The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Wigtown Book Festival, Day 2
Tonight we were hosting a sell out tasting for 80.
So, as we had a little time on our hands in the afternoon we decided to visit Bladnoch Distillery and have a spot of lunch in the Bladnoch Inn. On arrival we were surprised to see the gates closed, chained and padlocked, looking in there was no sign of life and there was some scaffolding and holes in the roof. On chatting to the locals and the staff at the Inn, they mentioned all the casks have been moved to a different location, and the stills and washbacks have all been dismantled and removed. Years ago Nicola and I visited the distillery and did a tour with the then owner Raymond Armstrong so it saddened our hearts to see this distillery in a dilapidated condition.
On returning to Wigtown we got chatting to some of the organisers and they said there was a spare stand in Kist Marquee and if we wished we could have it to display and pour some drams. No asking us twice we set our stand from about 3 until about 5.30. We chatted to many visitors and let them taste and savour the drams. An interesting impromptu tasting which again many said they were looking forward to that evenings tasting.
Around 6.30 in the McNeillie Tent we set up our stand, with the help of three volunteers that were assigned to us they set out all the chairs. One volunteer stood at the door handing out the tasting notes at sharp at 7.30 we started A Taste for Island Malts.
A three dram tasting where all the drams were from the islands one from a northern island and two from western islands. As there were no tables for the tasters to places their glasses it was up to the volunteers to hand out the Whiskies and take back any empties. All enjoyed this tutored tasting, I was ‘miked up’ and being taped. Several bottles were purchased and a membership. We have to thank the volunteers for all there help including helping box up the used glasses.
Another fine day in Wigtown a visit to Bladnoch, and impromptu pour/tasting in the Kist Tent and finishing with a big tutored tasting, talking whisky comes naturally to us.
