Sample the finer things in life at Tor Na Coille Whisky Club

This is not your father’s whisky tasting.

There will be no corduroy, cardigans or chin-stroking.

Just good whisky. And lots of it.

Join whisky connoisseurs Sandy Kenneway and Steven McConnachie for a guided tour of Scotland’s national drink, sampling malts from across the country and learning about what makes good whisky. For just £20 per person, you can sample several whiskies in some of the most beautiful surroundings on Royal Deeside on 5 May, 2 June, 7 July and 4 August. Or, for those keen to visit all sessions, get four for the price of three with a block booking.

With decades of experience in the whisky industry between them, Sandy – who has led tastings at festivals across Scotland – and Steven – a whisky expert from renowned bottler Murray McDavid – will debunk the myths surrounding the whisky making process and highlight the subtle differences between different regions and expressions.

Sitting amongst acres of private wooded ground, the four-star Tor Na Coille Hotel offers stunning panoramic views of Royal Deeside. Each of the Victorian country house hotel’s rooms and suits is uniquely decorated, giving them all a distinct personality of their own.

The Tor Na Coille Whisky Club will run from 7pm on 5 May, 2 June, 7 July and 4 August at £20 per person. Block book all four sessions and pay just £60. Visit www.tornacoille.com for more information about the hotel, and email info@tornacoille.com or call 01330 822242 to book.

25 Copper Circle VIP Club Memberships Are Available Now!

The first 25 Copper Circle VIP Club memberships are now available and we are offering early access to members of our e-mail list!

Copper Circle members enjoy first access to specialty releases, fun whisky release parties, and many other members-only gifts and perks. The club will be announced to the public on Monday so be sure to claim your spot this weekend!

Membership Includes:

• Two or three bottles (based on membership level) of our Spring Chardonnay Finished Commonwealth Collection Release
• Two or three bottles (based on membership level) of our Fall Cider Finished Commonwealth Collection Release
• VIP first access to other specialty releases
• Spring & Fall whisky release parties at the distillery for you and a guest *Your whisky will be available at these parties. Shipping is not available at this time but may be in the future.
• Two “Welcome to the Club” Copper Circle Cocktail Cups (see photo to the right)
• Annual “members-only” Copper Circle gift in years two and beyond
• 20% Off tours, tastings, and merchandise (whisky is excluded from discounts)
• First access to purchase tickets for all public events at our Visitors Center

Our first Copper Circle whisky release party will be on Saturday, May 13th. Pick up your copper cocktail cups & Spring Chardonnay Finished bottles while enjoying tastings and appetizers in our Whisky Loft!

Membership Cost:

TIER ONE: $385 per year (includes tax) for a four bottle membership with access to all Copper Circle perks (2 bottles per release- 4 bottles annually) (Retail Value: $620)

TIER TWO: $550 per year (includes tax) for a six bottle membership with access to all Copper Circle perks (3 bottles per release- 6 bottles annually) (Retail Value: $750)

Membership fees are charge bi-annually. Whisky must be picked up within one year of the release date or the member forfeits the bottles. Cancellation requests must be made by e-mail to coppercircle@vadistillery.com at least 30 days prior to the next whisky release date. Whisky purchases are non refundable per Virginia ABC rules.

JOIN COPPER CIRCLE

RECORDS FALL FOR WORLD’S LARGEST COLLECTION OF RARE JAPANESE WHISKY

The world’s largest known collection of rare and collectable Karuizawa whisky from Japan has been snapped up for £770,000 in an online auction held by Whisky Auctioneer (www.whiskyauctioneer.com), in what is believed to be a world record for an auction of Japanese whisky.

A 70cl bottle of Karuizawa’s 1960 52 year old, one of just 41 bottles originally released for £12,000 in 2013 sold for £100,100, setting a new UK and European record for a Japanese whisky.

The collection of 296 bottles, which had been built up over the last 10 years by a European collector, easily surpassed the pre-auction estimated value of around £500,000.

The auction has attracted worldwide attention which has translated into more than 5093 bids for the bottles, and resulting in 89 successful buyers. In terms of bottles purchased, the Unites States was by far and away the most popular destination, with 84 bottles purchased by US buyers. Germany finished in second place with 43, Hong Kong with 40, the UK with 37 and Greece with 23. Other successful buyers came from countries including Taiwan, China, Singapore, Canada, Belgium, Australia, Israel, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, France, Ireland and Poland.

