For the first time in 18 years a Glasgow restaurant, Cail Bruich has been awarded a coveted Michelin star. Scottish chef Lorna McNee brought the accolade home to the city just over five months into her first head chef role, making her the first solo* female chef to be awarded one in 20 years** and the first female chef to be awarded one in Scotland’s largest city.
The last restaurant to hold a star in the city was Gordon Ramsay’s Amaryllis which closed in 2004. Cail Bruich, which also has three AA Rosettes, was opened in 2008 by brothers Chris and Paul Charalambous who ran the kitchen and front of house respectively. It was only early in 2020 that chef Chris decided to move away from the kitchen to focus on other aspects of the family run business (they also own Bar Brett and run Epicures).
Lorna was appointed head chef at Cail Bruich in August 2020, a step up from her previous role as sous chef at two Michelin starred Restaurant Andrew Fairlie where she had started her career as an apprentice. In 2019 she appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu and was named “Champion of Champions”.
Lorna’s decision to join the 28-cover restaurant was influenced by its style of cooking; the strong front of house team, which is headed up by GM and ex Martin Wishart restaurant manager, Chris Donnachie and the opportunity it offered for her to make her own mark on the menu.
Lorna creates elegant plates of food that make the most of Scotland’s seasonally changing ingredients prepared with respect and a lightness of touch. Dishes on her most recent tasting menu included West coast crab, celeriac, citrus, apple, langoustine consommé, Exmoor caviar; Peterhead cod, baby gem, cornichon, squid, sourdough, beurre noisette and Anjou squab pigeon, braised chicory, roast onion, seared duck liver, preserved cherry. Since November Lorna has been preparing dishes for delivery and collection in Glasgow.
On her win Lorna commented:
“Winning a Michelin star has been a dream of mine since I became a chef. The feeling of achieving it is better than I could have ever imagined. The best feeling for me though, is seeing the happiness on my team members’ faces knowing that all our hard work and sacrifice has been worthwhile. It is amazing to share it with them. I’m so proud, it is a dream come true.”
Cail Bruich’s owners Paul and Chris Charalambous, added:
“We’re delighted and humbled to receive this accolade. A commitment to excellence in food and service has always been our ethos. To achieve Glasgow’s first star in 18 years, and in my home city is the dream of a lifetime. The award is for our team, suppliers and craftspeople who strive to provide the best possible experience for our guests.
“We wouldn’t have achieved this prestigious award without the support and loyalty shown by our guests. We hope that this recognition of excellence will put Glasgow firmly on the culinary map, where it undoubtedly should be.”
Glasgow is currently under tier 4 restrictions so Cail Bruich is offering delivery and collection only for its CB at Home menus. To order visit cailbruich.co.uk
Once restrictions are lifted it will be open for five and nine course tasting menus at lunch (Thursday – Saturday 12-1.30pm) and dinner (Wednesday – Saturday 6.30 – 9pm.)
Cail Bruich, 725 Great Western Rd, Glasgow, Lanarkshire G12 8QX
Using neeps (swede) from her neighbour’s Aberdeenshire farm, Claire Rennie, founder of small-batch Scottish tonic water Walter Gregor’s* has created the world’s first neep tonic water in time for toasting Robert Burns on 31 January.
Claire explains how it came about:
“I love haggis but couldn’t find a suggested drink to pair with it that wasn’t whisky. As neeps and tatties are the natural accompaniment for haggis, we started experimenting with Ogilivy Vodka, a potato vodka produced on another Scottish farm in Angus. With some neeps from our neighbour’s farm, we discovered that the infused tonic had a delicious clear, crisp citrus flavour with an aroma of neep. Using Ogilivy’s tattie vodka we created the ‘Neeps & Tatties Cocktail’. We use an all-natural production process to create a softer bubble in our tonics which allows the flavours to sing. I think it makes the perfect Burns Night aperitif, served with a haggis bon-bon.”
The Scottish Neep Tonic is a limited edition and is only available on the Walter Gregor’s website for delivery in the month of January only. It is made on site in Aberdeenshire and contains only natural ingredients including carbonated Scottish water, Scottish neep infusion, quinine and sugar from British grown sugar beet.
