The biggest gin, rum & vodka festival in the UK returns to Glasgow this weekend

Winner of Best Event, an Aladdin's cave of craft spirits await all that attend as craft distillers old and new unite to take you on the ultimate spirit filled adventure.

Article Source: The Craft Spirit Show
Last Updated: 22 October 2024 13:17

You’ll be able to enjoy unlimited tasting samples as you work the room, with a choice of over 300 craft spirits including Gin, Rum, Vodka & More when The Craft Spirit Show returns to the SEC Glasgow between Friday 25th and Sunday 27th October.

Unlimited Tasting Samples? Yes, that’s right! Walk the room and sample with a wide variety of craft distillers all part of your ticket fee. After all, how else were you going to find a new favourite with trying them?

Like what you’ve tried? Why not treat yourself to a full-size drink, artisan cocktail or even a bottle.

Fancy learning more? Join our immersive workshops and masterclasses lead by industry experts.

Want to relax and have fun? Take a seat and let our bar team serve up delicious drinks guaranteed to seduce your taste buds.

We are delighted to be the largest craft spirit festival of it’s kind in Scotland and indeed the UK, so for those looking to embark on the ultimate “spirited” adventure and celebrate all things “distilled” with the UK’s very best craft spirit producers, then this is most certainly The Craft Spirit Show for you.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

• Each of the 60+ distillery and mixer brands in attendance have their own unique space from which you can learn about the backstories, production methods, botanical make up and tasting notes of spirits like gin, rum and vodka.

• Enjoy samples from each of the brands but plan your time wisely as with over 300+ craft spirits there’s plenty to discover.

• Like what you’ve tried? Then you can purchase a full size drink straight from the distillery, or even grab yourself a bottle to take home for your collection!

• Get hands-on with cocktail making workshops brought to you by leading spirit brands

• Learn about distillation methods and what makes brands unique by attending masterclasses, hosted by established and emerging distilleries.

• Enjoy a drink at our fabulous bars, including the Main Bar and Connoisseur VIP Bar. Prosecco & Beer also available.

Tickets start at £20 and are available at thegintomytonic.com

Ahead of the show this weekend, Managing Director Paul Hudson-Jones answered a few questions about the event:

What are some of the key outcomes you aim for you by organising the Craft Spirit Show?
The Craft Spirit Show has been created to connect small-batch craft distillers with passionate spirit drinkers. From a consumer perspective, it’s a unique opportunity to discover distillers they may not usually encounter in everyday life and hear the backstories and journey’s behind the creations. What makes craft distilling so unique is the people behind the brands, so getting to hear from them directly really enhances the tasting experience. For craft distillers, it’s a route to market to sell their products to their primary audience, or at the very least raise awareness of their endeavours for the future. Everyone has different taste palates, so when trying a spirit you’ll think about what you like, but you’ll also often consider friends and family around you as well, putting it on the radar for future Christmases, Birthdays & Special Occasions.

How important is Scotland in the distillery industry? What does this event highlight about it?
Scotland produces some of the best spirits in the world. Fact! With a rich whisky history, it’s not surprising that Scotland has turned it’s hand to multiple spirit categories, and with an abundance of flora and fauna across the land and rugged coastlines, there’s so many exciting botanicals to be distilled. Given that the event takes place in Scotland, there’s a huge percentage of Scottish Distillers present, and we always get to welcome up and coming talent. The sheer variety of Scottish distillers present is ultimately what makes this event unique.

Why did you expand the Craft Spirit Show after it largely focused on gin distilling before?
The Gin To My Tonic was built on a passion for craft gin first and foremost. Before we became a business we would blog about gin on our social media channels, sharing the backstories and journeys of craft distillers, with a focus on tasting notes and perfect serves. We built a business around this passion, and created an event that we as consumers would want to go to. Something that would add value beyond just ordering a drink at a bar and leave you a better understanding for the process and the spirits creation. Whilst craft distillers would often start with gin due to the length of time it would take to produce (around 3-7 days vs. whisky which is 3+ years), we’ve seen craft distillers diversify across all spirit categories in recent years, so we decided to evolve the event at the same pace as our distillers. Everyone has a friend or family member that doesn’t like gin, and by offering all spirit types, it really does make it enjoyable for all, whilst enabling craft distillers to showcase the sheer breadth of what they do.

What is your favourite thing about managing the event?
For me the joy in managing this event is getting to see the emergence of new and exciting small batch craft distillers with their own unique point of view. You would think that there is only so many ways to distill, but even today we still keep getting surprised by the backstories, botanical blends, bottle designs and perfect serves of some extraordinary distillers. The other side of the coin is seeing the growth in these distillers, going from a single flagship creation to a range of 6-10, ad bringing their dreams to life. We are fortunate to have many distillers return year on year, but their ranges are never 100% the same, with new releases, new spirits, limited editions and more. It’s a truly fascinating world to be enable to immerse yourself in!

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