For the first time, The Scotch Whisky Experience has joined the line-up of the Edinburgh Fringe, hosting a one-off series of events that offer festival-goers the opportunity to broaden their horizons in a more unusual field.
Running every Sunday throughout August, the half-day Enthusiasm for Scotch experience offers an afternoon immersed in the world of Scotch Whisky, testing the powers of taste with some of the nation’s favourite malts and discovering the history and craft behind Scotland’s national drink.
Costing £50 per person, each event lasts almost four hours beginning with a guided tour through the Scotch Whisky Experience and a private viewing of the World’s Largest Collection of Scotch Whisky. Visitors are then invited to a sampling of delicious Scottish Tapas created by David Neave, executive chef of the venue’s award-winning Amber Restaurant. Noses and palates are put to the test with a sensory perception challenge, which involves an aroma quiz and blind tasting. The afternoon culminates in an exclusive tutored tasting of four single malt Scotch Whiskies.
For those with less time to spare, Whisky with the Distillers sees some of Scotland’s most skilled distillers share their knowledge and passion. From Friday 03 August, the Scotch Whisky Experience will be hosting special one-hour tasting events with individual distillers from across Scotland. Each distiller will be bringing along some of their most famous bottlings for visitors to taste, as well as some of the more limited releases from each of their ranges. The series starts with ‘An afternoon of Aberfeldy’ from John Dewar & Sons (3 August 2012, 2pm-3pm), with samplings of Aberfeldy 11 year old Cask Strength, Aberfeldy 18 year old Cask Strength – available only from the distillery itself –and the Aberfeldy 21 year old.
Each one-hour session costs £15 per person, with three drams included in the cost price. For more information about either package, or to book, visitwww.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk or call 0131 220 0441.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
