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FM leaves message in a bottle
26/08/2008
First Minister Alex Salmond today left a signed bottle of 25 year-old whisky to be collected by the 250th visitor to the Talisker distillery in 2009 - Scotland's Year of Homecoming.
Inspired by the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, Homecoming 2009 will be a celebration of the great contributions Scotland has made to the world: the Bard himself, Whisky, Golf, Great Scottish Minds and Innovations and Scotland's culture and heritage.
Among the celebrations will be Taste the Dram(a), a weekend-long celebration of all that the West Coast of Scotland has to offer. The event will showcase the west coast whisky trail including the Talisker distillery, rugged coastlines and superb Scottish produce. Other highlights of the 2009 programme include:
- The Highland Homecoming - Ur Beatha Dhan Duthaich!
- Art on the Map 2009 - a chance to visit local artists across the Hebridean islands
- The annual Classic Malts Cruise, which brings sailors from around the world to the Classic Malts distilleries of Talisker, Oban and Lagavulin
- The Lewis Highland Games and military Tattoo
- The Crossing - a flotilla travelling the length of the Caledonian Canal, from Fort William to Inverness
Presenting the signed bottle, donated by the Talisker distillery, to Site Operations Manager Cathie MacLeod, First Minister Alex Salmond said:
"With so many exciting events taking place across the Scotland, 2009 will be a fantastic year to invite people around the world, with either an ancestral link or affinity for Scotland, to come home. Today I'm leaving one of them a taste of Scotland to take with them. I hope that, in the spirit of generous hospitality, they'll share it with others who can enjoy one of Skye's distinctive flavours.
"Whisky is a great way of building a sensory map of Scotland and the Taste the Dram(a) weekend is a fantastic opportunity to experience the west coast. I hope that thousands will visit Skye for a dram next year and enjoy the spirit of Scotland.
"Homecomers will find more than whisky when they visit - with stunning scenery, a vibrant Gaelic culture, fresh local food and history carved into the landscape Skye is a unique destination that gives everyone a reason to visit.
"The message I'm leaving behind in this bottle speaks for itself - Scotland is the home of whisky."
Cathie MacLeod said:
"We welcome almost 40,000 visitors from around the world to Talisker Distillery each year and we are delighted to be supporting the celebrations planned for Homecoming 2009, including this special bottle which one lucky visitor will take home."
The First Minister is visiting Skye as part of the Scottish Government's summer cabinet programme. This year, for the first time, the First Minister has taken Cabinet to Dumfries, Inverness, Pitlochry and finally Skye, giving local communities a greater opportunity to speak directly to Ministers about issues of local and national importance.
Scotland's Homecoming celebrations will run from Burns Night (January 25) to St Andrew's Day (November 30) 2009, across more than 50 locations.
An e-card is available to send from the Homecoming Scotland website where details of the full programme of events can be found.
Talisker is one of Diageo's award-winning Classic Malts Selection and the distillery at Carbost, on the shores of Loch Harport, is Skye's only distillery producing the award-winning Island malt.
The signed bottle will be displayed at the distillery before being presented to the 250th visitor next year.