A Trip to the Home of Haig Club & Meeting David Beckham

A couple of weeks ago I had the adventure of a lifetime visiting the Cambus Cooperage with a guided tour of the Diageo archives and facilities.

I've been a proud ambassador for Haig Club for a couple of years and was kindly invited on an influencer trip to Scotland to learn more about the brand and the people that make the magic happen. 

A quick introduction to Haig Club 

You may recognise the stunning blue square bottle propped on almost every barman's shelf in every pub, bar and restaurant you visit. You'll probably also be familiar with the partnership between the brand and David Beckham, who we met on the tour (I'll get to that special day later). 

Haig Club is the Single Grain Scotch Whisky from the House of Haig, crafted in Cameronbridge using a unique process that combines grain whisky from three cask types. It's incredibly smooth and has a unique blend of butterscotch and toffee notes, ideal for complementing cocktails or simply on the rocks.

I stayed at the Kimpton Blythswood hotel in Glasgow and you can find a full review plus photos on my blog. Glasgow has a gorgeous feel and atmosphere. The River Forth has a sprawling imperial rule over the city and there are plentiful walks by the riverbanks, a great way to start the mornings. 

The Glasgow Necropolis has a very eerie vibe, but it's so theatrical. Stirling castle is grandiose and is everything you can hope for. It's even more stunning in person. 

Our first night we were treated to some welcome drinks and I got to meet the other influencers from Haig Club’s biggest markets including Colombia, South Africa, France and the UK (John Robertson EveryDay Man and Lilah Parsons (Renowned DJ).

This is where I was also introduced to the H.O.T. Haig Club. Although that might be H.O.T. (Haig Club, fresh orange and tonic) it is incredibly refreshing and a perfect introduction.

The next day we were escorted to the Cambus Cooperage where the casks that hold Haig Club are crafted. The casks used to distil Haig Club whisky are bourbon barrels imported from America. Bourbon barrels can only be used once, Diageo buys them in pre-burnt which gives the liquid its flavour. They remake the casks to fit their purposes.

A gregarious gentleman called Murray gave us the guided tour. We were also treated to exclusive access to the Archives and the blending rooms where we were shown the evolution of Haig Club.

In the evening I proved myself to be quite the mixologist. We all ventured to a wonderfully upscale bar called The Gate which of course, serves Haig Club cocktails. Each of the influencers were separated into their respected country groups as we were asked to all come up with a signature cocktail. The winner would have their cocktail serenade the lips of all the distinguished guests at the Haig Club beach party the following night. 

It was my time to shine. I put together the cocktail that contained the following: 

1 x measure of Haig Club Clubman
2 X drops of chocolate bitters
Additional Christmas spiced syrup garnished with orange peel, ice and tonic. 

Of course it's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. Unless you win of course, then you're clearly meant for greater things. 

The next day, still fresh and feeling sufficiently smug after our victory, we took a seaplane over Loch Lomond. Anyone that tuned into my Instagram stories could see how beautiful those unspoiled vistas were. 

The evening beach party was also just the cherry on the cake. It was great conversing with David Beckham, he has a great hug on him. Murray was also on hand to provide the musical pulse of the evening with his bagpipe playing as we feasted on langoustines and beef steak by the camp fire.  

What an adventure and thank you so much to Haig Club for the kind invitation.