As Scotland sends its support and best wishes to its rugby team for Sunday’s Six Nations game against France, Scotland’s oldest whisky distillery is sending something else: a homegrown dance that may help the team on its way to victory.

Straight from the heart of Glenturret Distillery in Crieff, Perthshire comes The Glenturret Haka, a dance to challenge the famous haka war dance of the New Zealand All Blacks. The Glenturret Haka, shared extensively via Facebook and YouTube, celebrates the hand mashing that sets the distillery apart from others. It shows stillmen from the distillery replicating the mashing movements and processes that are used to make Scottish whisky the traditional, hand-made, way.

Glenturret likes to think the video, which was originally posted on Facebook just days before Scotland’s win against Italy, was instrumental in helping the Scottish team end their nine-match Six Nations losing streak. The video has now been viewed by more than 6000 people via social media, even prompting some bars and pubs in Edinburgh to get in on The Glenturret Haka action.

Glenturret’s Stuart Cassells commented:

“We have high hopes for The Glenturret Haka that it will work like the proverbial charm to help Scotland win this Sunday and if the team wants to practice these new moves on the field, all the better! We’ve already had several Edinburgh pubs getting into the spirit this week, and sharing their versions of The Glenturret Haka with us. However, even if Scotland don’t deliver this Saturday, we’ve already struck up an entente cordiale with the French who have recently confirmed the first shipment of The Glenturret, making them our first ever export market for the whisky.”

You can catch the Scotland vs France game on Sunday 13^th March at 3.00 pm on BBC.

Watch the Glenturret Haka on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/theglenturret

ENDS

For more information please contact Tricia Fox at Volpa on 01738 658187 or 07989 955039 or t.fox@volpa.co.uk

Notes to Editors

www.theglenturret.com

Facebook.com/theGlenturret

Twitter.com/drinkGlenturret

UK Trade Enquiries:

To enquire about stocking The Glenturret core range please contact our distributors Gordon and MacPhail by email orders@gordonandmacphail.com or phone 01343 540155.

European Trade Enquiries:

To enquire about stocking The Glenturret core range in Europe please contact our distributors Douglas Laing: by email Chris.Leggat@douglaslaing.com or phone0141 333 9242

About Glenturret Distillery

At Glenturret, they believe by hand is better. Always. So that’s how they approach making each and every cask of Glenturret. Nowhere has the phrase “time-honoured” been used more appropriately than at a workplace with a heritage dating back to 1775. That’s the year before America achieved its independence; a time when Robert Burns was still in his teens. 

Tradition reigns supreme at Glenturret. Every single process involved in creating The Glenturret single malt is carried out by hand and with passion. Glenturret still mashes by hand, using a wooden rouser. Glenturret uses open wash backs, so any visitor to the small distillery can see the magic happening. It is one of only four distilleries in the world to use open Douglas fir wash backs. Stainless steel would last longer, but Douglas fir is better.

And it’s the same when you look at all stages of their process. The stills are run more slowly to create a lighter, more perfected spirit.  They rely on the skilled craftsmen to continue to make the cut by eye, rather than by machine. And they still fill all their casks by hand.

About Glenturret Distillery and The Famous Grouse Experience

·         The Famous Grouse Experience is located at Scotland’s oldest working distillery – Glenturret. Originally established as a single malt distillery in 1775, today The Famous Grouse Experience is the most visited distillery in Scotland (welcoming an average of 100,000 visitors every year).

·         The distillery was fully refurbished in 2014 and was recently awarded UK Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year by Whisky Magazine and finished in the top three at the Global Icons of Whisky Awards for Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.

·         It has recently opened a new café restaurant on site, Wilde Thyme at Glenturret, a partnership with award winning Comrie based luxury caterers Wilde Thyme offering the very best in locally sourced Scottish produce and dishes that give diners an authentic and delicious taste of Perthshire. 

·         The distillery offers the opportunity to learn how a single malt is made in the traditional way, as well as learning how some of the Glenturret single malt is then blended along with other grain and malt whiskies to create The Famous Grouse, the No. 1 whisky in the UK.

·         Opening Hours 10am-6pm (Nov-Feb 10am-5pm)

·         For more information please visit www.thefamousgrouseexperience.com or call 01764 656565

Tour Experiences 

·         Distillery Experience: (1 hour) Runs hourly. Includes one exceptional distillery tour, and a taste of two fine whiskies. £10 adult, £9 concession (seniors/students/under 18s). 

·         Tasting Experience: (1 hour) Runs hourly. Includes one exceptional distillery tour, a taste of five fine whiskies and a souvenir nosing glass to keep. £20 Famous Tasting, £30 Finest Tasting, Over 18s only. 

·         Warehouse Experience: (1½ hours) Includes one exceptional distillery tour, a taste of four fine whiskies and a magical peek at hundreds of sleeping casks in our very special warehouse. £40, Over 18s only, Pre-booking recommended. 

·         Blending Experience: (2 hours) Includes one exceptional distillery tour, a tasting of four fine whiskies inside our exclusive bonded warehouse and a unique opportunity to master the art of blending your own whisky, complete with complimentary 100ml bottle and certificate. £60, Over 18s only, Pre-booking recommended. 

·         Stillman Experience: (Full day) Available Tue, Wed, Thu. Includes one exceptional experience with unrivalled access to the unique world of whisky production. Spend the day side by side with our Stillman and our Drammolier™, learn the art of blending, and toast one fine day with a dram from your complimentary bottle of The Glenturret Highland Single Malt. £250, Over 18s only, Pre-booking essential.