Scotland is a land of food and drink. Especially drink. Here is the latest Scottish drinks news round-up.

Uwa Tequila is a new Scottish tequila brand which aims to launch in August.

If, like us, you figured that Scotland has yet to start farming the agave plants necessary for tequila, you would be right.

What Uwa have done is to take Mexican tequila and age it in Speyside whisky barrels with 100% Blue Weber Agave.

The company will offer three triple-distilled tequilas: a platinum blanco, a reposado and a top of the range añejo tequila.

All of the triple-distilled range are designed for sipping. However, Uwa also plan to introduce a range of refined ‘shooting’ tequilas.

More info as we get it.

Scottish drink news: Edinburgh

In Edinburgh, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is launching a new range of non-whisky bottlings.

Called Single Cask Spirits, the range will go on sale in August. Single cask rum, gin and cognac will be available in the first batch.

While single cask whisky remains the Society’s core focus, the new Single Cask Spirits sub brand will shine a spotlight on the other single cask spirits the Society bottles.

The first batch includes a 25-year-old over proof rum from Trinidad; a 50% proof gin from Glasgow and an XO cognac.

Later in the year, bourbons and rye and grain whiskies will also be added to the range.

Helen Stewart, Senior Brand Manager at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society said: ‘While single cask whisky will always be our absolute focus and priority, we have released many bottles of other spirits in the last nineteen years as we like to explore the unique flavours and characteristics that single casks produce.’

If you decide to sample the new bottles at the SMWS on Queen Street, we recommend that you book into the Society’s excellent Dining Room.

In some ways, it flies under the radar in Edinburgh’s fiercely competitive fine dining scene. However, many would say that it is up there with some of the more starry restaurants.

Scottish drinks news: Glasgow

On the other side of the M8, The Glasgow Distillery Company has won five medals at a leading industry competition against 150 of the world’s finest gins.

The annual Global Spirit Masters Awards presented The Glasgow Distillery with two highly coveted ‘Master of Gin’ awards for their Makar Glasgow Gin and limited edition Cask Aged Makar Oaked expressions.

The Makar gin portfolio also took home two golds and a silver medal in an impressive five medal haul for the award-winning craft distillery.

Sixteen gin experts sampled 150 gins and awarded marks for appearance, nose, taste, and overall balance.