Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Official Report 711KB pdf

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World Whisky Day 2015

The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-12302, in the name of Kevin Stewart, on world whisky day 2015. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament notes that the 4th World Whisky Day will take place on 16 May 2015; understands that this global celebration of whisky last year saw 250,000 people attend whisky-themed events in over 40 countries; notes that the event is now managed by the Edinburgh-based Hot Rum Cow Publishing, supported by the founder of World Whisky Day, Blair Bowman; considers that World Whisky Day provides an amazing opportunity to highlight and promote Scotland’s national drink, and raises a dram to the event’s continued success.

17:03  

World whisky day took place on Saturday, with events going on across the globe. I first lodged a motion on world whisky day in 2012, when Aberdeen-based student Blair Bowman founded world whisky day. World whisky day is now being managed by Hot Rum Cow, and last year 40 countries participated with whisky-themed events involving 250,000 people.

This year, over 178 events have been organised in 48 countries around the world. For the first time ever, there was an event on every continent—a world whisky day first. There were events at sea and in distilleries, bars and homes from Bali to Colombia and from South Korea to Nigeria. The most isolated event was in the sub-Antarctic Tasmanian territory of Macquarie Island, which is 1,000 miles south-west of Tasmania and 2,300 miles north of Antarctica. The winter population of the island is only 13, but they celebrated in style at their Macca Mash Tun event.

In Scotland, around 300 hardy whisky fans sought to enjoy a tasting 2,000 feet up on Aonach Mòr, and Haig Club ambassador David Beckham took to US television’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to answer three ridiculous questions for world whisky day; I understand that his ugly selfie went viral. The #worldwhiskyday hashtag was used almost 8,000 times on the day, which resulted in it having an estimated reach of 11,305,843 hits, and it trended in New Orleans for 13 hours.

Many folk in the Parliament took to Twitter and Facebook to promote world whisky day. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment, Richard Lochhead, took to Twitter to advertise Speyside and the quality whiskies that it produces, as did his Westminster parliamentary colleague Angus Robertson.

Charities also got in on the act, and they were sometimes a bit cheeky. The testicular cancer awareness charity Cahonas Scotland tweeted:

“Enjoy the whisky, but don’t forget the ‘rocks’!

#TesticularCancerAwareness #TartanChecks”.

Other organisations used world whisky day to promote their whisky heritage. The provost of Aberdeenshire launched foreign language translations of the brochure “Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire”.

This year is Scotland’s year of food and drink, which is a Scottish Government initiative led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, and May is, of course, whisky month. Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland’s chief executive, said:

“Whisky is one of Scotland’s most valuable commodities, with visitors from across the globe coming to our shores to experience an authentic Scottish dram. World Whisky Day is a fantastic initiative and a chance for novices and enthusiasts everywhere to raise a glass to Scotland’s national drink.

Widening the appeal of whisky is important if we want to encourage more visitors to come to Scotland, particularly during the Year of Food and Drink 2015. Events are a key part of that and I hope this year’s Whisky Month celebrations, of which World Whisky Day is a key part, inspire Scots and visitors to Scotland to come and discover more about one of our most famous exports.”

Kathryn Mutch of Scotland Food & Drink said:

“Scotland Food & Drink is delighted to have supported World Whisky Day since its inception and it is fantastic that it is continuing to grow year on year. Scotland is blessed with a world-class natural larder and World Whisky Day provides the perfect platform to showcase our Land of Food and Drink throughout the world. With 2015 being Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink and May being Whisky Month, what better way to celebrate than with a dram!”

Members will notice that a theme is developing here.

The founder of world whisky day, Blair Bowman, said:

“World Whisky Day just keeps getting bigger and better. To see it grow from a simple idea to something which has spread across all seven continents and is bringing together thousands of people to celebrate whisky is such a thrill ... We’re going to have to work hard to top this next year—now space is the final frontier for World Whisky Day!”

In terms of space drama, the advocacy of whisky by Scotty from “Star Trek” could be said to have already gone where no dram has gone before.

