A long weekend whisky tour, full of whisky to sample, distilleries to visit, plenty of fun with hotels, lunches & dinners. Join Liz and Paul of MCLEANSCOTLAND on the exclusive whisky trip.

Thursday 31 August. We meet you at Inverness airport at noon. With your first Scottish dram in hand we drive to Speyside in time for a two course lunch with a drink included at The Delnashaugh Hotel. It’s then a short distance to Glenfarclas Distillery where you take a tour and taste. Glenfarclas was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to open a dedicated visitor centre in 1973. After your tour relax with a dram or three. Then on to Grantown on Spey, where you check in to The Garth Hotel. This evening we host a 3 course dinner with thee whiskies. Also this evening, Spud the Piper in full highland dress entertains you. In 2000 Madonna and Guy Ritchie came to Scotland for their wedding ceremony. Spud piped for her. On their arrival the press, asked him to play ‘Like a Virgin’ on the pipes. So he played for Madonna as she came down the steps of her jet. The next day he was on the front page of every paper known to man! We then introduce Robert Ransom founder of Angels’ Nectar “Blended by Angels, to be Shared with Friends”, Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whiskies are vibrant and fresh, just the way the Angels enjoy their drams. Relax with a presentation and samples from Robert.

Friday 1 September. After a sumptous highland breakfast we travel the short distance to Craigellachie, where we visit the Speyside Cooperage; the only cooperage in Britain with a visitor centre. An experienced Cooper will  show how Coopers still use traditional methods and tools. Although shipped across the world, many of the casks remain in Scotland, providing a vital ingredient in Scotland’s whisky making process. From here its five minutes to Glenfiddich Distillery, where we have arranged lunch. Then a half hour drive to Elgin where we visit Glen Moray Distillery, a private tour and taste, a French owned distillery, one of our favourites. A superb tour followed by drams, some direct from the cask. The shop has (in our opinion) the best value for money whisky to purchase anywhere! Ten minutes to the hotel, check in, relax, have a bite to eat. This evening at the hotel, we introduce Derek Hancock.   A Senior Executive responsible for Single Malt Scotch Whisky exports for over 40 years. Derek has travelled the world for over 25 years and has presented many master classes, tastings and high level presentations to customers in every continent. Let Derek escort you around the region and impart stories and insights into the distilleries, brands, drams and people who make this such a fascinating topic. Overnight Elgin.

Saturday 2 September. After breakfast we relax a while, then attend our very own MCLEANSCOTLAND whisky school with Vic Cameron. Vic (BSc DipDist)  has over 23 years experience in the distilling industry, working in a number of roles for Diageo. He has worked in production management at both malting and distilling sites. Vic is proud to have been the 4th International Malt Whisky Nosing Champion. He is now on the organising committee for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival whisky school and also the Whisky Lecturer for the University of the Highlands and Islands. Starting at 10am, we break for refreshments at 11am, continuing after the break until 12.30.  This is a very informative humorous take on the whisky industry – with chocolates!  FREE time follows, allowing you a lunch break. You have a ticket for the Distilled whisky festival at Elgin Town Hall, running from 1pm – 5pm; the team behind the annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival brings this event to the sampling table – the best Speyside whisky distillers (at least 50 of them) are uniting under one roof. But that’s not all. Speyside’s whisky distillers will be in good company as award-winning brewers, gin crafters, food producers and others, will be joining them. Overnight Elgin.

Sunday 3 September. After a deserved lie in, we transfer back to Inverness airport/railway station for 12 noon.

Included in this tour; Liz and Paul are your MCLEANSCOTLAND hosts, coach transport for 3 days, 3 nights en suite accommodation, 3 fully cooked Scottish breakfasts, lunch at Delnashaugh and Glenfiddich, 3 course whisky dinner, entry to distilleries as shown, ticket for the whisky festival, whisky presentations by Robert, Vic and Derek, whiskies as shown, extra drams on board the mini coach, plus – a take home 20cl bottle of superb Spey whisky. Cost  £715  per person sharing a twin or double room. Single extra £110

HAPPY EASTER!

