Scotch

Remote Hebridean island with its own whisky distillery named one of the best in the world to visit in 2020

by

Raasay ISLAND

A Hebridean island with a population of just 170 people has been named one of the best islands in the world to visit in 2020 – alongside hotspots in the Caribbean, Brazil, Japan and Australia.

Raasay, an island off the east coast of Skye which is just 14 miles long and five miles wide, was singled out in the wake of the opening of its first ever legal distillery, which offers visitors overnight stays.

The island, arguably best known as the birthplace of Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean Angus Mackay, Queen Victoria’s first piper, has just one hotel, three bed and breakfasts, two shops and a primary school, but boasts an iconic flat-topped peak offering views of the Outer Hebrides, steep cliffs, forest trails and secluded beaches.

But now a leading travel bible has rated it alongside Hong Kong, Kyushu in Japan, the Anavilhanas Archipelago, in Brazil, Prince Edward Island, in Canada, St Barts and Domenica, in the Caribbean in its 13-strong guide “to be two steps ahead of the pack.” [ . . . ]

Continue at THE SCOTSMAN: Remote Hebridean island with its own whisky distillery named one of the best in the world to visit in 2020 – The Scotsman

Glasgow whisky bar named Scotland’s Pub of the Year

by

Pub of the Year in Glasgow

A Glasgow bar that has found fame worldwide for its extensive whisky collection and knowledgeable staff has been crowned Scotland’s Pub of the Year.

The Pot Still Bar received the prestigious prize at the AA Hospitality Awards in a glittering ceremony at Grosvenor House in London.To mark the twenty-first anniversary of the awards, this year’s event was presented by Claudia Winkleman, with the best establishments in the UK being honoured across twenty-three categories, including Chefs’ Chef, Lifetime Achievement Award and Housekeeper of the Year.

The AA Pub of the Year accolade is awarded to those pubs that successfully combine the “provision of enjoyable food, a great pub atmosphere and a warm welcome with a high standard of management”.

Previous Scottish winners have included The Bow Bar in Edinburgh and The Ship Inn in Elie, Fife.The Pot Still, which is located on Glasgow’s Hope Street, was chosen due to its extensive whisky range, highly knowledgeable staff and ‘traditional pies.’

Source: Glasgow whisky bar named Scotland’s Pub of the Year – Scotsman Food and Drink

#OurWhisky launches in bid to illustrate the face of the modern whisky drinker 

by

SCOTSMAN

Two leading whisky experts have teamed up to launch #OurWhisky – a new movement designed to challenge perceptions of the stereotypical whisky drinker.

Becky Paskin, editor of Scotchwhisky.com and Georgie Bell, global whisky specialist, say this will be the world’s first campaign to unite the global whisky industry and whisky lovers in a combined bid to “dispel common myths of who modern whisky drinkers are”.

Whisky is a drink that can be enjoyed by everyone, and we feel it’s important to demonstrate that by celebrating the gender and cultural diversity of the modern day whisky drinker.”

The pair want #OurWhisky to reaffirm the consensus from within the industry that whisky is a drink with widespread appeal, and challenge the established perception among many consumers that whisky is still a “man’s drink” – an opinion they say has been perpetuated by decades of male-oriented advertising [ . . . ]

Read more at: #OurWhisky launches in bid to illustrate the face of the modern whisky drinker – Scotsman Food and Drink

The best whiskies to celebrate Burns Night 

by

Falling dangerously close to an otherwise successful completion of a “dry January”, Burns night, makes for an appropriate occasion to fall off any rickety wagon.

Falling dangerously close to an otherwise successful completion of a “dry January”, Burns night, makes for an appropriate occasion to fall off any rickety wagon. Certainly, the celebrated 18th-century poet Robert “Rabbie” Burns, a hedonist of heroic proportions, would’ve sneered at suggestions his birthday, 25 January, be a tee-total affair.

Burns was a huge fan of whisky, despite eventually turning his hand to tax collection as an excise man, and the spirit subverted plenty of stanzas, with poems devoted to his favourite whisky, his preferred pub, while even lambasting the English for raising whisky duty.

To toast this legend of both liquor and literature, I’ve selected a collection that might have been close to his heart – quite a challenge since so many distilleries emerged after his death, when the English finally relaxed the duty.

As it happens, historians have suggested some of the drams Burns downed were less discerning, while he also sank an irresponsible dose of the stuff. So rather than go like for like, I’ve opted for some tenuous themes and advocate drinking less but better whisky.

Lowlands

In his Jolly Beggar poem Burns mentions a lowland whisky from the Kilbagie distillery, in Kincardine, which by all accounts would’ve been eye-watering gear.

Glenkinchie provides you with a softer, lighter and more balanced lowland, and the Glenkinchie 2016 Special Release is one I’ve been back to a few times.

It shows how a lighter foundation of this style can be reinforced with impressive maturation, still fresh, but sweet and spicy with it.  Glenkinchie 2016 Special Release, £309, Whisky Exchange

Highlands

Legend has it the brilliant bard liked a smooth spirit to accompany the rough element he mixed with in the pubs, and some say he often opted for a refined highland malt.

He would’ve been satisfied with Dalmore then, not least because the distillery is so inventive with expressions.[ . . .  ]

Read Full Story at: The best whiskies to celebrate Burns Night