Campbeltown Malts Festival 2020
First Announcement – 30th January 2020
We are delighted to announce our first detailed programme for the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2020. The festival will take place from Tuesday 19th – Friday 22nd May and during the four day event, Kintyre’s quality spirits will be celebrated.
Below, you will find all the relevant information regarding the events and tastings being hosted by Springbank, Kilkerran and Cadenhead’s across the festival. During the next (almost) four months, you will be kept up to date with any additional information regarding events which will take place over the festival.
How to Order Tickets
For the last two years, tickets have been sold online through Eventbrite (www.eventbrite.co.uk). This has worked extremely well for us and we will continue to use the same system for 2020.
Online ticket sales will include all tickets which are available for our Thursday and Friday events, as well as our Wednesday evening dinner.
In addition, all Cadenhead Club and Springbank Society Tasting slots will be booked on Eventbrite. More information on this will be included within those sections below.
Wednesday tickets will be available to purchase from Wednesday 5th February 2020 at 2pm (UK time) and Thursday/Friday tickets will be available to purchase from Wednesday 12th February 2020 at 2pm (UK time). Cadenhead Club and Springbank Society slots will be available to book from Tuesday 11th February 2020 – more information on this is included in the relevant sections below.
We would recommend registering with Eventbrite before the launch of tickets as this will save you time when the moment arrives. Details of the festival will be displayed on Eventbrite at least 1 day prior to the ticket launch, including descriptions of each tasting – which are detailed below in each section and are also included in a summary timetable at the end of this announcement.
There will be a maximum of 2 tickets per person available for each tasting and, please note (and this is important!), that some tastings do overlap in time so it will not be possible to do all of them. All tastings will last approximately 1 hour, except for the Springbank Warehouse Tastings on Thursday which will last approximately 45 minutes and the Kilkerran 15th Anniversary Single Cask Tasting on Friday which will last approximately 1.5 hours.
Tuesday 19th May 2020
5:30pm: Cadenhead Club Member Tasting – FOC
On Tuesday 19th May at 5:30pm, we will be hosting an exclusive get together for members of our Cadenhead Club. This will take place in the Springbank Malt Barns and will be hosted by the Cadenhead Sales Team.
The Cadenhead Club Tasting will be free to attend but, to ensure we have enough spaces for everyone, you must book your place in advance. Please note that we cannot allow any non-members into this tasting.
Bookings will be made available from Tuesday 11th February 2020. On this date, a link will be sent to all members which will direct you to a private Eventbrite page where you can book your place.
Wednesday 20th May 2020
On Wednesday, festival staples return as we host the Springbank Society Tasting and our special dinner at Springbank Distillery.
11:30am & 1:30pm: Springbank Society Member Tasting – FOC
On Wednesday 20th May, the Springbank Sales Team will be hosting our annual exclusive gathering for members of the Springbank Society.
Due to the growing number of Springbank Society Members, we are excited to announce that there will be two time slots available meaning that everyone who wishes to attend will have the chance. Members can choose between our 11:30am and 1:30pm time slots and both tastings will take place in the Springbank Malt Barns.
Please note that both tastings will be exactly the same and members will only be permitted to attend one tasting. Please do not book both time slots as you will not be able to gain access to both.
The Springbank Society Tasting will be free to attend but, to ensure we have enough spaces for everyone, you must book your place in advance. Please note that we cannot allow any non-members into this tasting.
Bookings will be made available from Tuesday 11th February 2020. On this date, a link will be sent to all members which will direct you to a private Eventbrite page where you can book your place.
7pm: The Warehouse Dinner 2020 – £250.00
This year, our annual distillery dinner will return to Springbank Distillery. Our dinner will take place on Wednesday 20th May 2020 at 7pm and guests will be treated to dinner in our brand new warehouse.
On arrival at Springbank Distillery, you will be greeted with a champagne reception which will also feature a range of locally sourced canapés.
Following this, you will sample a selection of whiskies, hand drawn from the cask by a member of our senior production team. All guests will then vote for their favourite and the most popular choice will be bottled for you to take home on the night.
You will then be led to your table to enjoy a four course meal with a specially selected wine to accompany each course.
To end your unique experience, each attendee will be presented with their own exclusive 70cl hand drawn bottle which will be chosen earlier in the evening.
Throughout the evening, staff from Springbank, Kilkerran and Cadenhead’s will be present to chat to and share some drams with.
There will be a set menu so please advise us of any dietary requirements you have once you have booked. This can be done by emailing [email protected].
The cost of the dinner is £250.00 per person. Tickets for this event will be available via Eventbrite from Wednesday 5th February 2020 at 2pm (UK Time). Please note this is one week earlier than all other tickets.
