Wee Toon prepares for another dram good malts festival

An annual highlight for whisky enthusiasts around the world, Campbeltown Malts Festival is a celebration of the Wee Toon’s distilling past and present.

During the festival, which takes place each year in May, the former whisky capital of the world’s three remaining distilleries – Glen Scotia, Springbank and Glengyle – host tours, tastings and masterclasses, as well as releasing exclusive festival bottles.

The Glen Scotia Distillery team will be joined by a host of industry experts who will help uncover Campbeltown’s whisky history and heritage, from behind-the-scenes tours to product masterclasses to meeting the people at the heart of production.

Festivities commence with the distillery’s festival dinner at Machrihanish Airbase on Tuesday, May 21, where guests will hear from master distiller and distillery manager Iain McAlister and special guests alongside a three-course meal paired with exclusive, hand-selected single cask drams.

On Wednesday, visitors can enjoy a series of ticketed and free talks, tastings, and music, including performances from Rhuvaal and We.R.Soul, with proceedings starting from 10.30am.

Visit www.glenscotia.com/pages/whisky-festival for Scotia Distillery’s full whisky festival itinerary.

Lovers of Springbank, Glengyle and independent bottler

Glen

Cadenhead’s – all owned by J&A Mitchell & Co Ltd – are in for a treat for the remainder of the festival, with the final two days dedicated to these world class brands.

Traditionally, Thursday is dedicated to Springbank, Hazelburn and Longrow, with Friday being a combined celebration of Kilkerran and Cadenhead’s.

However, as 2024 is the 20th anniversary of Kilkerran Single Malt, the main focus for Friday will be on Kilkerran. This year, Cadenhead’s will feature throughout the week, with tastings each day instead of only on Friday.

Springbank’s malt barns dinner will take place on Wednesday evening, with members of staff from Springbank, Kilkerran and Cadenhead’s present throughout to share chat and drams with.

The Springbank open day on the Thursday will see hundreds of visitors in the grounds of the distillery which will be full of stall-holders and local businesses as the distillery hosts a number of whisky tours and tastings throughout the day.

Friday’s events will begin at Glengyle Distillery from 10am when the sale of the special Kilkerran open day bottle will commence. The day will feature a range of tastings well as free distillery tours, local craft and food stalls, the ever popular Cadenhead’s Lucky Dip Bar and much more.

Glen Scotia Distillery was packed for its 2023 open day.

Visit www.springbank.scot/malts-festival-info for Springbank, Glengyle and Cadenhead’s full programme of events and booking information.