‘Uniting the clans’ was the theme when bartenders from around the world descended on Winton Castle in East Lothian last month to compete in the inaugural Panda Highland Games.
The event, organised by Panda & Sons owner Iain McPherson and his team, was the culmination of a four-day gathering that had welcomed bartenders from as far afield as Argentina, Mexico, Singapore and Ghana.
With support from drinks companies including Diageo, Bacardi, Beam-Suntory, Schweppes and Remy Cointreau, the visiting bartenders had hosted a succession of takeovers at Panda & Sons, before swapping shakers for cabers on the final day.
In addition to competing in the Highland Games, the visiting bartenders also learned about the history of tartan and kilt-making as well as Scotland’s national drink.
Iain told SLTN that the idea for the Highland Games came from various trips overseas, when he has taken part in bar takeovers in other countries.
“Sometimes you do a guest shift and people are like ‘what was that country like?’ And you have no idea. You’re just there for one night,” he explained.
“And I’ve been to other countries where they really go into the culture. It seems cheesy to you, being your own country, but you have to look at from the (visitor’s) perspective.
“I loved all the trips where I learned about the country.
“So I thought, Scotland’s got such a rich history: Scotch, tartan, some very iconic things that people have heard of, but maybe just don’t really understand.
“I wanted to do something that was informative, but not boring. That’s a hard balance to find.”
And the plan is to go even bigger with the Panda Highland Games next year.
Iain said: “I have a vision of what I want the Highland Games to get to, so I think next year there will be more of a festival environment. So still Highland Games, but the bars are all there. Or do it somewhere like The Caves. Have a bigger party and then the next day have the Highland Games. Something like that.”
