WHISKY drinkers are making the beverage one of the town's top tipples.
As the world celebrates World Whisky Day today, John Gordon said it was increasingly becoming the drink of choice in Cheltenham.
His specialist bar, John Gordon's in Montpellier, stocks around 200 types of the liquor and will be the place to go for those who are looking for a tipple to mark the day.
The bar was set up by John six years ago and has seen a big surge in the sales of the drink.
"When we first started, people drank beers and wine, but it has really taken off in the last three or four years, along with gin," said John
"Its popularity has grown partly because of the marketing and because a younger generation have become attracted to it.
"The stereotype of just old farts like me drinking whisky has gone and a lot more bars are stocking bourbons and enticing people in.
"We often see women in here drinking whisky and some even have a cigar with it."
World Whisky Day is the brainchild of Blair Bowman, an Aberdeen-based Scotch whisky aficionado, who wanted to bring the drinking community together.
The 22-year-old, an Aberdeen University student, wanted to create a day of festivity to toast Scotland's national drink.
But John has found Scottish whisky is not the only option for those wanting a wee dram.
He stocks whiskies from Australian, India, Sweden and America and visitors flocked to his Whisky from around the world tasting last night.
He said: "Japanese whiskey has really taken off. Around five years ago we sold just one type of whisky from there and now we stock around 10 to 15.
"It has become very popular and I think it was people's initial curiosity that drew them to it.
"People in Cheltenham have become a lot more experimental and a bit more adventurous in what they want to try.
"But whisky has also adapted and there are lots of types out there now, which are much more palatable and gentle."
Throughout John's time, he has sold bourbon to people in Kentucky and whisky to the Scots, but his favourite snifter is an Ardbeg he described as having a strong and peaty flavour.
Although John has a lot of regulars, he said visitors to Cheltenham's festivals, along with the Dutch and Germans, were always curious to his drinks.
