Fife Whisky Festival to take place annually

Following the success of its inaugural event, the organisers of Fife Whisky Festival have announced it will become an annual fixture on the county’s calendar.

Event co-founder Karen Somerville (centre) with endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont (left)

Organised by Kask Whisky founder Justine Hazlehurst and the managing director of Angels’ Share Glass, Karen Somerville, the first Fife Whisky Festival welcomed more than 500 whisky fans on 10 March.

Somerville said: “It was a brilliant day and given all the positive feedback we’ve decided to make it an annual event.

“We had visitors from Argentina, France and Germany who were in Scotland on holiday and made the trip to Fife specially to visit the festival.”

Held at the Corn Exchange in Cupar, the festival’s visitors enjoyed drams from a wide range of distilleries and independent bottlers, heard music from Fife-based duo The Coaltown Daisies and had the chance to chat with the festival’s guest of honour, endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont.

Beaumont said: “This is a fantastic event for Fife and having partly grown up in the Kingdom I am proud of all it has to offer.

“This festival and events like it are so important in putting Fife firms on the map for travel and business.”

The festival showcased the whisky-making industry in Fife, with exhibitors including the Kingsbarns Distillery, Creative Whisky Company, Glen Moray and Isle of Arran Distillers.

Following the event, Cupar ward councillor Karen Marjoram praised the whisky festival for boosting the local economy.

She said: “It was a real boost to the economy and wonderful to see the town so busy with the shops and restaurants full of people who stayed to see more of Cupar after their whisky session.”

Plans for next year’s Fife Whisky Festival will get underway later this month and dates for the festival will be announced soon.