January boxes (available as part of a monthly subscription service or as a standalone delivery)
Totally Tonic: 3 x Scottish Neep Tonic, 3 x Original Tonic: £12.50 (free delivery to subscribers)
Perfect Serve: 2 x Scottish Neep Tonic, 2 x Original Tonic, 2 x 10cl Ogilvy Vodka (free delivery to subscribers)
Case of 24 Scottish Neep Tonic to pre order: £35 plus delivery
Claire founded Walter Gregor’s in 2015 (a year after launching her lemonade company Summerhouse Drinks) on the Aberdeenshire land her husband’s family has farmed for four generations. With a walled garden full of fresh botanicals and spotting a gap in the market for a home-grown mixer to complement the rising number of craft gins being produced in Scotland, Claire set about making her own tonics.
Fast forward to 2020 and Claire and her small team on the farm have a core range of five tonics: Apple & Cinnamon, Mint & Cucumber, Scottish Raspberry, Original and Spiced (available by the case: 24 x 200ml bottles, £30). In addition, they launched a monthly subscription box service sending out tonics and perfect serves and have started to export drinks to as far afield as the USA and South Korea. Most recently as part of their commitment to sustainability they have developed a completely no-plastic packaging solution to safely transport their glass bottles using only 100% recyclable cardboard.
One of Edinburgh’s most unique historical sites, The Real Mary King’s Close is to broadcast its first ever live and interactive paranormal investigation on Friday, 13th November at 8pm. The five-star social history attraction, located underneath the Royal Mile, has teamed up with Scottish Paranormal to conduct the investigation that will take place in the uniquely preserved 17th century streets.
Scottish Paranormal, has investigated claims of all unearthly occurrences across Scotland for the past 15 years. The team will use established investigative tools and focus on real stories backed up by the attraction’s own historic research. They will carry out a series of experiments in rooms of The Close where paranormal activity has been previously reported. This includes the use of scientific tools such as live EVP and Franks Box scanning to pick out coherent words in the scanning of audio waves, along with electromagnetic, temperature and indication devices. The talented guides of the attraction will be providing the historic background for the investigation, delving into Edinburgh’s darkest tales.
Paul Nixon, General Manager of The Real Mary King’s Close said:
“We’re approaching this experiment with a mixture of excitement and genuine curiosity. The Real Mary King’s Close has attracted 2.75 million visitors to its fascinating underground streets in the last 17 years. We know there’s an appetite from people to find out more about the history of the site and the many paranormal experiences that have been reported. Due to the nature of the event, people from all over the world can tune in and watch it all unfold before their eyes. We’re looking forward to sharing this experiment with the public for the first time.”
From virtual tastings and Christmas parties, distillery tours, festive drinks and gift packs, and a bespoke cask programme, Holyrood Distillery is launching a series of festive options for whisky and gin lovers.
Those looking for alternative ways to come together for office or family and friends gatherings can enjoy a virtual tour of the distillery accompanied by a live online tasting – exploring the heritage and flavour of whisky and gin, and gaining a fascinating insight into the way they are produced at Holyrood. Guests will be sent whisky or gin tasting packs in advance so that they can enjoy these as they experience a tutored tasting with one of the distillery experts. These virtual tour and tastings can be booked exclusively for Christmas parties, and with a choice of add-ons such as a bespoke ‘pub’ quiz, or virtual stand-up comedy. Individuals, pairs and groups of all sizes from across the UK can take part in these ‘Christmas Nights Out, In’. Groups that include international participants can be arranged specially. Prices start at ￡55 for two people, and include a virtual tour of the distillery, live online tasting session, up to 40cl worth of different spirits to share, Glencairn tasting glasses, and a choice of gin or whisky.
The distillery’s spirits and gift shop doors are also open from Thursday to Sunday 12 – 6pm, stocking a beautifully displayed selection of whiskies, gins, liqueurs, gifts and even chocolates created especially for the distillery. The line up includes:
‧ Holyrood Gins are available in the following flavours: Pink Gin, Spiced Gin, Auld Tam, and Dry Gin. These are all available in 50cl bottles for ￡25.
