Glen Scotia whisks couple to Wee Toon
A WHISKY-LOVING pair’s desire to return to Kintyre was satiated when Glen Scotia distillery spirited them to Campbeltown for a VIP experience at the Malts Festival.
Derek Whiteford, 37, entered a competition on the distillery’s Facebook page which asked entrants to share a photograph of their favourite place to enjoy a dram.
Alongside his photo, below, Derek wrote: ‘I like to enjoy a Glen Scotia Double Cask with the girl of my dreams and love of my life, Caroline Haywood. Even though she beat me on the golf course at Machrihanish, we still came together afterwards to enjoy a championship-winning dram.’
Derek won the competition and got two tickets to Glen Scotia’s exclusive whisky dinner at the Ardshiel Hotel, travelling with Caroline, 41, from Edinburgh for the recent event.
Derek said: ‘The dinner was an amazing experience. Great food and great company. It was an honour to be sitting alongside the whisky legend that is Charles Maclean at such a prestigious event.
‘We were treated very well by Callum Fraser and all of the Glen Scotia team who were involved. Callum is very passionate about what he does and Glen Scotia can be proud to have him on board.
‘Sitting at the top table was something quite special.’
At the distillery’s open day, they were treated to a free tour.
‘It was great, one of the best tours we have been on in Scotland,’ Derek said afterwards. ‘There is a real sense of the history.’
The whisky twosome first came to Kintyre in 2015, on the ferry from Derek’s home county of North Ayrshire. They stayed at Machrihanish and spent time golfing and visiting the town’s historic distilleries.
Derek added: ‘We liked the friendliness of the locals and the area is beautiful. We’ve seen a lot of changes this time around and it was nice to see the town so busy and vibrant.
‘It’s a town I’ve really grown fond of.’