The Bothwell shop where Andy once worked, Kenny knows his stuff, and a certain phrase was first uttered.
If you've ever stood in a shop genuinely unsure what to pick, and had the person behind the counter actually help you, rather than gesture vaguely at a shelf, you'll know how rare that is. Canapé Wines, right here in Bothwell, is that kind of place.
Ask Kenny
Kenny runs the shop and is, without exaggeration, one of the most knowledgeable and genuinely helpful people you'll encounter in the trade. He's the sort of person who'll ask you a couple of questions about what you're looking for and come back with something you hadn't considered that turns out to be exactly right. That kind of service is increasingly hard to find.
What's on the shelves
Inside you'll find a serious wine selection, with fine wines from all over the world and the kind of range that rewards a good browse. Alongside it there's an extensive whisky section that'll keep any enthusiast busy. Then there's the champagne, the world beers, the spirits, and tucked in among it all, a little chocolate.
And if you time your visit right (something we'd highly recommend), you might be lucky enough to get your hands on a box of the legendary Buckfast truffles. Yes, Buckfast. Yes, truffles. Trust us on this one.
Why it matters to us
It's probably worth mentioning that Canapé Wines and Whisky Blender go back a while. It's where Andy used to work, and where, as it happens, a certain phrase was first uttered that would eventually become the name of our most-loved blend. But that's another story. It was also the first shop ever to stock our first bottle of whisky.
Your own label, by hand
Canapé was also where you could walk in off the street and make a bottle of Scotch your own. Customers picked up a bottle with a blank label and filled it out themselves, by hand: a name, a date, a message, a terrible pun. Whatever the occasion called for.
That's the whole idea behind Whisky Blender, really: whisky that's personal, and isn't precious about it. Plenty of shops will stock a bottle; far fewer will give up part of their window to let customers write on one. Kenny was a great partner, and someone who gets what we're about.
Go and see them
Go visit. Tell Kenny we sent you. You'll find them on Facebook and Instagram for what's landed in the shop lately.
And if you fancy making a bottle of your own while you're at it, blend one in the Lab: five casks, your name on the label, bottled here in Scotland. It's the same idea as that bottle in Kenny's window, just with a bit more choice about what goes inside.