Have you seen our whisky tasting experiences page? https://reel-time.co.uk/whisky/

A whisky tasting experience is a delightful and educational journey into the world of whisky. It’s an opportunity for enthusiasts and newcomers alike to explore the diverse flavours and aromas that different whiskies have to offer. Here’s how a typical whisky tasting experience might unfold:

1. Selection of Whiskies: A variety of whiskies from different regions and distilleries are usually offered for tasting. These could include single malts, blended whiskies, and sometimes even rare or limited editions. We usually base our Reel Time tastings around Malt whisky, and occasionally cask-strength malt whisky.
2. Glassware: Whisky is typically served in tulip-shaped glasses, known as Glencairn glasses, which help concentrate the aromas and allow you to fully appreciate the whisky’s nuances. Reel Time has a stock of 1800 Glencairn crystal glasses, so we can bring your whisky tasting, however big or small, to life.
3. Visual Examination: Before tasting, you’ll often be encouraged to examine the whisky’s appearance. You can observe its colour and clarity, which can offer clues about its age and cask type. Our Master tasters are on hand to guide you through the whisky tasting process.
4. Aromas: Swirling the whisky in the glass releases its aromas. Take your time to inhale the scents gently. You might detect notes of fruits, spices, vanilla, peat smoke, or other characteristics, depending on the whisky’s production process and maturation.
5. Tasting: Sip the whisky slowly and savour the flavours on your palate. Let it coat your mouth to fully appreciate its complexity. Notice the taste on the front, middle, and back of your tongue.
6. Flavour Profile: Whiskies can have a wide range of flavours, from sweet and fruity to smoky and peaty. A skilled whisky taster can identify multiple flavour components within a single dram.
7. Finish: Pay attention to the finish or aftertaste. Some whiskies have a long, lingering finish, while others might be short and crisp.
8. Water and Food: Water can be used to dilute the whisky slightly, which can sometimes bring out different flavours. Some people prefer to drink it neat, while others prefer a drop or two of water. Additionally, some tastings may include food pairings that complement the whiskies. Reel Time has recently done matched tastings to courses of dinner, and alongside cheese or Scottish chocolate Tastings.
9. Guidance from an Expert: A knowledgeable host or whisky expert often guides the tasting, providing information about each whisky’s origin, production process, and unique qualities. The backbone of our tastings are our skilful Whisky master tasters. They have been selected from various parts of the whisky industry, whether working with Whisky brands, starting their own unique Whisky bottling company, or working with some of the whisky elite bars of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
10. Personal Preferences: Whisky tasting is subjective, and everyone’s palate is different. As you explore different whiskies, you'll discover your personal preferences and develop a deeper understanding of the complexities of this beloved spirit.

Whether you attend a whisky-tasting event at a conference, a corporate event or as part of a wedding celebration, the experience is sure to enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of whisky. Remember to drink responsibly and savour each moment of this flavourful journey.

For more information on our whisky-tasting experiences, drop us some more details of what you are looking for on a contact form. It is useful to know where the tasting will be hosted, how many guests you think will attend, and a rough budget you are looking to spend on the whisky experience.

Our contact form can be found; https://reel-time.co.uk/contact/

In recent years, with the uprising of the Scottish Gin industry, we have also been offering a Scottish Gin experience for guests, based on the popularity of our Whisky experience. This can be done as a neat spirit tasting, or sometimes we also do perfect Scottish Gin serves with tonic, garnish, bitters and some ‘ added extras’. Have a look at our Gin tasting page for more information on this; https://reel-time.co.uk/gin/

The post Whisky Tasting Experiences appeared first on Reel Time Events.

Introducing the new look ReelTimeBand.com.  Featuring some of the best scottish bands for corporate and conference events.  The site showcases everything from bagpipe rock to ceilidh and pop.

Following plenty of hard work behind the scenes, we would like to introduce you to the bands new look:  Click here to be taken straight to the website.

The new website is easy to navigate and has some great video and audio samples.  There are different pages for each of the four Reel Time bands:  the Reel Time Ceilidh Band, Reel Time Folk Band, Scraggly Cats and Tartanium.  Whether you are looking for entertainment for a wedding or a corporate event, the new website will help you to choose the band that will suit your occasion perfectly.

The post New Scottish Entertainment Website Launched appeared first on Reel Time Events.

At the cutting edge of the Scottish events and entertainment scene, Reel Time Events provides contemporary and innovative Scottish events and memorable entertainment.  The office team comprises 6 of the finest entertainers in their fields.  The team is young and vibrant, helping to bring some fresh and exciting entertainment solutions for events.