The gins are also available as gift packs with complementary handmade gin liqueur chocolates and tasting glasses, or as a gift box containing 10cl bottles of all four gins.
‧ Holyrood Spirit Merchants Whisky range in the following flavour profiles: Spicy, Smoky, Sweet, and Fruity. All available in 70cl bottles for ￡39.50.
The whiskies are available as gift packs with handmade whisky barrel chocolates and tasting glasses, or as a gift box containing 10cl bottles of all four whiskies.
‧ Holyrood Gin Liqueurs are available in the following flavours: Rhubarb & Black Pepper, Blood Orange & Fennel, Apricot & Ginger, , and Raspberry & Lemon Gin Liqueur. These are all available in 50cl bottles for ￡18.50.
The gin liqueurs are available as a gift box containing 10cl bottles of all four liqueurs.
Vouchers that can be redeemed from January 2021 for products and tours are available with a special 20% off rate until 23rd December 2020.
These special gifts, drinks and vouchers (with the 20% seasonal discount) are also all available from the distillery’s online shop alongside smaller gifts and ‘Secret Santa’ options.
Restrictions permitting, it’s also possible to book in-person tours at the distillery, up to six people from two households. Giving visitors the chance to enjoy a more sensory experience and take in the sights, smells and tastes of the distillery; the tours include a flight of gin or whisky to try on the day (or to take away). Prices start at ￡28 per person and are available Thursday to Sunday 12 – 6pm on a pre-booked basis.
For whisky fans who are looking to get even more involved in this pioneering distillery’s whiskies, there’s a truly personalised opportunity to take part in the distillery’s cask programme and create whisky to your exact specifications. Working with the master distiller, you’d select the raw materials (the specific type of barley, yeast, etc.), shape your whisky with distillation cut points, and control the final flavour with the wooden cask of your choice. This level of control over your spirit is truly unique, with such bespoke options unavailable at other distilleries, providing an unrivalled opportunity to explore how the different elements of whisky-making affect the final spirit’s flavour. For a curious whisky fan, this is the ultimate opportunity to be a distiller for a day, and a whisky maker across the decade, as you watch your fledgling spirit develop into a mature single malt and decide when the time is right for bottling. With a limited run of casks, and virtual and physical options available, the cask programme options start at ￡4,950.
Head of Visitor Experience at Holyrood Distillery, Debs Newman said:
“We know lots of people are looking for alternative ways to celebrate Christmas this year and are keen to support independent producers. Our range of Christmas gifts, spirits and experiences offer innovative ways to treat your friends and family – or yourself – whilst shopping local. Our virtual experiences provide an ideal way to bring together teams, families and groups of friends from across the country for a unique and entertaining shared experience.”
The first single malt whisky distillery in Edinburgh for almost 100 years, the striking distillery is based on the edge of Holyrood Park on St Leonard’s Lane, where pre-booked tours are available and the spirits and gift shop is based. Unconstrained by tradition, Holyrood Distillery started distilling in September 2019 with a focus flavour and innovation. Located right in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic distilling district. With views over Holyrood Park, the 180-year-old building has been thoughtfully renovated to produce gin, liqueurs and of course, whisky. While cask ownership programmes are now available, the whisky itself will be available after a period of maturation in the coming years.
Chef Lorna McNee, protégé of the late two Michelin starred chef, Andrew Fairlie and Great British Menu’s “Champion of Champions” 2019 has taken up her first head chef role at Glasgow’s Cail Bruich restaurant.
Lorna’s appointment marks a big move for both the chef and the three AA Rosette restaurant as co-owner Chris Charalambous steps away from the hot plate for the first time since the restaurant opened in 2008; the same year that Lorna joined Restaurant Andrew Fairlie as an apprentice. Since then she has worked her way up the sections to her final position there as sous chef, latterly under Stevie McLaughlin. Along the way Lorna has made her mark on the Scottish culinary scene collecting a host of awards and accolades including Game Chef of the Year (2016), Scottish Chef of the Year (2017) and in 2019 was crowned the winner of the BBC’s Great British Menu competition.