Thursday 21st May 2020
Springbank Open Day
The Springbank Open Day will take place on the third day of the festival. The day will start at 10am when the sale of our special Open Day bottles will commence. In addition to the tastings mentioned below, there will also be free distillery tours, local craft and food stalls, exclusive bottlings, our famous warehouse whisky bar, live music and much more happening throughout the day. Events at Springbank will conclude around 8pm.
The tastings and masterclasses taking place during the Springbank Open Day (excluding events that are only bookable on the day) will be available to book on Eventbrite from Wednesday 12th February at 2pm (UK time) and details of each can be found below:
11:30am: The Hazelburn-Taketsuru Connection – £30.00
Let’s celebrate the 100 years that have passed since Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese Whisky, learned the craft of Scotch Whisky production at Hazelburn Distillery. Enjoy some Hazelburn samples and learn about Taketsuru’s time in Scotland during this interesting tasting.
11:30am: The Art (and Science) of Distillation – £30.00
Join Director of Production Findlay and fellow Brewing and Distilling Graduate Lea as they unveil the art and science of whisky distillation at Springbank, accompanied by a range of whiskies.
12:30pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting – £30.00
Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand-drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses by a senior member of the production team.
12:30pm: Malting Demonstration – FOC (ONLY BOOKABLE ON THE DAY)
Watch a member of our production team demonstrate our traditional malting process while enjoying a dram of one of our most popular whiskies. This free event serves as an excellent opportunity to learn about Springbank and maybe even try turning the barley yourself! Tickets are only available to book on the day so make sure you head straight for the ticket point to book and collect your tickets.
1pm: Springbank Tasting – £30.00 (ONLY BOOKABLE ON THE DAY)
Only available to book on the day, you can join one of our Sales Team in enjoying a selection of drams from across the Springbank range, from our firm favourites to the most recent releases. Whether new to Springbank or an old hand, this tasting has something for everyone. Tickets can be purchased from our ticket point on the day.
1:30pm: The Big Springbank Tasting – £50.00
The Big Springbank Tasting forms the centrepiece of the Springbank Open Day and promises to showcase some of our distillery’s finest creations with the chance to try an eclectic mix of our Hazelburn, Springbank and Longrow whiskies.
2:30pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting – £30.00
Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand-drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses by a senior member of the production team.
2:30pm: Springbank Distillers Single Cask Tasting – £30.00
A selection of exclusive single cask bottlings which have been released around the world. An excellent chance to try rare whiskies from around the globe, all in one sitting.
2:45pm: Malting Demonstration – FOC (ONLY BOOKABLE ON THE DAY)
Watch a member of our production team demonstrate our traditional malting process while enjoying a dram of one of our most popular whiskies. This free event serves as an excellent opportunity to learn about Springbank and maybe even try turning the barley yourself! Tickets are only available to book on the day so make sure you head straight for the ticket point to book and collect your tickets.
3:30pm: Springbank; New and Forthcoming Releases – £30.00
A chance to join us as we try some of the most recent and upcoming limited releases from Springbank Distillers.
4pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting – £30.00
Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand-drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses by a senior member of the production team.
Please note:
- The Malting Demonstrations will last for 30 minutes.
- The Springbank Warehouse Tastings will last for 45 minutes.
- All other tastings during the Springbank Open Day are scheduled for 1 hour.
- Some of the tastings will overlap so please be aware of this when making your selections.
- Tasting locations will be listed on Eventbrite, as well as in the timetable included in this announcement.
- Tickets for tastings that are only bookable on the day are not available on Eventbrite and must be purchased from our ticket point at Springbank Distillery on the morning of the Open Day.
Friday 22nd May 2020
Kilkerran and Cadenhead Open Day
The final day of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2020 will be dedicated to Kilkerran Single Malt and independent bottler William Cadenhead Ltd.
Our Friday events will take place at Glengyle Distillery where there will be hourly free tours of the distillery, local craft and food stalls, live music, cocktail bar and the very popular Cadenhead Lucky Dip Bar. Please note: The Kilkerran Festival Bottle will be launched on this day and sales will begin at 10:30am. Events will conclude around 6pm.
The tastings and masterclasses taking place during the Kilkerran and Cadenhead Open Day will be available to book on Eventbrite from Wednesday 12th February at 2pm (UK time) and details of each can be found below:
10am: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting – £35.00
Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies with a member of the Cadenhead’s team. Each dram will be hand drawn from the cask inside one of the warehouses at Springbank Distillery, with some wonderful new casks being launched exclusively for the Open Day. As usual, anything tasted in the warehouse will be available to purchase afterwards.