Roddy Deans – Company Director, haggis stabber and bagpipe master.

Roddy has been entertaining audiences in Scotland and across the world for over 20 years.  Whether with the Reel Time Band, as a lone piper or compering an event, with Roddy on the job you are guaranteed a memorable Scottish experience.

Claire Weir – Wedding Coordinator, seamstress and gift bag stuffer.

Claire is our resident wedding coordinator, who will make sure that your wedding  goes to plan and is a fantastic experience for you and your guests.  With years of experience Claire works closely with all of our wedding couples to deliver the perfect day for everyone. Claires passion and enthusiasm for wedding planning is limitless, so much so she still has enough energy to produce our beautiful luxury giftbags, and as the only lady in the office keep all the boys in line.

David Fletcher – Conference Coordinator and fine whisky nose.

Dave is our conference planner and resident whisky expert.  Having worked as event planner at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, his knowledge and passion for whisky is incredible.  Along with planning and coordinating our conferences he often heads out to educate the masses on whisky tastings with his big fine nose.

Chris Findlay – Corporate event planner and highland dancer.

Chris is our corporate events planner and dancer extraordinaire.  With his 15 years of dancing experience working with Roddy we thought its about time he took it easy so we have given him a desk job!  He knows what makes the difference between a good performance and a truly memorable one, and is a great man to have planning and coordinating your event.  We do roll him out for the occasional dancing job too, just so he doesn’t get too comfy behind his desk.

Mooj – Kilt fitter and highland games heavy.

Mooj is our resident kilt expert and has several years of experience working within the kilt hire industry.  He is most likely to be found demonstrating to the uninitiated how to correctly wear a kilt, and convincing them how liberating a breeze between the knees really is!   His orange sporran (don’t ask!)  is often spotted on highland games events and artisan workshops, injecting some extra Scottish fun to proceedings.

Mark Gilligan – The Beardy Barman.

Mark is the man for all things alcoholic – as part of our team he is the one who looks after the bar and protects the whisky from Dave! An incredibly talented barman and cocktail maker he can create anything from classic cocktails to bespoke creations for your event, and he can even teach you the skills you need to create your own through his amazing masterclasses.

Everyone in Reel Time Events would like to say a big thank you to David Ho Photography for coming to the office and taking these great photos.  His relaxed and easy going style instantly put everyone at ease and got fantastic shots of the team together and individually.  Roddy and David have known each other for 15 years and been at several of the same weddings together, with David documenting many couples big day.  Now David is moving into a new area and taking fantastic images perfect for professional and social media profiles.  Check out a selection of his images here.

The post Meet the Reel Time Events Team appeared first on Reel Time Events.

Common with destination couples looking to give their guests an introduction to Scotland’s favourite tipple; we can offer guests three or four single malt whisky’s from all over Scotland. Tastings can be personalised if desired and all levels of expertise can be catered for. Whisky cocktails can be offered as a supplement for ladies if required and all whisky, crystal glassware and expert tasters are included.

A popular option during the drinks reception is falconry. Our falconer can treat guests to full bird displays as well as handling to allow for some bespoke photos. With everything from falcons and eagles to everyone’s favourite barn owl it is impossible not to get excited over these birds of prey.

Another highly desired piece of entertainment to provide some discussion over dinner would be a magician. Not one for a balloon animal our award winning magician can amaze you and your guests with pick pocketing, sleight of hand magic and of course dazzling card tricks. Often a slow burner but as soon as word spreads there is a magician the whole room becomes captivated and discussions about how it was done can lead to great debates during the wedding breakfast.

As you transition from day to evening you will need something to ensure the dancefloor is full all night. With a rocking, contemporary twist on ceilidh the Reel Time Band are here to help. With the option of a four or five piece band their expert caller can have guests dancing along to the Gay Gordon’s in no time. An excellent choice as an ice breaker for guests. If required we can also filter some disco classics throughout via iPod to give those feet a rest.

Or perhaps you fancy a surprise treat for your bride or groom as well as guests then why not consider a Beat the Retreat. This spectacular offering from one of Scotland’s leading pipe bands will leave you and your guests feeling seriously patriotic. The bands performance will last roughly fifteen minutes with some of everyone’s favourite tunes being played. Before the band march themselves out the Pipe Major will offer his final salute to the bride and groom.

