Enjoy exclusive whisky festival tasting event

Tickets are now on sale for Old Pulteney’s arm of the first ever Highland Whisky Festival.

Taking place from 10-17 May, it will give whisky fans a glimpse of private warehouses and an exclusive tasting with distillery manager Malcolm Waring.

The breath-taking home of The Maritime Malt, set into the cliffs on one of the most northerly points in Scotland, Pulteney Distillery will throw open its doors to visitors from across the globe on Saturday 11 May, with three bespoke events curated specially for the Festival.

Whisky fans are in for a treat with the one-off Malcolm Waring Masterclass, joining the Distillery Manager for a once-in-a-lifetime, intimate whisky tasting.

Hosted in a private warehouse not open to the public, the session, which lasts for 90 minutes and costs £100, will explore some of Malcolm’s favourite expressions from his 13 years at the helm of Pulteney Distillery. A donation from the ticket price will be donated to a local charity.

Discover how Old Pulteney is distilled and matured by the sea in The Pulteney Tour, an enlightening distillery tour exploring how the whisky is created, from grain to bottle. Samples include the core range’s 12 Years Old, and another surprise dram – all for just £10. For guests who wish to sample more of the range, tickets cost £25.

Malcolm Waring, the Old Pulteney distillery manager

Finally, guests can experience first-hand a gourmet delight prepared specially by Great British Menu contestant, Jak O’Donnell. Old Pulteney has teamed up with the chef and founder of The Sisters restaurant in Glasgow, which has been a jewel in the city’s culinary crown for the past two decades, to create the latest Pulteney Pairings.

At £40 per ticket, the Pulteney Pairings tasting masterclass includes five whiskies, with guests given the opportunity to try Old Pulteney’s reinvigorated core range – 12, Huddart, 15, 18 – and a distillery hand bottling. Hosted by Malcolm Waring, each expression is expertly paired with a foodie treat made with local ingredients.

Malcolm Waring said: ‘We’re looking forward to taking part in the first ever Highland Whisky Festival, and to welcome visitors from all corners of the world to our distillery. I’ve lined up some particularly special drams for the masterclass and I can’t wait to taste Jak’s incredible creations.

‘We’ve known for a long time that the North Coast 500 is a phenomenal journey with views and experiences like no other, so to get involved with the Highland Whisky Festival and showcase our coastal home was an easy decision to make.’

Tickets to Old Pulteney’s open day at the Highland Whisky Festival are available to buy now, directly from the distillery.

Prices range from £10 to £100. Email distillery@oldpulteney.com to book aplace now.