Balcones | Fettercairn | Glenglassaugh | Label 5 | Teeling

Celebrating the whiskies of the world [Link]

21
WHISK

Jewel
TASTEIES
D

in the crown
Ardbeg distillery’s
Hebridean expansion

Diageo
special releases
Rare by nature

Roe & Co
Dublin’s new kid gets established

Marking a milestone
Whisky Magazine turns 21
 EDITOR’S WORD
ROB ALLANSON

THE BEST OF TIMES

Changing the guard with the new season

I
wish I’d put some money on it. it has been. I am fully expecting, as bottle until you were able to drink it.
You know that feeling when you’re some internet memes have suggested, Now that is a global community.
almost 100 per cent sure you’re that the Death Star is round the corner One thing I’d like to ask you to do
right? Well, I should have listened to in 2021, or at least a full-on earth next time you open a new bottle, is
it. No, I’m not talking about whether takeover by cats. They’re just waiting… a little online research into where it
there will be a second wave hitting the is one near you right now? Look at came from. Don’t get bogged down
UK before Christmas, although that ‹–ǡƒŽŽϐŽ—ˆˆ›ƒ† —–‡Ǥ”‘‰Ǩ –ǯ• in mashbills, fermentation times,
might be worth a punt – let’s face it, waiting to become your overlord. Let’s distillation cuts or wood policy, but
who would have thought that curfews face it, you’re already its household ‹•–‡ƒ†ϐ‹†‘—–™Š‘ƒ†‡‹–Ǥ‘—
would return to a British city? staff anyway. may have been to the distillery and
Instead I’m talking about that Who would have guessed this time met some of the staff, or know them
moment just after everyone has had last year that society would have personally. Fill your glass and give
their summer holidays (congratulations changed so much that, like me, you may thanks to those people, wherever they
if you managed something); the kids go are. As whisky lovers we’re part of this
great spirited circle, and sometimes we
back and then the grind starts again,
even in this new normal. What happens
The whisky world went need to slow down and remember that
at that exact moment? The UK gets home and online, with even with the big blends, these are not
some of its hottest weather for months. a few torch carriers just commodities, they are the lifeblood
Beautiful clear skies, the mercury of the communities they come from.
rising up into the late 20s (I know leading the charge • •ƒ‹†‡ƒ”Ž‹‡”ǡ‹–ǯ•–‹‡–‘”‡ϐŽ‡ –Ǥ
nothing compared to some places, but This will be my last missive to you,
that’s not bad for here) and you have not have seen family since Christmas? good readers out there, as from next
to start contemplating shorts in the The entirety of transport systems edition Whisky Magazine will be safely
‘ˆϐ‹ ‡ƒ‰ƒ‹Ǥ –Šƒ’’‡•™‹–Š‘—–ˆƒ‹ŽǤ have been reduced to light services in the capable hands of our man,
The return to work and school heralds and the hospitality and entertainment Christopher Coates.
a mini heat wave, making September industries are decimated. My time at the tiller of this wonderful
a lovely month. It looks like this is The whisky world went home •Š‹’Šƒ•„‡‡‹‡•‡ƒ†ϐ‹ŽŽ‡†™‹–Š
another part of this new normal that and online, with a few torch carriers joy, friendship, and experiences that
we have to get used to. leading the charge to continue the will never be forgotten.
It’s still not my favourite time of year. education, the contact and the fun. We have assembled a writing staff
Those of you that read the last edition I must admit, if this lockdown that is second to none, and I really
will know this is generally October for business has taught me anything, it’s mean that. They are a phenomenally
me, the herald of true autumn weather that the whisky world really is built talented bunch of folk, who will keep
and birthdays. I guess we have to on people. People you don’t even think you all entertained and informed in
get used to the fact that here, in the about when you open that bottle of equal doses.
northern hemisphere, September is Bourbon, Scotch, Irish, Australian, So if and when our paths cross again,
now going to be at least as warm Swedish, or Canadian. Everything from be it in the homelands of Scotland
as August. those huge supermarket blends to the or Ireland, beloved Kentucky, or in a
‡‹‰‹“—‹–‡–Š‡”‡ϐŽ‡ –‹˜‡‘‘† tiniest outrun of hand-bottled whisky distillery still room somewhere, say
as I write this, for reasons I will come represents people, a community, a hello and let’s share a dram. Take care
to, what a three-quarters of the year series of hands that looked after that folks, and keep safe.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 3

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32
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14
 28

36 ON TH
COVERE
PAGE 4
0

In this issue...
EVENTS & GUEST COLUMNS PRODUCTION FEATURES
07 Whisky Live 62 *
 RLQJZLWKWKHÁRZ 22 A taste of home
A round-up of events from around ,DQ:LVQLHZVNLÀQGVRXWKRZGLVWLOOHU\ Chris Middleton explores the
the whisky world architecture can affect output connection between whiskies and
09 Thoughts from: Becky Paskin their birthplaces
A welcome hometown discovery TASTE 28 The life of a legend
11 Thoughts from: Liza Weisstuch Gordon & MacPhail marks 125 years
48 Rare by Nature
A surprising shopping trip Mark Jennings gives his take on the 36 Whisky people
12 Thoughts from: Maggie Kimberl new Diageo Special Releases Meet the wildcard whisky maker
The enduring appeal of virtual events behind Dublin’s new distillery
64 Epicurean
13 Thoughts from: Chris Middleton Exploring the 2020 Buffalo Trace 46 Music and whisky
How the slave trade shaped American Antique Collection Jazz man Stan Getz and Oban
whiskey making 68 Tastings 52 The Cognac connection
Rob and Becky get their taste buds Christopher Coates explores the
around a new batch of whiskies )UHQFKKDOOPDUNVLQÁXHQFLQJZKLVN\
DISTILLERY FOCUS
58 Coming of age
14 A match made in heaven Celebrating 21 years of Whisky
NIGHTCAP
Jason Hambrey on Starward Distillery Magazine
32 The distilling experience, Dublin style 79 Puzzles
Gregg Dillon on visiting Roe & Co Dram time brain-teasers
40 A Hebridean tale 80 Travel Retail
Gavin D. Smith on Ardbeg’s expansion The life and global travels of a Scotch
whisky pioneer
 Sponsored by Glencairn Crystal

PLANNING AHEAD
From Tokyo to Buenos Aires, Pretoria to Sydney,
Whisky Live crosses continents
All our Whisky Live energy is focused on There may be pop-up Whisky Lives, At Home
looking to the future. We are setting 2021 events could national and international, and
†ƒ–‡•ˆ‘””‡ƒŽǮ‹˜‡ǯ‡˜‡–•ǡ™Š‹Ž‡”‡ϐ‹‹‰Š‘™ we may be able to provide tasters of other
Whisky Live ‘At Home’ is delivered to you great spirits. Our commitment is to provide
wherever you live. Who knows what 2021 will great choice and keep you informed.
bring, but we know that Whisky Live and Gin So we continue to thank our partners
Live will, by the unique nature of our ability to around the world, and urge you to get in
present spirits in miniature form, be possible touch with them direct to see what they plan
in some format. As we all know, the situation to offer and when. We will be able to bring
is evolving on a weekly, if not daily, basis and you the great spirits of the world together
we aim to be as responsive as possible. With under one roof soon – it just may be your
each country on a different timeline and with own roof. Wherever it is we thank all those
different rules and regulations, it’s best to who spread the message of great taste around
contact your nation’s organising team direct. the world for all their incredible work.

