A big thank you to all our members who joined us on November 30th to help celebrate Scotland’s national day St. Andrew’s Day at our Long Lunch event. It was truly wonderful to bring together again, our longstanding members and welcome new ones, marking an exciting growth for the SASM clan!

With a turnout of over 70 attendees, the event featured a delectable menu showcasing the finest produce from Scotland. During the lunch, Max Allen, the AFR wine columnist, skillfully guided us through a variety of beverages with Scottish origins, shedding light on the talented winemakers, brewers, and distillers behind them.

We explored the rich history of Yering Station in the Yarra Valley, where the Ryrie brothers, Scottish-born pioneers, planted the first vines in 1838. All Saints Prosecco, crafted by All Saints winery in Rutherglen, was founded by Scots from Caithness in 1864, with its winery building drawing inspiration from the Castle of Mey in its architectural design.

In a delightful surprise, we learned that even iconic brands like VB and Boags had Scottish roots. VB, founded by Thomas Aitken in 1858, and James Boag from Paisley, who began brewing beer in Launceston in 1881, added an extra layer of Scottish influence to our beverage selection.

A long-term goal of the society is to extend business connections and growth across the globe in particular with Scotland. This is being made more achievable thanks to Scottish Development International representative April Kelly and British Consulate General for Victoria, Steph Lysaght, for attending the event and sharing with us insights into how Australia is helping to promote Scotland’s growth and exciting and truly innovative business sectors. It was also great to see some familiar members of the GlobalScot network showing their support.