Lorna’s decision to join the 28-cover restaurant was influenced by its style of cooking; the strong front of house team, which is headed up by GM and ex Martin Wishart restaurant manager, Chris Donnachie and the opportunity it offered for her to make her own mark on the menu. Lorna creates elegant plates of food that make the most of Scotland’s seasonally changing ingredients prepared with respect and a lightness of touch. Dishes on her inaugural menus include: West coast crab, raw Orkney scallop, citrus; Hand rolled pasta, broad beans, girolles, truffle; Scrabster turbot, kohlrabi, pork sauce and Lake District Herdwick lamb, graffiti aubergine, miso, olive, earl grey.
On joining Cail Bruich Lorna has said:
“The time was right for me to forge my own path and step up to a head chef role and I am delighted that Paul and Chris have given me the opportunity to run the kitchen at their fantastic restaurant. I have long been a fan of Cail Bruich so for me this is very exciting. Leaving Stevie and the team at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie was hard but I am looking forward to bringing together my own team and for what the future brings in Glasgow.”
Paul Charalambous, co-owner of Cail Bruich added:
“This is an exciting new phase for Cail Bruich and for Glasgow’s restaurant scene. We’ve followed Lorna’s career and are thrilled that she has chosen to work with us on the next stage of her journey. We are really looking forward to seeing what comes out of her kitchen and to be able to introduce it to customers old and new.”
Cail Bruich is open for lunch (Thursday – Saturday 12-1.30pm) and dinner (Wednesday – Saturday 6.30 – 9pm.) At lunchtime there is a six-course tasting menu available for £60pp and a three course a la carte menu for £35pp. At dinner the offering is a four course la carte menus for £65 and a nine- course tasting menu for £90 with wine pairings available at both lunch and dinner.
Cail Bruich, 725 Great Western Rd, Glasgow, Lanarkshire G12 8QX
The Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust has received ￡8,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to allow the planned programme marking the 275th anniversary of the battle to be reworked as a digital event, as well as allowing the organisation to carry forward fund raising for a living history centre.
The Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust had been working to create a series of events to mark the 275th anniversary of one of the most momentous battles in Scottish history. Since the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown began, the trust has had to reorganise these to ensure they meet social distancing guidelines. This has included reformulating the planned Beneath the Thorntree concert to a digital format.
Beneath the Thorntree is an evening of music and storytelling that has now, thanks to the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, been specially filmed across three days in the historic Presongrange Church and around the battlefield. With over 40 participants to choreograph in readings, costumed drama, musical recitals and song, all in keeping with social distancing guidelines, the filming was a complex affair. Based on writings of the time, the performance will reveal how the lives of ordinary local people were affected by the battle. The concert will now be streamed online as a watch-party event on 19th September on Facebook and YouTube.
The grant from the The National Lottery Heritage Fund will also support the trust’s preparation to launch a major fundraising campaign to support the creation of a living history centre to mark the unique history, cultural legacy and landscape of the Battle of Prestonpans. The centre, which is likely to be placed at the heart of the new East Lothian town currently referenced as Blindwells, will act as a centre for Jacobite studies, provide a programme of activities through its planned events space and will provide a home for assets including the celebrated Prestonpans Tapestry.
Gordon Prestoungrange, the original Founding Chairman of The Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust, said:
“Thanks to the National Lottery and its players we can bring the programme of events to mark this crucial period of history to an even wider audience through our digital programming. The grant has also allowed us to prepare the launch of a fund raising campaign that will bring together the unique battlefield landscape with the physical and digital assets that have been prepared over the years into a world class living history centre. We’re grateful that The National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting us at this crucial time – it’s a lifeline to us and others who are passionate about sustaining heritage for the benefit of all.”
The funding, made possible by National Lottery players, was awarded through The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund. ￡50million was made available to provide emergency funding for those most in need across the heritage sector.
