Review: The Malt Vault at Karma Lake of Menteith

James Robertson visits the Malt Vault at the Karma Lake of Menteith hotel. AS SPRING emerges on the horizon, many distilleries start to gear up for an increase in whisky tourists. Nestled at the foot of the Trossachs is the Karma Lake of Menteith, a hotel that is now part of a collection of worldwide…

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Review: St Patrick’s Day whiskey

James Robertson reviews St Patrick’s Day whiskey for his drinks blog. THERE was a brief moment on Sunday watching the rugby unfold that I thought maybe, just maybe we – as in Scotland – were going to get our hands on the Triple Crown. But as in years past that moment disappeared as the men…

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Jump Ship steams ahead with alcohol-free brewery plan

JUMP SHIP has smashed through its fundraising target ahead of its crowdfunding scheme closing tomorrow. The beer brand now plans to build an alcohol-free brewery at Rosemain Steadings, near Pathhead in Midlothian. By this morning, the company had raised £330,000 from 272 investors. Sonja Mitchell, who founded the business in 2019, said: “Within two days…

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REVIEW: The Holey Roast

Megan Amato fills her hole with “The Holey Roast”. THE Broughton and Bross bagels are two of Edinburgh’s culinary treasures – one of which is a regular in the Michelin guide and the other so popular that new locations are popping up faster than dandelions. Together, they have created “The Holey Roast”: Bross’s signature “everything”…

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Company Bakery wins Scottish Bread Championships

THE Scottish Bread Championships crowned a New York rye sourdough made by Company Bakery in Edinburgh as “supreme champion”. A beremeal boule made by Anne Keenan – better known as “The Culinary Kiwi Bird” – from Insch in Aberdeenshire was selected as the “reserve champion”. The contest received a record number of entries, with three…

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The Grail Tastings wins at People’s Choice Drinks Awards

THE Grail Tastings has won the “Consumer Drinks Communicator of the Year” title at the 2023 People’s Choice Drinks Awards. The Callendar-based business won the prize after coming top during a public vote. Jennifer Laird and Rachel Grant opened The Grail, their first whisky and spirits shop, in Doune in 2018, before moving to Callendar…

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Holey roast, Edinburgh! Broughton and Bross Bagels combine

THE Broughton gastro-pub has joined forced with Bross Bagels to turn its Sunday roast into a sandwich. “The Holey Roast” bagel will be launched at Stockbridge market in Edinburgh on Sunday. One pound from every Holey Bagel sold at the Stockbridge market will be donated to Alzheimers Scotland. The toasted bagel – which features roast…

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Glasgow Coffee Festival promises to be ‘biggest ever’

ORGANISERS of this May’s Glasgow Coffee Festival have promised to lay on the “biggest coffee festival Scotland has ever seen”. Dear Green Coffee Roasters is bringing the festival back to The Briggait on 13 and 14 May. Last year, more than 2,400 people attended the festival, which this year will be staged for the eighth…

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Venison canapé selected for Eat Game Awards

A “SHOW-STOPPING venison anticucho with nori and puffed wild rice” canapé has won the top prize at the Colleges’ Cookery Competition. The contest, organised by the British Association for Shooting & Conservation (BASC) and Highland Game, was won by George Oakes, a third year student at Westminster Kingsway College. More than 70 students entered their…

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REVIEW: Old Perth PX

Drinks blogger James Robertson reviews Old Perth PX Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. SOMETIMES it seems we get too caught up with single malt Scotch whisky. That means the age-old tradition of a bottle of blended malt is often overlooked as something inferior. The other day I went to possibly one of the best bars in…

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