By Richard Goslan
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Sconefest success
The world’s first ever scone and whisky tasting took place successfully on Saturday, 22 August in Montrose, the highlight of a weekend of scone-related activities conceived by Scotch Malt Whisky Society founder Pip Hills under the overarching title of ‘Sconefest’
A full house in Montrose for the world's first scone and whisky tasting, as conceived by SMWS founder Pip Hills
Pip has been a supporter of pairing scones and whisky since he made a visit to Ardbeg distillery in the very early days of the Society.
As he says: “The whisky was lovely, but I found it difficult to give it my full attention, for some other scent intruded into our nosing. It was a little while before I identified the scent: it was the aroma of scones: scones which the manager’s wife had made an hour or so before, in an act of simple hospitality rather than as part of a considered marketing policy. Both the whisky and the scones were, by themselves, pleasing: but taken together the effect was positively celestial.”
Scotch Malt Whisky Society founder Pip Hills introducing the whisky and scones tasting in Montrose
At Sconefest, Pip introduced a tasting of four Society whiskies to an eager audience of around 20 scone and whisky fans, which was then conducted by our Aberdeen-based ambassador Steven McConnachie. Drams included Cask No. 18.77: All because the lady loves…, Cask No. 1.306: Nutty and fluffy, Cask No. 162.9: Pineapples on the port side and also our Heresy small-batch bottling #41: Incognito, along with a selection of plain, cheese and even bacon scones.