The UK-wide fund aimed to address both immediate emergency actions and help organisations to start thinking about recovery.
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live, supporting economic regeneration and benefiting our personal wellbeing. All of these things are going to be even more important as we emerge from this current crisis.
“Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we are pleased to be able to lend our support to organisations such as The Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust during this uncertain time.”
Like The Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust, other charities and organisations across the UK that have been affected by the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus outbreak are being given access to a comprehensive package of support of up to ￡600 million of repurposed money from The National Lottery. This money is supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and span the arts, community, charity, heritage, education, environment and sports sectors.
Thanks to National Lottery players, ￡30 million is raised every week for good causes, including heritage of local and national importance. By playing The National Lottery, people up and down the country are making an amazing contribution to the nationwide-response to combatting the impact of COVID-19 on local communities across the UK.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Heritage Emergency Fund is now closed for applications. To find out more about how The National Heritage Emergency Fund is supporting the sector at this time please visit: https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/responding-coronavirus-covid-19
For further information about The Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust, further images and interview opportunities, please contact: Martha Bryce – martha@soundbitepr.co.uk / 07905761525.
About The Battle of Prestonpans [1745] Heritage Trust
The Trust is a Scottish charity committed to promoting, protecting and interpreting the Battle of Prestonpans. Its members include battlefield historians and professionals from the heritage, education and business sector. In recent years the Trust has installed new monuments to the fallen, opened a micro-museum, and developed on-site and digital interpretation for the battlefield, whilst touring its exhibitions around the world.
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk #NationalLotteryHeritageFund
● Since The National Lottery’s first draw took place on 19 November 1994, more than ￡40 billion has been raised for good causes in the areas of arts, sport, heritage and community.
● National Lottery players contribute around ￡30 million to good causes every week.
● The National Lottery has made more than 5,500 millionaires but its primary purpose is giving to good causes – over 565,000 individual grants have been awarded across the UK, that’s the equivalent of 200 life-changing projects in every UK postcode district.
Achray Farm, a smallholding in the heart of the Trossachs, has launched a range of ice creams produced with the milk from its herd of goats, blended with foraged ingredients and produce from their fields, which they sell direct from their doorstep to walkers and cyclists in the area.
Nicola Hornsby and Crispin Hoult have built up a small herd of goats since moving to the farm nearly four years ago. Nicola makes the ice cream in small batches using seasonal flavours. Last year she took part in Wildwonders, a training programme funded by Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER, on which she learnt about finding, identifying and using wild ingredients from some of the foremost foragers and foraging chefs in Scotland. Flavours on sale so far include elderflower, meadowsweet, rhubarb and strawberry, fresh mint, blackcurrant and blaeberry, all of which have come from the farm itself or walking distance of it. Other ice creams include a stracciatella with fair trade dark chocolate and Achray Original, made using organic honey. The ice cream is sold in tubs to serve individuals at a cost of ￡3; larger tubs are available for those who bring a freezer bag. . The development of the ice cream kitchen at Achray Farm has been part funded by LEADER, as has an electric trike for selling ice cream locally.
Visitors to Achray Farm can rent the Old Farmhouse, which sleeps six, as well as the newly renovated Bothy, which sleeps 4. Local pub, the Byre Inn, is a short walk from the farm.
Nicola and Crispin are committed to reducing food miles and carbon emissions so encourage visitors to the farm to visit on foot or by bike. Achray Farm sits on the Great Trossachs Path with easy access from the Byre Inn or the Three Lochs Forest Drive. The NCN7 Lochs and Glen Way links many of the villages and routes in the area, and goes almost past the door of the farm. A series of new e-bike routes have been launched this summer, passing close to Achray Farm with e-bike hire available at various points and fast chargers along the way. Details of the e-bike routes can be found at https://www.fvl.org.uk/cycle-tourism/e-biking/.