The First Minister also took to Twitter. She said:

“Great to see an iconic Scottish product bringing so many people around the world together!”

It seems that world whisky day brightened up the lives of many, and let me cheer up those who may be feeling a little bit down after all the amazing events by reminding them of the old proverb, “Today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky.”

Slàinte mhath, Presiding Officer.

17:09  

I start by apologising that I will not be able to stay for the whole debate, because I have another engagement.

I thank Kevin Stewart for bringing this motion to Parliament, and I extend my congratulations to all those who have contributed to making world whisky day 2015 a success.

I welcome the opportunity to speak about whisky. Not only is it our national drink; it is a significant driver of Scotland’s economy. With regard to both aspects, world whisky day represents a great opportunity. It allows Scotland, as well as whisky lovers all over the world, to celebrate whisky by promoting the product on a global scale.

This year more than 170 events in celebration of world whisky day were registered in many different countries. That shows that, rather than being exclusive, whisky is a drink to be shared among friends. In that spirit, I believe that whisky reflects the welcoming nature and hospitality for which we Scots are renowned.

Without any doubt, whisky is one of the country’s most iconic industries. Distilling has a long history in our country, which also favoured the development of many regional characteristics. I dare say that, back in the day, whisky was also a sign of Scotland’s sometimes rebellious character.

What characterises our whisky industry today is the fact that much of the tradition has been preserved. It is of course true that many distilleries are owned by bigger companies. Nonetheless, Scotch whisky is renowned for its diversity, taste and flavour, due to the fact that ingredients are sourced from different locations.

World whisky day allows us to celebrate all types of whisky, whether a Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Campbeltown or Islay whisky—not to forget the blended and blended malt whiskies. The art of blended whisky is still very much a traditional practice that is carefully passed on from one generation to another. One of my constituents in Kirkcaldy, Ian Norval, has followed the family tradition and continues to blend his own whisky, “Norval’s Sensible.”

Another issue that I want to mention today, which I am particularly delighted about, is the way that our whisky industry combines its historic roots with the newest technologies. That not only leads to high quality but contributes to a more sustainable product.

In 2009, the Scotch Whisky Association published its first environmental strategy, which sets out the specific targets to increase the use of non-fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, the aim is to make the industry more energy efficient. The Scotch Whisky Association will publish a performance report later this year. I look forward to hearing about the achievements, and I believe that other industries can learn from the whisky industry’s lessons in moving towards environmentally friendly practices.

I have already mentioned the economic weight of the whisky industry. Ninety per cent of whisky is exported to more than 200 countries; thus, whisky exports contribute £3.95 billion to our economy. The past decade has seen a surge in exports, accounting for an increase of 74 per cent. Despite exports declining in 2014, the whisky export market is still expanding. With emerging markets gaining greater interest, the industry is challenged to evolve constantly, while maintaining its good reputation. However, I am confident that companies are well equipped to face these hurdles and that sales will continue to grow.

Today many distilleries welcome visitors to observe and learn more about how whisky is produced. Whisky tourism is an additional economic benefit that strengthens Scotland’s tourism sector as a whole. It also allows producers to display their rich histories and offer tasting sessions by attracting new customers.

While talking about whisky, we should not forget that the industry also supports over 40,000 jobs in the United Kingdom. Those people’s hard work, dedication and determination to achieve high quality has been integral to the success story of whisky. Thus, I take the opportunity to thank all involved as well as to wish them all the best for future endeavours.

This year’s world whisky day has met all expectations in celebrating our national drink. It offered many distilleries the chance to promote their products abroad, while reminding us to cherish whisky’s long-standing tradition and economic importance.

I am positive that Scotch whisky will continue to thrive here in Scotland and around the world. We might call it the water of life; however, I remind each and every one of us to enjoy whisky responsibly.

17:14  

This is a really appropriate debate and I thank Kevin Stewart for bringing it to the chamber, because it enables us to celebrate one of Scotland’s greatest products and to focus on our economy, our tourism industry and, crucially, our culture.

