A Gin tasting evening, hosted by The Grail, was held in the Reading Rooms on Friday 8th March. Attendees tried a range of Scottish gins, including a gin liqueur, accompanied by garnishes, mixers and nibbles. They were talked through each gin as they sampled and experimented with various flavour combinations. It was a lively, fun-filled evening and The Grail girls would like to thank everyone that came along to support the event.
Founded by Jennifer Laird and Rachel Grant in December 2018, The Grail – Whisky, Gin and Speciality Drinks shop- is the newest addition to Doune’s collection of boutique shops. The two friends have worked in the spirits industry for a number of years and decided to go it alone and open their own shop and tasting experience. Having worked in whisky distilleries they specialise in all that surrounds Scotland’s national drink. The growing plethora of craft drinks now produced in Scotland (and further afield) has sparked their interest to say the least and they quickly realised this couldn’t just be a whisky shop. Gin, due to its recent popularity, has become another area of expertise for the two. However, Rum, Vodka, Beer and Wine are things they find themselves learning more and more about all the time. They love to learn and love to pass on their knowledge.
One of the best ways to learn and try new things is to go to a tasting. However, having grown up in Kippen and now living in Fintry, Jennifer knows the problems of getting to and from these events that are normally held in the larger towns and cities. They decided that tasting events needed to be brought to smaller venues in rural locations so that people can enjoy them without having to worry about missing the last train or bus home or having to fork out for a massive taxi fare! As such, they have set up small Craft Drinks Clubs in Kippen, Fintry and Doune. The tastings are informative and eye-opening but mostly lots of fun!
The Gin tasting was the first event in Kippen, and the next will be a Whisky tasting on Friday 12th April at 7.30pm. There will be five single malts to try from across Scotland’s regions, showing the diverse range of flavours that can be created with just three ingredients. Jen and Rachel will talk you through a bit of whisky history and culture, as well as the production methods that result in the flavours you will be tasting in the drams. Everyone is welcome whether you are a beginner or a connoisseur (as long as you are over 18!). Tickets are £20 per person or, if you sign up for membership, it is £16 (£20 yearly membership gives you discounts in the shop, discounts on Craft Drinks Club tastings and on in-shop tastings and you will be able to sign up on the night if you wish). Please contact the shop by phone, email or social media to book.
They hope to make this a regular event with a different theme every time, so people might not want to come to all of them, although they are welcome to do so, but they might prefer to pick and choose the ones they are most interested in. They have lots of plans for upcoming events so keep your eye on their Facebook page or website for updates.
@TheGrailDoune on Facebook and Twitter
@The_Grail_Doune on Instagram
Email: shop@thegrail.scot
Tel: 01786 542 098
The Wee Vine 