‘BURNING OF THE BEAR CEREMONY’ IN CELEBRATION OF WORLD WHISKY DAY AND ROYAL WEDDING AT SPIRITUAL HOME OF SCOTCH WHISKY 

The bear set aflame to celebrate the opening of the distillery

There can be no more unique way to celebrate World Whisky Day (19 May) than at the spiritual home of Scotch whisky, witnessing a 100ft high bear carving set aflame on a hillside.

On the hill overlooking our still-house, you will see a bear holding a ragged staff, ploughed into the ground. It is a depiction of the stone statue that was taken from the Abbot’s lodgings at the Abbey during the Reformation. The bear and ragged staff is a device of the Earls of Warwick – Guido, the first Abbot of Lindores, was a younger son of the Warwick family. Each year we light the outline of the bear to remind ourselves of the importance of our past and to toast the coming year’s distillate.

This year’s bear burning event will take place on World Whisky Day, 19 May, between 7pm and midnight.  There will be food, music and dancing; celebratory toasts to the bear and the newly married Harry and Meghan will be made with Lindores Abbey Aqua Vitae cocktails.

Tickets for 1494 Members are free, Preservation Society Members tickets are £10 and General Admission is £12.50 For further information, interviews and images, please contact Poppy McKenzie Smith

E: poppystill@lindoresabbeydistillery.com                T: +44 (0) 7446 074 308