I first heard at first hand about the debate on Facebook. I have repeatedly been invited to world whisky day events over the past couple of years. That is a really good example of the point that Kevin Stewart made about the huge impact that world whisky day has had on Facebook and in social media generally. I wonder whether that is because Blair Bowman started the initiative while he was studying at university—access to the media for students today is totally different from what it was for those of us who studied some time ago.

The number of people who now celebrate the initiative is fantastic. The global reach of more than 50 million people on social media is just incredible for the industry and is absolutely worth celebrating. It is about making whisky inclusive and enjoyable, and trying to move away from whisky being something that only a few people drink—something that is seen as a bit more exclusive or niche.

Although I did not attend the event, I understand that the Angels Share in Edinburgh had a fantastic celebration on Saturday—I see at least one of my colleagues nodding. Whisky is hugely important to us in Edinburgh as part of our economy and tourism offer. The North British Distillery Company, which is based in Gorgie in Edinburgh, was founded 130 years ago. When it was founded in Wheatfield, it was on the edge of the city—it was a pig farm at the time—and it is an indication of how Edinburgh has grown that it is now part of the inner city.

The site was perfectly suited to the business: it was beside the Union canal, so there was access to water; it was close to the railway for distribution; and it was close to the then main sewer of the city for the disposal of effluent. Neighbouring dairy farmers provided a ready outlet for the disposal of draff and dreg residue. Those of us who were in the chamber last week know that that is a perfect early example of the circular economy in Scotland.

The North British Distillery Company is a hugely important business in the area. It has changed over time and has been developed. It is striking that, in its first 108 years, it was a co-operative arrangement: the distillery was financed by the trade so that distillers could get spirit that was of a consistently high quality at a price that they could control to use in the whisky industry.

The company is still one of the largest Scotch grain whisky producers in Scotland, and although it does not market its own brand, the whisky spirit that it produces is used in a number of popular, well-known brands, such as the Famous Grouse, Johnnie Walker Black Label and Cutty Sark.

It is great for us in Edinburgh to be able to celebrate whisky, because it is still being produced in the city. However, in this year of Scottish food and drink, it is important that we celebrate its role in our tourism industry as well. Although we do not have a branded whisky in Edinburgh, we benefit from the cultural associations with our national drink. The city is home not only to two of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s three members rooms—there is one in Leith, one in the city and one in London—but to the Scotch Whisky Experience tour, which takes visitors through a replica distillery to learn how Scotland’s national drink is made.

Personally, I will always remember world whisky day. It will always be memorable to me because of my birthday, so I will always celebrate it.

I am glad that Kevin Stewart asked us to widen whisky’s appeal. It is also appropriate that it was suggested that we should drink whisky not only in moderation but sensibly. I will add my suggestion for how we can widen its appeal.

I do not drink whisky straight. My personal preference is to add it to cranachan, which is one of my favourite puddings. Members who are pudding aficionados will know that whisky can be added to many Scottish puddings. That is one of the ways in which we can expand its attraction and appeal. In the year of Scottish food and drink, we should think laterally about how we can promote all the different brands of whisky that we have in Scotland and about how can we drink it differently.

I add my congratulations to those who initiated world whisky day. I celebrate the fact that so many jobs in Scotland are associated with whisky and that it is worth £5 billion to our economy every year—£3.3 billion directly and £1.8 billion invested across our domestic supply chain. It is hugely important and, on its own, accounts for—it is a staggering figure—a quarter of the United Kingdom’s food and drink exports.

We should celebrate whisky. It is part of our culture, our tourism offer and our economy. It is part of who we are. Let us make sure that we celebrate it responsibly and enjoy it.

17:19  

I have had whisky poured over a haggis at a Burns supper, but I have never tried it in a pudding. There we go.

I congratulate Kevin Stewart. We do not often agree, but I whole-heartedly agree with him today, and I commend him for securing this debate to acknowledge the fourth world whisky day, which allows people around the globe to raise a glass to this incredible Scottish product.

