Raising a glass to Scotland’s national tipple

IT HAS supported the trade of Scotland’s national drink for almost 100 years.Now a new poem by Liz Lochhead and an exhibition exploring the history of the Scotch whisky industry at the Scottish Parliament are to be created to mark the centenary of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

The body will host a two-month exhibition charting key events for the booming industry – while there will also be a comprehensive study into the economic impact of Scotch whisky in the past 100 years.

The association is in talks with distillers across Scotland to trawl their archives for information that can be used in the exhibition – as well as artwork connected to the whisky industry and maps tracking Scotland’s 100 distilleries.

The specially-composed poem by the Makar will be read by the poet for the first time at an event in Edinburgh in June – about 100 days in advance of the SWA’s anniversary in October.

“This year is about celebrating the colourful past and looking forward to a successful future for Scotch whisky,” said Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the SWA. “Our centenary gives us an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of this globally successful industry.”

The exhibition, called Scotch Whisky: From Grain to Glass, will open at the parliament on 29 November and continue until 25 January, 2013.

Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick added: “The importance of the Scotch whisky industry, particularly to rural Scotland, has long been recognised and the Scottish Parliament is delighted to be hosting this exhibition, in partnership with the Scotch Whisky Association.

“The exhibition will bring together the tools of the trade, the artwork and maps of Scotland’s distilleries to show how Scotch whisky became a national icon. Whisky is, of course, a key component of our cultural and business export success and I am certain that this illustrative exhibition will attract many visitors to Holyrood.”

Recent SWA figures show that Scotch whisky exports soared by nearly a quarter in the first nine months of last year, driven by strong growth in emerging markets such as China. Exports in the first three quarters of the year reached almost £3 billion – or 34 bottles a second – up 23 per cent on the same period in 2010.

“We’re working with the whisky industry to try and sprinkle some of their magic across other sectors,” said James Withers, chief executive of Scotland Food and Drink. “We want to grow Scotland’s reputation as a land of food and drink, built upon our heritage, the quality of the produce and the talent of the producers.”

He added: “I hope the centenary celebrations act as inspiration for other sectors that are now following in their footsteps. In dark economic times, whisky has been a real bright spot for Scotland.”