The top 10 bottles by value to be sold during the auction were bought for a combined £217,060, with 7 of these bottles purchased by buyers in Hong Kong and the other 3 heading to Germany.

• Karuizawa 1960 Single Cask #5627 / The Archer £100,100.00
• Karuizawa 1963 Single Cask 50 Year Old #5132 £24,700.00
• Karuizawa Honor Sumo Collection / 1981 / 1982 / 1983 £17,100.00
• Karuizawa 1964 Single Cask 48 Year Old #3603 / Wealth Solutions £17,100.00
• Karuizawa 45 Year Old Single Cask #1946 / Aqua of Life £12,700.00
• Karuizawa 1995 Single Cask 18 Year Old #5022 / Ghost Series #2 – Only 22 Bottles £10,300.00
• Karuizawa 1981 Single Cask #158 / Sakura Cask – Only 45 Bottles £9,700.00
• Karuizawa Four Decades Ghost Series #5 / 1 of 24 Bottles £9,260.00
• Karuizawa 1970 Single Cask #6227 / Geisha Label £8,100.00
• Karuizawa 1983 Single Cask #3557 / Nepal Bottling £8,000.00

Karuizawa whisky has become one of the world’s most coveted whiskies since the distillery stopped production in 2000.The collection auctioned by Perth (Scotland) based Whisky Auctioneer covered almost every expression created by the renowned Japanese distillery. It is the first time such an extensive collection has been made available for auction anywhere in the world.

The sale has been a huge success for Perthshire firm Whisky Auctioneer which specialises in auctioning fine, old, rare and collectable whisky. In recent years, collectors have flocked towards Japanese distilleries, whose reputations and values have rocketed in the booming secondary market. According to rare whisky experts and analysts Rare Whisky 101, the RWK (Rare Whisky Karuizawa) Index, which tracks the performance of a select collection of bottles from this silent Japanese distillery, shows an increase in value of more than 300% since July 2013.

Iain McClune, founder and owner of Whisky Auctioneer said: “I don’t think we ever expected to have this much interest in our collection of Karuizawa, regardless of its rarity and collectability! Despite being a UK-based auction, only 37 of these bottles will remain on our shores. The international profile of the winning bids truly underline the global appeal of rare whisky at the moment, with these bottles soon heading off to 19 different countries, located across four different continents..”

Rare whisky expert Andy Simpson from Rare Whisky 101 said: “Given the vast demand for Karuizawa whisky in recent years, we wondered whether the market might have begun cool for this iconic distillery. However, judging by the global interest and the prices paid for this most recent auction, it would appear that Japanese whisky is still at the apex of many collectors’ wish-lists. What we don’t know, of course, if whether any of these bottles will resurface on the secondary market in years to come, or whether they will be opened, enjoyed and forever lost to the collector market.”

The buyer of the Karuizawa 1960 “The Archer”, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I was given the chance to try my first Karuizawa whisky sample a few years ago, and I immediately fell in love with it. When I saw Whisky Auctioneer’s collection of Karuizawa whiskies, including the oldest and rarest I knew straight away that I had bid for this once in a lifetime chance. I am absolutely thrilled to have secured this incredible whisky, in the knowledge that it was distilled only a few years after Karuizawa started production in 1955 and that it’s only one of 41 bottles ever produced! I’ve won an important  piece of history that will take pride of place at the heart of my collection.”

www.whiskyauctioneer.com

www.rarewhisky101.com

Aberlour Visitor Centre tastes success with global award win 

Rikki Scott, Visitor Centre Supervisor at Chivas Brothers’ Aberlour Distillery, has scooped a prestigious Whisky Magazine Global Icons of Whisky Award.

Rikki, who is from Rothes in Speyside, was named Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year 2017 at The Whisky Magazine Awards Presentation Dinner at The Wardorf Hilton Hotel, in London.

He was initially crowned as Scotland’s Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year in December, before moving through to the global finals where he beat competition winners from the Americas and Rest of the World.

Since joining Aberlour Distillery in May 2014, Rikki has shared his passion for Aberlour’s world-renowned malt whiskies with both visitors and colleagues, helping to boost visitor numbers and drive the success of the centre shop.

