The owners of a Highland hotel are hoping to take a slice of the Japanese market home after hosting a whisky bar at a prestigious trade show there next month.
Colin and Ros Thompson, along with son Philip, who have run Dornoch Castle Hotel since 2000, will fly to Osaka to set up the bar in a luxury lifestyle shop known as the “Harrods of Japan.”
The event is part of the prestigious Hankyu British Fair which is held inside the flagship Hankyu department store, renowned as one of the best in the world.
Every year since 1970 it showcases about 20 British businesses to Japanese consumers with demonstrations, sampling of food and drink, craft events and talk shows.
Philip Thompson was selected to run the pop-up bar following an interview and will travel to Japan on September 30 to run it for four days before being joined by his parents, who will run the whisky shop.
Mr Thompson said: “This trade show is a once in a lifetime opportunity, to promote the hotel, to promote the Highlands, as well as showcase Scotch whisky, which is such a prized product in the Far East.”
“We very much look forward to engaging with new customers and discussing the subtleties of Scotland’s finest export to enthusiast and novices alike. As a result of the trip, we expect to see growth in the number of Japanese tourists visiting Dornoch Castle Hotel and the surrounding area.
“We have been told to expect crowds with around 100,000 visitors expected to attend. It looks like I really will need my parent’s assistance in making the whisky bar run like clockwork, so I really appreciate them coming out to help me.”
Dornoch Castle Hotel is surrounded by a plethora of leading whisky distilleries including Balblair, Glenmorangie and Dalmore.
It is currently the Whiskybase.com number one International Whisky Hotel in the world and holds the Scottish Licence Trade News Whisky Bar of the Year title.
Plans have also been lodged by Philip and his brother Simon, to create a micro distillery beside the hotel producing whisky, gin and vodka, which is due to open next year.
The brothers have conducted exclusive whisky events and tastings for hundreds of enthusiasts, connoisseurs and novices in the past few years in the likes of Beijing, Shanghai, Holland and Belgium.
Simon Thompson will be unable to go to Japan as he is due to become a father at the time of the trip.