Valentines Day
14th Feb 2024

Ready to feel the love this Valentines Day? 

Let us be a part of your unforgettable moments with a special 3-course Valentine’s menu for £35 pp, available throughout the week of 12th – 18th Feb 2024. Special menu available in addition to our usual a la carte menu, this offering is specially crafted for you and your loved ones.

Come & create lasting memories with us.

See Whiski Rooms Valentine’s Menu here

SHOP FOR VALENTINES DAY GIFTS

Struggling for a Valentines gift? Visit us in our shop beside Whiski Rooms or browse our online web shop for a fantastic range of over 500 whiskies, gift hampers and Scottish gifts, all can be delivered.

Browse our Whiski online webstore

International Scotch Day: a day to celebrate

Today, we raise a glass to International Scotch Day! Scotch is fundamental to our heritage and our business. We produce over 100 individual Scotch brands; in financial year 2023 Scotch alone made up made up a quarter of Diageo’s total net sales value (see presentation page 4). And we offer award-winning Scotch Whisky experiences to consumers and tourists keen to discover more about this iconic product. (The Johnnie Walker Experience in Princes Street, Edinburgh, was named the World’s Leading Spirit Tourism Experience at the 2023 World Travel Awards)

To celebrate International Scotch Day, here are four of biggest stories from some of Diageo’s iconic Scotch brands and markets from the last six months:

1. Johnnie Walker
   In September the Johnnie Walker team launched Blue Label Elusive Umami – a limited edition release that was inspired by one of the world’s most hard-to-define and alluring flavour profile: umami. It signalled the partnership of two masters of their craft: whisky making with Master Blender Emma Walker and creative gastronomy with Japanese chef Kei Kobayashi. He brings a unique craftsmanship and flair to his cuisine – like the rarity and craft that goes into making every bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Only one in 25,000 casks succeed in bringing this limited-edition blend to life.The launch created huge excitement and it was officially launched at a remarkable event in Paris. Over the following months teams across the globe celebrated the launch of this remarkable innovation. The official South East Asia launch took place in in Singapore in October, hosting 180 guests from nine markets (Japan, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia & the Philippines)
2. Mortlach
   Mortlach, one of Diageo’s most exclusive single malt brands celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2023. And in December Mortlach announced that to honour two centuries of distilling excellence, it would proudly welcome legendary Philippe Starck as its first Creative Director. The MORTLACH x STARCK debut collection will be revealed in Spring 2024. “One of the most visionary contemporary creators, Philippe Starck, joins Mortlach as our true partner and we are proud to be the first Scotch whisky brand he has ever worked with,” said Pedro Mendonça, Diageo’s Global Reserve Managing Director.“Together we will venture into creative new heights, reinventing what whisky will represent to a generation, reimagining and rebuilding the spirit of Mortlach.”
3. Scotch in India
   Back in November at Capital Markets Day, Diageo India CEO Hina Nagarajan took investors through the exciting progress and opportunities that exist in the Scotch category. India is already well established as the biggest whisky market in the world – and the most valuable TBA category in that market, almost twice the size of beer.Interestingly however, she pointed out that Scotch accounts for 13% of the total whisky value in the country and is the fastest growing and most profitable segment. And in the last four years, while there has been premiumisation in the Indian whisky market with the mid-price segment, it is imported Scotch that is on the march, growing at 32% – with our three biggest brands (Johnnie Walker, Black & White and White Dog) all selling over 1m cases each.Hina said: “Post Covid, we took the lead and invested ahead of the industry by focusing on our commercial and luxury business unit and stepped up on new marketing capabilities. Our investments are paying off – with sales value of Scotch doubling in the last two years. This has meant that we have recruited 10m new consumers into Scotch – almost double that of our nearest competitor.”
4. Port Ellen
   And finally, just this week Diageo celebrated the much-anticipated opening of the Port Ellen distillery later this year with a new release. Port Ellen Gemini is a set of two uniquely extraordinary bottles, a testament to the distillery’s rich past and portentous future. At 44 Years Old, Port Ellen Gemini is the oldest ever Single Malt Scotch Whisky to be released directly from the distillery. The whisky was drawn from three exceptional casks specifically selected long ago for this new experiment, and split into two whiskies which took diverging paths of maturation.Port Ellen Gemini Original allows an appreciation of the distillery’s time-honoured craft and the characterful Islay smoke whilst Port Ellen Gemini Remnant uses the rediscovered remnant cask in a world first, capturing the ancestral DNA of the distillery’s past. Closed for over forty years, Port Ellen will be born again as a distillery re-envisioned for the future, pushing the boundaries of experimentation in Scotch Whisky with a mission to investigate the mysterious flavours of smoke.

We will continue to apply the same care, skill and entrepreneurial spirit to creating our Scotch whiskies as the founders of our legendary brands and on International Scotch Day we raise a dram to them.

Watch the highlights from last year!

Click below to play.

BUY TICKETS NOW

Kentucky Distillers’ Association Announce Newest Bourbon Economy Numbers

 Celebrate a Thriving Industry Thanks to Decade of

KY Policy Advancements

Frankfort, Ky.— February 1, 2024— Spurred by a decade of legislative changes to Kentucky’s archaic alcohol laws, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) will join with Kentucky’s elected officials to release a new study examining the Bourbon industry’s impact on local, state, and global economies. The biennial report produced by Dr. Paul Coomes looks at the signature industry’s economic impact across the board, from jobs and tax revenue to agriculture and tourism and more.

