Hibiki 21 Years Old takes World’s Best Blended Whisky prize at the World Whiskies Awards 2016

Honored as chosen “World’s Best” for the Fourth Time, the Most Ever in the Blended Whisky Category

Hibiki 21 Years Old from Suntory Spirits Limited received the World’s Best Blended Whisky award at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards 2016 held by Whisky Magazine. This marks the fourth time and the first time in three years in which Hibiki 21 Years Old has been bestowed with the World’s Best Blended Whisky award. The award ceremony was held on Thursday, March 17 in London.

Now in its tenth year, the World Whiskies Awards, held by Whisky Magazine, is a world-wide whisky contest. Representative whiskies are selected from each of the countries submitting entries, including the UK and Japan, before the final judgment. Final judging takes place in some categories, including Single Malt Whisky and Blended Whisky. Winners in each category are selected based on rigorous blind tasting.

About Hibiki 21 Years Old This whisky is a blend of rare and painstakingly selected mature malt and grain whiskies aged over 21 years. The key Yamazaki sherry casked malt is vatted with other carefully chosen mellow unblended grain whiskies over 21 years old. With aromas of sweet dried fruit and a spicy flavor, it is characterized by a solemn, refined richness and profound, lingering echoes.

Major Awards Received by Hibiki 21 Years Old

World Whiskies Awards – “World’s Best Blended Whisky” 2010, 2011, 2013

International Spirits Challenge – Category’s Top Award “Trophy” 2013, 2014, 2015 and “Gold medal” 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Competition Summary

Name of Competition – World Whiskies Awards 2016

Sponsor – Whisky Magazine (Paragraph Publishing Limited)

Prize – World’s Best Blended Whisky

Winner – Hibiki 21 Years Old

Awards ceremony – Thursday, March 17, 2016 *GMT

For more information on whisky, visit our homepage http://www.suntory.com//

Barrel of laughs: Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival aims to find a high roller on the streets of the world’s malt whisky capital

The casinos of Las Vegas may have their high rollers, but the streets of the world’s unofficial malt whisky capital will soon have their very own barrel rollers. Visitors to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival will have the chance to compete in the ancient ‘sport’ of barrel rolling – a tribute to the warehousemen who perform the task on a daily basis.

The event takes place in Dufftown – recognised as the hub of Scotland’s whisky industry because it is surrounded by seven distilleries, including the world famous Glenfiddich – and takes place over a 50m track.

It is just one of many quirky events taking place at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival from April 28 to May 2 in the heart of Scotland’s best known – and best loved – whisky producing region.

Thousands of visitors from all over the world will descend on Speyside to raise a glass to the national drink at almost 500 separate events. The programme includes distillery tours, exclusive tastings, food events, music, comedy and outdoor activities for whisky connoisseurs and novices.

Barrel racing takes place on a closed road in the town centre of Dufftown on Sunday, May 1 and has been organised by the Dufftown and District Community Association. Nicola Alexander, a trustee of the group, says the event will offer something very different.

She adds, “The idea came about because we wanted to do something different from all the tours and nosings and tastings, but still keeping with the whisky theme. We hope the community will come out for this event, along with the visitors, and enjoy the Festival spirit.

“Competitors will be asked to race a 50m track and back up again, when the other member of the team will take over and do the same. The winner will be the fastest team.

“Before the race, two experienced warehouse men from a local cooperage will show everyone how’s it’s done. We hope to make this a yearly event and even get all the local distilleries to have a competition between each other.”

The event is open to teams of two – individuals can be paired up – and there’s even prizes on offer for the fastest finishers. The action takes place under the shadow of Dufftown’s iconic clock tower from 2.15 – 3.15pm. It forms part of the wider Dufftown Whisky Street Festival, with lots of Scottish entertainment throughout the afternoon.

For those who still have the energy, there’s the chance to take in all seven of the town’s distilleries in the 7 Stills Race. The course will take in all the famous and lesser known names and offers a varied and challenging route. The race takes place from 2pm to 6pm.

Other quirky events on the programme include the opportunity to canoe down the mighty River Spey and sample some drams inside a tepee at the end of the trip; trying out craft skills by carving a wooden whisky tumbler and needle felting a Highland cow; and taking part in a ‘dramble’ through the Quarrelwood in Elgin where experts from renowned whisky merchants Gordon and MacPhail will discuss the importance of wood in whisky production.

