T H E
40 ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE STAGE RIGHT
As the Lyceum hits 50 and artistic director Mark Thomson moves on, Edinburgh’s swish theatre celebrated with a season that did justice to a modern classic in Waiting for Godot while still showcasing adventurous new work such as Tipping the Velvet. (GKV)
39 HUDSON MOHAWKE HEIR APPARENT
Carrying a certain weight of expectation thanks to his Kanye-producing activities and the success of TNGHT, Glasgow’s Ross Birchard lived up to it with Lantern. His second album built upon his unique fusion of rave and hip hop with new textures, particularly from guest vocalists such as Antony Hegarty. (DP)
38 FRANKIE BOYLE STAND-OUT COMEDIAN
In the past, Boyle made headlines for taking shots at largely undeserving targets. But the comedian has recently found a political second wind with his powerful (and hilarious) Guardian column. He’s also back on the road touring, with an extraordinary polemical show. (MR)
37 CANONGATE BOOKED UP
Another strong year for the Edinburgh publishers, as Jamie Byng’s 21st year in charge was marked by Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s Guantánamo Diary being longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize and Catherine Chanter’s The Well receiving widespread acclaim. Russell Brand, Terry Gilliam and James Rhodes all appeared on the Canongate roster. (BD)
36 MOGWAI
WHAT SUP? 5 drinks that aren’t gin or coffee
POTATO VODKA
Rather like the proverbial bus, two potato vodkas – Ogilvy and Arbikie – have arrived at roughly the same time. Hailing from fertile Angus, both are family operations whose use of the
humble crop has elevated the spud into premium product echelons. This year Ogilvy’s vodka won the overall Vodka Trophy at the prestigious International
Spirit and Wine Competition.
DARK MATTER RUM
Hopes of an all-Scottish spirit lineup
could be in sight as whisky, gin and vodka were joined this year by
Scotland’s i rst rum. The country’s only dedicated rum distillery in Banchory is currently producing a spiced dark rum (a white version is also in the pipeline) using sugarcane molasses, with hits of ginger, allspice and green peppercorns.
WALTER GREGOR’S TONIC WATER
With all that gin swilling around the
country, there was a gap in the market for a local mixer until Aberdeenshire’s canny Summerhouse Drinks introduced their own tonic water this year. The
drink is named after a Victorian BIRTHDAY BOYS
minister who resided in the Manse where the company is based.
Celebrating 20 years of sonic drama, Moggers put on two very special nights at Barrowland featuring cameo appearances from the likes
TEA
Tea drinkers should raise a cuppa to Scotland’s recent success in producing
tea. Fife-based Wee Tea Company’s
smoked white variety won the
prestigious Salon du Thé Gold Award this year. Also hitting the PekoeTea shops in Edinburgh is Susie Walker-
Munro’s Kinettles Gold, a single estate brew grown on her farm in Angus.
SODA
While Irn-Bru still rules the roost, more artisanal, hand-crafty i zz producers have been popping up of late, most notably in the capital. There you’ll i nd global fusion l avours courtesy of Kitsch, enticing offerings such as sea buckthorn from Timberyard’s Cry Baby Soda poperation or all-natural
fruity concoctions from Granton-based Roots Soda. (Jay Thundercliffe)
SUPPORTED BY
36 THE LIST 5 Nov 2015–4 Feb 2016
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of Aidan Moffat and Luke Sutherland. They popped up at the end of the year with more evocative business for season two of Les Revenants. (BD)
35 TOMMY GORMLEY STAR WARD
There can’t be many better jobs in the i lm business than being JJ Abrams’ right-hand man, and this is the reality for Glaswegian Tommy Gormley when he wakes up every
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