Why end the celebrations after the big day itself? Get guests together the following day to relive the best moments and take part in some traditional Highland Games activities to finish everything on a high. Our enthusiastic events team are on hand to deliver some of the most authentic Scottish activities which can include caber tossing, hammer throwing, archery, welly wanging and even a bag pipe masterclass. We can supply the prizes and ensure that winners are treated to a champion’s reception.

Lastly, nobody wants their guests to go thirsty on their big day, does your venue not have a drinks licence? Then why not let Reel Time Bars supply you with everything you may need, with a great selection of beers, wines and spirits it can be as simple as you like. If required we can take care of the champagne reception and even offer some bride and groom themed cocktails.

For further inspiration and information please contact our wedding coordinator Claire at 0131 346 8393 or weddings@reel-time.co.uk

Photo Credits: Claire Weir, Jonathon Fowler, Bluesky and Roddy Deans.

The post Reel Time Events – The One Stop Wedding Shop appeared first on Reel Time Events.

What an event we had on Saturday at Dalhousie Castle hotel.  Reel Time Events were asked to deliver some memorable Scottish highland games activities the day before an Australian wedding.

We were graced with one of Scotland’s most perfect summer days for the event, so things started well!

We ran 6 highland games team building activities for the group, with the wedding party being split up into teams to allow them to compete for the chieftains’ prize.

The activities were; Whisky cocktail making, wellie wanging, highland dancing, caber tossing, hammer throwing and a bagpipe master class.

Guests enjoyed learning new Scottish skills, interacting with the wedding couples friends from all around the globe, at the same time as trying to trying to win the chieftains highland games prize.

After the games:

The guests enjoyed Dalhousies BBQ, courtesy of the head chef.  A delicious range of BBQ treats.

Our work was not quite complete, as the client wanted a big surprise in the middle of this.  Enter the Clann.  Our ferocious warriors, who appeared from the bushes and staged a battle demonstration at close quarters with the guests. This concluded in a few guests trying their hand at Scottish  basket sword fighting.

What a start to an international Scottish wedding.

All the best to Jill and Eddy, the happy couple.

Thanks also to LITU, their wedding planners for the event. Who kept all the details secret from their guests and helped us coordinate a perfect Scottish team building event.

If you would like to organise a Scottish teambuilding exercise or highland games activity, then get in touch with the Reel Time Team.

Here is a photo of a hammer thrower from the event:

Hammer Thrower at the Highland Games

And here is an aspiring bagpipe player:

A young piper in the making!

The post Highland Games Scottish Team Building Activities appeared first on Reel Time Events.

Wedding Evening Entertainment Explained. With so many wedding couples looking to book their perfect wedding, we thought it was time for a blog post to give them some advice on what they can hope for:

For most wedding couples, the choice comes down to whether you want a band or a DJ.  This is a personal preference, depending what sort of music you and your guests will enjoy, and the atmosphere you want to create on your special day.

Wedding DJ’s:  DJ’s can play anything.  If the music has been recorded, then they can play it at your wedding.  Experienced Wedding DJ’s know what sort of music works for different groups of people, to give a variety of music to suit all the ages.  We would suggest that you let the DJ know as much as possible about your guests, any ‘Big’ tunes you want played, First dance (my advice:  pick a first dance 1 month minimum before your big day, then you can practise what you are going to do.  This helps with your confidence once you have 200 eyes on you!).

If you have a large contingent of foreign guests, then let the DJ know.  They can have on hand a few of the top hits from their country to make them feel at home.

Make sure that the DJ and sound system are suited for your wedding venue and number of guests.  As a rough guide 1000W sound system will be great for 100-150 guests.  Also make sure that the DJ provides disco lighting effects.

For more info, please check our Wedding DJ page.

IPOD discos: IPOD discos allow couples to bring along their own IPOD (or laptop etc) and play the tunes that they want to hear during their disco segment.  This allows music  fans to have complete control over the music.  Usually run by bands, to compliment their music but sometimes as standalone systems.  It also saves some budget as a DJ is not required. Our IPOD discos come with disco lighting effects to transform your venue.

Do remember to make up a playlist for the timings that it will run on the night.  This is important to think of the flow of the evening.  First dance, What are your last 5 tracks of the night?  What will you play during the buffet?  Remember that these tunes are to appeal to everyone, so maybe YOUR top 30 tunes may not be the best 30 tunes for your wedding day!  (maybe 25 of them are!!)  why not test drive the playlist at a hen party?

Wedding Bands: There are so many wedding bands to choose from.  One word of advice, do your research, listen on line, once you hear a band that you both like then book them.  Good bands get booked early.  Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest days of the week for wedding bands!  (if you have a midweek wedding then you may be able to negotiate a bit of a discount.!)

