Whisky is as much a part of Scotland as Shetland ponies in jumpers, horizontal rain, and John Barrowman atop a tartan bus bellowing the Commonwealth Games' opening song.
As Scotland continues to celebrate the Year of Food and Drink 2015, this May sees the return of Whisky Month: a unique programme of events celebrating Scotland's national drink and the people and landscapes behind it.
The Spirit of Speyside whisky festival kicks off the Whisky Month festivities from 30 April to 4 May with a packed schedule hosting everything from comedy to ceilidhs, and master-classes to music.
Whisky Month will also see events taking place right across the country, including immersive experiences, food pairings, and traditional events.
Highlights include:
- Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Highlands - 30 April - 4 May
The festival is one of Scotland's most popular whisky events, inviting visitors to celebrate Scotland's national drink through an inventive and wide-ranging choice of whisky-inspired happenings.
- Spirit of Stirling Whisky Festival, Stirling - 9 May
Returning for the second time to the Stirling Highland Hotel, the festival organisers invite the great and the good from the whisky industry in Scotland to Stirling to exhibit and share their whiskies for fans of the dram to enjoy.
- Create:Eat:Whisky, Edinburgh - 14-17 May
Create:Eat:Whisky is back. Innovative venture Jelly & Gin has teamed with Haig Club (launched in 2014 by David Beckham) to create an immersive experience that puts whisky cocktails centre stage. Guests will take a journey through different multi-sensory settings and drink cocktails, each designed to match its environment. Using sound, light, small edible items, aroma and other environmental factors, guests will be transported from mountain top to roaring fire, with an unexpected final destination.
- The Hive and the Stillat the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - 15 May
A unique event that pairs botany and whisky, visitors can taste some of Scotland's best produce with whisky and honey tastings as well as a choice of street food, learn the science behind whisky, and enjoy entertainment including live music, a silent disco and craft activities.
- World Whisky Day, worldwide - 16 May
World Whisky Day invites everyone to try a dram and celebrate the water of life. Events are taking place all over the globe. Join the party on Twitter using the hashtag #worldwhiskyday.
- Whisky Stramash, Edinburgh - 23-24 May
Described as 'an event of mystery, entertainment, comicality and madcap pioneering', visitors can expect the unexpected at this event in Scotland's Capital and a huge array of whiskies to sample from Scotland and abroad is guaranteed.
- Mhor Festival, Perthshire - 23-24 May
Mhor Festival presents food, drink, music and theatre and will bring together producers including Glengoyne, Deanston and Auchentoshan distilleries in the grounds of Monachyle Mhor Hotel. Spread over two days the festival will encompass foraging walks along the Rob Roy Way, lunch in Mhor Barn with whisky sampling and a whisky pairing evening at the Great Scottish Feast with food prepared by star Scottish chefs. The festival also offers family activities, live music, a ceilidh, a bake-off competition, a raft race and a market.
- Islay Malt and Music Festival, Islay - 22-30 May
Each year the Islay Malt and Music Festival offers a diverse programme featuring traditional music, ceilidhs, Gaelic lessons, golf, bowling and whisky tasting. All of the Islay distilleries have open days throughout the week of the festival offering the ideal opportunity for visitors to indulge in a taste of whisky.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article