Rugby fans will be given a final opportunity to prove their British & Irish Lions expertise and win a free dram in the process at The Old School House in Glasgow this Thursday through Saturday.
It’s all part of Glasgow whisky company Whyte & Mackay’s campaign in support of the Lions’ 2017 tour of New Zealand, which concludes this Saturday morning at 8.30am UK time with the score of the three-match series between the Lions and the All Blacks precariously balanced at 1-1.
Whyte & Mackay have put on events at Belhaven pubs in the build up to each Test match, at The Merlin Roadhouse in Edinburgh last week, at The Old Schoolhouse a fortnight ago and returning to the Woodlands Road venue in Glasgow’s West End this week. Those that pop down will find ‘the world’s smallest rugby stadium’, where, if they venture inside, they can take on the Lion Detector, a light-hearted test to find out if you’re a true Lion or just Lyin’. All participants are given a free dram of Whyte & Mackay plus the chance to win an exclusive signed British & Irish Lions jersey.
The activities will run between 6pm and 9pm on Thursday, 4pm and 8pm on Friday, then 8am till midday on Saturday. Comic duo Link and Lorne, who featured on the BBC show Scot Squad, helped launch the Lion Detector and will be doing the honours again on Saturday morning, while actors and comedians will be present on Thursday and Friday.
A host of sporting celebrities have already took on the Lion Detector, including former rugby player Gordon Bulloch – who turned out for Scotland and the Lions – former judoka Gemma Gibbons – a silver medallist for Team GB at London 2012 – and recently retired swimmer Michael Jamieson, who also represented both Scotland and Great Britain.
The campaign has also featured a partnership with The Telegraph and on and off-trade activity including POS materials in more than 600 bars and pubs nationally, as well as a limited edition on-pack Lions glass in grocers.
Warren Gatland’s Lions side lost the first Test 30-15 in Auckland but won the second 24-21 in Wellington last weekend, putting them in with a chance of an historic series win, their first in New Zealand since 1971.
Belhaven, which now sits within the Greene King Locals estate, trades in 99 locations across Scotland. Whyte & Mackay was established in 1844 and is known for its smooth taste due to a triple distillation process.