Whisky and gin galore as Kirkcaldy's first festival takes shape

The Scotch Whisky Festival, organised by Spirits By Post, is at the Adam Smith Theatre on Saturday, September 15.

It promises sampling and masterclass sessions, with the likes of Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich and Glenmorangie, Springbank, Kilchoman and Tomatin.

And gin lovers will be catered for too as the doors open for two sessions at the theatre.

This week the organisers also confirmed Kirkcaldy crime author, Val McDermid, will be joining the throngs as she signs copies of her new novel, ‘Broken Ground’ – due for release later this month.

Spirits By Post is a Kirkcaldy based company, and it hopes to tap into a growing market and bring large numbers of enthusiasts to the venue across the day.

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The show itself will be held over two sessions, each lasting three hours. The first of these will start at 1.00pm to let the first wave of ticket holders in to see for themselves what the excitement is all about, and it will close at 4.00pm.

Following a break, the second session will start at 5.00pm to a whole new audience.

The day will close at 8.00pm by which time there will have been 12 masterclasses led by Charles McLean, writer, taster and major authority on whisky, who is often described as ‘whisky’s finest guru’.

Among the companies which have confirmed are Cellar Trends which will present a selection of blended malts, single malts and gin.

It will be joined by Mackmyra Swedish Whisky, a company founded by eight friends with a passion for whisky.

Its members built their first copper pot-still themselves and began a journey to create Sweden’s first single malt – and today they operate two distilleries.

Whisky and gin lovers can also look forward to a host of major names at the festival.

Tickets are available through www.scotchwhiskyfestival.com/fife/ where there are also details on Facebook and Twitter for those who’d like to follow developments as the day of the show gets closer.

James Mackay, from Spirits By Post, said: “We’re Kirkcaldy based and looking to kick off in our home town.

“We’ve got local marketeers so it makes sense to have our first one here.

“It’s all we’ve been thinking and dreaming of.

“As we get closer, it’s something that’s generating a huge amount of excitement, not just in the business here but at the Adam Smith too.

“It’s something new not just for Kirkcaldy, but also for the theatre, and it’s bringing a whole new type of client for the theatre.

“As a spirits retailer, we’re conscious that we need to do more to try and generate interest in our products, and if we can promote it locally then it makes a lot of sense.”