A popular independent whisky festival will make its return next spring it has revealed.
The Spirit of Perthshire organisers postponed the 2022 event that was to be held at Castle Menzies near Aberfeldy back in September following the death of the late Queen.
Rescheduled for Saturday March 18, 2023, the annual whisky event, which celebrates Scotland’s national spirit, will take place at the new location of Gannochy Suite at Perth Ice Rink on Glover Street.
It will run from 1-4pm, however, those who pay for early access tickets will be able to enter the festival from noon, an hour ahead of the event’s official start time.
Organiser Sandy Fraser says the moving of dates has allowed the team behind the festival to add even more distilleries and bottlers to the line-up.
He is expecting around 100 people to attend the preview hour and around 200 extra to purchase tickets for the main event itself.
What drinks will be available at Spirit of Perthshire?
Distillers and brands that have already signed up to take part include Tomatin, Lindores Abbey, Clydeside, Glenturret, The Borders Distillery, The Scottish Malt Whisky Society, Inchaffray Distillery, Young Spirits and Glasgow Distillery to name a few.
Festivalgoers will be able to sample a whole range of brands and expressions, and all samples will be served as 5ml to promote responsible drinking says Sandy.
Other drinks brands that don’t specialise in the golden spirit will also be in attendance to bring something different to the offering. Businesses such as Birkentree (birch water), Highland Boundary, SOS Gin, The Gael Spirits Company, Frasier of Scotland with their liqueurs and Uhuru Rum will also be in attendance.
As well as that, there will be a bar where customers can order drinks, and all of the whiskies exhibited will be available to purchase at the retail shop which has been organised by Robertsons of Pitlochry.
Food will be provided by Just Baked to ensure there is something for those in attendance to eat.
New masterclasses
Two new masterclasses will also feature on the roster of events. The first one is with Finn Thomson Whisky which will have a historical slant to it around the families distilling in Perth and the surrounding areas which have a 300-year lineage.
The other will be hosted by Lindores Abbey Distillery and will feature many of the whiskies they have produced since opening a few years ago.
While this event is rescheduled, the team hope to host another event later on in 2023, however, may move this to 2024 depending on their schedule.
Sandy said: “Spirit of Perthshire are very excited about the forthcoming festival as it will be the first whisky festival to be held in Perth for many years.
“Not only that but it is also attracting much interest from many of today’s up-and-coming distilleries which is absolutely fantastic.”
Tickets start from £25 and will include a Glencairn tasting glass, a lanyard, a copy of the latest Cask and Still, any discount vouchers that the distilleries wish to put in and a bottle of water.
You can purchase tickets at spiritofperthshire.co.uk
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