Whisky Live Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Whisky Live London

Perth, Sydney and Icons of Whisky Australia James Houlder ............................jamesh@[Link]
Ken Bromfield ...................................... ken.b@[Link] Whisky Live Manila
Doug Van Tienen ......................... doug@[Link] Johnssen Li .............................johnssen@[Link]
Whisky Live Athens, Thessaloniki Whisky Live Moscow
Teresa Konsola......................teresa@[Link] Daniil Vinner .........................................daniil@[Link]
Whisky Live Bangkok Whisky Live Paris
Louis Haseman ........................ louis@[Link] Nicolas LeBrun .............................. [Link]@[Link]
Whisky Live Beirut Whisky Live Singapore
Joumana Salame .......joumana@[Link] Sébastien Cady......................................[Link]@[Link]
Whisky Live Buenos Aires Whisky Live and Whisky Luxe Taipei
Daniel Rodin ................................... puracania@[Link] Eric Huang .......................................[Link]@[Link]
Whisky Live Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria Whisky Live Tel Aviv
Michelle Kirby ............................michelle@[Link] Tomer Goren .................................[Link]@[Link]
Whisky Live Changsha, Xiamen, Whisky Luxe Chengdu Whisky Live The Hague
and Icons of Whisky China Wouter Wapenaar......................... wouter@[Link]
Jazz Jia ................................... [Link]@[Link]
Whisky Live Warsaw
Whisky Live Chicago, New York Jaroslaw Buss .................................. jbuss@[Link]
Jamie Brodie............................... jamieb@[Link]
Icons of Whisky Japan, World Whiskies Awards and
Whiskey Live Dublin Gin Live Tokyo
Ally Alpine ...............................ally@[Link] Kimitaka Toyama ..............................toyama@[Link]
Whisky Live Hong Kong Icons of Whisky India
Eddie Chui ................................. eddie@[Link] Sandeep Arora .....................sandeep@[Link]
Whisky Live Jakarta
Andrew Soetiono ................... andrewsoetiono@[Link]

Find out more at [Link]

Issue 143 | Whisky Magazine 7

 THOUGHTS FROM
BECKY PASKIN

IT’S DIFFERENT NOW

Looking at the rise of the modern whisky bar

L
ike most of us, I didn’t grow up bit with the bingo hall, vape shops centred atop the well-stocked bar.
expecting to be a whisky drinker. and broken streetlights. But just as The discovery of a bar specialising
As a teenager living in sleepy we decided to turn back, something in my passion in the place I grew up is
Worthing on the south coast of England, caught my attention. It may have been wonderful (especially as it serves food
whisky wasn’t really in my vocabulary. the warm inviting glow from inside, from the excellent Pizzaface next door),
The late 1990s was a time for spiced or the unmistakable scent of angel’s but most exciting is that the modern
rum and coke, and Jose Cuervo shots share, but there, at the dodgy end of whisky bar concept appears to be
with the gurn-inducing salt and lime Montague Street, was a home from catching on outside of London.
combo. Whisky was just something the home. Worthing had its very own In the capital, the modern whisky
old blokes down the working men’s whisky bar. bar is no longer about kitsch tartan, a
club drank out of warm tumblers in The Whisk(e)y Rooms has been open million dusty bottles and a drinks list
clouds of smoke. since spring 2019, serving an evolving so long it requires its own bookbinder.
Despite living just 30 minutes selection of Scotch, Bourbon and New Thanks to the likes of Black Rock,
away I hadn’t visited my hometown Milroy’s and Merchant’s House, they’ve
become trendy hotspots for whisky
for several years, but recently an old
friend convinced me to pop over and
The discovery of a lovers looking for a side-helping of
reminisce. Have you ever revisited the bar specialising in my hip-hop or stand-up comedy with their
place you grew up in, decades after you passion in the place I dram, served by knowledgeable and
left? It’s bizarre, like recalling glimpses friendly bartenders.
of a dream after waking, or bumping grew up is wonderful Up in Glasgow, which prides itself
‹–‘ƒ‘Ž†ϐŽƒ‡ƒ†™‘†‡”‹‰ on a clutch of excellent, much-loved
what the hell you saw in them. It’s World whisky as well as cocktails, and long-established whisky bars,
nostalgic, but not quite, because things wine, local beers and cider. But rather new neighbourhood venue The Gate
have changed. Bars are closed, shops than fall into the stereotype of leather, is modernising the city’s offering in its
boarded up and old haunts replaced dim lighting and heavily bound menus, own laid-back approach, with whisky
with car parks or affordable housing. owners Kate Mitchell and Jason Walls snobbery checked at the door, an
As my old friend and I wandered have created a modern whisky bar that accessible colour-coded pricing system
the streets, I felt so much sadness for is oozing with personality. and must-try cheese toasties.
the clubs that no longer existed (we The bookshelf-lined walls are stuffed The modern whisky bar isn’t
had one on the end of the pier; your to bursting with unrecognisable titles, inspired by the cut ‘n’ paste
heels would get stuck in the wooden their names barely legible in the glow ‹ ‘‘‰”ƒ’Š›ƒ†•–—ˆϐ‹‡••–Šƒ–ˆ—‡ŽŽ‡†
slats without fail). The cocktail bar I of a hundred fairy lights. The furniture its stereotyped image for decades.
once worked in – the swankiest joint in is so mismatched, and accompanied The new generation offers fun and
town (though that’s not saying much) by such a random assortment of unique concepts that are approachable,
– had become a high-volume burger decorative ‘stuff’ from deep green Art welcoming and attractive to younger
restaurant. Not much was left of the Deco glass lamps to amputated dolls drinkers and those new to the spirit.
town I once knew. and dressmakers’ mannequins, that With whisky becoming more
Toward the far end of the high street you could easily have walked into a popular, there’s room for more modern
my friend asked, “Are you sure you ƒϐƒ‡•“—‡ƒ–‹“—‡•–‘”‡„›‹•–ƒ‡Ǥ whisky bars around the UK, whether
want to carry on down here?” This The highlight? A Prince Andrew and that’s in London, Glasgow or the dodgy
was apparently the “dodgy” end, the Fergie Bell’s decanter audaciously end of Worthing town centre.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 9

