Gavin D Smith on Coleburn & Dallas Dhu

These two long-silent Speyside distilleries were the topic of a blog post written for us a little while ago now by Gavin D Smith. Born in the whisky boom of the 1890s and shuttered during the 1980s’ supply glut, both Coleburn and Dallas Dhu are now being carefully restored. From Victorian pot stills to plans for innovative visitor centres, these revivals are ones to watch.

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The masterclass schedule for this year’s Spirit of Toronto is now online.

Behold no less than seven sessions, guaranteed to leave you with greater insight into the craft, process and thought that goes into the making of great whisky. Click below to explore this year’s offerings:

VIEW MASTERCLASSES

With tickets going on sale Tuesday April 7 at 10am, you now have a couple of days to mull over the schedule, though rest assured that there are no wrong choices here. In fact, I envy all of you and the stellar drams you’ll be tasting next month, while I get to look on with baleful eyes… #noregrets

Happy April,
Johanna

Johanna Ngoh
Founder, Spirit of Toronto and Whisky Social

PS: A reminder that a quarter of tickets to this year’s show have been pre-sold; the rest go on sale Tuesday April 7 at 10am through Roy Thomson Hall’s Box Office.

Looking for something a little different this Spirit of Speyside?

Join us for a truly unique experience — our Lunchtime Whisky Picnic at Findhorn Beach Huts — where great whisky meets fresh sea air and stunning coastal views.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Moray Firth, you’ll enjoy a relaxed afternoon with the Murray McDavid Team, featuring:

🥃 Three outstanding whiskies

🥪 Delicious sandwiches and light bites

☕ Tea & coffee to round things off

As you sip and savour, keep an eye on the water — you might just spot dolphins, seals or seabirds adding to the experience.

This is whisky at its most relaxed — great drams, good company, and a view you won’t forget.

🥃 Lunchtime Whisky Picnic at Murray McDavid’s Findhorn Beach Huts 🏖️

Friday 1 May | 12:00pm-2:00pm
Sunday 3 May | 12:00pm-2:00pm – SOLD OUT!

BOOK NOW

Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire presents Glencairn Crystal with

Kings Award for Enterprise for Innovation

The Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, Lady Haughey (Susan) CBE visited Glencairn Crystal Studio Ltd in East Kilbride (on 20 February 2026) to formally present the company with its trophy for the King’s Award for Enterprise.

One of only a select number of organisations across the UK to receive the honour, Glencairn Crystal was recognised for excellence in Innovation. This marks the fourth time the family-owned business has received this prestigious accolade.

Founded in 1981 and employing more than 70 people, Glencairn Crystal is a family-owned business specialising in premium crystal and glassware for both business and consumer markets, with unrivalled expertise in the spirits industry. The company is renowned internationally for pioneering design, exceptional craftsmanship and advanced production techniques, successfully scaling artisan processes for commercial manufacture.

For more than 20 years, Glencairn has also produced the iconic Glencairn Glass, the first glass designed specifically for whisky and now recognised worldwide as the industry’s official whisky glass.

The company previously received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation in 2006, and for International Trade in 2012 and 2017.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Lanarkshire, Lady Haughey (Susan) CBE said: “As the King’s personal representative in Lanarkshire, I was delighted to present the King’s Award for Enterprise – in the Innovation category – to Glencairn Crystal. To receive this prestigious award for the fourth time is a phenomenal achievement, highlighting consistent excellence in design, craftsmanship, and manufacturing, and reflecting the passion, creativity, and dedication of everyone at Glencairn Crystal.”

Scott Davidson, New Product Development Director at Glencairn Crystal, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this trophy for the King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation. As a family-run business for over 40 years, innovation has been at the heart of everything we do and this award reflects the dedication and talent of our entire team. To be honoured once again is a proud moment for us all.”

The King’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious awards for businesses, recognising and encouraging outstanding achievements in four categories: innovation, international trade, sustainable development, and promoting opportunity through social mobility. The awards are given out annually and are a highly regarded mark of excellence for British businesses.

The Award programme, now in its 59th year and previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed in 2023 to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses.

For more information about Glencairn Crystal, visit www.glencairn.com

For more information about The Kings Award for Enterprise, visit www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise

* 197 organisations nationally were recognised with a King’s Award for Enterprise and a total of 199 Awards were made with two companies being recognised with two Awards.

The 8th Annual Scottish Whisky Awards Are Now Open

Scotland’s national celebration of its greatest global export has returned.

Entries are now open for the 2026 Scottish Whisky Awards, recognising excellence across Scotland’s whisky industry and celebrating the producers, retailers and businesses that continue to drive the success of Scotch whisky around the world.

At the heart of the awards is a highly respected blind tasting competition, ensuring that every whisky is judged purely on its quality, character and craftsmanship by an expert panel of judges. Branding and distillery information are hidden during judging to guarantee a fair and impartial process.

Finalists will be announced in September 2026, with the winners revealed at a prestigious black-tie awards ceremony on Thursday 26 November 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Glasgow Central.

Check out our entry guide.

BEAR BURNING 2026
Saturday 9th May | 4pm – 9pm

Join us for an activity-filled evening of relaxed fun with friends, family and whisky lovers alike. Enjoy an arrival drink, live music from a variety of artists, a food truck, Orchard Talks with our local farmer and cider producer, Distillery Tours running every half an hour, and Highland Games in the Abbey Ruins.

This year we are also offering two additional ticketed activities – Warehouse Tastings and Whisky Creation Masterclasses – for those who want to make even more of the day. You can find full details on both below. As always, the evening will conclude with a Lindores dram and the lighting of the bear.

A few things to keep in mind before you join us:

Please prepare for a ‘Scottish Summer’ event; the weather can be wonderfully unpredictable, so come dressed for the occasion. The event is both indoors and outdoors, so appropriate footwear is a must if the ground is damp.

Unfortunately, we are unable to welcome dogs to this event, as much as we adore them. We simply don’t feel a busy evening like this would be enjoyable for our four-legged friends. Please also note this is a strictly over-18s event.

Book Your Tickets

The Structure of a Yeast Cell

For some reason, this blog post consistently does great numbers. Is it a saccharomyces cerevisiae sensation? Do we all just love a diagram? The jury is out. To further muddy the waters, we’ve added a video whereby Vic explains the role of yeast in the Scotch whisky production process.

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