Water of life puts the fun into Lochranza festival
The eighth annual Arran Malt and Music Festival proved to be another fun-filled event showcasing the warmth and friendly nature of the island with a truly international spirit.
The first weekend in July saw the Isle of Arran Distillery celebrate whisky and music over three days with guests from all over the country, as well as many from overseas who came specifically to Scotland for the event.
The main festival took place at Lochranza distillery on Saturday July 1, with masterclasses, mini tours and tastings, live music, a specialist rare whisky bar and a cocktail bar.
Among the masterclasses were: Arran whisky cocktails, whisky and chocolate pairing and, for the first time, in conjunction with Ayr Brewery, an Arran whisky and beer masterclass.
The weekend began with the now traditional White Stag dinner, as reported in last week’s Banner, in the grand marquee which was also the venue for a rousing ceilidh on Saturday night which was enjoyed by everyone. Sunday saw the survivors lunch hosted by master distiller James MacTaggart, rounding off the weekend events.
Visitor centre manager Faye Waterlow said: ‘I am very proud of the hard work, dedication and passion and pride of the distillery team. The weekend has been full of fun, music, whisky, love and friendship, and I look forward to welcoming our old and new friends next year.’ Turn to pages 12 and 13.