky and sweet single malt expression, using the distillery's knowledge of Specialty Malts and yeasts.
The Perfect Serve: Mizuwari Mac
The Perfect Serve will titillate your tastebuds with a delicious whisky cocktail featured every month...
October's Perfect Serve is a hybrid Scottish-Japanese cocktail from Tomatin Distillery and sees the humble Whisky Mac serve combined with the elegant and stylish Mizuwari.
Stay Cosy This Autumn
Treat yourself to a new hoodie to wrap up against the cold this autumn. Our eye-catching whisky-inspired designs also make for the perfect gift, if you're feeling generous!
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.