Nicola Hornsby said:
“We’ve been delighted with the response to the ice creams we’ve produced so far. We’ve developed Achray with sustainability at its heart so producing ice cream with our own goats’ milk and fruit and selling it to those who’ve walked or cycled here, is a real thrill! It’s lovely to be able to reward those who’ve made use of the walking routes and cycle paths through this beautiful part of the world with something really delicious. It’s also a joy to start to use the knowledge and skills I gained on the Wildwonders foraging course last year by introducing visitors to the wild and seasonal gifts that grow on our doorstep. There will be many more wild and seasonal flavours to come!”
Nikki Kenn, Development Officer at Forth Valley Lomond LEADER said:
“I’m delighted that LEADER has funded this innovative and low carbon project. Achray Farm ice cream has been able to develop some intriguing wild flavours after having taken part in another LEADER-funded project, Wildwonders, which trained 12 local businesses in foraging skills, and went on to run Scotland’s first ever Scottish Wild Food Festival. It’s particularly satisfying to see Achray Farm ice cream being served up to a lucky crowd of cyclists using the route maps we’ve just launched too. This region certainly has a rich variety of opportunities for locals and visitors alike to engage with nature and the great outdoors!“
Nicola and Crispin have extensively renovated Achray Farm’s listed stone buildings and planted fruit trees, bushes and native hedging. The small goat herd is fed on a varied diet and also forage themselves on the Achray Grazings that run down to Loch Achray. Nicola is experimenting with developing forage within the farm, which will also improve the soil and increase biodiversity. This includes planting willow to coppice, seeding areas of herbal ley, and growing Jerusalem artichokes perennially. The goats are also fed small quantities of Scottish seaweed meal, which is rich in minerals and nutrients and which Nicola also hopes will significantly reduce methane emissions from the goats.
Those interested in finding out more about wild flavours and foraging can find details of the LEADER-funded Foraging Fortnight programme at www.foragingfortnight.co.uk. From cookery workshops and foraging walks, Foraging Fortnight is a series of virtual events that runs from 29th August – 13th September 2020.
LEADER is part of the 2014- 2020 Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) supporting economic and community development in rural areas. It is a funding initiative supported by the Scottish Government and the European Union.
Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER has funded Achray Farm ice cream, a cycle tourism project to promote the joys of cycling in Scotland, and the Wildwonders project which has trained 12 local businesses in foraging skills, and run Scotland’s first ever Scottish Wild Food Festival.
Holyrood Distillery, the first single malt distillery in Edinburgh for almost 100 years, has launched a cask programme that offers the opportunity to create a truly bespoke whisky.
With a limited run of only 200 whisky casks in 2020, the programme allows customers to tailor the whisky to their tastes, by involving them in every stage of the production process, working alongside Distillery Manager Jack Mayo and Co-Founder David Robertson.
Given the current restrictions, the cask programme will take place via a face-to-face consultation at the distillery, with appropriate social distancing measures taken, or as a unique virtual experience with indicative samples delivered to the participant in advance and an online session with the distillery team.
The distillery is focusing on four core new make spirit flavours – fruity & floral, sweet, spicy and smoky – with a variety of casks sourced in which to mature these impactful spirits. Cask purchasers are able to tailor their choices or explore something completely different. The unique process starts with an in-depth consultation allowing the buyer to identify exactly which flavours they’d like their bespoke spirit to carry.
However, customisation does not stop there. The buyer can then participate in every part of the journey, including the selection of:
The type of malted barley: from a range of classic spring distiller’s, to smoked, peated or roasted malts (crystal, amber and chocolate for example).
The yeasts used for fermentation: from distillers, or unusual wine strains to traditional craft brewer’s yeasts.
The distillation approach, including cut points, flow rates, and distillation date.
The type of cask for maturation, including its oak species, size, previous fill (e.g. bourbon, port, sherry, etc.) and the date when the cask will be filled.
The custom-made styles offered in 2020’s Cask Programme have been developed to follow different flavour profiles:
Fruity and floral flavours: green, citrus and tropical fruits can be developed by leaving the new make spirit to slumber in American oak (ex sherry wood) hogsheads; or a red fruits profile can be gained by maturing in port barrique casks.
