Legendary whisky area will celebrate with its first festival of gin

Campbeltown and the Kintyre area are legendary for their whisky, but now it’s set to host its first festival of gin.

The inaugural Gintyre Festival will take place from 20-22 April as a collaboration between Campbeltown Town Hall, Explore Campbeltown and local gin producers, Beinn an Tuirc Distillers.

A spokesman said: ‘Our aim is to bring producers to the area and encourage visitors to come to Kintyre to experience this unique part of Scotland whilst taking the opportunity to sample some of Scotland’s finest gin.’

The main event takes place on Saturday, 21 April, in the Town Hall with a party in the evening and fringe events taking place over the Gintyre weekend.

Firms already confirmed as taking part include Arran Gin, Avva Gin, Harris Gin, Kintyre Gin, Lussa Gin, Pixel, Old Raj and Wildthyme.

Gintyre will take place in Camobeltown Town Hall

On April 21, the main event for the gin festival takes place from 1-5pm in The Town Hall, Campbeltown, with tickets costing £15.

This admits one and includes tastes of gin from all the producers, two complementary drinks from the cocktail bar, and entry to ‘meet the maker’ breakout sessions.

That evening, from 7.30pm-midnight, is the Gintyre Party, also in the Town Hall. Entry is £10.

A spokesman said: ‘Pop back to the Town Hall on Saturday evening to dance the night away accompanied by one of Scotland’s leading jazz ensembles, Rose Room.

‘There will also be a gin bar stocking bottles from all the Gintyre producers.’

A number of fringe events are taking place, with tastings at Cadenheads, a Kintyre Gin Tour with Beinn an Tuirc Distillers, a gin pairing menu at Ardshiel Hotel, and a screening of Casablanca, famous for its line of ‘Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.’