I acknowledge the points that David Torrance made, particularly on the whisky industry’s environmental credentials. The industry may be an old one, but it is very modern in addressing environmental issues. I also note Sarah Boyack’s comments about exports and about the visitor experience, which in the Highlands is highly professional and second to none.

I am the co-convener, with Gordon MacDonald, of the Parliament’s cross-party group on Scotch whisky. As an MSP for the Highlands and Islands, whisky is never far from my radar. For example, Moray is—as the cabinet secretary will know—the constituency with the most distilleries in Scotland, and hosts the famous malt whisky trail. As for the islands, I am particularly fond of Islay, which produces whiskies such as Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain, and of Orkney, which produces Highland Park. The rest of the region hosts countless maltings and distilleries, as well as the farms that supply some of the finest grain to provide that special Scotch flavour.

All whiskies in Scotland are similar, yet they are all totally different. Every time we visit a distillery, we find that the stills are a different shape. There are different techniques in every distillery, and I give all credit to them for what they do.

The whisky industry is a success not just for the Highlands but for Scotland. The Scotch Whisky Association certainly welcomed the 2 per cent reduction in duty that George Osborne announced earlier this year.

I will focus on some of the new distilleries that have opened or are being planned. Many of them are small craft distilleries that—at least initially—will not produce a massive volume of whisky but will provide a different style of whisky for a niche market. At its next meeting, the cross-party group is holding a tasting of whiskies from the new craft distilleries, and I hope that some of my colleagues in the chamber today will come along.

The growth in new distilleries is phenomenal. The £2 billion of investment spent last year and proposed for this year represents the biggest growth in the industry since the 1970s. The new developments include the Saxa Vord distillery on the isle of Unst in Shetland; the Islands of Uist Whisky Company in Benbecula; a new distillery in Tarbert on Harris; and the Adelphi distillery in Ardnamurchan. We may sit here in Edinburgh and say, “Well, there are only 15 people working there,” but 15 people working in a remote and rural area means 15 families with security of employment and income for a long time. There is also a new distillery at Ballindalloch. Along with Highland colleagues—and Mr Lochhead too, I presume—I will be attending the opening of Dalmunach distillery at Carron near Aberlour next month, so there is yet another new one.

In all those examples, and many more that are venturing into the craft distillery side, companies have seen potential in their products. They have also been able to overcome what could be a daunting challenge. A large amount of capital is required to build a new distillery and, as it takes a minimum of three years for the product to mature, it can sometimes take years after the initial outlay to get a return on the investment. That is why support from the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise is so important.

We have a great deal to be proud of. I am looking at the time, but I want to raise just one more point. The Scotch Whisky Association often reminds us at meetings of the cross-party group that what protects Scotch whisky that is made in Scotland is an act of Parliament that was passed at Westminster. The act means that Scotch cannot be produced in Japan, Australia, America or anywhere else. It was the equivalent of a member’s bill here, and the person who introduced it—to whom we should all be grateful, given the huge increase in the volume of whisky exports and whisky consumption—was the Tories’ own Bill Walker.

17:24  

I join other members in congratulating Kevin Stewart on bringing the debate to the chamber. I mean no disrespect to him or to our internationally renowned whisky industry but, at present, following momentous events in Orkney last Saturday, 16 May stands out for me as the day that Sanday finally defeated reigning champions St Ola in the Orkney parish cup.

That victory, like any good single malt, has taken time to achieve, but it was well worth the wait. I am reliably informed that members of the Sanday squad who are hardier than me marked the happy coincidence of our victory being on world whisky day with the odd dram or two.

I am delighted to take part in the debate, which is timely and welcome, as Sarah Boyack said. As everybody has acknowledged, this is a genuinely world-class industry with a global reach that is almost unsurpassed by any other sector of the Scottish—or indeed the UK—economy.