10:15am: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting – £35.00
Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies with a member of the Cadenhead’s team. Each dram will be hand drawn from the cask inside one of the warehouses at Springbank Distillery, with some wonderful new casks being launched exclusively for the Open Day. As usual, anything tasted in the warehouse will be available to purchase afterwards.
10:30am: Kilkerran Warehouse Tasting – £35.00
Sample a wide variety of the rarest Kilkerran whiskies, hand-drawn from our finest casks which have been hidden away in the darkest recesses of Glengyle.
11:30am: Kilkerran 15th Anniversary Single Cask Tasting – £30.00
Join our Sales Team in this specially extended tasting to try all 13 single casks which were bottled for selected markets around the world and a distillery exclusive in 2019 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the reopening of Glengyle Distillery. For most, a once in a lifetime opportunity to try all casks side by side, in a single sitting. Please note this tasting will last for 1.5 hours.
12pm: The “Wee” Cadenhead Tasting – £30.00
After the success of last years’ “Wee” tasting, we have decided to host another edition. This will showcase some of our hidden gems which have been bottled and are still available on the market.
1:30pm: Kilkerran Cocktail Masterclass – £30.00
We have teamed up with an experienced mixologist to showcase the alternative way to enjoy Kilkerran. During the tasting you will enjoy Kilkerran cocktails as a member of our Sales Team guides you through each of the whiskies used.
2:30pm: Cadenhead Masterclass – £30.00
The “Big” Cadenhead Tasting will feature Cadenhead’s Sales Team. Join us for the opportunity to taste amazing drams from our new and upcoming releases. Keeping with tradition, there will also be a cask rolled into the venue which will be part of the tasting and available for purchase at the end. This is one you don’t want to miss!
2:30pm: Kilkerran Warehouse Tasting – £35.00
Sample a wide variety of the rarest Kilkerran whiskies, hand-drawn from our finest casks which have been hidden away in the darkest recesses of Glengyle.
3:30pm: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting – £35.00
Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies with a member of the Cadenhead’s team. Each dram will be hand drawn from the cask inside one of the warehouses at Springbank Distillery, with some wonderful new casks being launched exclusively for the Open Day. As usual, anything tasted in the warehouse will be available to purchase afterwards.
3:45pm: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting – £35.00
Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies with a member of the Cadenhead’s team. Each dram will be hand drawn from the cask inside one of the warehouses at Springbank Distillery, with some wonderful new casks being launched exclusively for the Open Day. As usual, anything tasted in the warehouse will be available to purchase afterwards.
4pm: Kilkerran Warehouse Tasting – £35.00
Sample a wide variety of the rarest Kilkerran whiskies, hand-drawn from our finest casks which have been hidden away in the darkest recesses of Glengyle.
Please note:
- The Kilkerran 15th Anniversary Single Cask Tasting will last for 1.5 hours.
- All other tastings on Friday 22nd May are scheduled for 1 hour.
- Some of the tastings will overlap so please be aware of this when making your selections.
- Tasting locations will be listed on Eventbrite, as well as in the timetable included in this announcement.
More information on the festival and associated events will be released over the coming weeks and months. For any enquiries, please email [email protected].
Please see separate attached document for a timetable of our bookable events throughout the festival.
Additional events happening during the festival week:
Tuesday 19th May – Beinn an Tuirc Distillers Open Day
Beinn an Tuirc Distillers Ltd are delighted to be part of the Campbeltown Malts Festival again in 2020. They will be hosting an Open Day on Tuesday 19th May. Everyone is welcome and they will be providing transport to and from Campbeltown as this was a huge success last year.
Cocktails and G&Ts will be served from their horsebox bar in the garden and there will be tours of the distillery throughout the day.
The new café and gin school will still be in development, but there will be a display in their tasting room outlining the upcoming plans.
This event grows year on year and the folks at Beinn an Tuirc Distillers love meeting people from all over the world who are passionate about Scotland’s spirits.
Website: www.kintyregin.com
Email: [email protected]
Wednesday 20th May – Glen Scotia Open Day
Glen Scotia Distillery will be hosting their annual Open Day on Wednesday 20th May. Events to be published by Glen Scotia in due course.
Cadenhead’s in the Courtyard 2020
Following the success of our first Cadenhead’s in the Courtyard event in September 2019, the event will return for a second year in 2020. Cadenhead’s in the Courtyard will take place on Friday 11th September 2020.
This is a great opportunity to visit us if you are unable to attend the Malts Festival in May or just fancy dropping by again!
More information on Cadenhead’s in the Courtyard will be announced in due course. If you would like to be added to the mailing list and receive updates for this, please email [email protected].
Slainte,
The Cadenhead’s Team