There’s also a women-only event, Whisky Women & WAGS. Dufftown whisky expert Michelle Myron will be leading a walk around the local distilleries, showing how chocolate is the perfect match for whisky. And there’s even the chance to enjoy a whisky pancake breakfast at Grantown YMCA – with a special limited edition Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival topping.

Whisky festival manager Pery Zakeri says, “We pride ourselves on offering something for everyone, regardless of their level of interest in whisky. It’s possible to come and enjoy the Festival and the atmosphere without touching a drop – although we thoroughly recommend that all our visitors give the region’s fantastic whisky a try.

“There are almost 500 events on the programme this year and we defy anyone not to be able to find something that they will enjoy.”

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme are available to buy now at http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/ The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and on Instagram.

Picture caption: Barrel racing will take place in the distillery town of Dufftown during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

The former Chief Blender of Suntory Whisky Koichi Inatomi has been inducted into Hall of Fame

The Second Japanese in Whisky Magazine “Hall of Fame”

Koichi Inatomi, former Chief Blender of Suntory Whisky (former Director of Suntory Limited) has been inducted into the Whisky Magazine “Hall of Fame”, becoming only the second Japanese member of the Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony was held together with the awards ceremony for the World Whiskies Awards 2016 (also hosted by the magazine) in London, England on Thursday, March 17.

The “Hall of Fame” is a prestigious award from Paragraph Publishing Ltd’s Whisky Magazine, and is presented to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the world of whisky over many years. Winners have been announced every year since 2004. The host awarded trophy to Inatomi with commenting “I have known Dr Inatomi – or ‘Tomi’ as we know him – for over 20 years. Japan stands tall in the world of whisky, and he has genuinely changed the industry he works within. The results of his work have laid the foundations for the reputation of Suntory whisky and, as an honorary researcher at Glasgow University, he continues to live, breathe and shape the world of whisky today.” Inatomi expressed his joy and pride at receiving the award, commenting “The very honorable award of induction of me into the Whisky Magazine ‘Hall of Fame’ this time is totally unexpected joy and would like to say many thanks to all the people who supported me throughout my life long whisky career. My special thanks are directed to the people including scientists, producers, journalists, distributers and bartenders for their kind yet hard comments and advices. Without the kindness of these people the road of Japanese whisky would have been much harder.”

Koichi Inatomi – Brief Personal History

Born in 1936. Joined Kotobukiya Limited (now Suntory Holdings Limited) in 1959. His career took him through the Whisky production, Technology Development Department and Research Laboratories of Distilled Spirits and Liqueurs etc., becoming the Chief Blender in 1982. He played a leading role in developing well-known products such as Hibiki blended whiskies, Yamazaki and Hakushu single malt whiskies. He retired in 2000.

Cask88 Launches Exclusive Whisky for The Merchistonian Club in Edinburgh 

UNITED KINGDOM — 03/11/2016 – Cask88, one of the world’s leading suppliers of bespoke whisky, today unveiled a historic bottling produced exclusively for The Merchistonian Club in Edinburgh. For over 15 years, the team at Cask88 has been helping world-class companies deliver legendary experiences with one-of-a-kind bottles of the finest whisky. Cask88 empowers brands and organizations to offer unique whisky to further initiatives and increase brand value. The team specializes in all aspects of the perfect bottle including cask procurement, bottling, labels and final distribution.

Three generations of Merchistonians working in the whisky industry have come together for this exclusive alumni release. Charles Maclean (1965-1969), Edward Davidson (1986-1989) and Patrick Costello (2001-2009) carefully selected a 1997 single malt from the widely acclaimed Clynelish distillery.  This 19 year old Highland whisky is from a single cask with only 350 bottles available worldwide, in Charles’ tasting notes he mentions that the whisky is “a splendid expression of Clynelish, embodying the make’s sophistication and elegance.”

This outstanding whisky is complemented by two bottling options, a decanter or bottle. The decanter has been carefully designed by Glencairn Crystal to offer an impeccable presentation piece. Either option includes a red and blue box baring the old Merchiston logo and selected bottle number (subject to availability). Patrick Costello notes, “this whisky is the perfect wedding, birthday or reunion gift for any Merchistonian.  It’s a great collectible that contributes to the fundraising appeal for new sporting facilities.”

FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE

The Merchistonian Club Whisky is being launched as part of The Fundraising Appeal. Merchiston Castle School is embarking on their biggest sporting development in a generation.  Facilities are being upgraded in order to expand offerings and allow student athletes to excel to new heights.  These facilities will be among the best in Scotland.  To date, two thirds of the target has been raised; enough to allow the initial phase of development to begin.

