Whisky tasting with former Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw and master distiller Billy Walker
Ahead of the Scotland v Japan international at Murrayfield, Master Distiller Billy Walker and former Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw come to Bonnie & Wild on Friday 20 November for rare GlenAllachie drams, Creel Caught canapés and stories from the top of their game.
Billy Walker has spent more than 50 years in Scotch whisky, and most recently has been with the Speyside Distillery GlenAllachie since 2017, helping to make it one of the most acclaimed distilleries in Scotland. Greig Laidlaw won 76 caps for Scotland and captained his country a record 39 times. After coaching in Japan, he's now back home helping to shape the next generation of Scottish rugby talent.
Presenter, journalist and Murrayfield announcer Caroline Blair will be in conversation with the pair as they swap tales from the pitch and the distillerty: what it takes to lead, to master a craft and to stay at the top. They'll follow it up with a Q&A, then the chance to meet both guests and take home a photo.
The evening opens with a GlenAllachie 12 Year Old cocktail. Then comes a guided tasting of two exceptional GlenAllachie drams, served with canapés from Gary Maclean's Creel Caught.
In the glass
Distillery Exclusive 2014 Mizunara Single Cask #1971 (62.8% ABV): intensely rich mahogany. Dried apricot, roasted hazelnut and honeycomb on the nose, then cherry jam, cocoa, spiced orange and marzipan on the palate.
The GlenAllachie 1990, 35-Year-Old Cask Strength (50% ABV): mocha, crystallised cinnamon and treacle tart on the nose, then cocoa, chocolate-coated raisins, coconut and brandied orchard fruits.
The evening runs 7pm–9:30pm and tickets are £65. It's for over-18s only and places are limited.