Last year, he also created a Driver’s Tasting Kit which enables motorists to take part in the initial nosing before dispensing the whisky into bottles to enjoy the tasting experience at home.

The Aberlour Visitor Centre, which lies at the heart of Speyside, recently re-opened its doors for the summer season, offering a variety of tutored nosing and tasting experiences of Aberlour’s exquisite collection.

Commenting on his award win, Rikki said: “I was very shocked but also very proud to win the Global Icons of Whisky Award. To be recognised globally is not only an achievement for the Aberlour Visitor Centre but also for the area as a whole.

“The award win is a real testament to the hard work and dedication of the team and the high standards we set ourselves each year to enhance the visitor experience.”

Notes

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky and the No.1 Scotch whisky in China; Ballantine’s, Europe’s No.1 Scotch whisky; The Glenlivet, the single malt whisky that set the standard; and Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range. The portfolio also includes two of the world’s leading English gins – Beefeater, the world’s most awarded premium gin, and Plymouth gin – plus a selection of highly acclaimed single malt whiskies, including Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla and Tormore. The range is completed by a collection of blended Scotch whiskies operating in many of the world’s key whisky markets which includes 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch.

www.chivasspirit.com

Guests attending The Aberlour Visitor Centre can now book tours online: www.aberlour.com/distillery/

The Dramble aims to consolidate the voice of whisky bloggers  

The Dramble, launching today, aims to consolidate the independent whisky blog ecosystem, by connecting up reviews and tasting notes. Whisky appreciation is about the sharing of experiences and opinions. It’s an inherently social activity with a growing community of whisky lovers all over the world. The number of whisky blogs and news sites has risen massively over the past decade – each one adding to the rich tapestry of the vibrant, welcoming and knowledgeable online community. But, with so many blogs and so many different opinions to choose from, where should you start?

Created by two whisky enthusiasts, The Dramble recognises that everyone has different individual tastes and also different innate abilities to detect and identify specific tastes and flavours. The Dramble has been created to build a comprehensive and expertly-curated collection of tasting notes supported by additional reviews drawn from whisky bloggers worldwide. The goal of the new site is to help whisky enthusiasts build up their whisky knowledge and appreciation, whilst also providing bloggers with additional channels for people to discover their tasting notes on a dram-by-dram basis.

Speaking of the launch, Co-Founder Matt McKay said: “The world whisky community is a wonderful thing. From local tasting groups, through to festivals, brand ambassadors and commentators, everyone I meet shares the same love and passion for good whisky. In building this site, Danny and I hope that The Dramble becomes a go to starting point for anyone interested in learning more about whisky. It is all a matter of opinion – and we’d like you to add yours.”

As well as featuring tasting notes, The Dramble will also have a strong focus on people, with regular interviews and features which highlight the important contributions made by individuals within the industry. From distillers and blenders through to brand ambassadors and distillery tour guides, The Dramble will look to explore the lives of the people who make whisky what it is today.

ISLAY CHARITIES RAISE A DRAM TO LAGAVULIN LEGACY 

A range of good causes on the famous whisky island of Islay raised a dram of Lagavulin to celebrate sharing in a major financial legacy from the distillery’s 200^th anniversary.

Representatives of the charities, including the local swimming pool, cyber café, arts and festival organisations, visited the distillery to officially mark the handover of £588,395 of funds which were raised through a special Lagavulin 200^th anniversary bottling.

The principal beneficiary of the funding is Islay Heritage, a ground-breaking new initiative which has been established to explore, conserve and promote Islay’s wealth of historical and archaeological sites. Islay is one of Scotland’s most important historical locations being home to Lords of the Isles and the epi-centre of the country’s early and pre-historical life. Now with a grant of £318,395 from the Lagavulin Legacy fund, the ambitious project aims to make Islay as famous for its history as it currently is for Scotch whisky.

The Lagavulin Legacy project will also fund the restoration and conservation of around 700 acres of peatlands on Islay in recognition of the vital role peat plays in the creation of Lagavulin and other whiskies for which Islay is famous.

A total of seven good causes will benefit from the Lagavulin Legacy fund* reflecting a range of local good causes and projects designed to further enhance Islay’s reputation as a ‘must-visit’ destination for global visitors.