As Sarah Boyack indicated, the numbers are staggering. The industry makes a £5 billion contribution to the UK economy overall, with £4.3 billion in net exports, and directly and indirectly supports well over 40,000 jobs.

Like other members, I see the impact locally in my constituency. Perhaps Highland Park is the more familiar distillery, and demand for Highland Park whisky has certainly grown significantly domestically and internationally over recent years.

It has been particularly intriguing to see the impact on the wider tourism sector. There are tourists who come solely or mainly because of the presence of Highland Park and the other distilleries or because they see it as part of an attractive tourism offering. Edrington and Highland Park are to be commended for their investment in the visitor centre and their support for that tourism traffic.

I certainly do not want to overlook Scapa’s contribution. It is a very different and much smaller distillery that produces craft artisanal whisky. I had the privilege of getting a tour of the distillery a few years back and I am delighted that, with the support of Chivas, Scapa distillery is now opening its doors to the wider public after about 130 years. Commenting on that other momentous event in the Orkney calendar, Brian MacAulay, the distilling manager at Scapa, said:

“I have personally taken pleasure in removing our ‘No Visitors’ sign and I know I speak on behalf of the team here in saying that we can’t wait to see the Scapa Distillery form an interesting, educative and welcoming part of the Orkney community.”

That illustrates how Highland Park and Scapa are a key component—and see themselves as such—of the overall tourism offering in Orkney, as well as an integral part of the high-quality, world-class food and drink sector. In many respects, Orkney is therefore a microcosm of what is happening more generally in Scotland.

As well as acknowledging the individual companies in the sector, I think that a special mention is due to the Scotch Whisky Association for its work. It promotes the industry exceptionally well at home and abroad and takes up a wide range of interests on the industry’s behalf.

David Torrance and Mary Scanlon were right to draw attention to the sector’s environmental record. David Torrance was also right to highlight the responsible drinking message that is reinforced time and again—I say that as the honorary patron of the Orkney Alcohol Counselling & Advice Service.

The promotional work is not done just by the SWA. I also acknowledge the voluntary commitment of global Scots around the world such as Eric Huang, chair of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Taiwan, whom I met at the end of last year. He can take some personal credit for the remarkable growth in whisky exports to that market.

It is absolutely right that we have the debate. We can look forward with a degree of optimism. I congratulate Kevin Stewart and Blair Bowman and I wish Highland Park, Scapa and all those working in and alongside the sector well in the years ahead.

Last in the open debate—although I am sure not least—is Stewart Stevenson.

17:29  

Thank you very much, Presiding Officer; I will try not to let you down.

I am pleased in particular that world whisky day is now anchored in the calendar for years ahead as the third Saturday in May. That will be a huge disappointment for Sarah Boyack, because it will not be on her birthday until 2020. The rest of us, however, will celebrate the day every year—on 21 May next year, then on 20 May and so on and so forth.

The day will come two Saturdays after the next Scottish parliamentary election, when there will be those of us who are celebrating a release from this place and those of us who are celebrating our reappointment to this place. Some might be celebrating their departure with less than a glad spirit, but we will all have an excuse to taste one of Scotland’s finest materials.

Mary Scanlon talked about Bill Walker’s act of Parliament. That is trivial by comparison with the Immature Spirits (Restriction) Act 1915, which my father’s cousin James Stevenson took through the Westminster Parliament. That act is responsible for whisky under three years old not being permitted to be sold, which has created the quality that we depend on in the industry today.

Like others, I congratulate Kevin Stewart on securing the debate. It is timely, appropriate and interesting, and I will go away having learned something.

Mary Scanlon spoke about the distilleries on Islay. I am a private pilot and one of the things about flying to Islay is that all the distilleries have their names painted in huge letters on their roofs. Air traffic control at the airport on Islay navigates aircraft to the airport by reference to the distilleries’ names, on the basis that pilots can look out of the window and see that they are at the right one. That helps many people who have to be stone cold sober in what they do.