…from Maltstock with love…

Maltstock shop

WHISKY GIFTWARE FIRM SCOOPS TWO TOP BUSINESS AWARDS

Staff at whisky giftware firm Angels’ Share Glass are celebrating after winning two top business awards.

The Stirling company, run by father-and-daughter team Tom Young and Karen Somerville, has been named Scottish Family Business of the Year by The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The firm also won the organisation’s Scottish Business and Product Innovation Award for its unique whisky water dropper.

Angels’ Share Glass faced tough competition from other small businesses to become regional winner in each category following judging for the FSB and Worldpay UK Business Awards 2017.

Managing Director Mrs Somerville said: “We’re absolutely delighted to win these two awards which are a real tribute to our staff and a great honour for us all.

“Our company has seen phenomenal growth since we launched four years ago, and the news couldn’t come at a better time as we have just celebrated our fourth birthday.

“It’s fantastic to get this kind of recognition from such an important organisation in the business world.”

The FSB Awards are aimed at recognising and rewarding the excellence, resilience and innovation of SMEs across the country and are open to all companies with less than 250 employees.

The Best Family Business Award champions the major contribution family firms make to business and staff at Angels’ Share Glass were delighted its family roots and ethos were recognised by the judging panel.

Meanwhile, the Business and Product Innovation Award highlights innovations which have successfully transformed a company and improved performance.

It was in this category that the firm’s ground-breaking whisky water dropper, created by Master Glassblower Tom Young MBE, caught the judges’ eye.

The elegant glass pipette, which allows whisky connoisseurs to add water to their dram one drop at a time, is the firm’s best-selling product and has won plaudits from buyers all over the world.

Mrs Somerville said: “Demand has been fantastic since we launched the dropper which was created following feedback from drinkers who told us they often ended up spoiling their drams by adding too much water.

“We spotted a gap in the market and came up with the dropper which means whisky lovers can now add water to their drink with precision and style.”

Angels’ Share Glass, which creates a range of giftware for whisky lovers, is now waiting to discover whether the firm has made it through to the next round of the competition.

Further judging is currently underway to select the top scoring regional winners from each category who will then battle it out to win the national title.

The national winners are due to be announced at a glitzy ceremony hosted by the first winner of TV’s ‘The Apprentice’ Tim Campbell MBE in London next month.

For more details on Angels’ Share Glass, visit the website – www.angelsshareglass.com

Notes:

Angels’ Share Glass is a family-run business based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling. The firm is co-directed by Karen Somerville and her father Tom Young – a world-renowned Master Craftsman who has been glassblowing and making lamp-work glassware for nearly 60 years. More information about the company can be found on the website at www.angelsshareglass.com

Last-minute dash for tickets at Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

Ever fancied learning how to create your own signature whisky cocktails? How about experiencing a traditional Scottish ceilidh with a dram in hand? Or perhaps you want to learn to blend whisky like a pro?

Whatever whisky-themed activity tickles your tastebuds, you can do it all – and a whole lot more – at the world-renowned Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival when it kicks off later this month.

Tickets have been in high demand since going on sale earlier this year but with almost 500 events on the programme, there are still plenty of opportunities to revel in the five-day celebration of Scotland’s national drink.

Thousands of people – many of them travelling from overseas – will descend on the region from April 27 to May 1 to attend the Festival, which is recognised as being one of the best events of its kind.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri says, “Tickets for some of the key events – particularly the very exclusive behind the scenes tours at distilleries not usually open to the public – sold out within a matter of hours.

“There has been phenomenal demand for tickets, but we don’t want people to think that there are no tickets left. Whether visitors want to sample excellent whiskies, enjoy local food or take part in some of the more unusual events on the programme, there is still plenty of availability.

“All the most up to date information about ticket availability is on the website at www.spiritofspeyside.com and for those who are planning a last-minute getaway, there is also information about accommodation.”

There will be the chance to taste exclusive cask strength drams from Chivas Brothers on April 30, in the company of whisky royalty. Acclaimed whisky writers Ian Buxton and Ian Wisniewski will host the event at The Glenlivet and will be sharing their knowledge about distilleries and drams.

