Cabinet Secretary Joins Centenary Cask Cavalcade
Members of the Banffshire Branch of NFU Scotland will start touring their county tomorrow (Thursday 3 October) to create the ‘dream’ dram for whisky aficionados.
Over two days, the farmers will collect malt whisky from all of the 28 working distilleries within Banffshire, crafting them into one of the most unique and valuable blended malts ever to be created in Scotland’s long history of whisky-making.
This exciting event symbolises the close links between the two main industries in a county that boasts some of the world’s most celebrated malts.
Members of the branch, and their empty cask, will start touring the distilleries on Thursday, 3 October and by the afternoon of Friday, 4 October, it will have been filled with some of the finest malt whisky Scotland has to offer.
Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead, will join the cask on the final few legs of its tour. The journey will end at Glenfiddich distillery where Mr Lochhead and the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire, Clare Russell, will pour the final litre of malt into the cask.
Bottles of ‘The Banffshire Centenary Blended Malt’ are expected to be available in February 2014, in time for the Union’s annual AGM – marking the end of the Union’s Centenary celebrations – with proceeds from the sale going to its Centenary Trust.
Branch Secretary Elaine Robertson said:
“In creating the dream dram, farmers and the distilleries are bringing together the two famous industries at the very heart of Banffshire – farming and whisky. It will produce fewer than 50 bottles of a truly special blended malt that already has the whisky industry buzzing with excitement.
“A first release of what will be called “The Banffshire Centenary Blended Malt” is expected around the time of the NFUS AGM in February 2014. The proceeds of the sales will go to the NFUS Centenary Fund.
“We are delighted that the Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead can join us on this two-day journey around some of the most famous names in the whisky industry. His involvement underlines the important relationship between farmers and the distillers and there might even be a wee dram for him at the end!”
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said:
“Scotland’s whisky is world famous and unrivalled, and our farmers play their part in producing the raw ingredients for the amazing range of whiskies that we have.
“This project to blend some of the finest drams in Banffshire into one malt is a novel and brilliant idea, and is a great way to celebrate not only the area’s whisky industry, but also the farming industry. I’m pleased to be involved in helping create this dream dram, but even more excited about getting to taste it!”
Notes to Editors
- Members of the press and photographers are invited to join the cask on its journey. If you would like to attend, please contact Elaine Robertson at The NFU Office, Ground Floor, Mansfield House, Keith on 01542 882884 or 07867 672352
- For information, the approximate timings for the event (which may be subject to change) are:
Thursday 3rd October 2013
- 08:15 – 11.20 The tour starts at Auchroisk Distillery where the cask, kindly loaned by Duncan Taylor will be loaded onto a Land Rover supplied by Frank Ogg and Son before visiting Aultmore, Glenglassaugh and Knockdhu distilleries.
- 12:00 noon – Cask arrives at Strathisla Distillery where members of NFUS Banffshire branch will meet invited guests and be led by a vintage tractor to Ugie House Hotel for a buffet lunch, sponsored by Wm. N. Lindsay and Son.
- 13:45 – 15.35 Leave for visits to Strathmill and Aberlour Distilleries’
Friday 4th October 2013
- 08:15 – 12.00noon – Day two of the tour starts at Glenfarclas Distillery, before moving on to Cragganmore, Tamnavoulin, Tomintoul, and Glenlivet.
- 13:30 – 13:50 – Dufftown, where the cask will be loaded onto a vintage lorry, supplied by William Grant, to continue its journey. Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead will join the cask on its tour.
-14:00 – Travel to Kinninvie Distillery followed by Balvenie and finishing at Glenfiddich at approximately 15:00.
- To assist with collection, malt whiskies from those Banffshire distilleries not on the tour will still be delivered to other sites to be included in the cask.
- Those wishing to be kept informed of release dates of this very limited edition (less than 50 bottles), should also contact Elaine Robertson at The NFU Office, Ground Floor, Mansfield House, Keith (01542 882884).
Ends
Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006