Dr Nick Morgan, Diageo Head of Whisky Outreach, who led the Lagavulin 200^th Anniversary project, said: “The Lagavulin Legacy fund is not about making donations, it is about investing in the rich fabric of the Islay community. That’s why we’ve chosen a range of charities to support from very local community good causes, to the ambitious new Islay Heritage project which aims to really put Islay on the map as one of the world’s most important archaeological and historical destinations.”

Georgie Crawford, Lagavulin Distillery manager, added: “The celebrations for Lagavulin’s 200^th anniversary last year were fantastic, but the absolute highlight of it all is to be able to handover such a significant financial contribution to these good causes.

“It makes me incredibly proud to welcome our friends and partners here at the distillery to mark the handover of the funds. We look forward to continuing to work with these good causes and to seeing the legacy project bring real benefits to Islay and its communities.”

The Lagavulin 200^th anniversary legacy funds were raised through the sale of a special bottling of a Lagavulin 1991 Single Malt Scotch Whisky cask which was carefully selected by the distillery team and Diageo Chief Executive Ivan Menezes. Just 522 bottles were put on sale, 521 of the bottles via a special ballot on The Whisky Exchange at a price of £1,494 – a price set to acknowledge the historic year of the first recorded distillation of Scotch Whisky – with bottle no.1 then auctioned by The Whisky Exchange, raising a further £8,395.

The funds are being transferred to the charities with immediate effect to allow the legacy projects to progress at the earliest opportunity.

NOTES 

*Lagavulin 200 charity recipients

The proceeds received by Diageo from the sale of the Lagavulin 1991 bottling have been donated to the following registered charities in the following proportions, to fund projects on Islay which are designed to enhance the understanding of the rich and diverse history of Islay and enhance the life of the local community:

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories.  These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s, and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.  The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).  For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

About Diageo in Scotland

• Scotland is one of Diageo’s largest spirit supply centres responsible for producing nearly 50 million cases of leading brands of Scotch whisky and white spirits and over four million cases of Ready To Drink brands annually.
• Around 85% of Diageo’s production in Scotland is sold overseas.
• Diageo in Scotland currently employs around 3,500 people.
• Diageo currently operates 28 malt distilleries and one grain distillery and has a 50 per cent share in a further grain distillery.
• As well as engineering and technical support functions, there are extensive warehousing and packaging operations in Scotland and the company’s Scottish headquarters are in Edinburgh.

About Lagavulin

Local records suggest that Lagavulin was already a centre of whisky production in the early 18^th century. There had almost certainly been many other illicit stills before John Johnston founded the first legal distillery at Lagavulin Bay in 1816. As with all Scottish distilleries, it passed through the hands of different owners, including the celebrated Sir Peter Mackie, whose company became White Horse Distillers, forever associated with Lagavulin. White Horse joined The Distillers Company Ltd. (eventually Diageo) in 1927. In 1989, Lagavulin, now normally bottled at 16 years rather than the original 12, became one of the six Classic Malts of Scotland™.

Chivas Brothers funds PhD to help combat effects of climate change on water supply

Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, is today announcing plans to award £4,000 in grant funding to support key research into combating the effects of climate change on distillery water resources.

The project, which is being delivered in partnership with The University of Aberdeen, and the James Hutton Institute, will offer one PhD student the opportunity to embark on a four-year Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) industrial studentship to help identify natural solutions to reduce the impact of water scarcity and rising water temperatures during prolonged warm and dry periods.

The Scotch whisky industry critically depends on a sustainable and good quality water supply; pure Scottish mineral water is one of three ingredients used in the malting, mashing and cooling processes and also when diluting the spirit to reduce its alcoholic strength to the desired level. This research aims to identify solutions to preserve this key ingredient.

Throughout the project, the student will complete field research on the water catchment areas at The Glenlivet distillery in Moray to test the effectiveness of novel solutions to manage water flow. They will become an integral part of Chivas Brothers’ environmental sustainability team and receive a full range of training including a course on distillation processes and distillery water requirements. Research and development of mathematical models to help identify the best locations to manage water flow for other distilleries will be carried out at The University of Aberdeen, with the support of the James Hutton Institute.