ABOUT MERCHISTON CASTLE SCHOOL

Merchiston is a Scottish School located in Edinburgh offering the English curriculum with a global, out-ward looking dimension. The school prides itself in the education of boys to prepare them for the world, as they have done for over 180 years.  A balanced curriculum, excellent pastoral care and a high A level pass rate make Merchiston one of the UK’s leading independent schools.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For those looking to learn more about The Merchistonian Club Whisky, information is available on the Cask88 website. You can visit http://store.cask88.com/ for more details.

Speyside Distillery shares the secret of Cask 27: exclusive limited edition single malt whisky from its first distillation

Bottle number one in an exclusive limited edition release of the first distillation from Speyside Distillery is to go under the hammer at auction. It is one of just 250 bottles from Cask 27, which contained the very first spirit to be produced by the artisan distillery in December 1990.

Cask 27 was the final cask to be filled on that milestone occasion and the single malt Scotch whisky has lain sleeping, patiently waiting to give up its secrets for the past 25 years. Bottle number one will be auctioned through McTear’s on Wednesday,, March 23 and it is anticipated there will be high level interest in the rare malt from whisky connoisseurs and collectors.

John Harvey McDonough, chief executive officer of Speyside Distillery, says the time feels right to finally share the historic dram through this limited edition bottling, which will go on general release following the auction.

The distillery is located at the foot of the Cairngorm mountain range in the Scottish Highlands within a former barley mill and croft. It was created by George Christie – a retired Royal Navy submarine captain – and was built by hand in a painstaking 30-year process.

“Mr Christie obviously knew that good things come to those who wait, and that is one of the reasons why we have been in no rush to release this very first distillate,” adds John.

“Managing director, Patricia Dillon and I feel honoured to be in a position of being able to release this very special cask. In doing so I personally felt that I was able to share the tremendous, meticulous work that went into building the distillery and laying down the first casks.

“This truly is a beautiful dram in which the passion of this first distillate can be tasted. We are delighted to be joining together with McTear’s to auction bottle number one: as a prestigious auction house it is fitting for our rare bottle to be in their safe hands.

 “This is not just a whisky: this is an integral part of the distillery’s heritage. We are extremely proud to be able to share this part of our history with whisky lovers and we hope those who are lucky enough to secure one of the special limited edition bottles will raise a toast to those who painstakingly worked together to build the beautiful distillery and lay down this very first distillate.”

Cask 27 is bottled at 55.1% cask strength from American oak casks, and is non-colour and non-chill filtered.  It has a hue of light golden colour with an aroma of refreshing, delicate fruits with hints of vanilla and honey, and a taste of subtle vanilla with a smooth crème brûlée flavour. Its finish is mild, fresh citrus fruit

Cask 27 is presented in a beautiful humidor box with a hand written label, numbered bottle number and wax stamped with the wording – 1990 year of 1^st distillation. The box has a certificate of authenticity signed by the CEO.

Stephen McGinty, whisky specialist at McTear’s Auctioneers  says, “We handle many special limited edition whiskies, however, to have the great privilege of auctioning SPEY from Speyside Distillery bottle number one of this special edition bottling of Cask 27 is a very rare occasion indeed. This whisky ticks all the boxes and more for any investor and we are expecting to receive significant interest.”

Speyside Distillery near Kingussie is home of the SPEY brand of malt whisky. It has been in production since 1990 and is operated by Speyside Distillers Ltd. In 2012 the SPEY brand and packaging with its specially designed unique bottle was introduced.

For further information about Speyside Distillery, visit http://www.speysidedistillery.co.uk/. Follow Speyside Distillery on Twitter @SpeySingleMalt and on Facebook at facebook.com/speysidedistillery

Further information about the auction can be found at http://www.mctears.co.uk/ and on 0141 810 2880.

Picture caption – The new Spey from Speyside Distillery Cask 27 is a special limited edition from the first distillate. Bottle number one is being auctioned by McTear’s on Wednesday, March 23.

Old Pulteney on Top of the World as 1989 Vintage Crowned Best Single Malt

We’re celebrating one of our greatest triumphs to date – Old Pulteney 1989 Vintage has been crowned the ‘World’s Best Single Malt’!

The extraordinary achievement was announced last night at Whisky Magazine’s prestigious World Whiskies Awards, hosted at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London.

Only the world’s most exceptional whiskies were nominated, and with a record number of entries this year leading to tough competition, we have even greater cause to celebrate this accolade!

