For centuries, the water of life has been crafted using just three ingredients with time-honoured and sometimes mysterious methods to create the perfect dram. Now, more than 500 years since aqua vitae distillation was first noted in Scottish exchequer rolls, the Scotch whisky industry has unveiled ambitious new environmental targets which will impact on almost every element of production and help turn the dram in our glass green. The new Sustainability Strategy, launching today (MONDAY) to coincide with Burn’s Night celebrations, commits the sector to hitting net-zero emissions across its operations by 2040. The plan puts the sector ten years ahead of the UK Government’s net-zero target, with the aim of dramatically reducing the environmental impact of Scotland’s national drink.
Sun Sep 29 2002 at 17:59:51
The Highland clearances of the 1760s to 1880s are some of the most controversial and emotion-fraught events in Scotland s long history. Poverty-stricken tenants and their families were evicted from long-held land by landlords keen to make money by farming sheep on the land. Some of the most horrific clearances took place at Strathnaver in Sutherland in 1814, but they had begun some time before this, principally at Glengarry, near Knoydart and Fort William. Evicted families were often forced onto the coastline to fish or gather kelp. Some landlords, or
lairds, tried to keep tenants on their lands to enable military drafts and naval press gangs. Others encouraged or enforced emigration to Canada or America. Famine and cholera further decimated highland populations, and crofting was encouraged as an alternative method of farming. Protests against the clearances and the conditions of the crofters broke out in Skye in the 1880s and led to greater awareness i
From the Northern Times, 25, 50 and 100 years ago By Caroline McMorran Published: 19:00, 09 January 2021
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From the newspaper of January 12, 1996
Two young Sutherland entrepreneurs were recently successful in their bids to the Prince s Scottish Youth Business Trust for financial assistance to set up their own businesses. Carl Healey, Culag Square, Lochinver, received grant and loan assistance from the Trust to purchase a 25ft fishing boat to operate a static gear fishing enterprise dealing mainly in the catch of lobsters and prawns.
And Anne Irving, Macdonald Place, Rogart, also received loan assistance from the Trust to fit out her purpose built, uni-sex hairdressing salon located at the Highfield Residential Home in Dornoch.
Looking Back â news from the Groat of yesteryear By Contributor Published: 12:23, 20 December 2020
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Wick voters back prohibition
There was a decisive victory for the temperance campaign in Wick.
While the remainder of the county had voted against going dry , the town opted for the prohibition of alcohol with 1438 voting for no-licence as opposed to 851 for no-change and 29 for limitation.
In all there were 29 licensed premises in the town â six hotels, 11 licensed grocers and 12 public houses â and as from the following May all their licences would be cancelled without the right of appeal, with the hotels the only places that could possibly sell limited alcohol at the discretion of the licensing court.
Inside the exclusive Highlands members’ club where billionaires go to get away from it all
If 2020 taught us one thing, it s that a remote retreat is practically priceless - and if it s a lavish Scottish castle, even better
Skibo Castle, home to The Carnegie Club
Credit: The Carnegie Club - Chris Close
It’s late afternoon on a blustery Halloween in the Highlands, and I’m enjoying the soporific crackle of an open fire, about to tuck into a second round of cucumber finger sandwiches. A family sweeps in bubbling with nervous excitement, having been chased by witches and ghouls on the dusk ‘ghost walk’ taking place in the castle grounds outside.