WHAT: 2024 Bourbon Economy Report

*Based on most recently available data as of December 31, 2023

WHEN: Tuesday February 6 at 12:45 PM

WHO: Governor Andy Beshear

Senate President Robert Stivers

Speaker of the House David Osborne

Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell

Jes Pendergrass – KDA Chair, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer at Heaven Hill

Eric Gregory – President, Kentucky Distillers’ Association

WHERE: Kentucky State Capitol, State Reception Room

700 Capital Avenue, Room 220

Frankfort, KY 40220

LIVE STREAM: The event will be live streamed on KDA’s Facebook page.

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) is the worldwide voice of Bourbon.

About the Kentucky Distillers’ Association:

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the legendary voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from historic, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s landmark economic engine and its thriving, timeless craft. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. A 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, the KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com.

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®, BOURBON TRAIL™ and KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME® are trademarks/service marks owned by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

photos are credited to the team at @frombarreltobottle

We are pleased to announce the Springbank, Kilkerran & Cadenhead’s events which will take place during the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2024. Events will run from Monday 20th – Saturday 25th May.

Traditionally, Thursday is dedicated to Springbank, Hazelburn and Longrow with Friday being a combined celebration of Kilkerran and Cadenhead’s. As 2024 is the 20th anniversary of Kilkerran Single Malt, the main focus for Friday will be on Kilkerran. This year, Cadenhead’s will feature throughout the week with tastings each day instead of only on Friday.

To join the Springbank Society contact them at society@springbank.scot

Springbank Distillers Ltd, 9 Bolgam Street, Campbeltown, Scotland, PA28 6HZ

Website

Killowen Distillery Update – Distillery of the Year, Cork Whiskey Fest & Location of Special Killowen Bottles? 😁

Killowen Distillery Crowned Distillery of the Year!

A few weeks ago, whiskey enthusiast Sean Kincaid, also known as @darkcloudwhisky on Instagram crowned us ‘Distillery of the Year!’ On his page, he uploaded a video with his impressive Killowen collection, where he wrote: ‘this was by far one of the easiest choices of the entire awards.’ He then continued by saying ‘Killowen Distillery is one of the smallest distilleries in all of Irish Whiskey but they are having one of the largest impacts!’

It is our absolute pleasure – thank you Sean.

This is also fitting as PWS Imports in Alberta currently have their own Part 1 of 2 Killowen Barántúil. This beautiful Single Pot Still has been split in two smaller casks with the other half resting in a secret cask for the future. Click here for pre-orders.

Killowen’s spirit – Where can we get it?

We are experiencing many calls from whiskey lovers requesting some of our single casks – there are no recent Killowen whiskey releases available from our website due to sell-out editions.

Cork Whiskey Fest 2024

The countdown to Cork Whiskey Fest is on. With less than 2 months to go, we are so excited and have prepared some very special samples to share with you all. The second annual Cork Whiskey Fest will take place on 22nd – 24th March – a weekend full of craic and fantastic whiskey experiences! We added some more tickets this year after last years sell out so come have a ball with us.

Limited tickets remaining – click here to get yours while you can!

See you all there 🙂

Vic Cameron, one of our whisky lecturers says: “A quaich is a small two handled drinking vessel that you can drink whisky out of. It used to be used for friendship ceremonies and it can be used at weddings for joining the two families. So, it’s just a lovely little way of drinking whisky with friends and family.”

🎬 Watch the Video | 📖 Read the Post

Browse Courses

LOCAL SINGLE MALTS

to Celebrate Burns Night

‘Freedom and Whisky Gang Thegither! ‘
– ROBERT BURNS

Our whisky shop is in the heart of Ayrshire, in the village of Kirkoswald. Our village is famously the place where Robert Burns attended school and some of the locals he met were the inspiration for characters in his poems.

Ayrshire is also home to a number of distilleries and so what better way to celebrate Burns Night and our Ayrshire heritage than by enjoying a dram of local whisky…

Single Malts from Ayrshire…

Robert Burns Single Malt

Lochranza Distillery on Arran is the only whisky distillery to produce a whisky that is officially endorsed by the World Burns Federation. A versatile, light and aromatic single malt, ideal to enjoy before or during a meal… perhaps with haggis!

SHOP ARRAN

Lochlea Our Barley

Lochlea is a family-owned farm distillery located in the heart of Ayrshire and was once home to Robert Burns. This is their first core expression, matured in 3 types of casks that all come together to give this malt extra creamy, fruity notes.

SHOP LOCHLEA

LAGG Kilmory Edition

Lagg Distillery on Arran, produces a heavily peated style of whisky that harks back to the illicit stills of the islands past. The Kilmory Edition is a pure embodiment of the earthy smokiness and vanilla notes that make LAGG Single Malts so special.

SHOP LAGG

Ailsa Bay Sweet Smoke 1.2

Our closest distillery, Ailsa Bay is only 8 miles from our shop. Just along the coast that looks out onto the magnificent Ailsa Craig. This heavily peated whisky is balanced with the right level of sweetness to cut through the smoke.

SHOP AILSA BAY

SHOP ALL LOCAL WHISKY

Vic Cameron, one of our whisky lecturers says: “Caramel colouring is a process that we are legally allowed to use in the Scotch whisky industry. It’s the addition of E150a, which is a colour compound, generally used for consistency of colour. It can be slightly controversial in that obviously when you add it, that makes the whisky darker and you don’t have to inform the consumer on the bottle. In some countries – like Switzerland and Germany – you do have to declare that you use caramel.”

🎬 Watch the Video | 📖 Read the Post

Study whisky: explore your passion, kickstart your career.

We are the leading provider of certified Scotch whisky education. 10,000+ candidates globally enjoy our SQA-Approved courses. Learn directly from the experts when you study online or in-person.