We released our peated 1989 Vintage in September 2015 as the embodiment of Pulteney Distillery’s renowned craftsmanship. Its distinctive smoky character comes from maturation in hand-selected American oak ex-bourbon barrels, which previously held heavily peated malt.

Old Pulteney Senior Brand Manager Margaret Mary Clarke was thrilled to hear news of the success. She commented: “This is a wonderful win for everyone at Pulteney Distillery and we couldn’t be more proud to have our 1989 Vintage recognised as the world’s best single malt. When we released the whisky last year it was a real hit with whisky enthusiasts and Old Pulteney devotees, who already recognise the quality and character of our full range of fine single malts. Last night’s award is another great testament to the dedicated Distillery team up in Wick whose passion and skill for creating incredible malt whiskies continue to be recognised around the world.”

The Managing Editor of Whisky Magazine, Mr Rupert Wheeler said: “This year has seen a record number of entries into our World Whiskies Awards and the Icons of Whisky continue to grow with the addition of new categories. I was delighted to have met so many guests last night, all of which make the whisky industry a pleasure to be a part of. The evening went extremely well and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the judges and sponsors of all of our awards. We look forward to doing it all over again next year.”

Our malt has been acclaimed for its excellence many times over. Old Pulteney’s 21 Year Old Single Malt holds the coveted title of ‘World Whisky of the Year’ for 2012 in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – one of the industry’s highest accolades. Our whisky also achieved top ten status in the UK single malt market in 2012 and is flourishing in many other countries around the world, so we’re sure you’ll join us this evening in raising a dram to our team here at Pulteney Distillery.  Sláinte!

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Andrew Cowan, Managing Director, Diageo Great Britain said: “Scotch, as a home grown industry, flies the flag for the UK abroad and the alcohol industry as a whole generates billions for the UK economy. This year’s freeze on beer and spirits will help to continue this. We have already seen the positive impact that last year’s duty cut had on industries such as Scotch whisky  and so tonight, people across the nation will once again raise a toast to the Chancellor.”

William Grant & Sons Brings Whisky Craft and Innovation to a New Level

with Launch of Ailsa Bay 

New Single Malt Reveals Unique Balance of Smoke and Sweetness  

Dufftown, Scotland, – William Grant & Sons UK is proud to launch Ailsa Bay, a single malt whisky that brings whisky-craft and innovation to a new level, as a singular, precision-distilled spirit, with a unique balance of smoke and sweetness.

This precision balance is driven by whisky visionaries Director Peter Gordon, Master Blender Brian Kinsman, Projects Director Conn Lynch and Technical Leader John Ross who have teamed together to create a spirit as beautiful, balanced and unique as the brand’s timeless muse, Ailsa Craig, which dominates the distillery’s horizon at Girvan.

“With Ailsa Bay, we wanted to create a very heavily peated whisky with all of the sweetness and smokiness we could muster, but also dial down on  some of the medicinal notes that characterise some peated whiskies,” says Peter Gordon, Director of William Grant & Sons and great great grandson of William Grant.  “Ailsa Bay is a testament to our whisky-making expertise and the skills of our Master Blender Brian Kinsman. We invest heavily in keeping the innovation conveyor belt going. Hopefully, we can do this in a pioneering way that respects the traditions that our family has passed down through the generations.”

Ailsa Bay is a state-of-the-art distillery created in 2007 from Peter Gordon’s vision and initially built to combine the purpose of increasing capacity and supply of malt whisky for blending and growing demand, plus the capacity to develop a new style of peated whisky. With its unique advanced technologies and precise controls, the distillery allowed Master Blender Brian Kinsman and his team the ability to isolate and control more elements from the initial distillation, to the maturation process, which enabled optimal control over the type and quality of liquid produced. Rarely will a Master Blender be able to exercise more control of his craft and, at the same time, be given such space and encouragement to innovate.

“Ailsa Bay Distillery has allowed us to do something extremely special,” says Master Blender Brian Kinsman. “Using our precision distilling methods and a special process for cask maturation, I am able to carefully control the outcome of the whisky. With Ailsa Bay, I took exceptional peated malt and ex Baby Bourbon Hudson casks to create a whisky with a balance of smoke and sweetness, to occupy a new space on the flavour map.”

Ailsa Bay will be launching in the UK from February 2016. Ailsa Bay has an ABV of 48.9% with a recommended retail price of £55 per 70 cl bottle.

Ailsa Bay Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh wood smoke with notes of smouldering damp heather and extinguished bonfire.  Following the smoke is a wave of oaky sweetness and hot, buttered toast with an intriguing hint of caramelised apple.

