The Campbeltown Malts Festival goes global to celebrate the 'Victorian Whisky Capital of the World''

Whisky lovers from around the world will take part in a live global tasting this week as part of the annual celebration in Scotland's smallest whisky region.
By George Mair
Published 22nd May 2022, 09:43 BST
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The Glen Scotia distillery will host its first ever global live whisky tasting as part of the Campbeltown Malts Festival, which starts on .

The live event, dubbed the "Global Gathering" will be hosted at the award-winning Glen Scotia distillery in Campbeltown on Thursday and also Friday, with virtual tastings taking place live online around the world.

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Iain McAlister, Glen Scotia's distillery manager and master distiller, will lead the gathering live from the Dunnage Warehouse in the heart of Glen Scotia’s distillery.

Glen Scotia was crowned Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards.Glen Scotia was crowned Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards.
Glen Scotia was crowned Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards.

A tasting pack sent to participants includes the 190 year old brand’s scarce 25-year-old expression recently named World’s Best Whisky, as well as drams of Double Cask, Victoriana, 15-year-old and 18-year-old.

McAlister will offer insights into the craftsmanship, profile and flavour of each Glen Scotia dram, and take questions from attendees in-person and virtually around the world.

Launched in 2008, the Campbeltown Malts Festival is a three-day celebration of the region known as the "Victorian Whisky Capital of the World" due to its illustrious history and the role whisky-making has played in the town for centuries.

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The event will also mark a year of achievements for the Glen Scotia distillery after it was awarded "Best in Show" from over 3800 entries at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards, then named Scottish Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards in December. It is the first time a distillery has achieved both accolades.

In March, Glen Scotia unveiled its 46-year-old single malt Scotch whisky with only 150 individually numbered bottles available worldwide.In March, Glen Scotia unveiled its 46-year-old single malt Scotch whisky with only 150 individually numbered bottles available worldwide.
In March, Glen Scotia unveiled its 46-year-old single malt Scotch whisky with only 150 individually numbered bottles available worldwide.

McAlister said: "The Campbeltown Malts Festival marks our favourite moment of the year. It is the time when we look forward to welcoming visitors to the distillery, but we know there are a great many friends and fans around the world that can’t be with us in person this year.

"I am excited to bring a piece of the Festival to our global guests and raise a dram with them from afar."

Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832 and is one of three surviving distilleries in the Kintyre town.

The distillery still maintains much of its original design, including the fermenters, the stillroom, and the dunnage warehouse dating from the 1830s.

Related topics:Scotland

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