Gin lovers will taste the difference at a weekend devoted to the spirit – taking place in the heart of one of the nation’s most famous whisky making regions.
The inaugural Spirit of Speyside: Gin Experience will raise a glass to the region’s burgeoning gin making scene, featuring a Garden Party at Gordon Castle with local food, music, gin and cocktails. Over the weekend all can enjoy meet the makers sessions, mixology events, sampling experiences, dinner, gin pairings and much more.
Organisers of the internationally acclaimed Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival are tapping into the public’s thirst for gin and celebrating the successful brands coming out of Speyside with its latest serve.
The flagship event takes place at the historic Gordon Castle Walled Garden in Fochabers on Saturday 13 July, but the festival buzz will be felt across the whole weekend, with other events taking place in towns and villages the length and breadth of the region.
Gordon Castle produces its own line of gin and will be one of the 12 delicious gins offered to guests, who will also be able to enjoy superb local food while listening to live music performances in the surrounds of Gordon Castle Walled Garden. Quite understandably tickets are selling fast.
Other events will be held in hotels, bars, restaurants, and on board a steam train on Friday 12 July and Sunday 14 July. These will include gin-inspired afternoon tea, cocktail making, food and drink pairings and masterclasses.
Festival chairman James Campbell said the Speyside region is a leading force in food and drink production, so it should come as no surprise that small craft gin distillers and major brands are putting the region on the gin map.
Mr Campbell said: “For the past 20 years Speyside has delivered one of the country’s most successful whisky festivals and more recently we launched Spirit of Speyside: Distilled, a food and drink weekend.
“Both events have shown that both visitors and locals love the provenance of the brands, the chance to meet the people passionate about the drinks they make, and to try different masterclasses and experiences while socialising with friends.
“We will capture that with this brand-new festival where drinks lovers can share their enjoyment of gin and cocktails and discover more about the brands being produced on their doorstep.
“Spirit of Speyside: Gin Experience” brings together 12 fantastic local gins, served in the stunning and magnificent region in which they are made. I don’t know of any other area in the world that celebrates its local gin producers in this way, with different events taking place in towns all over the region over three days, to create what will be a very special weekend.
“There are events right across the Moray/Speyside region, from Lossiemouth to Aviemore, Forres to Elgin and Fochabers, so it’s a great opportunity to enjoy delicious tipples, meet friends both old and new and become a Speyside gin connoisseur.”
The following Speyside brands are involved: Avva, Byron’s, Caorunn, Daffy’s, Duncan’s, Eight Lands, El:gin, Gordon Castle, Inschriach, Kinrara, Red Door and Tenacious.
Tickets for the Gordon Castle flagship event cost £20 each and includes six free taster sample measures of gins. Transport to the Castle, can also be booked for an additional cost, from Forres, Elgin, Lhanbryde, Aberlour, Craigellachie, Dufftown and Keith.
Tickets for all Gin Experience events are on sale at www.speysideginexperience.com. As there is limited availability at most events, early booking is advised.
Regular updates will appear on the website and also @speysideginexp on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