Kevin Stewart mentioned Antarctica but did not tell us the whole story. There were two events on Antarctica. One was at Davis station, which is one of the few places in the world without a postcode. On 16 May, between 7 o’clock and 10 o’clock, the expedition team celebrated world whisky day by hosting a whisky appreciation evening, when it sampled a variety of whiskies from the personal collections of the wintering expedition team. At Mawson station, between 6 o’clock and 8 o’clock, there was a whisky tasting between each course of dinner.

Around the world, people have been celebrating, including people in Nairobi, Kenya, and people in Cambodia, in the warehouse in Siem Reap’s old market area. In Kiev—troubled as Ukraine currently is—people were able to make time in Sofiivs’ka Street for whisky tasting. In a traditional gentleman’s bar in my niece’s home town of Townsville in Queensland, there was a whisky menu from which one could select a wide range of whiskies.

I am surprised that an event in this city has not been mentioned. At the Coach House at Newliston, under the aegis of the Edinburgh School of Food & Wine, there was a gourmet cookery school for men—that particularly attracted my attention—where a one-day cookery course was followed by a tutored whisky tasting. I am sure that that would have been an excellent event. However, I particularly favoured a Glasgow event called “Spirit of Independence Tasting”. To be fair, that was not a political reference; it was about the independent distilleries that are not owned by the big boys. People there seem to have had a terrific time, if the adverts are anything to go by.

I am jealous of Mary Scanlon and even more jealous of my colleague to the west of me, Richard Lochhead, who will respond to the debate. I celebrated world whisky day on Saturday with a refreshing draught of anCnoc from the distillery at Knock. I welcome the constituency boundary changes in 2011 that gave me that distillery to add to the couple that I already had, but I am looking forward to making a takeover bid for Moray at the next election, because I want more of them. You cannae get enough.

17:34  

As the self-styled minister for whisky in the Scottish Government, it gives me great delight to close this debate. I congratulate Kevin Stewart on securing it. It is appropriate that he has done so, as he is a champion of the Scotch whisky sector and represents Aberdeen, where world whisky day was founded.

I have listened closely to many of the contributions and will do my best to respond to the themes that were raised in the debate.

I noted what Mary Scanlon said about pouring a bottle of whisky over a haggis. I was once asked to pour a good-quality bottle of Glenfarclas into the River Spey to open the fishing season, which was a privilege but also quite painful. I know that, given the number of times that we are asked to donate Scotch whisky to raffles and auctions, we have all invested in the future of this magnificent sector.

For the record, I poured a little glass of whisky over the haggis, not the bottle. I think it is quite important to state that, in the interests of my credibility.

I am sure that it was still a fine-tasting haggis, with the added benefit of the whisky.

It is quite amazing that we are here discussing world whisky day in Parliament, given that it was only back in 2012 that Blair Bowman founded the event. That shows how the celebration has gone from strength to strength.

Scotch whisky is an important product. It is amazing that a product that is made from only three key ingredients—barley, water and yeast—can have such a profound impact on many lives in this country and on our economy. Not only that, but as we have heard today, it is enjoyed by millions of people across the planet.

The fourth magical ingredient of Scotch whisky is people, because much of its creation is a result of the passion, the craftsmanship and the devotion of our citizens who work in the industry. It is important to recognise the role that many people have played over the past couple of centuries in building up an enormous asset that is now celebrated around the world. As Kevin Stewart said, last Saturday, on world whisky day itself, for the first time ever, events were taking place on every continent.

As many members have said, the industry supports many jobs—some 40,000—directly and indirectly across these islands, with every job in the Scotch whisky industry supporting just under three more jobs in the broader economy.

The industry is going from strength to strength. In recent years, we have all been fascinated by how many new distilleries have opened in Scotland and by how many more are under construction or are planned for the future. It is an amazingly booming sector. Exports alone have increased more than 50 per cent since 2007.