 THOUGHTS FROM
LIZA WEISSTUCH

KENTUCKY DREAMING
Shopping for paint takes an unexpected turn

I
t was a Tuesday morning in mid- an overwhelming smell of raw oak annualised sales, a loss of 41 per cent
August, one of those muggy days stopped me dead in my tracks and of total business. About 30 per cent of
when the heat becomes steam on stamped out the slightest imagining employees, 4,600 people, have been
contact with the road and makes the of Peach Surprise, Fresh Dough and furloughed. Meanwhile, a September
New York City air hazy. I had been very ƒŽ–‡†‹ŽǤ ƒϐŽƒ•Šǡ–Š‡ ‘‡ headline in the Sunday Times blared
hard at work in the paint aisle at Home Depot around me fell away and in its “US tariffs put a big dent in whisky
‡’‘–„‡ ƒ—•‡ƒ’’ƒ”‡–Ž›ϐ‹†‹‰ place rose the warehouses of Speyside sales”. On 13 August, a Guardian story
just the right shade of white paint is a and the Kentucky rickhouses, where announced, “Scotch whisky makers rail
herculean undertaking. narrow streams of light seep into against UK government inaction over
ˆ–‡”ƒ„‘—–ͳͲ‹—–‡•‘ˆϐŽ‹’’‹‰ slender spaces to barely reveal cracks US tariffs”.
through samples I lost my focus, in barrels, through which restless Is it any wonder that any faithful
forgetting about shading, brightness, Bourbon escapes. whisky lover walks around with a low-
shadows, warmth and tint. How can What can I say? The Behr Paint bards grade feeling of mourning these days?
anyone bother with such mechanical When you lose a loved one of any sort,
everywhere you turn you’re reminded
technicalities when you’re scanning
through colours named Wind Swept,
With planks of oak of them. Or it. I realise this is can be
Elusive Blue, Touchable, Pearls and stretching skywards construed as a tad melodramatic
Lace, Maybe Mushroom, Tiara, Violet and lengthwise, my or even brutishly insensitive. Small
Hush, Twilight Twist, Just Perfect, distilleries are in crisis and global
Ageless, Sterling Shadow, Slices of mind lapsed companies are taking a lashing. But as
ƒ’’›ǡ‹•–ˆ—Ž‡‹‰‡ǡƒ ‹ϐ‹ ‡ƒ”Žǡ far as entire industries go, there are
Oyster Cracker, Fountain Frolic, Willow had permeated my brain as I paused others that will take much longer to
Springs, Velveteen Crush, Forgive in the lumber aisle. With planks of oak rebound, if they bounce back at all (see:
Quickly. What Romantic Age poet runs stretching skywards and lengthwise, bars and restaurants, theatre and live
paint companies’ creative departments my mind lapsed. Next time I’d have to music, retail, hotels, air travel, train
these days? „”‹‰ƒϐŽƒ•ǡ –Š‘—‰Š–Ǥ”ƒ–Ž‡ƒ•–ƒ travel, pro sports and museums). Still,
Š‡†‹•–”ƒ –‹‘ˆƒ –‘”‹–‡•‹ϐ‹‡† Scotch-soaked hand towel to sniff on. we all miss what’s familiar.
quickly because the task was making With the pandemic lumbering on I end this column in a way I haven’t
me hungry. Glazed Pears, Apple Core, (see what I did there?), the news has typically done: with calls to action.
Berry Frost, Peach Surprise, Toasted been increasingly grim. In August, Please support small businesses, tip
Marshmallow, Touch of Lime, Butter the Distilled Spirits Council of the US your wait staff and delivery drivers,
Icing, Magical Melon, More Melon, released a study projecting devastation tip them very well, keep up your safe
Tea Biscuit, Pita Bread, Oatmeal, for American craft distilling, a $1.8 social distancing and wash your hands.
Macadamia Nut, Irish Cream, Hint of billion industry that generated Take advantage of moments that bring
Pine, and Horseradish. Hang on approximately $3.2 billion in retail you joy, especially if you unexpectedly
a second... do paint companies sales last year. But that massive sector trip over them in a giant home
base their creative departments at is made up of tiny parts. About 60 improvement retailer. Now, if you need
Scotch distilleries? per cent of the 2,000-plus distilleries ‡ǡ ǯŽŽ„‡ϐŽ‹’’‹‰–Š”‘—‰Š•™ƒ– Š‡•
I was in no particular hurry to sell less than 2,500 cases per year. of white paint – Arctic Dawn, Tundra
leave, but my stamina was wearing According to the report, the pandemic Frost, Silvery Moon, Snowy Mount –
thin. On the way to check out, though, will cost craft distillers $700 million in and dreaming of winter’s chill.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 11

 THOUGHTS FROM
MAGGIE KIMBERL

ENJOYING THE LUXURY

The joys of virtual whisky

I
n March I was all set to present at went about developing their target adequate internet bandwidth, good
the New Orleans Bourbon Festival ϐŽƒ˜‘—”’”‘ϐ‹Ž‡—•‹‰™‘‘†•–ƒ˜‡•ƒ•ƒ lighting and atmosphere, and that our
before it was cancelled at the last ϐ‹‹•Š‹‰–‘‘ŽǤ•‹†‡ˆ”‘„‡‹‰ƒŠ‹‰ŠŽ› equipment would work properly.
minute to prevent the spread of the educational diversion from pandemic The day of the festival we dialled in
pandemic. Since then I have missed life, it was also an exercise that felt to answer viewer questions that came
countless whisky tastings, events and oddly comforting, as though the up during the video. For my segment I
festivals that I would ordinarily take Bourbon world was still out there. spoke with Susan Reigler about pairing
part in. The last one I attended in Then The Whisky Chicks took whiskey and cigars, as well as what is
person was The Bourbon Classic. their annual Bourbon Mixer virtual, going on in the craft industry, including
Virtual meet-ups became including an auction that raised trends to be on the lookout for.
commonplace as enthusiasts and $30,000 for The Coalition for the The event consisted of more than 10
industry folk struggled to connect with ‘‡Ž‡••ǤŠ‹Ž‡–Š‹•‹•ǯ––Š‡ϐ‹”•– hours of programming that reached
each other under rapidly changing time the event has raised money for more than 28,000 people with nearly
parameters. In the early days of the 2,000 active participants watching at
home. Dare I say it was almost as good
pandemic it was the bartenders and
brand reps leading the way to virtual
As we head into the fall as being there in person. Almost.
mixology classes, and people like Molly special-release season, As we head into the fall special-
Wellmann and Sailor Guevara were on I expect to see more release season, I expect to see more
livestreams night after night offering virtual events and tastings. Old
people a distraction while mixing up a virtual events Forester is already committing to
special concoction alongside a dose of releasing its famed Birthday Bourbon
history. It felt like being at a bar. this charity, it seems considerably virtually for curbside pickup at the
After a few months of trying to more necessary right now. There were distillery, so as to prevent people from
navigate this new world, distilleries virtual sessions and guests from the camping out to score a bottle.
and organisations began offering industry while members watched right I’ve also seen virtual events where
virtual tastings and festivals. For from the comfort of their own homes. locals can pick up tasting kits and
example, Traverse City Whiskey I was able to participate in a virtual tune in to smaller events, such as The
Company celebrated their annual Bourbon festival myself. Every year, Bourbon Salon at Oxmoor Farm with
cherry festival with a virtual release of Bourbon Women host the SIPosium, a Michael Veach and Susan Reigler.
their acclaimed cherry whiskey. national conference where members Nothing is quite like being there in
I attended a virtual release party get together to learn about every person, but overall the virtual events
for the new Maker’s Mark 2020 Wood aspect of the industry. I’ve attended so far have been quite
Finishing Series Bourbon with Jane The production of this festival was enjoyable and I can see these formats
Bowie and all the whisky writers I unlike anything I’ve participated in so being used in certain circumstances
know. Tasting kits were delivered far this year. Several weeks beforehand quite successfully once the pandemic
to our doors and we joined a Zoom we reported to a recording studio to moves into the history books.
meeting where we were able to go tape segments that would be played for However, at that point in time it
through all the component whiskies, viewers at a scheduled time slot. This would take a stick of dynamite to keep
as well as some of the experimental took place with surgical precision. Two me out of the next Whisky Live or
components that didn’t work, in weeks before the event we scheduled Bourbon Affair or Bourbon & Beyond. I
order to really understand how they an equipment test to ensure we had hope I see you there, too.

