Glen Scotia releases exclusive Dunnage Tasting Box following the success of the virtual festival

The Glen Scotia virtual festival has been heralded a huge success, after attracting over 8,000 visitors from all around the world.

Following the cancellation of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2020 which had been scheduled to run from 19-21 May 2020, the Glen Scotia Distillery announced it would bring its programme of events online for the first time at www.glenscotia.com/festival.

As part of the programme, the distiller made its famous dunnage whisky tasting, which for many is the pinnacle of their Campbeltown Malt Festival experience, available for those outside the distillery for the very first time.

The theme for 2020 is The Casks of Campbeltown, featuring whiskies matured in casks from the town, and investigating the influencer they have on the modern Campbeltown style.

Only 200 dunnage tasting packs have been released in the UK, each containing five 25 ml samples along with password access to a specially created tasting video hosted by Iain McAlister. A further 1800 tasting boxes will be distributed to markets around the world.

In the UK, the Glen Scotia Dunnage Tasting Box is available to order from Dram Team priced at £55.99 (including postage).

The five samples will include:

• Glen Scotia Victoriana, 54.2% abv
• Cask 810, 2005 First Fill bourbon 60.1% abv
• Cask 486, 2002 Refill Sherry Hogshead 48.8% abv
• Cask 2/359, 2009 First Fill Bordeaux Red Wine 57.1% abv
• Cask 6/413, 2005 First Fill Tawny Port Hogshead 57.4% abv

Iain McAlister, Master Distiller at Glen Scotia, said: "We've been absolutely thrilled by the response we had to the Glen Scotia Virtual Malts Festival. We saw over 8,000 people join us from all over the world including Europe, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australasia - wildly exceeding our expectations!

We're now considering making some elements of the festival permanently 'virtual' going forward. We know Campbeltown isn't the easiest place in the world to get to so this will be a great way to allow our global whisky fans the chance to be a part of the celebrations in future years.

"The dunnage tasting is one of my favourite events in the Campbeltown Malts Festival schedule and we're excited to be able to provide those who had hoped to join us in person, and perhaps quite a few who usually wouldn't have had the chance, the opportunity to take part in our special dunnage tasting."

Chris Borrow, Founder, DramTeam added "I could not be more thrilled to be working with the fantastic team from Glen Scotia to put together this incredible dunnage tasting set. Some friends and I had the privilege of being utterly spoilt by Iain McAlister on our first ever visit to Campbeltown, when he very generously hosted us for a Glen Scotia dunnage warehouse tasting. To this day, the best tasting experience of my life - and one that I am very excited to put in a box for other people to enjoy. This is legitimately the best whisky-tasting-by-post we've ever done!"

Campbeltown was known as the whisky capital of the world during the Victorian era and was home to over 30 working distilleries. The annual Campbeltown Malts Festival is a celebration of Scotland's fifth and smallest malt producing region and its whisky making heritage. This year's event was set to take place from 19-21 May, however in line with Covid-19 government guidance, the festival has been cancelled for the first time since it launched in 2009.

Founded in 1832, Glen Scotia reflects centuries of craftsmanship and experience associated with the region and its award-winning whiskies are renowned for their distinctive maritime influence and Campbeltown character. For those who missed out on the festival this year many of the tastings and tours are still available to watch www.glenscotia.com/festival.