The glasses are being polished up and the water jugs looked out for the first Highland Whisky Festival this weekend.
The inaugural celebration of whisky distilling in the Highlands takes place on Saturday and Sunday and features four of the world's most acclaimed distilleries – one of which has never been open to the public before.
Whisky masterclasses by expert distillers, specialist tours and a headline Highland Whisky Festival dinner are among the highlights of the weekend.
Glenmorangie Distillery is one of the major event hosts, their four star visitor centre being the focus for the festival's food and whisky theme. Local food producers will be on hand to offer visitors samples of their delicious products alongside a dram of Glenmorangie. The distillery will also be hosting three unique masterclasses: the opportunity to taste their single malt expressions at source - the springs of the Tarlogie Hills - with Distillery Manger Graham Eunson. Standard tours of the distillery will be available too.
The distillery will also be hosting the first Highland Whisky Festival dinner on Saturday evening. This will see all the distilleries coming together to celebrate the area's whisky heritage and enjoy a dram with some the finest local cuisine.
Dalmore Distillery, meanwhile, which produces the world's most expensive single malt, will be hosting local craft company stalls, and demonstrations of cask making skills by the distillery coopers. Renowned Master-blender, Richard Paterson will be conducting three of his famous whisky masterclasses, and tours of the distillery will also be available.
Opening its doors to the public for the very first time is Balbair Distillery. Distillery manager, John Macdonald will be giving a masterclass at this exclusive event.
Glen Ord Distillery, the fourth company participating, are to showcase their distillery process in its entirety, from barley to cask.
For details of pricing, times and venues, please visit http://www.scotlandwhisky.com/494822/com