12 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 MYTHBUSTERS
CHRIS MIDDLETON

THE PAGES OF HISTORY

Examining the role of slavery in American whiskey

I
n 2020, we are reminded of the to a slave economy. In autumn the corn buckets to the pot still and slops back
historical stigma of slavery, and was hand-harvested and the kernels to acidify the mash. The stills needed
the lasting economic hardships shelled, while small grains were reaped constant fuelling and monitoring,
and prejudice its legacy has on and winnowed in spring, then stored and the distillate transferred into
communities. It seems timely to turn for the distilling season. The farms barrels for storage. Then the leftover
the pages of history to examine the role required maintenance of buildings stillage fed 100 hogs and cattle in
slavery played in the development of and fences, care of livestock for food, the farm’s livestock yards. In 1850,
American whiskey. Recent revelations transport and trade; the bluegrass Pepper’s distillery was one of only
„› ƒ™‡ƒ˜‡”‘–Š‡‹ϐŽ—‡–‹ƒŽƒ† region was also a leading producer of 49 in Kentucky to have a full-time
collaborative relationship between ϐŽƒšƒ†Š‡’‹‡”‹ ƒǤŽŽ–Š‡•‡ distiller, where Crow was remunerated
Jack Daniel and Dan Call’s slave, activities were conducted with minimal with a share of the annual production
Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green, also provides mechanisation, hence slave labour between 1840 and 1855.
an exceptional story of the vital role †‹ –ƒ–‡†–Š‡‡ ‘‘›ǡ’”‘ϐ‹–•ƒ†• ƒŽ‡ While a few white neighbours
African Americans played in the were seasonally employed to work
at the distillery, Crow also trained
development of American whiskey.
Before the Green-Daniel partnership
All these activities one of Pepper’s slaves, Albert, to be
began in antebellum Tennessee, in were conducted an assistant distiller. Albert likely
neighbouring Kentucky, a quarter of the with minimal continued working at the distillery
population were slaves. At that time, after Pepper’s death when the site
28 per cent of white families owned mechanisation was leased to other distillers. As
slaves and half of those had more than slaves were banned from obtaining
20 slaves. Kentucky’s largest slave of farming in much of Kentucky. an education, his lack of literacy and
market, Cheapside in Lexington, was One the largest and most famous numeracy skills would have been a
in the centre of the bluegrass region. distilleries in Woodford County was •‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ–Šƒ†‹ ƒ’Ǥ
At Cheapside, families were broken the Oscar Pepper Distillery, now Two months before Pepper died,
up, valued according to health, age Woodford Reserve, where James Crow the Confederacy surrendered to
and sex, with thousands of slaves ‘sold improved the novel process of making the Union forces in April 1865, and
down the river’ each year to cotton and hand-made sour mash whiskey. The neutral Kentucky came back under the
sugar plantations in the deep South. distillery’s capacity was 25 bushels administration of the United States.
One of the most productive counties a day, with most of the grain mash In Oscar Pepper’s June probate, the
for whiskey distilling in the bluegrass harvested from his 350-acre farm estate recorded his slaves as assets.
region was neighbouring Woodford worked by slaves; Oscar Pepper owned Despite President Lincoln declaring the
County; by the 1850s the county had 12 male and 11 female slaves. Emancipation Proclamation in January
more slaves than free citizens. When the distilling season started, 1863, slavery was not abolished in the
The manufacture of whiskey male slaves were deployed to assist United States until December 1865,
‡š‡’Ž‹ϐ‹‡†–Š‡ ‘•‹†‡”ƒ„Ž‡’Š›•‹ ƒŽ in the malting and milling of grains when three-quarters of the states
demands of many manual workers in at Pepper’s water-driven grist mill. ”ƒ–‹ϐ‹‡†–Š‡ͳ͵–Š‡†‡–Ǥ‘–Š
the cultivation of grain and labour- The 100 mash tubs in the distillery Kentucky state houses overwhelmingly
intensive tasks. The seasonal sowing needed hand-stirring, for cooking corn rejected the Amendment in 1865. It
of different crops, of corn in spring and and mashing small grains, as well as wasn’t until March 1976 that Kentucky
rye, barley and oats in autumn, scaled the daily monotony of carrying mash ”ƒ–‹ϐ‹‡†–Š‡ͳ͵–Š‡†‡–Ǥ

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 13

 Distillery Focus Starward

WORDS JASON HAMBREY

Welcome to Starward
Distillery, where grape
and grain meet

U
ntil recently, Australian whisky
has taken a back seat to the
romance of Australian wine.
Finally it is garnering similar
interest, thanks to the long and
slow efforts of a band of whisky pioneers, and
more recent innovators, who have brought a
wine sensibility to Australian whisky making.
“We had to create the smallest mining
company in Australia,” chuckles Bill Lark
as he recounts the early days of using
Tasmanian peat to make his whisky. If you
wanted Tasmanian peat you had to dig it
up; however, before you could dig it up, you
needed to get a mining permit. Many of the
early struggles of the modern Australian
whisky scene began with
similar peculiarities.
Though it once housed some massive
whisky distilleries, Australian whisky
production was all but extinct by the 1980s
when Bill and Lyn Lark decided to start
making the spirit in Tasmania.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 15

Distillery Focus Starward

the earth for her, and I did, literally!”

