Glenturret teams up with Jaguar for E-Type release

A new whisky is being released to celebrate 60 years since the first Jaguar E-Type made an extraordinary 11 hour overnight journey from Coventry to the Geneva Motor Show. Legendary test driver Norman Dewis arrived just in time, and a motoring icon was born. In celebration of this automotive icon delivering 265bhp (brake horsepower), Glenturret…

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European Pipe Band Championships cancelled

The organisers of Piping Inverness, which incorporates the European Pipe Band Championships, has cancelled this year’s event. The competition was scheduled to take place on Saturday 26 June, but with uncertainty around COVID-19 restrictions and following the latest Scottish Government guidance, the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA), in partnership with event organiser, LCC Live,…

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Covid costs Scotch whisky exports £1.1 billion in lost sales

Global exports of Scotch whisky fell by more than £1.1bn during 2020, according to figures released today by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). The export figures are the lowest they have been in a decade, as the combined impact of Covid-19 and the 25% tariff in the United States hit distillers hard. In 2020, the…

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Find fantastic fizz for your Valentine’s Day at home

Whether you want splash-out sparklers or bubbles on a budget, Peter Ranscombe has you covered. FEW dates strike fear into the hearts of wine fans like the fourteenth of February. Should I buy bubbles? Should the wine match the food? Should I shake the bottle and spray the room like I’ve just won an F1…

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Scotch whisky industry losses hit half a billion pounds

The losses suffered by the Scotch whisky industry as a result of tariffs on exports to the United States have reached half a billion pounds – a situation the industry warns is unsustainable.   A 25% tariff was imposed on Single Malt Scotch Whisky in October 2019 and since then exports of Scotch Whisky to the…

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Could the missing lynx return?

A YEAR-LONG survey has been launched to find out if the public wants lynx to be introduced to the Highlands. Supporters say the big cats would help to control roe deer numbers, while opponents worry about their effect on sheep kept near woodland, the species’ favoured habitat. The consultation has been launched by three charities:…

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Hydrogen-powered whisky and gin

TWO distilleries on Orkney are investigating whether they can use hydrogen to make their whisky and gin. Whisky maker Highland Park and gin producer Orkney Distillery are looking at powering their distilleries using hydrogen. Orkney’s European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) is at the forefront of hydrogen technology. The centre is using electricity generated by renewable…

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Visitors flock to nature reserves and urban green spaces

MORE than one million visitors have flocked to Scotland’s national nature reserves this year, while use of urban green spaces is also up, according to NatureScot. The agency, formerly Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), said around 650,000 people normally visit the country’s 43 national nature reserves each year. That figure swelled during the intitial spring lockdown,…

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Cauliflower power as snacking shifts online

SNACKING Scots have been credited with saving an Ayrshire-based business. Tracey Hogarth, owner of Nudie Snacks, saw her sales drop by 95% when lockdown began as the offices that bought her snack boxes sent their workers home. Hogarth switched to selling her snacks – which include cauliflower crisps, roasted split peas, and chocolate orange protein…

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