Islay hotelier and choir supporter Grahame Allison, of the island’s Port Charlotte Hotel, is holding a dinner on Saturday 21 August to raise funds for the Islay Junior Gaelic Choir to take part in this year’s Mod in October. The Mod is Scotland’s annual festival of Gaelic culture with international groups and individuals competing for medals in musical and literary categories. This year’s event is being held in Caithness in the far north of Scotland. At the dinner there will also be an auction of older and rarer bottles of whisky from the island’s distilleries. This will be run by Andy Bell, whisky specialist at McTear’s Auctioneers and Scotland’s leading whisky auction house.

Price of the 3 course dinner is £75 per person, excluding wine but it does include a tasting of some rare whiskies afterwards. These include the Laphroaig Cairdeas, bottled especially for the 2008 whisky festival and a rare Port Ellen with a Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain both over 30 years old to be confirmed. A great way to spend part of a weekend or longer stay on Islay and help the island’s young people in the Choir achieve their ambition to compete. It promises to be an exciting menu created by head chef Ranga. The hotel still has some rooms left for that period but there is other good accommodation nearby. You can either contact the hotel on ++ 44 (0) 1496 850360 or on info@portcharlottehotel.co.uk. Alternatively, for help with transport and accommodation contact Caroline Dewar of Whisky with Confidence on info@whisky-tours.com. The restaurant holds only 40 people so don’t delay. For those who cannot come to Islay but would like to make a donation to help the Choir, please contact the hotel on isabelle@portcharlottehotel.co.uk for information on how to donate funds before 21 August. Every little helps and is much appreciated.

Tag: choir dinner whisky charity