Vitale hoped to start a craft brewery,
but was discouraged by Tasmania’s
remote location and the subsequent
‹’ƒ ––Šƒ–•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ––”ƒ•‹––‹‡ ƒ
Šƒ˜‡‘–Š‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”‘ˆ„‡‡”ǤŠ‡‘‡
day Vitale stopped into Lark Distillery,
and, after tasting the whisky, his dream
did an about-face – straight from craft
beer to whisky. He quickly convinced
Bill Lark to hire him.
A few years later, it came time for
Vitale to venture out and create his
own distillery, but not in Tasmania.
Melbourne, the centre of the booming
Australian coffee and food scene, kept
calling. “We wanted to be closer to the
heart of the food and wine scene in
Australia,” Vitale explains. “Scotch has
its own place, and we wanted to create
our own place for Australian whisky.”
Starward, Vitale’s distillery, was
not created on the Tasmanian model.
Rather than those cramped, relatively
tiny whisky production houses,
Starward Distillery is a vast open space

At the time, Australian spirits continues to attract many whisky

production and consumption was tourists and customers. The whisky
focused on rum. Moreover, Australian made on this island, off the southern
laws limited the minimum size of wash coast of Australia, often focuses on
stills to a whopping 700 gallons, far too oily distillates and small casks which
big for whisky-loving entrepreneurs result in a big, fruity style. This is
to enter the market. But, no matter: accomplished, in part, by the extensive
Bill Lark worked with local politicians use of re-coopered casks which
to change the legislation and allow for previously held Australian Tawny, a
a number of new key players to enter ˆ‘”–‹ϐ‹‡†™‹‡ƒ†‡‹–Š‡•ƒ‡•–›Ž‡
the market – Lark Distillery in 1992, as port. The barrels are made ready for
followed shortly by the well-known whisky by scraping wine residue off the
Tasmanian distilleries Overeem, staves then re-charring the barrels. This
Sullivan’s Cove and Hellyers Road. imparts a fruity, rich, woody character
Today, more than 50 Tasmanian to the whisky.
distilleries make gin, brandy, rum David Vitale got his start making
and whisky. Tasmania has become whisky in Tasmania, at Lark Distillery.
the spiritual home of the modern It was Vitale’s wife who drew him to
Australian whisky industry and Tasmania. “I said I’d go to the ends of

16 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Distillery Focus Starward

in a massive industrial building, with on wine maturation from the start… Opening pages:
lofty ceilings high above the bar, a fundamentally we needed bold and A warm welcome to
production facility, and thousands of ‘’Ž‡šϐŽƒ˜‘—”•‹–Š‡†‹•–‹ŽŽƒ–‡–‘ Starward Distillery.
These pages,
maturing barrels. Visitors have the rare stand up well to the rich oak and fruit
clockwise from left:
experience of smelling the rich aromas characters that come from our red wine Tasting a dram of
of whisky production, fermentation, barrels.” Starward accomplishes this Nova; A brief look
distillation, and maturation, while through careful selection of malt, using at the Starward
enjoying the whisky itself in the multiple yeasts, while also integrating selection; The
distillery bar. Š‹‰ŠǦ”‡ϐŽ—š†‹•–‹ŽŽƒ–‹‘Ǥ all-important casks;
Taking a chance to
Just as the huge space contrasts Unlike the typical scraping and re-
enjoy the spirit’s
with distilleries in Tasmania, so do charring common to preparing barrels endearing versatility.
production practices themselves. ˆ‘”™Š‹•›ǡ–ƒ”™ƒ”†ϐ‹ŽŽ•‹–•™Š‹•›
As Vitale will readily admit, “If you spirit directly into wet wine casks.
want a cask-strength Tawny whisky, Š‡ˆ‘ —•‹•ǯ–ƒ™‹‡Dzϐ‹‹•ŠdzȂƒ•Š‘”–
go to Tasmania.” He set out with a maturation that adds barrel-soaked
different aim: to match whisky with ϐŽƒ˜‘—”‹–‘ƒ™Š‹•›Ȃ”ƒ–Š‡”ǡ–Š‡
perhaps the best-known agricultural whisky interacts with both the wine and
product of Australia, wine. “You craft a the cask itself as it matures to full term
distillery very differently if you are set in the wine barrels.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 17

Distillery Focus Starward

Š‹•—•‡‘ˆ—‘†‹ϐ‹‡†‘”‘Ǧ”‡Ǧ charred lightly. As a chef might put it,

‘‘’‡”‡†™‹‡ ƒ••‹••‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ– it’s like you’re taking a look at a seared
because whisky makers and wine product versus a roasted product.
makers take different approaches to As winemaker Sarah Fagan of De
how they use oak. While whisky makers Bortoli vineyard explains, “I have my
often leverage oak to completely shape preferred coopers, forests and toasts
a whisky, wine makers use oak to tame that suit our wines… I want savoury,
and evolve a wine. Modern whisky and fruit freshness; integration of oak
makers sometimes use small barrels too. I don’t want overtly toasted notes
and barrel staves to maximise oak either. Some coopers will be quite
interaction, whereas wine casks are intense and I would only use them in
often many times larger than whisky small amounts… Some coopers are
casks to minimise oak interaction. quite subtle and I can use more….
While whisky casks might be used for Over-oaked wine is an all-too-common
decades, most of Starward’s wine casks in Australia… All you taste is the oak.
Šƒ˜‡„‡‡ϐ‹ŽŽ‡†™‹–Š™‹‡ˆ‘”Œ—•– This is not what we are after. We want
four to seven years. And while whisky the oak to support the fruit rather than
casks are often heavily charred, more overpower it.”
often wine casks are simply toasted or –ƒ”™ƒ”†„‡‡ϐ‹–•ˆ”‘–Š‡”‹ Š

18 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Distillery Focus Starward

These pages, experience of Australian winemakers

clockwise from such as Fagan in their cask selection
bottom left: and wine character. Vitale is quick
The distillery’s
to emphasise this, “To me, there’s a
outlook on Tasmania;
A sight to behold at lovely and quite unique relationship
the Starward bar; The with the winemakers we use. Their
intricately designed intent and purpose in choosing a
Nova; A close look wine barrel is very different from our
at where the barrel intent and purpose in using them. All
magic happens.
great Starward barrels are from great
wineries that use amazing barrels, but
not all amazing barrels make great
Starward barrels. So we’ve developed
– with their help – a ‘rosetta stone’
to decode what works for us. It’s
ƒ„‘—–Žƒ††‡”‹‰—’ϐŽƒ˜‘—”‹–‘–Š‡
almost-ready spirit, primarily the oak
characters which have had the edges
taken off while holding wine, but
importantly highlighting the wine itself
ƒ†—•‹‰ƒŽ ‘Š‘Žƒ•ƒϐŽƒ˜‘—” ƒ””‹‡”ǡ
what happens as it’s exposed to the
elements over time.”
–ƒ”™ƒ”†ǯ•ϐŽƒ‰•Š‹’ƒŽ–ǡ‘˜ƒǡ„”‹‰•
‘—––Š‡•‡ Šƒ”ƒ –‡”‹•–‹ •ϐŽƒ™Ž‡••Ž›Ǥ
The whisky is a fruit bomb while also
displaying characteristics of rich red

wine and sweet oaky caramel. It shows

the wine in a particular way, as Vitale
adds, “The mid-palate texture is all
grape tannin, which is quite distinctive
to red wine; it gives it length and body
in a different way to standard barrels
and I think they are the secret to why it
makes such a great drink.”
But, enough with the romantic
notion of wine cask maturation in
Australia – does the whisky actually
taste good? The simplest testimonial,
perhaps, comes from Cutler & Co., one
of Melbourne’s premier restaurants.
To celebrate its 10th anniversary,
Cutler & Co. chose its own private
cask of Starward. On release day, the
phone was ringing off the hook before
the restaurant had opened. Eager
customers were lining up for a chance
to buy one of the 250 bottles. “It was
manic,” is how one of the sommeliers
described it. Clearly, wine maturation
in Australia does more than just satisfy
romantic notions.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 19