Sweet tones like milk chocolate or vanilla/treacle toffee can be introduced into the new spirit by using roasted malted barleys and filling American oak (ex bourbon) barrels. A deeper, richer style of espresso coffee or dark chocolate can be brought out by maturing in toasted European oak (ex Oloroso sherry) hogsheads.
Those seeking spicy notes will be able to bring out classic orange marmalade, dried fruits, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon spices by selecting a fruity new spirit filled to toasted European Oak (ex-Oloroso sherry) hogsheads.
For fans of peat and smoky flavours, the distillery team can curate either a sweet fruity smoke using peated malted barleys and allowing it to mature in American oak (ex sherry) hogsheads; or for smoky sherry connoisseurs, Spanish oak (ex sherry wood) hogsheads.
Fifty casks have also been reserved for customers looking for a one-of-kind service. They could choose, for example, a rare wood like a Japanese oak or a cask that previously contained dessert wine or beer to flavour and finesse their whisky; or to select a barley used in a recipe from a bygone era (the distillery has access to varieties like Plumage Archer, Marris Otter and Golden Promise, for example). Whatever the request, the team of distillers will work with the buyer to design a totally unique recipe.
Co-founder of Holyrood Distillery, David Robertson, said:
“We built Holyrood Distillery with flavour at its very heart. We’re not bound by heritage; our priority is to be open-minded and produce a range of truly delicious whiskies rather than sticking to tradition and crafting only one or two styles. We know that our customers appreciate the opportunity to dive into the creative process. This programme allows people to share that journey with us and create something truly customised to their individual taste. It’s an invitation to own a piece of history – and to be guided through that process by our experts to create something really bespoke.”
Three barrel sizes are available – a barrel (200 litres), a barrique (225 litres), or a hogshead (both 250 litres) starting from £4,950, £5,450, and £5,950 respectively. The cost includes the personal flavour consultation, whisky creation and visits to the distillery and warehouse, the cask, storage for ten years, annual sampling, annual warehouse visits and insurance. Bottling costs, customised labelling, duty and VAT are not included but illustrated costs can be provided for UK customers. The fully bespoke offer is priced individually depending on each client’s requirements.
Distillery Manager, Dr Jack Mayo, said:
“As a whisky distiller there is nothing better than getting the chance to create a wide range of flavours and styles and even a totally unique whisky. While other distilleries allow you to purchase casks with whisky based on their house style, this level of customisation is unique. For an inquisitive whisky fan, this is a chance to be a master distiller for a day, and a whisky maker across the decade as you watch the development of your fledgling spirit into a mature single malt and decide when the time is right for bottling. You’ll ultimately be making whisky history in our pioneering city centre distillery in Edinburgh.”
Cask sales are limited and on a first-come-first-served basis, with a deposit of £2,000 per cask required to secure a consultation, production slot and ultimately cask ownership. The balance should be paid 30 days prior to production and cask filling.
Holyrood Distillery started distilling in September 2019 in Edinburgh’s city centre. Located right in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic distilling district – on St. Leonard’s Lane with views over Holyrood Park – the 180-year-old building has been thoughtfully renovated to produce gin, liqueurs and whisky. Currently planned to re-open to visitors by appointment only, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, production has now resumed, enabling the team to start on this diverse, customised and bespoke cask programme.
Delicious fresh king prawns produced sustainably in the world’s first clear water, clean energy farm are available for the first time for delivery to households across the UK with no need for freezing or air miles.
Great British Prawns will harvest the warm water king prawns weekly at its saltwater farm in Balfron, Stirlingshire for delivery fresh to doorsteps across the UK (mainland UK excluding Highlands and islands) in fully recyclable, insulated but collapsible parcels – with no polystyrene. The prawns are delivered in 1kg packs (around 35-40 large king prawns) at a cost of £40 plus £4.99 delivery ready to be boiled, grilled, pan-fried or barbecued.
Currently, most of the UK’s king prawns are sourced frozen from farms in the Far East and Central America, travelling on average 6,000 miles and produced using methods widely condemned for their environmental practices. Great British Prawns uses specially developed aquaculture technology and sustainable energy to produce warm water king prawns in clear and clean water in the United Kingdom for the first time. Unlike conventional farming methods, this clean, clear water approach means that antibiotics, pesticides and vaccines are never used and the there is no need to manually handle the prawns.
