Whisky Focus - Glengoyne Hosts Launch Of Eat Scottish Venison Day 2010

Yesterday I was invited along to the the launch of 'Eat Scottish Venison Day 2010' at the Glengoyne Distillery. What is 'Eat Scottish Venison Day' you may ask - well its focus is designed to prompt chefs, caterers and food service companies, retail buyers and the general public to think about Scottish venison, to encourage them to ask for it, and to visit the website www.scottish-venison.info

On arrival at the distillery I was hardly in the gate when I witnessed the delivery of the malted barley, like most other distilleries Glengoyne no longer has its own floor maltings and now buys in its barley for a number of reasons including the lack of space to produce the quantities of malted barley they require for production and buying the barley in from a malting specialist is more cost effective. I was told that they take approximately two of these truck loads of barley each week when in full production.

Anyway back to the launch, this year Glengoyne has teamed up with the Scottish Venison Working Group to help launch the Eat Scottish Venison Day 2010 an give it an extra push.

Attending the launch, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said:
"Scotland is a land rich in primary produce with a vibrant food and drink sector. Consumers associate Scottish produce with outstanding quality and taste, and they are becoming increasingly aware of what's available on their doorstep and the associated economic, health and environmental benefits."

"I am determined to enhance Scotland's reputation as a world leader for quality food and drink and Eat Scottish Venison Day will raise awareness of this iconic Scottish product. The Scottish deer management industry is important to our economy contributing about £105m each year and directly employing over 900 people. A significant proportion of venison is now produced to Scottish Quality Wild Venison (SQWV) standards and it is one of healthiest products on the market. Initiatives like this help demonstrate to consumers that venison is an easy to cook, versatile and succulent food."

"Our 'provenance on a plate' toolkit encourages restaurants, pubs and cafes to show origin information on menus. This means that whether eating out or doing the weekly shop, consumers have a greater opportunity to choose fresh, seasonal produce – such as Scottish venison. I am pleased that the Working Group has succeeded in bringing together Scotland’s main producers of wild and farmed venison in a joint campaign to market Scottish venison.";

Peter Russell, Chairman of Ian Macleod Distillers, hosts of the launch at their Glengoyne Distillery said:

"Glengoyne and Scottish venison is the perfect partnership both in terms of taste and as quality iconic Scottish products. We are proud to be working with the Scottish Venison Working Group, further enhancing Glengoyne’s Real Taste of Malt, Real Taste of Food credentials."

Richard Cooke, Vice Chairman, Scottish Venison Working Group, said:

"We are looking at a tremendous opportunity. Venison has some of the best qualities in terms of health and nutrition of any meat, and we have a market that literally cannot get enough, fuelled by continuous welcome mention on food and cookery programmes and by leading chefs. We also have a very strong local market being serviced through farmers’ markets, farm shops and local independent butchers. We need to capitalise on this, and one of the priorities of our Group now is to develop and bring forward ways where we can meet this demand and increase the value of this income stream to our rural economy. The potential is enormous."

Tom Lewis, chef and owner, Monachyle Mhor, Balquiddher, said:

"Chefs have always recognised Scottish venison as a great product - delicious, nutritious, easy to cook, and perfect for creativity. It’s a very versatile meat that lends to all types of cooking, from exotic celebration meals to simple fare. Not only our local distillery, Glengoyne’s unpeated, natural taste is the perfect ingredient and accompaniment to the recipes, bringing out the best qualities and flavours of the venison."

After the statements we enjoyed a gourmet venison sausage breakfast prepared for us by Tom Lewis of Monachyle Mhor Hotel. I can highly recommend Toms venison sausages made with cranberry and Glengoyne 17 year old single malt.

Following the venison breakfast I enjoyed a distillery tour lead by one of Glengoyne's very knowledgeable tour guides. It was good to tour the distillery while it was in production as previously I have only visited Glengoyne during its summer shut down period which meant the smells associated with production were missing although during shut you can get to stick your head into places which you wouldn't see when in production. As usual the tour was excellent and the tour add ons Glengoyne offers visitors are amongst the most extensive, educational and enjoyable you will find in Scotland.

It was a great day, with good food and excellent whisky the highlight (whisky wise) being the heavily sherried Glengoyne 2008 11 year old single cask bottling which seemed to go down very nicely after all the venison sausages I had consumed.
 

• Venison specials on the menu at Jamie Oliver’s new Glasgow restaurant
• Scottish venison at The Ivy Restaurant and Rivington Grill Shoreditch, London
• Venison cookery course at Monachyle Mhor hosted by Tom Lewis
• National Trust for Scotland serving venison at several of its properties
• Two UK national pub/restaurant groups featuring Scottish venison on their menus in over 600 outlets
• The Blackface Meat Company mailing venison recipes to all its ‘members’
• Great Glen Game launching new venison salamis and chorizos with a tasting in Edinburgh
• A new venison haggis burger launched by West Highland Hunting, Ardnamurchan
• Simple Simon’s Honey Venison Collops Pie on sale through regional Waitrose stores
• Highland Game venison featuring in Maxine Clark’s cookery demonstrations at the Dundee Food and Flower Festival
• Dean’s@Let’s Eat, Perth featuring a new venison dish as a special for 4 September.

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