Whisky Issues National Debate

WORDS CHRIS MIDDLETON

The sense of
land and brand How whisky is connected to its home

22 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky Issues National Debate

S
cotch and Bourbon designate different types of —•‡†–‘ ”‡ƒ–‡™‹‡•™‹–Šƒ†‹•–‹ –‹˜‡•‡•‘”›ϐ‹‰‡”’”‹–
whisky; they also represent different national –”ƒ ‡ƒ„Ž‡–‘ƒ’Žƒ ‡ǡ„‡‹–ƒ•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ Š‹ŽŽ•‹†‡‘””‡‰‹‘Ǥ
origins. Look further and there are recognised Š‡‹–‡”ƒ–‹‘ƒŽ™‹‡‹†—•–”›”‡ ‘‰‹•‡•‘”‡–Šƒ
regions, like the Highlands and Kentucky; delve 3,000 distinct wine-growing regions worldwide under
†‡‡’‡”•–‹ŽŽ–‘ϐ‹†ˆƒ‘—•†‹•–”‹ –•ǡ˜ƒŽŽ‡›•ƒ† protected appellations and registered geographical
•–”‡ƒ•ǡ†‘™–‘–Š‡‰”‘—†Ž‡˜‡Ž™Š‡”‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ƒ†Ž‘ ƒŽ‹–› indications. Think Bordeaux (with grape varieties cabernet
ƒ„‡ ‘‡„”ƒ†‹‹–•‘™”‹‰Š–Ǥ •ƒ—˜‹‰‘ǡƒ†‘–Š‡”•Ȍǡ—”‰—†›ȋ’‹‘–‘‹”ǡ‰ƒƒ›Ȍǡ –ƒŽ›ǯ•
Š‡ ”‡ Š—•‡–Š‡–‡”Ǯ–‡””‘‹”ǯ–‘†‡• ”‹„‡–Š‡”‘Ž‡Ž‘ ƒŽ‡ ƒ”‘Ž‘ȋ‡„„‹‘Ž‘Ȍƒ†”—‡ŽŽ‘ȋ•ƒ‰‹‘˜‡•‡Ȍǡ’ƒ‹ǯ•”‹‘Œƒ
†‹”‡ –Ž›’Žƒ›•„›‹ϐŽ—‡ ‹‰ƒƒ‰”‹ —Ž–—”ƒŽ’”‘†— –ǡ‘–ƒ„Ž› ȋ–‡’”ƒ‹ŽŽ‘ǡƒ†‘–Š‡”•Ȍǡ‡– Ǥ
™‹‡Ǥ‹‡ǯ•–‡””‘‹”‹•–Š‡ ‘„‹ƒ–‹‘‘ˆ–‘’‘‰”ƒ’Š‹ ƒŽ ‘”™Š‹•›–Š‡•’‡ ‹‡•‘ˆ ‡”‡ƒŽ‰”ƒ‹†‘‹ƒ–‡•–Š‡
Ž‘ ƒ–‹‘ǡŠ›†”‘Ž‘‰›ǡ Ž‹ƒ–‡ǡ•‘‹Žǡ•—Ž‹‰Š–ǡ‰”ƒ’‡˜ƒ”‹‡–›ǡ †‹ˆˆ‡”‡–™Š‹•›•–›Ž‡•™‹–Š‡”‹ ƒ‘—”„‘ȋ ‘”ƒ†
viticultural practices, through to oenological techniques ‘–Š‡”‰”ƒ‹•Ȍǡ ‘––‹•ŠƒŽ–ȋƒŽ–‡†„ƒ”Ž‡›Ȍǡ ”‹•Š’‘–•–‹ŽŽ

