Drink Up

In our regular drinks column, Kevin Fullerton tries a few tasty beverages and lets you know exactly what he thinks of them. This month we need Kevin to talk about . . . whisky

Apart from bagpipes, Aidan Moffat’s beard and an indefinable sense of misery, there’s nothing more Scottish than whisky. With The National Whisky Festival taking place this month, it’s high time I covered a few bottles and see what I thought of them. Each of these samples was mixed with four ice cubes and, after a few cursory sips, topped off with a dash of soda water. Tut all you like, whisky purists, but I refuse to be bound by the creaky diktats of anti-mixer alcohol aficionados.

First up is a cheeky wee single malt from The Glasgow Distillery Company, titled the Glasgow 1770 (£49 for 70c l). Triple-distilled in virgin oak casks, this lightly coloured number combines fine Scottish barley with water from Loch Katrine to create a smooth and vibrant texture. Like a souped-up lapsang souchong, the taste is smoky with a woody spice that, while not overly complex, creates a smooth ride from start to finish.

We head south of the border for our next tipple, a Heritage Corn Whisky (£95 for 50c l) from the Oxford Artisan Distillery. This 2017 harvest uses native English grains to create a complicated mixture with a light brown finish. If it was advisable to snort whisky, I’d be all over this like a Victorian snuff merchant, its intoxicating scent evoking caramelised biscuits fresh from the oven. The taste enervated similar culinary parts of my palate, with a doughy top note creeping into a nuttier aftertaste. Squint hard enough and you might even detect a sliver of banana bread. If you’ve ever thought whisky was a drink more about strength than taste, then Oxford Artisan Distillery will prove you wrong in one delicious gulp.

Marking out similar territory is our final drink of the month, an eight-year-old James Eadie Single Malt (£41.95 for 70c l) from the Blair Athol Distillery. This one thrums like the heart of the Scottish countryside with its mossy taste and smell, its ruggedness shrugging off subtlety in favour of hard-nosed peat and gunpowder. If you like a hardy bottle, then track this down.  The N ational W hisky Festival, SW G 3, G lasgow, Saturday 7 M ay.

BAR FILES We ask creative folks to reveal their favourite watering hole

SINGERSONGWRITER LIZZIE REID

My local pub in Glasgow is the Titwood Bar and is one of my favourite places to drink when I can’t be bothered trudging into town. I love a bit of an old-man’s pub. It’s very relaxed and never loud, which is good for me because my hearing is poor (sounds like I’m turning into an old man). I’m usually the designated driver, so it’s always nice going to the Titwood as it’s a two-minute walk from my flat. It means I can go crazy for a change . . .  Lizzie Reid was shortlisted for the 2021 SAY Award for her EP Cubicle. Her latest single Bible is out now.

SMALL WONDER

Megan Merino chats to Asta Petkunaite, the woman behind Edinburgh vintage clothing and antiques shop Pascal & Co, about her creative journey from journalism to small-business owner

Asta Petkunaite has worn many (gorgeous) hats in her lifetime. The journalism graduate turned children’s book author and illustrator has been a successful artist, worked for a fine art reproduction studio at ummerhall and sung in a rench ypsy a band. casual passion for vintage clothing led her to opening an online tsy shop before securing a physical pop up space in inti ues on eith alk. ast forward to eptember and what was inti ues became her very own ascal o named after her beloved panish rescue pooch). etkunaite’s array of skills make this little vintage clothing and anti ues shop feel more like a gallery, with every item revealing a story she’ll share as you peruse. ‘ efore anything comes in the shop, I do so much work to every piece it has to be perfect, it has to be washed, it has to be pressed. I don’t want any holes. eople always say, oh, it smells really clean that’s because it is You should ust be able to put the item on, walk out and make it fit into your wardrobe.’ ith the small store space placing limitations on how many items can be displayed, Petkunaite needs to be ruthless in her curation. ‘ e’ve got enough clothes to go several times around the world,’ she says. ‘There’s so much treasure out there. ut now I’m like a magpie, you know If I’m in a flea market, I scan it really uickly and then I’ll ust cherry pick. I’ll go, I know this will work with this”.’ hat criteria, then, does an item need to make the cut abric uality, colour and pattern play a large role and with gems from the likes of Burberry, Jaeger and uascutum lining the shelves, e pert craftsmanship and design are also prioritised. ‘ nce you’ve set the benchmark, like when you start getting dresses that are handmade in aris, you want to maintain a level of uality. ll the shop’s fabrics are natural fibre. o I think I’m always leaning towards that beautiful touch and feel . . . it has to be cottons, cashmeres, woollens or silks. ut I’m also drawn to beautiful pattern, vintage muted tones and folky motifs. That’s really the aesthetic, I think, if I look around the shop.’ etkunaite also creates her own bespoke garments using linen tea towels belonging to her partner’s late grandmother ‘I ust thought, well, they’re so beautiful. I’d love to celebrate them.’ In collaboration with a local seamstress, a selection of patterns named The Gardener, The Sailor, The Singer and The Hostess) are designed with the customer’s needs in mind, from the fit to the print. ‘ ach one is uni ue, you know, you can’t create it over and over again.’ very inch of ascal o is charged with creativity and love, so much so that etkunaite finds ways to hold on to items. ‘ ometimes I’ll ust not have a price tag on something because I really love it in the shop. That’s a really bad businesswoman thing to say I’m attached ut if you put something on and feel incredible, then it’s yours.’

