The Makar's Malt: Jackie Kay marks the end of her tenure as Scotland's national poet with a commemorative whisky

Two of Scotland’s oldest crafts, poetry and whisky making, have combined to create the commemorative Makar’s Malt for International Women’s Day.

The limited edition single cask single malt marks the end of celebrated poet Jackie Kay’s tenure as Scotland’s Makar.

Isle of Raasay Distillery in the Inner Hebrides was selected by the Makar to create and bottle the special edition, which will feature Kay’s poem Here’s Ta Ye! on the label.

For every bottle sold, 10% will be donated to Glasgow Women’s Library, a charity chosen by the Makar.

Kay said: “I am so delighted to raise a glass of my very own malt to all the women that have made my life possible on March the 8th, International Women’s Day. It is a dream dram come true for me, making some kind of alchemy. Poetry and whisky.”

Karen Betts, Chief Executive of the SWA said: “We’ve been delighted to work with Jackie on the Makar’s Malt, which is a fabulous celebration of poetry and whisky – both of which are central to Scotland’s identity, and to its past, present and future.

“In what has been a difficult twelve months for so many people, as well as for distillers, this is good news to enjoy. I hope it will inspire people to visit our Hebridean distilleries, of which the Isle of Raasay distillery is one, when they are able to once the pandemic has eased. They will not be disappointed – by the whisky, poetry nor the views!

“It’s also a pleasure to see this first Makar’s Malt released on International Women’s Day – a day on which we are celebrating the progress our industry is making to promote equality, diversity and inclusion, and to remind people everywhere that whisky is for everyone, whether you want to come and work with us or to simply enjoy a dram.”

Alasdair Day, co-founder of Isle of Raasay Distillery said: “It is particularly poignant that we are celebrating Jackie Kay’s outstanding tenure as Scots Makar on International Women’s Day with a single cask bottling from the Isle of Raasay, birthplace of the late Gaelic poet, Sorley MacLean.

“The Isle of Raasay Distillery are very proud to be the first distillery chosen to work with The Scots Makar on this historic single cask release – a fruity, lightly peated dram that has been matured in one of our signature first fill Bordeaux red wine casks.”