Time wise, bands generally play 8-12 with breaks.  This is a big part, time wise, of your overall wedding experience, so bear this in mind.  You want to entertain your guests and give them a lasting memory of the fun they had at your wedding.  Don’t scrimp your budget on entertainment if you are having lavish flower displays and beautiful cuisine!

Do remember to offer the band some food, a bacon sandwich from the buffet, or a meal if they have been in early to set up or playing early in the day.  This is not required, but is a nice gesture, and generally means you get 120% from the band members.  Most bands are on site for 6 hours(4 hours playtimes and 2 hours set up/derig), which along with some travel time is pretty much a working day!

In Scotland, many weddings like to enjoy some ceilidh dancing as their evening entertainment. The ceilidh music generally acts as a great social lubricant, and will get your guests partying with each other.

Ceilidh bands: 

Traditional ceilidh bands;  exactly what it says on the tin.  Imagine Jimmy Shand and his band,  Great traditional Scottish music.  Usually ceilidh band instruments can include accordions, fiddle, keys and drums (snare high hat).  Make sure the band that you get has a dance caller to explain the steps of the dances.

We work with  a selection of traditional bands, young and old who can give guests a great night of ceilidh dance.

Funky ceilidh bands:  this is Scottish music to ceilidh dance to, with a modern funky twist.  If you want to dance, but you think the traditional music may turn some guests off, then check out this option.

I would say that the Reel Time Ceilidh band is the best funky ceilidh band around at the moment (ill hold my hands up, I may be a bit biased, as I also play with them!…. decide for yourself, check their video here) Bands have fiddlers, electric guitar, keys, bagpipes and a full kit of drums.

Have a listen to Funky Scottish Music or Contemporary Ceilidh Music.

Popular music: If you don’t want to ceilidh dance, but want Popular music for the evening entertainment of your wedding, then a function band is what you are looking for.  Ask to see their sample set list so you can get an idea of their style.

Make sure that the band has a good singer and are good all round musicians.  This is crucial when booking a band, also make sure that there are not several different bands under the same name.  The band you hear or see on the demo, should be who is at your wedding. please note that some function bands also play ceilidh music.

The band you book should be able to read the crowd and play music suitable for the age range and give a party atmosphere. By booking a professional band you will get exactly what you require for your perfect wedding.

Ceilidh and function bands: If you want a mixture of both styles of music for your evening entertainment, then this can work well.

Make sure you ask your band what they can do.  What kind of songs they can perform (Is it pop, or Scottish songs!)

Generally there are two ways to do this: either a function band who can also play ceilidh music or a ceilidh band that can also play popular music

Which way to go?  Depends what you want more of… Ceilidh or pop? Ceilidh band with a singer can do a great 70% ceilidh 30% pop split, a function band would do a great 30% ceilidh 70% pop split.

At Reel Time Events, we offer four great bands for evening wedding entertainment in Scotland.

Traditional Ceilidh Band

The Reel Time Ceilidh Band:  Funky ceilidh band, established 5 years playing 200 events a year

The Scraggly Cats:  Funky Ceilidh band with pop singer  

The One Night Wonders:  Edinburgh’s finest function band (we heard the rest and booked the best)

We hope this article has been helpful, for more info check our wedding day time events.

Send us your wedding date and what you are looking for, and we will send you a tailored quote for your wedding entertainment.   No obligation of course!

We look forward to helping you plan your special wedding evening entertainment. 

The post Wedding evening entertainment: DJ, Ceilidh Band, Function Band appeared first on Reel Time Events.

The band is looking to give guests a unique contemporary funky twist on Scottish ceilidh music.  We have found that guests enjoy dancing to our style which may inject a disco riff, or a funk hook along with our Scottish sound.

To hear these eagerly awaited samples, have a listen on the site http://bit.ly/nkFxMA

If you want the band to come and play at your wedding, please have a look at their page: http://bit.ly/oKsgFS

If you have a corporate event, gala dinner, are looking for some music for your advert, or international tour,  then have a wee look at this http://bit.ly/tzpDc9

If you like the samples, why not sign up to be our Facebook friend? Hit the LIKE button

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Reel-Time-Ceilidh-Band/289599262241

If you really like the samples, then why not preorder your copy of the new album!!

The post Reel Time Ceilidh Band: New samples appeared first on Reel Time Events.