This will be a great event for both whisky experts and novices, as they will also give tips on how to get the most out of whisky tasting. Tickets for the event, which includes six different whiskies, cost £30.

Although most whisky drinkers associate Speyside with single malts, there is a strong heritage of blended whisky too. Visitors can learn how to blend in the style of Chivas Regal at an event taking part in the home of the famous blend – Strathisla Distillery – on April 29.

During the special session, which is priced at £25, guests will taste a collection of drams, blend their own whisky under the guidance of an expert tutor from the Chivas Regal team, and take away a small bottle of their creation.

Everything whisky will be on the menu at The Glenlivet Open Day on April 30. The event at the legendary distillery includes tours, a whisky bar, food tastings, music and an exhibition. There will also be a chance to sample a dram from the Sma Still – a replica of one used in the days before distilling was legal. Tickets are priced £5.

There will also be a separate event, running as part of The Glenlivet Open Day, where visitors will be able to learn more about the smugglers who used the glen on an off-road tour on argocat vehicle. Tickets for the tours, which can be booked on the day, cost £40.

An event that will leave visitors shaken and stirred is a cocktail and canapes masterclass at The Macallan – the dram reputed to be the favourite tipple of James Bond. There may not be an appearance from 007 on May 1, but those who go along will learn how to create their own cocktails using three different malts from The Macallan.

Visitors will learn more about the range and enjoy three cocktails which the distillery’s brand ambassadors have specially created. Canapes to match the drinks will be served, and the cost of tickets is £40.

Revellers at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival want to carry on the party after a packed day of activities, and they will be able to do that thanks to an event being staged by Aberlour Community Association.

Visitors to the area will be able to meet locals at a Scottish ceilidh night being staged in the town’s Fleming Hall on April 29. Music will be provided by the very talented young group BROMA – featuring drummer Daniel Gordon, who is ranked as one of the top 40 drummers in the UK. Tickets, including food, are £12.

Based in the heart of Scotland’s malt whisky country, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival takes place over five fun-filled days from April 27 to May 1, 2017. It comprises over 500 events, taking place from Kingussie in the south to Forres in the west and Buckie in the east.

More information about the Festival is available at www.spiritofspeyside.com.Tickets are available to buy for all events – including the awards judging sessions – from the website from February 7. The Festival is active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #dram17.

Ends

Picture caption: Visitors to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival still have the chance to snap up tickets to events.

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 Event Scotland 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.

EventScotland

EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews.

EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. For more information about VisitScotland see www.visitscotland.org or for consumer information on Scotland as a visitor destination see www.visitscotland.com.

Just Whisky Auction’s 41^st Auction

Now Live!

Runs from 14^th – 23^rd April

Some of the bottles available in this month’s auction, including the brand new Macallan Folio 2.

Check out over 1,600 Lots now!

http://www.just-whisky.co.uk/

WAREHOUSE DISCOVERIES

We’ve been spring cleaning our warehouse and discovered the last few bottles from some exceptional casks. These sparkling single casks whiskies are limited in numbers and only available online.

Order now before they are gone forever.

SHOP THE REPLENISHED STOCK NOW

Browse on smws.com

SHOP

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

EXPLORE THE FAR EAST

THURSDAY 27 APRIL AT 6PM
FREE!

REGISTER NOW

Some of the world’s favourite and award-winning whiskies hail from Japan, but have you ever tried what else the Far East has to offer? Whiskies from Taiwan and India are also taking the drinks world by storm. And it’s not just whiskies that are showing us what this corner of the world is made of – sakes and wines are also making their mark at all levels, with every major bar and restaurant craving a piece of the action.

Taste delicious Asian spirits and wines from the following producers: Akashi Akashi-Tai Hakushu Hibiki Omar & Yamazaki

THURSDAY 27 APRIL 
  
Join any time between 6pm and 8pm. 
It’s free to attend the tasting, but please register in advance

VENUE
 
THE WHISKY EXCHANGE SHOP
@ COVENT GARDEN
2 BEDFORD STREET
LONDON WC2E 9HH

WHISKY FIRM MARKS FOURTH BIRTHDAY WITH NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH

Whisky giftware firm Angels’ Share Glass is marking its fourth anniversary with the launch of a series of birthstone angels.