Pascal & Co, 20 Albert Place, Edinburgh, instagram.com/_pascalandco_

what’s in the bag?

Deborah Chu discreetly asks another individual to reveal the contents of their bag to us. This time around, she convinces Meryl Gilbert, head of commercial events & partnerships at SWG3, to tell us what lies within

MERINO WOOL HAT

It’s from Scottish designer Kestin Hare, whose eponymous flagship store can be found in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge.

DAVID BYRNE’S BICYCLE DIARIES

This is the book I’m currently reading. It’s a celebration of bike riding told via his experiences of cycling all over the world these last 30 years and the rewards of seeing urban life at bike level. It’s a great read.

A CROISSANT

My dangerously delicious morning croissant comes from Zique’s, based in the Acid Bar at Glasgow’s SWG3.

WESTERN BATHS MEMBERSHIP CARD

Even if I don’t make the gym session, I go most nights for a sauna and swim.

CAR KEYS

The keys to my 1988 Porsche 924 S: it’s not available anywhere else.

shop talk

Six Acres

Megan Merino takes a browse around another set of intriguing establishments

SIX ACRES

A new home, accessories and furniture store has arrived in Morningside, having opening its doors in late April. Co-founders Sarah Stanger and Claire McLoughlin conceptualised Six Acres during lockdown, with the aim of creating a shop with a conscience that would champion sustainable goods, raise up female artisans and support UK manufacturing. The result is rather charming.  422 Morningside Road, Edinburgh, six-acres.co.uk

REJEAN

Siobhan Mckenna is the mind behind ReJean, the Glasgow-based business reclaiming, repurposing and repairing denim. Her bespoke jackets and accessories are created in Glasgow’s East End and take inspiration from traditional workwear. The ReJean Repair Shop accepts all denim garments and uses a selection of techniques, including Japanese Sashiko mending, to give pieces a new lease of life. Give it a go at ReJean’s monthly mending workshops organised in venues across Edinburgh and Glasgow (the next one is at Bawn Textiles, 613 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow).  rejeandenim.com

ILIUM

Part café, part record and music shop, Ilium in Edinburgh’s Marchmont neighbourhood prides itself on being a community hub for customers to hang out, study and discover new music. Locally sourced coffee is served from Williams & Johnson and regular events and open-mic sessions make this spot a lively space during the day or into the evening.  100 Marchmont Crescent, Edinburgh, iliumshop.com

G12 VINTAGE

The increasingly popular vintage brand, founded by Daniel Gallagher, has opened a newly renovated space in Glasgow’s West End, nestled next to fellow local businesses The Bothy and Hanoi Bike Shop. Gallagher’s locally sourced pieces have already successfully sold on ASOS and Depop, but the new quirky shop will help bring his high-quality, sustainably sourced vintage clothing direct to the fashionable people of Glasgow.  10a Ruthven Lane, Glasgow, g12vintage.com

HINBA COFFEE ROASTERS

The popular Oban-based coffee specialists have opened a Glasgow shop, much to the delight of their loyal fanbase. Taste their pure Hebridean coffee, roasted on the Isle Of Seil, sweet and savoury snacks, and maybe take home a bag of beans for later (you’ll definitely want to).  86 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, hinba.co.uk

Blessed (or cursed) by comparisons to Bill Withers and Gil Scott-Heron, the London singer-songwriter whose parents fled the Idi Amin regime in Uganda has certainly made his own name during a fruitful decade. After two acclaimed albums, his third, the simply and defiantly titled Kiwanuka, nabbed the 2020 Mercury Music Prize. Stunted by covid, his new tour is finally here, with the sold-out signs going up in quickfire time. Those fortunate enough to catch him live can expect a treat for the ears and heart.  O2 Glasgow Academy, Friday 6 May. GOINGOUT

4-24May2022 mhfestival.com

FREE TICKETS TO THE IDEAL HOME SHOW SCOTLAND

The List are partnering up with the Ideal Home Show Scotland offering readers 1000 FREE tickets.

Returning to Glasgow’s SEC from Thurs 26 to Mon 29 May, the Ideal Home Show Scotland, in partnership with Royal Bank of Scotland is set to be the best yet.

Showcasing the latest interior trends, home renovation, DIY, gardens and technology, the exhibition is the largest of its kind in Scotland. With four show areas packed with ideas and 400+ brands, there will be plenty of choice from must-have accessories and furniture for your living room, to state-of-the-art solutions for kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. Plus, you’ll get inspirational home and garden ideas with live talks from top celebrities and experts!

You’ll also get free access to the Eat & Drink Festival, sponsored by Thermomix, set to tempt the tastebuds with masterclass sessions, the festival showcases Scotland’s best produce and flavours at the Artisan Producers’ Market.

How to claim: Go to idealhomeshowscotland.co.uk and enter code IHSSLIST when prompted on booking page.

TERMS & CONDITIONS Offer closes onMay 29or when all allocated tickets are claimed. Maximum of two free tickets per booking, per email, per household. Children under 15 go free. Tickets usually £13 in advance or £16 at the door. Tickets subject to availability, on a first-come first-served. Tickets are non-transferable and there are no cash alternatives. All tickets will be scanned upon entry. Multiple applications will be refused entry onsite. Open to UK residents only.