Taste

An immediate punch of peat is quickly balanced by a burst of vanilla oakiness.  The flavour meanders between smoke, fruit, creamy toffee and back again.  With every sip, the complexity of the whisky deepens as layer upon layer of flavour is revealed.

Finish

An intriguing balance of oaky sweetness and peaty dryness.

 Ailsa Bay Distillery The Ailsa Bay Distillery is a malt distillery based at William Grant & Sons’ Girvan site in South Ayrshire on the Scottish west coast. It is named after the Ailsa Craig rock, situated 10 miles from the distillery in the Firth of Clyde.

The Ailsa Bay distillery was created in 2007 from Peter Gordon’s vision with the sole purpose of allowing Master Blender Brian Kinsman and those that will follow him the ability to isolate and control more elements from the distillation, to maturation, to filtration process. Never before has a Master Blender had more control of his craft and more ability to innovate.

About William Grant & Sons

Ailsa Bay is made by William Grant & Sons, Ltd. an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distills some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s most awarded single malt Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s® along with iconic premium spirits brands Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry® Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Drambuie and Milagro® Tequila.

DIAGEO UNVEILS £MULTI-MILLION CASUAL EATING OPPORTUNITY FOR SPIRITS 

Diageo, the global leader in beverage alcohol, has identified a £100 million untapped spirits opportunity for the on-trade in the casual eating occasion.

The UK is rapidly moving towards a more casual eating culture, with the nation’s increasingly fluid lifestyles having a significant impact on consumers’ eating and drinking out habits. As a result, casual meals are in growth and the Casual Dining segment is currently experiencing strong growth of 6.8%[1] driven by consumer demand for affordability, flexibility and informality, as well as a quality dining experience.

Within the casual eating occasion, Spirits are the fastest growing alcohol category, growing at 17% YOY[2], with almost 50% of consumers citing alcohol as an important factor when choosing where to eat out[3]. However, through a bespoke piece of market research, Diageo has identified an additional £100 million RSV opportunity which operators can unlock by expanding their drinks repertoire beyond traditional beer and wine, and maximising the full potential of spirits.

Ronak Mashru, Sales Director at Diageo GB, says: “A trend towards a more casual culture of eating out is emerging and through our research we strongly believe that spirits present a huge growth opportunity in the casual eating occasion. We encourage operators to think about how they maximise this opportunity by inspiring consumers to choose spirits, educating their staff to upsell, and supporting them to achieve consistent quality through the perfect serve.”

To help operators grow their business through spirits, Diageo has invested in and expanded its sales team in a bid to reach more customers outside the traditional on-trade and has launched a range of cuisine-led serves to help outlets upsell spirits and inspire consumers to choose spirits when eating out.

To arrange a booking with the Diageo sales team or for more information on the new cuisine-led serves please email: CasualDiningGB@diageo.com

Diageo’s NEW Cuisine-Led Serves: 

AMERICAN: 

Bulleit Peanut Butter Cup Hard Shake 

Ingredients

50ml Bulleit® Bourbon

1 spoon peanut butter

25ml caramel syrup

100ml single cream

Crushed peanuts 

Recipe

Add the bourbon, peanut butter, caramel syrup and cream to a blender with a small scoop of ice

Blend to a smooth consistency

Pour into a milkshake glass

Garnish with crushed peanuts 

2.2 UK units

Mint Julep 

Ingredients

50ml Bulleit® Bourbon

15ml Sugar syrup

8-10 mint leaves

Sprig of mint 

Recipe

Add the bourbon, sugar syrup and mint leaves to a metal julep cup

Add a scoop of crushed ice

Mix through with a bar spoon

Cap with more crushed ice

Garnish with a sprig of mint 

2.2 UK units 

For more information, please contact the Diageo team at Clarion Communications on diageo@clarioncomms.co.uk 

For more information on the Spirit Revolution website, visit www.spirits-revolution.com 

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including 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 listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. 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.

[1] MC Allegra Eating Out Report 2015

[2] CGA Strategy Brand Index data to P01 23.01.2016

[3] CGA Peach Brandtrack, February 2015

Speyside’s hidden distillery gems open their doors for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival exclusive tours

Whisky connoisseurs from around the globe have been scrambling for the chance to catch a glimpse inside the region’s hidden distillery gems during next month’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

Just four weeks after event tickets went on sale, over 80 distillery tours – many of them at venues not usually open to the public – have been completely sold out, while more than 50 exclusive whisky tasting events are now full.