Had a great job yesterday piping Elizabeth Hurley in for one of her 4 international appearances to help with Breast Cancer Awareness.   She signed special Estee Lauder products which were helping raise money for the charity.  Later that day her and new fiancée Shane Warne switched on the Pink Floodights, to light up the Edinburgh skyline.

House of Fraser did a great job of hosting the Breast Cancer awareness Public appearance; at Jenners in Edinburgh.

Howie @ 21 Century Kilts designed me a wonderful pink Harris Tweed kilt.  With some chunky boots, grey shirt and pink tie. One of his Tailors had also rustled me up a wonderful pink and black bagpipe cover, which was the icing on the cake!  The Kilt has been signed by Elizabeth  (not many men these days can say that Elizabeth Hurley has been up their kilts!) and will be auctioned off for the charity over the coming weeks.

Have a look at the Roddy piping for Elizabeth Hurley video

Congratulations to Elizabeth Hurley and Shane Warne. Who just last weekend announced their engagement. Elizabeth was sporting a gorgeous sapphire and diamond engagement ring.  If they are needing a bagpiper for their special wedding day, then I hope she remembers Roddy the pink piper!

The post Bagpipes, Pink Kilts, Elizabeth Hurley and Breast Cancer Awareness appeared first on Reel Time Events.

When you have a wedding party ranging from Geordies to Canadians and the wedding weekend is based in Scotland there is only one thing to do…….cocktails and highland games! We arrived at a rather wet Harburn House on a Friday afternoon with cabers, ponchos, cocktail shakers and a haggis, not a usual Friday but a fun filled day was ahead. We set up a mobile barin one of the houses many grand rooms and prepared to start one of our signature cocktail masterclasses for 20 eager ladies. We taught the ladies how to make a range of classic cocktails, spoke in depth about the classics and most importantly ………drank the classics. As the ladies were giving their best Tom Cruise impression the men participated in a highland games led by our in house “heavy”. They were taught how to toss a caber, throw a hammer and most importantly how to throw a haggis at a whisky bottle! A fun filled day was certainly had.

There were some smartly dressed men and some elegantly dressed ladies when we hosted a cocktail party in the West of Glasgow for a birthday bash. We set up a bar and sold a wide variety of cocktails from sidecars to martinis! We even launched our new and exclusive Scottish Malt Whisky Society malt of the month which went down incredibly well with the gentlemen. A good night was had by the guests and by the staff, everyone leaving with a smile on their face!

Well, a busy July is over which brought many different events in lots of different venues. We look ahead now to August which brings with it the Edinburgh International Festival, late nights and a lot more weddings!

It’s all said and done, it’s reel, and it’s been fun!

The post A busy July for Reel Time Bars appeared first on Reel Time Events.

Has been a couple of busy months for Edinburgh’s most Funky ceilidh band.  Performing gigs from Dundas and Edinburgh castle, George hotel to Borthwick Castle… the list goes on! For more information about the bands recent gigs, travels and gossip, check our ceilidh band facebook page

The Reel Time Ceilidh Band play from a 3 piece (for small venues), 4 piece for a rocking ceilidh or 5/6 piece with ceilidh and Popular song covers.

The band has an excellent ceilidh dance caller, who will talk the guests through all the steps before they dance them.

If you would like to see some more of the Reel Time Ceilidh Band, then check out their ceilidh video from last year, this has just reached the 6000 mark on our You Tube counter.

The ceilidh band are available to come and play at your event. Entertaining wedding guests, corporate parties, tour groups and students with their brand of Funky Scottish music.

The band also provide disco options, if you are looking for a complete entertainment package for your wedding reception or corporate event.  Will from the band commented:  ‘the disco gives the guests a change in tempo and entertainment, making for a great event.’

Over the past few years, the band has invested in some pretty cool kit, a 1000W Sound system, band sound to light uplighters, defraction laser and various other pieces of kit which make your venue come alive in the evening.  This also helps get guests in the right mood for ceilidh dancing.

To book the reel time ceilidh band for your special event, then please drop us a ceilidh band enquiry form.

The band is based in Edinburgh, but travel to:  Glasgow, the Borders, Stirling, Pitlochry, St Andrews, to provide Scottish ceilidh music for discerning clients. The band are also available to travel anywhere in the world for major events, product lunches or scottish cultural performances.  Last month we were in London, showcasing what Scotland has to offer for an event with Visit Scotland.  Roddy from the band is just back from Athens for a Scottish wedding, and warm ups have started for Germany next month.

The post Reel Time Ceilidh Band: Summer Bonanza appeared first on Reel Time Events.