12/05/2026
🤌🏽 thanks to the Advertiser for their support
🥃https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/26098849.clackmannanshire-whisky-festival-2026-celebrates-fifth-event/
A little extra detail from our chat today!
Seeing Clackmannanshire’s Whisky Festival celebrate its 5th birthday this year was genuinely quite emotional for us. What started as a passion project and essentially a hobby between Graham and I has now grown into something bringing hundreds of people into the area from across Scotland and beyond. To see over 520 people through the doors of Alloa Town Hall this year was incredibly special.
We welcomed around 30 exhibitors from across the whisky industry, with hundreds of whiskies being poured throughout the day — everything from household names to independent bottlers and newer distilleries. What really makes Clackmannanshire unique though is the atmosphere. It never feels corporate or untouchable. It feels personal, local and welcoming.
One of the most nicest moments of the day was seeing special drams from lost or ‘ghost’ distilleries being shared with local people whose grandparents had actually worked in those distilleries decades ago these were shared by our exhibitors who, through attending our event now know the importance of a gesture like that. There was a real sense of heritage and connection in the room. Whisky in Clackmannanshire isn’t just a drink — it’s tied deeply into the area’s identity and industrial history.
We had visitors travelling from Newcastle, Hull, Germany, Spain and even Colorado. This couple were visiting Edinburgh from the US, happened to see the festival was on, and literally jumped on a train to attend. In full honesty, that’s not something communities like ours are always accustomed to hearing — and it’s incredibly special to realise people are actively travelling to the Wee County specifically for something we’ve created. That was always the goal.
What’s really important to us is ensuring the festival benefits local people and local businesses wherever possible. We work with local musicians, staff, suppliers and contractors. This year we had fantastic live music from Miller & O'Neill which brought a brilliant atmosphere across both sessions. Its always great seeing folk have a dance after a couple of drams.
Clacks has become the foundation for everything we’re now building. The success and support we’ve had here has allowed us to expand not only into Edinburgh at Murrayfield Stadium in october but now to Dundee with our inaugural festival there this June. The fact two major city events have stemmed from something built in Alloa is honestly something we’re very proud of.... and thats coming from a born and bred Edinburgh girl.
I think what makes Clacks different is that there’s still a real authenticity here. People aren’t coming just to drink whisky — they’re coming for conversation, stories, music, heritage and community. The amount of local faces who live 5 minslutes from one another but now plan to reconnect each year specifically at the festival is brilliant.
We’re growing year on year, but we never want to lose the heart of what made the event successful in the first place —
Clackmannanshire and Graham Lindsay dream of celebrating his home towns rich whisky heritage and the people behind it.
More than 520 whisky lovers attended!🥃