Gordon Buist, Production Director at Chivas Brothers, said: “There are three ingredients that go into creating a single malt Scotch whisky – malted barley, yeast and water – and each is incredibly important to developing the depth of flavour and quality unique to The Glenlivet. By supporting this key research we hope to improve water management strategies, to the benefit of the entire Scotch whisky industry.

“As part of the project, we will support the student by providing them with the opportunity to work with our experienced environmental and sustainability team at The Glenlivet distillery, including access to a wide range of training, expertise and laboratory facilities.”

Dr. Josie Geris, Lecturer in Hydrology at the School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, said: “We are pleased to be working with Chivas Brothers and the James Hutton Institute. This project provides a unique opportunity for a research student to gain real world experience out in the field and identify solutions that will greatly benefit the whisky industry in the long term.”

Chivas Brothers has a longstanding commitment to supporting further academic institutions in Scotland with students from both Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and Edinburgh University completing one-year laboratory placements with the business over the last five years. The company also supports research and development on behalf of the whisky industry, through the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, based in Edinburgh; and funds a bursary scheme for further education and vocational training in conjunction with the Scottish International Education Trust, which is open to employees and their family members.

Notes:

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky and the No.1 Scotch whisky in China; Ballantine’s, Europe’s No.1 Scotch whisky; The Glenlivet, the single malt whisky that set the standard; and Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range. The portfolio also includes two of the world’s leading English gins – Beefeater, the world’s most awarded premium gin, and Plymouth gin – plus a selection of highly acclaimed single malt whiskies, including Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla and Tormore. The range is completed by a collection of blended Scotch whiskies operating in many of the world’s key whisky markets which includes 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch.

www.chivasspirit.com

O.F.C. VINTAGE-DATED BOURBONS RAISE MORE THAN $1 MILLION FOR CHARITIES

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 13, 2017) In the fall of 2016, Buffalo Trace Distillery donated two hundred rare bottles of vintage-dated whiskey to non-profit organizations across the country. The results are in, and these collectable O.F.C. bottles have raised more than one million dollars for various charities across the United States.

All fundraising events were completed by early March, and a grand total of $1,196,687 was raised for causes such as cancer services, cystic fibrosis, leukemia and lymphoma, children’s rights, autism, military veterans, animal protection, arts foundations, and many more. Some of the top fund raisers were very creative in their efforts, with the top fund raiser, Hollings Cancer Center in Charleston, S.C., raising $27,000 for their 1980 bottle of O.F.C. Bourbon at its annual Gourmet and Grapes benefit.  “The inspiring work being accomplished by the physicians and scientists at Hollings Cancer Center would simply not be possible without the support from this event,” said Abby Parks, director of special events for the Hollings Cancer Center.

Not far behind them as far as fundraising goes was Meals on Wheels People in Portland, Oregon, raising $24,000 through promoting its event on social media and partnering with leaders in the food industry, mainly restaurants, who then in turn promoted it to their client base.  The non-profit also reached out to traditional media outlets and bourbon enthusiast bloggers, which led to several write ups about the event and an appearance on one news channel at a local bourbon hangout.  “All the money raised from our event will be used to feed senior citizens.  The $24,000 raised will provide approximately 3,250 meals,” said Tony Staser, chief development officer.

The Longview World of Wonders in Longview, Texas raised $17,500 with its O.F.C. Bourbon at its annual Bourbon and Bowties event. To hype the event up, the organization posted about it on social media, made videos, and did Facebook Live posts from local liquor stores.  They even took the bottle out on parade to show it off at the local liquor stores on the Friday evenings and all day Saturdays leading up to the event. “We would also have the Buffalo Trace bourbon line on our table and explain the connection while trying to push your product to people around here at our local liquor stores,” said Event Chairman Cole Tomberlain. “I think the Bourbon & Bowties fundraiser is the only one that has men begging their wives to go, instead of the other way around!” added Tomberlain.

“We’re so happy these worthy causes will benefit from the release of this O.F.C. bourbon,” said Kris Comstock, bourbon marketing director. “On average, $6,100 was raised by these charities.  We’re thrilled these non-profits used this opportunity to come up with creative ways to raise funds for their much needed causes.”