But whisky fans will still find plenty of opportunity to learn more about distilleries in the region – a true powerhouse of Scotland’s whisky industry – when the Festival welcomes visitors from April 28 to May 2.

There are still tickets on sale which will allow visitors a sneak peek inside some distilleries that are throwing open their doors just for the Festival, ranging from exclusive VIP events down to free tours where guests enjoy a dram at the end.

And for the real aficionados, there are still opportunities to sample some rare and exclusive Speyside malts at tasting events being hosted by both world-leading brands and distilleries at the smaller end of the production scale.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri says the speed at which tickets have sold for distillery tours and whisky tasting events has taken organisers by surprise. They expect there will be a further rush on tickets before the curtain rises on the event.

She adds, “We know that events at distilleries not normally open to the public will sell very quickly, but the volume of tickets sold has been quite staggering. I think people now know that if they want the chance to see inside these distilleries, the only time they are going to be able to do that is during the Festival.

“But the good news is that some tickets are available, and the quality of the events is exceptional. There are quite a few events where guests are going to be given a very rare opportunity to sample some vintage malts and take part in unique experiences for a very reasonable cost.

“Our advice would be for visitors to make sure they book their tickets as soon as possible, because we fully anticipate that the vast majority of tours and tastings will sell out in advance of the Festival starting.”

Tours at venues such as Dalmunach, Knockando, Tomintoul and Inchgower distilleries sold out the day tickets went on sale, but limited numbers of tickets for tours of Aultmore, Speyside, Auchroisk, Dufftown and Coleburn – all usually closed to the public – are still available.

Whisky aficionados who want to push the boat out will be able to take part in some very exclusive events. Benromach Distillery is offering people with discerning noses the chance to select the next single cask that will be bottled as a Benromach Distillery Exclusive.

Guests will be able to nose and taste a selection of cask samples before voting for their favourite, and then writing up the tasting notes. The £100 ticket price also includes a bottle of the malt once it has been bottled.

There’s also the chance to visit Drummuir Castle, the home of Diageo, which is only open to the company’s guests. The event costs £195 and will include a visit to Mortlach Distillery, a tutored in-depth nosing and tasting of the Mortlach range and a fine dining experience during which guests will enjoy wines from the cellars and an opportunity to pair whisky with food.

Visitors can learn about illicit distilling and whisky smuggling with Glenlivet Hill Trek, who will be transporting guests by eight-wheel-drive argocat into the hills above Glenlivet Distillery for an off-road tour. The ticket price of £130 includes a picnic lunch with a selection of drams in a stone-built bothy followed by an in-depth tour of The Glenlivet Distillery, which pioneer George Smith was the first to license as a distillery in the parish of Glenlivet in 1824.

In contrast, The Whisky Shop Dufftown will be staging taste challenges where visitors will be asked to vote on their favourite drams from the Speyside region and the rest of the world. The ticket price for these events is just £5, and includes samples of a range of top quality malts.

Whisky Shop Dufftown owner Mike Lord has also arranged some in-store extravaganzas with world renowned brands including Wemyss Malts and Gordon and MacPhail which are completely free of charge, as is the chance to browse and sample whisky at Logie Steading near Forres.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme comprises almost 500 different events including distillery tours and tastings, outdoor activities, arts and crafts, food, music and comedy.

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme are available to buy now at www.spiritofspeyside.com. The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and on Instagram.

Notes

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is committed to promoting responsible drinking. Visitors travelling to and from festival events can take advantage of a range of transport options. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has received funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is also financially supported by many other private and public partners.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2014 to 2020. The Scottish Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme.

Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design

2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design will run from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.

Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed fashion, textiles and design sector.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, supported by partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate

Whisky Month 2016

• May is Whisky Month in Scotland, inviting visitors and locals to sample Scotland’s national drink and explore the subtle blend of stories and provenance behind our vast array of marvellous malts.
• In 2016, Whisky Month will also celebrate the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, turning the spotlight on other related areas, such as the famous feats of engineering and innovation in today’s whisky industry as well as the distinct architecture of many of Scotland’s wonderful distilleries.
• To encourage even more visitors to sample Scotland’s whisky a series of eBooks are available. Each book focuses on one of the country’s five distinctive whisky-producing regions in Scotland – Campbeltown, Islay, Speyside, Lowland and Highland.  VisitScotland’s The Land of Whisky guides can be downloaded at visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries
• Find out more and search for events, recipes and trails at visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/whisky-month and join the conversation using #WhiskyMonth