Great British Prawns Director, James McEuen, said:
“We’re really proud of our sustainable king prawns. Great British Prawns’ approach means that we are able to offer these with the highest welfare standards and with no antibiotics or air miles – delivered direct to households across the UK. By buying Great British Prawns people across the UK are supporting a new and sustainable approach to seafood production. But just as importantly, our prawns are hugely versatile and truly delicious.”
Great British Prawns’ transformative approach is set to revolutionise the way seafood is produced. The Stirlingshire-based farm combines expert prawn husbandry with world-leading technology, sustainable energy and a no-waste approach. Their pioneering Recirculation Aquaculture System (RAS) cleans and recycles the majority of the water used in the system every day to provide locally grown prawns, without contaminating the environment. Great British Prawns’ first farm has been designed to have minimal and an increasingly reduced impact on its surrounding environment. Using sustainable energy from an anaerobic digester on a neighbouring dairy farm, high levels of insulation along with bio-filters to clean and recycle its waste, heat that would otherwise have been lost is used to produce food. As a result constantly improving design will allow future facilities to be virtually waste free and, because of the closed filtration system, won’t require the antibiotics and other medication, chemicals and manual handling used widely in the existing prawn farming industry, resulting in uniquely ‘clean’, fresh prawns.
One of Edinburgh’s best loved restaurants, Aizle will re-open its doors on 22 July at the city’s Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel.
Opened in 2014 by husband-and-wife team Stuart Ralston and Krystal Goff, Aizle gained huge popularity as the first restaurant in Edinburgh to offer a surprise tasting menu. Diners are privy to only a list of local, seasonal ingredients which feature in their six-course dinner. The restaurant regularly appears at the top of the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for best fine dining restaurants across the UK.
Chef patron Stuart Ralston, has said:
“I am really delighted to announce this exciting new chapter for Aizle. We have had six outstanding years at Saint Leonard’s Street and I will be sad not to return there, but the time is right for a change. I am looking forward to having a bigger space, and being able to offer more covers. We often have a waiting list for Friday and Saturday nights, so hopefully we will be able to accommodate everyone who wishes to dine with us. Kimpton Charlotte Square is a stunning Georgian-built hotel in the heart of the New Town and very close to my other restaurant, Noto, which makes it handy if we need a cup of sugar! It also means I can bring all my staff out of furlough and guarantee them a job, which I would not have been able to do otherwise.”
Kieran Quinn, General Manager at Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel, said:
“We’re incredibly excited to be welcoming Aizle to Kimpton Charlotte Square. From the very initial discussions it felt like a natural partnership, we share a similar ethos and values and as a team, they are as passionate about providing service as full of charm and personality as we are and Stuart’s exceptional dishes are some of the best in the UK.
“As we reopen our doors this month, it feels like the right time to make some exciting and innovative changes and Aizle will complement the existing offering within the hotel perfectly. The space is ideal for the Aizle team, an oasis at the heart of our hotel, and with BABA also reopening on 30 July this brings our Restaurant and Bar offering at Kimpton Charlotte Square to a truly exceptional level.”
Aizle will be located in The Garden in the centre of the hotel and open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday. As before it will offer a six-course tasting menu for £70 per person, with an optional £50 drink pairing. There will also be a private dining room seating up to 14 guests. Everything at Aizle is made in-house, from the live ferment in the sourdough, and the hand churned butter, to the aquavit and aged kombucha in the cocktails. The fresh, light and airy venue is filled with plants and lends itself naturally to the ethos of the restaurant. The open space means tables are well situated to ensure distancing measures are adhered to.
Stuart added: “We have the best, most loyal, regular customers and I am looking forward to seeing them again and welcoming new diners. I am sure our regulars will appreciate the lovely new, comfortable banquette booths! The dining concept will be exactly the same as before, but I will be adding some new dishes; lockdown has allowed me the time to try out a few new things.”