In September 2016, Buffalo Trace announced it was releasing a new bourbon called O.F.C. Bourbon Whiskey, but the first release was only for charities. That first release was comprised of 100 bottles from the year 1980, 50 bottles from 1982, and 50 bottles from 1983.  Non-profit organizations were invited to apply for a bottle online, and after vetting by a third party organization, 200 charities were chosen and bottles were shipped out before the end of year. Each charity selected received a bottle from one of the three vintages.

The O.F.C. Bourbon was packaged in a crystal bottle with real copper lettering in-laid in the bottle with hand applied paper label. The label on the back of the bottle notes the milestones for the vintage year of the bottle.  Each bottle was nestled in a wooden display box containing a provenance card with the same information found on the back label.

      This is the second time Buffalo Trace Distillery has partnered with non-profit organizations to raise money. In 2011, the Distillery gave away 174 bottles of its Millennium Barrel, the last bourbon barrel filled on the last day of the last century. In total more than $150,000 was raised for various charities across the United States.  This brings the total to just over $1.3 million that Buffalo Trace has helped raised for various charities.

      Buffalo Trace plans to release its next offering of O.F.C. Vintages later this year for consumers to purchase at liquor stores and bars.  More details on that release will be forthcoming.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1786 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

POPULAR SCOTTISH WHISKY SHOP IN LINE FOR TOP AWARD 

A popular whisky shop is in line for a top business award after being named a finalist in the Scottish Independent Retail Awards.

Stirling Whisky Shop has been shortlisted for Off License of The Year in the Central Region area.

The business, which organises an annual whisky festival as well as selling a variety of spirits, is run by husband and wife team Cameron and June McCann in Stirling.

Mr McCann said: “It’s a great honour for us and our staff to be nominated for the awards which recognise the hard work of independent retailers.

“Since opening the shop four years ago, we’ve grown the business by increasing the number of brands and spirits we stock.

“We’re also proud to have attracted visitors to Stirling by hosting a variety of regular drinks tastings and festivals in the town.”

The winners of the 6th Scottish Independent Retail Awards 2017 will be announced at a glitzy ceremony next week following a public vote.

Organisers have been running an online campaign, via email databases and social media, over the past few months which have seen people vote for their favourite retail outlets.

The aim of the Awards is to highlight the value independent shops bring to their communities and to recognise and reward the entrepreneurial spirit which lies behind these thriving businesses.

A spokesman for the Scottish Independent Retail Awards said: “The awards look to give a platform to local communities to voice their admiration and loyalty to their independent retailer of choice.”

The Retail Awards ceremony takes place on Tuesday April 25 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow.

Irfan Younis, of event organisers Creative Oceanic, said: “We are delighted to see so many people to get involved in the Scottish Independent Retail Awards.

“We have had a fantastic response from the public and are looking forward to welcoming dedicated and successful independent retailers in a celebration of their hard work.”

June McCann is co-founder of Stirling Whisky Shop – one of the smallest off-sales shops in Scotland and based within Stirling’s Highland Hotel in Spittal Street.

She said: “We’re proud to be an awards finalist – particularly as we’ve been voted for by members of the public – and are looking forward to the evening.

“Hopefully we’ll hear Stirling Whisky Shop’s name called out when the Off License of the Year is named on the night!”

Stirling Whisky Shop also organises monthly gin and whisky clubs and an annual Whisky Festival which is being held on Saturday May 6 this year at the Highland Hotel.

For more information, go to www.stirlingwhiskyshop.com

Note 

Stirling Whisky Shop was established in 2013 by Stirling couple June and Cameron McCann. The shop sells a range of spirits and is based at the Highland Hotel in Stirling’s Spittal Street. More information can be found on the website – www.stirlingwhiskyshop.com

The Macallan x Steven Klein

Imagine a world where time stands still. Where your senses are heightened and the present moment is slowed, stretched, and distilled.

Welcome to the latest chapter in The Macallan Masters of Photography Series. A chapter that interprets an ingredient almost invisible, but absolutely fundamental in the making of The Macallan – TIME.

Steven Klein, our latest visual collaborator and one of the most provocative artists in photography and film, has broken beyond the still frame and altered the rhythm of the series, interpreting The Macallan within a moving image that distils a single moment, a world standing still.

WATCH THE FILM

EXPLORE THE CHAPTER

ENTER TIME CAPTURED

The Macallan Distillers Ltd, Easter Elchies, Craigellachie, AB38 9RX, Scotland