In the past few weeks, I had the benefit of visiting Kingsbarns distillery in Fife, and Ballindalloch single-estate distillery, which was opened a couple of weeks ago in Speyside, in my constituency. We know that many more have opened in the past couple of years and that many more are due to open. Some of those have been supported by the food grant scheme that the Scottish Government runs, the new version of which is worth £70 million and was launched only this week. No doubt there will be a flurry of applications to that from new whisky distilleries across the country. That is a sign of the rude health of the industry.

I should also add that there are other spectacular projects in the pipeline. The new Macallan distillery in Speyside will be a world-beating facility as well as a major tourist attraction. It will indeed be an iconic distillery.

That reminds us of the tourism value of Scotch whisky. Many of the most popular visitor attractions in the country are connected to the whisky industry, including various locations on the Royal Mile, as well as those in our rural communities. That is important from the point of view of the employment value of the industry, especially with regard to our rural communities.

We should also bear in mind that the industry underpins primary production in this country, particularly with regard to our agriculture sector. The barley that is grown by our farmers is a key ingredient of Scotch whisky, and we are looking at how to improve the excellence of barley growing in this country, through research and development, in order to ensure that our quality whisky product can go from strength to strength.

This Thursday, I will have the benefit of visiting the Scotch Whisky Research Institute. I look forward to meeting the people who work there and to learning about the work that is always going on to improve the excellence of Scotch whisky.

Scotch whisky also depends on Scotland’s pristine environment, and the success of the sector reminds us that we have to look after our environment and ensure that our good-quality water and the natural environment that we enjoy always underpin our key economic sectors.

The success of the Scotch whisky industry is a magnificent story, and world whisky day is all about telling it. As we have heard, world whisky day falls in the middle of whisky month, which is part of the year of food and drink 2015.

In telling the story, we have seen more than 11 million hits on Twitter. Can we use social media to the utmost, on world whisky day and every day of the year, to promote whisky, to promote Scotland and to ensure that we have a vibrant economy based on the back of that quality product?

Social media give us a fantastic opportunity to promote Scotch whisky: Kevin Stewart makes a good point. We should certainly continue to investigate how we can make the most of that. If there are new ideas that can be used this year, the year of food and drink, we will certainly support them.

Another way in which we have helped to promote Scotch whisky is through the many events throughout the country that are sponsored by EventScotland and supported by VisitScotland as part of the year of food and drink. The spirit of Speyside whisky festival was supported by those bodies, and it in turn sponsored a further 400 events across Speyside. The Mhor festival at Balquhidder takes place this weekend. It is a family event celebrating local produce and Scotch whisky. The Islay festival of music and malt is a nine-day festival, now in its 31st year, and it sponsors many different events across that spectacular island. There is also create:eat:whisky, which marries food and whisky and is described as a “multi-sensory whisky adventure”, and which is also sponsored. Some of those events are taking place this month, in whisky month, and others take place throughout the year. There are, of course, many events taking place in the Royal Mile here in Edinburgh.

A lot of those events have been celebrating the long-standing success of Scotch whisky in this country and many are taking advantage of the publicity that is generated by world whisky day. That is why we cannot do enough to praise both Blair Bowman, who founded world whisky day, and those who are now taking it forward. Blair Bowman is even having his own event in Aberdeen called whisky dinner and drams, which is taking place at the Tipping House on 27 May—so, there is a plug for his event, which I hope will be a great success. I hope that Blair Bowman is proud of the progress that world whisky day has made since 2012. He is still involved, as Kevin Stewart said, although the brand has now been taken over by Hot Rum Cow publishing, which continues to work with him.

I hope that we will have many more debates in this chamber to celebrate the success of Scotch whisky, its economic and cultural value, and the fun and enjoyment that it brings to our lives here in Scotland and around the world. I congratulate all members on their contributions, and Kevin Stewart on securing this evening’s debate. I wish everyone a belated happy world whisky day, having done so on Twitter on Saturday. I think that it is now time to retire to the bar and allow Kevin Stewart to buy us all a dram to celebrate his motion.

Meeting closed at 17:43.