World Whisky Day | |
---|---|
Status | active |
Date(s) | Third Saturday in May |
Frequency | annually |
Founder | Blair Bowman |
Attendance | 250,000(est.) |
Area | Worldwide |
Organised by | Hot Rum Cow |
Website | World Whisky Day |
World Whisky Day was founded in 2012 and falls on the third Saturday of May each year. [1]
World Whisky Day was founded in 2012 by Blair Bowman while studying at the University of Aberdeen. [2] [3] [4]
Participants are encouraged to drink whisky on the day at events which may be officially registered on the World Whisky Day website. Others participate via social media using the #worldwhiskyday hashtag. [5]
The organisers estimate that approximately 250,000 people participated in registered events during the 2014 World Whisky Day. [6]
In 2015, World Whisky Day events were registered on all seven continents. [7]
World Whisky Day's assets were sold in February 2015 to the drinks magazine, Hot Rum Cow. [8] [9]
The day was recognised by Members of the Scottish Parliament in a motion in May 2014 [10] and again in 2015. [11]
A World Whisky Day blend was produced in 2012, 2013 and 2014 by Master of Malt. [12]
The day publicly supports the charitable organization Just a Drop. [13] [14]
Scotch whisky is malt whisky or grain whisky, made in Scotland.
Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.
Speyside single malts are single malt Scotch whiskies, distilled in Strathspey, the area around the River Spey in Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey, in northeastern Scotland.
Diageo plc is a British multinational alcoholic beverage company, with its headquarters in London, England. It operates from 132 sites around the world. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits. Distilleries owned by Diageo produce 40% of all Scotch whisky with over 24 brands, such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Old Parr.
Glenmorangie distillery is a distillery in Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland, that produces single malt Scotch whisky.
Glenfiddich distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery owned by William Grant & Sons in the Scottish burgh of Dufftown in Moray. The name Glenfiddich derives from the Scottish Gaelic Gleann Fhiodhaich meaning "valley of the deer", which is reflected in Glenfiddich's stag logo.
Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky produced by Diageo in Scotland. It was established in the Scottish burgh of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire in 1820, and continued to be produced and bottled at the town's Hill Street plant, once the world's largest bottling plant, until its closure in 2012, a decision announced by Diageo in 2009 which would bring the 190-year association between the brand and Kilmarnock to an end.
Balvenie distillery is a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky distillery in Dufftown, Scotland, owned by William Grant & Sons.
Lowland single malts are single malt whiskies distilled in Scotland's lowlands. The region is home to distilleries such as: Annandale Distillery in Annan; Auchentoshan near Clydebank; Bladnoch in Galloway; Daftmill in Fife; The Girvan Distilleries near Girvan; and Glenkinchie distillery near Edinburgh.
The Edrington Group Limited, trading as Edrington, is a privately owned international spirits company based in Glasgow, Scotland. It produces single malts such as The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes, Naked Malt, and The Famous Grouse blended Scotch whisky. The spirits portfolio also includes Noble Oak Bourbon of Independence, Kentucky, and Brugal, the leading golden rum in the Caribbean. It also owns shares in Wyoming Whiskey, an American whiskey made in Kirby, Wyoming, and No. 3 London Dry Gin.
As of 2006 most distilled spirits labelled as "whisky" in India were a form of Indian-made foreign liquor, commonly blends based on neutral spirits that are distilled from fermented molasses with only a small portion consisting of traditional malt whisky, usually about 10 to 12 percent. Outside India, such a drink would more likely be labelled a rum. According to the Scotch Whisky Association's 2013 annual report, unlike in the European Union (EU), "there is no compulsory definition of whisky in India, and the Indian voluntary standard does not require whisky to be distilled from cereals or to be matured. Very little Indian 'whisky' qualifies as whisky in the EU owing to the use of molasses or neutral alcohol, limited maturation and the use of flavourings. Such spirits are, of course, considerably cheaper to produce than genuine whisky." Such molasses-based blends made up 90 percent of the spirits consumed as "whisky" in India in 2004, although whisky wholly distilled from malt and other grains, was also manufactured and sold. By 2004 shortages of wheat had been overcome and India was one of the largest producers. Amrut, the first single malt whisky produced in India, was launched in Glasgow, Scotland in 2004. After expanding in Europe it was launched in India in 2010.
The Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards are annual awards given to notable Scottish people. It is sponsored by the Scotch whisky company Glenfiddich, in association with The Scotsman newspaper. Nine awards are given out for art, business, environment, food, music, screen, sport, writing, and "Top Scot". A consulting panel nominates four people in each category, with the winner decided by public vote. The "Top Scot" category is an open award, with the public able to nominate anyone. The awards were established in 1998.
Amrut Distilleries Ltd is an Indian company that produces distilled beverages. It is best known for its eponymous Amrut brand of single malt whisky, which is the first single malt whisky to be made in India. The brand became famous after world famous whisky connoisseur Jim Murray gave it a rating of 82 out of 100 in 2005 and 2010. In 2010, Murray named Amrut Fusion single malt whisky as the third best in the world. John Hansell, editor of American magazine Whisky Advocate, wrote that "India's Amrut distillery changed the way many think of Indian whisky - that it was, in the past, just cheap Scotch whisky blended with who knows what and sold as Indian whisky. Amrut is making whisky, and it's very good".
Amrut is a brand of Indian single malt whisky, manufactured by Amrut Distilleries. It is the first single malt whisky to be made in India. Amrut (अमृत) or amrit is a Sanskrit word which can be translated as "nectar of the gods", "nectar of life", or "drink of the gods". The company translates it as "Elixir of Life". The brand became famous after whisky connoisseur Jim Murray gave it a rating of 82 out of 100 in 2005 and 2010. In 2010 Murray named Amrut Fusion single malt whisky as the third best in the world. John Hansell, editor of American magazine Whisky Advocate, wrote that "India's Amrut distillery changed the way many think of Indian whisky – that it was, in the past, just cheap Scotch whisky blended with who knows what and sold as Indian whisky. Amrut is making whisky, and it's very good".
Australian Whisky is whisky produced in Australia. As of December 2021, there were 333 registered distilleries in operation within Australia, of which approximately 50 have a whisky on the market. The industry has shown steady growth since the early 90s especially in the boutique craft distilling scene.
International Whisk(e)y Day was first announced in 2008 and falls on 27 March each year. The name is used with the parenthesis to indicate support of whisky from Scotland, Canada and Japan as well as Irish and American whiskeys. The day publicly supports Parkinson's disease research in addition to enjoying whiskey.
Harris distillery is a Scotch whisky and Gin distillery in Tarbert on the Isle of Harris, Scotland. The distillery was the first legal distillery ever built on Harris.
Glasgow distillery is a Scotch whisky, gin and rum distillery in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2020, the distillery was named distillery of the year at the Scottish Whisky Awards. Glasgow distillery was the first active distillery in greater Glasgow since 1902.
Torabhaig distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery in Teangue on the Isle of Skye. The distillery is the second ever licensed distillery on Skye and the first since Talisker was established in 1830.