The Stirling-based family company, founded on April 9, 2013, has created a new version of its signature line of whisky-filled glass angels featuring precious gemstone jewels.

The angels are each holding a real gemstone representing months of the year – Diamond for April, Emerald for May and so on.

The firm’s latest innovation was developed by co-founder Karen Somerville.

She says: “People have always liked the Angels which are holding something – like the Thistle and the Saltire which represent Scotland.

“We had some feedback asking if there was anything else we could use and decided gem stones would be a great fit and look lovely.

“And with our own fourth birthday coming up it seemed the perfect time to launch a new birthday product!

“Pre-orders of the Angels are already proving popular as birthday gifts while many – including July’s Ruby and June’s Pearl – will also work for wedding anniversaries.”

Angels’ Share Glass is also marking its fourth anniversary with the start of work on a new glassblowing studio which gets underway later this month.

The move follows a successful crowdfunding campaign which saw generous supporters pledge contributions to help the firm raise funds to create the state-of-the-art studio at its headquarters.

Angels’ Share Glass has come a long way since its beginnings as a home-based business run by co-founders Karen and her father, world-renowned glassmaker, Tom Young.

It now employs three other staff members plus a host of freelance workers in the glassmaking, marketing and sales industries.

The firm has also won a series of honours including Entrepreneur of the Year for Karen Somerville.

And last year it was named Best Micro Business at the Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce Awards as well as winning the Most Innovative Product Award for its unique whisky water dropper.

Meanwhile, Tom Young is due to receive an MBE for his services to glassmaking during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in mid-April.

Karen says: “We’ve seen phenomenal growth since setting up as a home-run operation four years ago and I’m very proud of everything we’ve achieved since then.

“We’ve gone from a small firm selling one product to a global organisation which sells a host of different gifts to people all over the world.

“It’s great that we’re getting the new studio up and running this year as it will mean a lot to us in terms of increasing production and growing the firm further.

“It also means my dad can train up more apprentices who can help keep glassblowing alive in the heart of Scotland.”

Karen and Tom established the firm after capturing the spirit of a whisky producers’ legend, known as the Angels’ Share, through the creation of handmade glass angels.

The myth claims the small volume of whisky lost to evaporation while it matures is taken away by angels.

And in tribute to that legend, the glass angels are filled and sealed with 30ml of single malt – a measure of the Angels’ Share – in a secret process.

In the past four years, the firm has gone from strength to strength expanding its giftware range and exporting to retailers and online customers all over the world.

For more details, visit the website www.angelsshareglass.com

Notes:

Angels’ Share Glass is a family-run business based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling. The firm is co-directed by Karen Somerville and her father Tom Young – a world-renowned Master Craftsman who has been glassblowing and making lamp-work glassware for nearly 60 years. More information about the company can be found on the website at www.angelsshareglass.com

Spirit of Hven Alioth is the fifth in the Spirit of Hven Seven Stars series. It is a moderately peated single malt whisky, made from grain to bottle in the small family owned distillery situated on the island of Hven in the strait of Öresund between Denmark and Sweden.

Described as “Taste & Scent with Sustainability”, Spirit of Hven produces a diverse range of oak matured distillates, with the heart and soul of the distillery being the production of world acclaimed single malt whiskies. In fact, their single malt whisky was Sweden’s first ever island whisky. Handcrafted using only certified organic ingredients, distilled in unique copper pot stills, matured in French Petraea, French Robur and American Muehlenbergii before being finished off in 500L marrying casks made of Spanish Quercus Robur. These have previously held a unique dry Oloroso Sherry, providing a dry nutty, almond character with notes of raisins, new cut fruit and citrus all in an enticing harmony.

Spirit of Hven Alioth is named after the star Alioth in the asterism Ursa Major (the Plough). The name derives from the Arabic, alyat, meaning “the tail of a sheep” referring to the position in the asterism. Alioth is the brightest star in the constellation.

Spirit of Hven is distributed in the UK by Amathus Drinks PLC. For more information, please visit www.hven.com or contact holly@amathusdrinks.com.