Toast the bard with The Golden Dram
There is plenty of Burns Day celebration coverage in this week’s Courier but it is not too late to raise a glass to Scotland’s national bard.
Whisky documentary Scotch: The Golden Dram, which features three Islay distilleries, was added to STV Player in time for the January 25 celebration of Rabbie Burns’s life and prose but it will be available to view for some time yet. The STV Player is STV’s online video on-demand service, offering a range of content to viewers in STV’s broadcast licence areas.
The revealing documentary which celebrates whisky, Scotland’s national drink, debuted at the Glasgow Film Festival and Dublin Film Festival last year.
It tells the story of how Scotch whisky came to be a premier spirit the world over, taking viewers across the stunning Scottish countryside to uncover the history of the craft and meet some of the biggest names in the industry.
The film charts the
Cinderella tale of legendary master distiller Jim McEwan, a veteran with more than 50 years’ standing in the industry, who takes on a dilapidated distillery on his home island of Islay in the Inner Hebrides and turns it into an award-winning blend.
As Scots continue to contemplate and savour whisky’s place in their culture, viewers can learn more about the history of the craft and hear from some of the biggest names in this vital global industry – Scotch whisky exports account for 70 per cent of Scottish food and drink exports and is valued at £4.7 billion, according to the Scottish Whisky Association.
American film-maker
Andrew Peat, who studied at St Andrews University, directed and produced the film. He said: ‘The heart of our film is the characters, the men and women who produce Scotch whisky, from the barley farmers to the bottle makers. And you can literally see the passion and joy and pride they have in their work and this world-renowned product.’
Richard Williams, MD of Digital at STV, said: ‘A mustwatch for whisky aficionados and dabblers alike, we’re thrilled to be offering this warm-hearted documentary on the STV Player.’
Filmed entirely in Scotland, the film captures the stunning scenery and landscapes that help Scots whisky distillers craft our national drink.
As well as Islay’s Bruichladdich, Laphroaig and Lagavulin distilleries, the film features Glenmorangie in Tain, Tomatin near Inverness, The Dalmore in Alness, and Glengoyne near Killearn.