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 23

ȋ—ƒŽ–‡†ƒ†ƒŽ–‡†„ƒ”Ž‡›Ȍƒ†
Canadian whisky (rye and others).
Š‹•›ǯ•ϐ‹”•–ƒ–‹‘ƒŽƒ†”‡‰‹‘ƒŽ
•–›Ž‡•„‡ ƒ‡ ‘•’‹ —‘—•ƒ•–Š‡
‘†‡”‹†—•–”›†‡˜‡Ž‘’‡†‹–Š‡Žƒ–‡
ͳͺ–Š ‡–—”›Ǥ  ”‡Žƒ†ǡ–Š‡ ‘—–”›ǯ•
™Š‹•› Šƒ”ƒ –‡”‹•–‹ •™‡”‡‹’‘•‹–‹‘•
ˆ”‘–Š‡ͳ͹͹ͲƒŽ–ƒšǡ–Š‡ͳ͹͹ͳ‘–
–‹ŽŽƒ†ͳ͹ͺͻ‹•–‹ŽŽƒ–‹‘ –•ǡˆ‘” ‹‰
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”•–‘ƒ†ƒ’––‘ƒ•Š”‡ ‹’‡•—•‹‰
‘•–Ž› Š‡ƒ’‡”—ƒŽ–‡†„ƒ”Ž‡›ǡ‘ƒ–•
and rye and restricted to large pot still
capacities. The large city distilleries
‹—„Ž‹ƒ†‡™Š‹•›†‹ˆˆ‡”‡–Ž›
–‘”‡‰‹‘ƒŽ’‘–‡‡•Ž‹‡‘‡‰ƒŽǯ•
‹•Š‘™‡‘”‘”ǯ•™Š‹•‡›Ǥ
 ‘–Žƒ†ǯ•™Š‹•›†‹ˆˆ‡”‡ ‡•™‡”‡
cleaved by geography, regulations and
tax differentials between the Lowlands
and Highlands. Large Lowland distillers
‘•–Ž›ƒ—ˆƒ –—”‡†‹†—•–”‹ƒŽ
ƒŽ–•’‹”‹–ˆ‘”‰Ž‹•Š”‡ –‹ϐ‹‡”•ˆ”‘
–Š‡ͳ͹ͺͲ•ǡ—•‹‰”ƒ’‹††‹•–‹ŽŽƒ–‹‘
–‡ Š‘Ž‘‰‹‡•ˆ‡”‡–‡†„› Š‡ƒ’
‘†‘’‘”–‡”›‡ƒ•–ƒ –‹‰‘ƒ•Š‘ˆ
on low-quality grains, even vegetables.
Š‡‰‘˜‡”‡–ǯ•ͳ͹ͺͶƒ•Š –
†‡ƒ” ƒ–‡†–Š‡ ‹‰ŠŽƒ†‹‡™‹–Šƒ
Ž‹ ‡•‹‰•›•–‡”‡•–”‹ –‹‰ ‹‰ŠŽƒ† ‡•›Ž˜ƒ‹ƒǯ•‡ƒ”Ž‹‡””‡ ‹’‡•‘ˆ
’”‘†— –‹‘–‘•ƒŽŽ’‘–•–‹ŽŽ•ǡƒ•Š‹‰ ’”‡†‘‹ƒ–Ž›”›‡ƒ†ƒŽ–’”‘†— ‡†
ƒ‹Ž›–Š‡Ž‘ ƒŽ„‡”‡„ƒ”Ž‡›‘˜‡” –Š‡’‘’—Žƒ”ƒ†’—‰‡–‘‘‰ƒŠ‡Žƒ
’‡ƒ–ϐ‹”‡•ƒ†ˆ‡”‡–‡†‘ƒŽ– ”›‡™Š‹•› ‘’ƒ”‡†™‹–ŠŽ‹‰Š–‡”ǡ‘ˆ–‡
and ale yeast strains. When patent ”‡ –‹ϐ‹‡†ǡƒ”›Žƒ†ƒ†ƒŽ–‹‘”‡•–›Ž‡
•–‹ŽŽ• ƒ‡‹–‘—•‡ˆ”‘–Š‡ͳͺ͵Ͳ•ǡ ryes with higher ratios of corn. By the
–Š‡†‹ˆˆ‡”‡ ‡•„‡ ƒ‡‡šƒ‰‰‡”ƒ–‡† ͳͺͷͲ•–Š‡‹††Ž‡‡‡••‡‡ƒ”‡ƒ™ƒ•
„‡–™‡‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•‘‡ ‹‰ŠŽƒ†ƒŽ– ’‘’—Žƒ”‹•‹‰–Š‡•‘—”ƒ•Š‡–Š‘†ƒ†
ƒ†•‹Ž‡–•’‹”‹–ˆ”‘–Š‡‘™Žƒ† Šƒ” ‘ƒŽϐ‹Ž–”ƒ–‹‘ǡ™‹–Š–™‘ ‘’‡–‹‰
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•ǯ ‘Ž—•–‹ŽŽ•Ǥ––Š‡‡† regional styles of Robertson County
‘ˆ–Š‡ͳͻ–Š ‡–—”›ǡ ‘– Š„Ž‡†‡”• and Lincoln County whiskies (see
began aggregating the 150-odd Whisky Magazine issue 166); other
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•‹ ‘–Žƒ†ˆ”‘–™‘ ”‡‰‹‘ƒŽ•–›Ž‡•‹ Ž—†‡†‹”‰‹‹ƒǯ•
‹–‘ˆ‘—”ƒ‘”’Š‘—•Ž›‰‡‘‰”ƒ’Š‹  ‘ƒ‘‡”›‡ƒ†Žƒ„ƒƒǯ•—• ƒŽ‘‘•ƒ
ϐŽƒ˜‘—””‡‰‹‘•ǣ‘™Žƒ†ǡ ‹‰ŠŽƒ†ǡ ‘”™Š‹•‡›Ǥ ƒŽŽ‹•–ƒ ‡•ǡŽ‘ ƒŽ‹–›
ƒ’„‡Ž–‘™ƒ† •Žƒ›Ȁ •Žƒ†•Ǥ ‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡†•–›Ž‡ǡƒ†–Š‡•‡™Š‹•‹‡•
 ”‘••–Š‡–Žƒ–‹ ǡ‡”‹ ƒǯ• ‘ƒ†‡†ƒ’”‡‹—†—‡–‘–Š‡‹”
™Š‹•›‹†—•–”›™ƒ•ƒŽ•‘‡‡”‰‹‰ǡ ƒ’’‡ƒŽ‹‰ϐŽƒ˜‘—” Šƒ”ƒ –‡”‹•–‹ •Ǥ
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‹‰•’‹”‹–•ˆ”‘’”‡†‘‹ƒ–Ž› –‹Ž–Š‡‹†Ǧͳͻ–Š ‡–—”›ǡ”—”ƒŽ
grain recipes of corn and rye. By the distilleries sourced local grain varieties
Žƒ–‡ͳͺʹͲ•ǡ‘”‡–ŠƒŠƒŽˆƒ†‘œ‡ ˆ”‘‡‹‰Š„‘—”Š‘‘†ˆƒ”•ǡ —Ž–—”‡†
different regional styles were publicly Ž‘ ƒŽ›‡ƒ•–•–”ƒ‹•ƒ†ǡ‹‡”‹ ƒǡ
”‡ ‘‰‹•‡†Ǥ ”‘‡–— › ƒ‡–Š‡ ‘‘’‡”‡†„ƒ””‡Ž•ˆ”‘ƒ–‹˜‡ˆ‘”‡•–•‘ˆ
‘”Ǧ†‘‹ƒ–‰”ƒ‹„‹ŽŽ‘ˆ‘—”„‘ǡ ™Š‹–‡‘ƒǤ –Š‡•‡ ‘†ŠƒŽˆ‘ˆ–Š‡ͳͻ–Š
better known then as Western whisky. ‡–—”›ǡ™Š‹•›™ƒ• ‘‘†‹–‹•‹‰

24 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky issues national debate

Opening pages: ƒ†”ƒ’‹‰—’ƒ••‹˜‡• ƒŽ‡‹ ‡ˆ‘”‡ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•– ‘– Š ‹–Š•–‘‘„–ƒ‹ƒ†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›Ž‹ ‡•‡Ǥ

Look out to the ƒ—ˆƒ –—”‹‰™‹–Š‰”ƒ‹˜ƒ”‹‡–‹‡• •’‹”‹––”ƒ†‡†„›”‡’—–ƒ–‹‘™ƒ• ‘”„‡•ǯ The 1850s were the birth of Scotch
Glenlivet Distillery. „‡ ‘‹‰Š‘‘‰‡‹•‡†ƒ†’”‘†— –‹‘ ‡”‹–‘•Šƒ“—ƒǦ˜‹–ƒ‡Ǧ•–›Ž‡™Š‹•›ˆ”‘ „”ƒ†ƒ”‡–‹‰ƒ†Ž‡†–‘—‡”‘—•
These pages
industrialised. These escalating outputs ‹‰™ƒŽŽǤˆ–‡”‡Œ‘›‹‰–Š‡‹ϐŽ—‡–‹ƒŽ –”ƒ†‡ƒ”‹ˆ”‹‰‡‡–•ƒ•–Š‡
clockwise from left:
The Macallan’s ˆ‘” ‡††‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•–‘•‘—” ‡‰”ƒ‹ˆ”‘ ƒ†’”‘–‡ –‡†•–ƒ–—•ˆ‘”‘”‡–Šƒƒ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ƒ‡ƒ†Ž‘ ƒŽ‹–›”‡’”‡•‡–‡†
gargantuan mash ‡–”ƒŽ‹•‡†ƒŽ–•–‡”•ǡ•’‡ ‹ƒŽ‹•–›‡ƒ•– century, the Forbes ceased production ƒ•™‡‡–‡”ǡŽ‹‰Š–ǦϐŽƒ˜‘—”‡†ǡŠ‹‰Š‡”Ǧ
tun; The landscape providers and independent cooperages ‹ͳ͹ͺ͹Ǥ”‡•ƒ‰‹‰–Š‡‘†‡”ƒ‰‡ “—ƒŽ‹–›™Š‹•›™‹–ŠŽ‡••Ǯ’‡‡–”‡‡ǯǤ
behind Glenlivet; •—’’Ž›‹‰„ƒ””‡Ž•‹‡”‹ ƒǤ”‹–‹•Š ‘ˆ„”ƒ†ƒƒ‰‡‡–ǡ–Š‡ Ž—•‹Ž› –‘–ƒŽǡ͵ͷ†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•™‘—Ž†—•‡ƒ
Fishing in the Spey. †‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•‹’‘”–‡†—•‡† ƒ••–Šƒ– †”ƒˆ–‡†‘’›”‹‰Š– –‹ͳͺͶʹ’”‘’–‡† Š›’Š‡ƒ–‡† Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–•—ˆϐ‹šǣƒ ƒŽŽƒǦ
’”‡˜‹‘—•Ž›Š‡Ž†„”ƒ†›ǡ”—ƒ† †‹•–‹ŽŽ‡” ‡‘”‰‡‹–Šƒ†Š‹••‘ ‘Š Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǡ Ž‡ˆƒ” Žƒ•Ǧ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǡ
ˆ‘”–‹ϐ‹‡†™‹‡•Ǥ –‘ϐ‹Ž‡–Š‡ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ƒ‡ƒ––ƒ–‹‘‡”ǯ• ”ƒ‹‰‡ŽŽƒ Š‹‡Ǧ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǡ—ˆˆ–‘™Ǧ
Š‡ ‘’‡–‹–‹˜‡‹’‡”ƒ–‹˜‡•‘ˆ ƒŽŽˆ‘” ‘‡” ‹ƒŽ’”‘–‡ –‹‘‹ͳͺͷͻǤ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǡ‡– ǤŠ‡‹˜‡”‹˜‡–”ƒ‘Ž›
™Š‹•› ‘‡” ‡ƒ†‡‹–•‘–Šƒ– Š‡ ”ƒ–•’Žƒ ‡† Žƒ••‹ϐ‹‡† ͳͶ–Š”‘—‰Š–Š‡‰Ž‡„‡ˆ‘”‡ϐŽ‘™‹‰
reputable and popular whisky brands ƒ†˜‡”–‹•‡‡–•™ƒ”‹‰–Š‡’—„Ž‹  ‹–‘–Š‡‹˜‡”˜‘–Š‡Œ‘‹‹‰–Š‡
Šƒ†–‘‘„–ƒ‹–”ƒ†‡ƒ”’”‘–‡ –‹‘ ƒ†–”ƒ†‡ƒ„‘—–’ƒ••‹‰‘ˆˆ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡– River Spey – only three licensed
—†‡”‡™”‡‰—Žƒ–‹‘•Ǥ”ƒ†‡ƒ”Žƒ™• counterfeits, but the Act proved distilleries ever operated along the
‘Ž›‡‡”‰‡†‹–Š‡•‡ ‘†ŠƒŽˆ‘ˆ–Š‡ ‹‡ˆˆ‡ –—ƒŽǤŠ‡ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǯ• ‹˜‡–ǯ•™ƒ–‡”™ƒ›Ǥ‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•ƒ ”‘••–Š‡
ͳͻ–Š ‡–—”›ƒ†ǡƒ’–Ž›ǡ‹–™ƒ• ‘–Žƒ† brand reputation started when Speyside region were keen to associate
and Kentucky that initiated proceedings wholesaler Andrew Usher began taking –Š‡‹”™Š‹•›™‹–Š–Š‹•˜ƒŽŽ‡›Ǥ –™ƒ•
‹–Š‡–™‘‘•– ‡Ž‡„”ƒ–‡† ‘—”– ƒ•‡• •Š‹’‡–•‘ˆǮ–Š‡‡ƒŽ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǯ‹–Š‡ Œ‘‹‰Ž› ƒŽŽ‡†–Š‡ǮŽ‘‰‡•–‰Ž‡‹
–‘‡•–ƒ„Ž‹•Š„”ƒ†Ǧ–‘ǦŽƒ†’”‡ ‡†‡–•ǣ ͳͺ͵Ͳ•ǡƒ‰”‡‡‹‰–‘„‡ ‘‡–Š‡‹”ƒ‰‡–  ‘–Žƒ†ǯƒ†–Š‡–‹–Ž‡ ‡”–ƒ‹Ž›•‡‡•
‹ ‘–Žƒ†ǡ‹–Šǯ• Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–™Š‹•› ‹ͳͺͶͶǡƒ†Žƒ–‡” ”‡ƒ–‹‰”‹–ƒ‹ǯ•ϐ‹”•– to have been apt!
ƒ†‡ƒ––Š‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›Ž‹ ‡•‡†‹ͳͺʹͶǢ ‘‡” ‹ƒŽ™Š‹•›„”ƒ†ǡŽ†ƒ––‡† As the Copyright Act had no legal
the other Old Crow whiskey, distilled at Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–™Š‹•›‹ͳͺͷ͵Ǥ –‡‡–Šˆ‘”ƒ—ˆƒ –—”‡†„”ƒ†•ǡ–Š‡
Ž‡•”‡‡ǡ‡–— ›•‹ ‡ͳͺͶͲǤŽ† •Š‡”ƒ†˜‡”–‹•‡‡–•ˆ”‘ͳͺʹͳ ’ƒ••ƒ‰‡‘ˆ–Š‡ͳͺ͹ͷ”ƒ†‡ƒ”
”‘™™Š‹•‡›„‡ ƒ‡–Š‡„‡•–Ǧ•‡ŽŽ‹‰ indicate they were obtaining illicit ‡‰‹•–”ƒ–‹‘ –’‡”‹––‡†Ž‹–‹‰ƒ–‹‘•
•–”ƒ‹‰Š–‘—”„‘‹‡”‹ ƒ—–‹Ž Ǯ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–™Š‹•›ǯˆ”‘–Š‡‹–Š• ƒ‰ƒ‹•–„”ƒ†‹ˆ”‹‰‡‡–•Ǥ
”‘Š‹„‹–‹‘ƒ†Š‡ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡––Š‡„‡•–Ǧ ˆ”‘ͳͺͳ͹ˆ‘”•‡˜‡”ƒŽ†‡ ƒ†‡•„‡ˆ‘”‡ ‘Š‹–Šƒ’’Ž‹‡†ˆ‘” Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǯ•
•‡ŽŽ‹‰ƒŽ–™Š‹•›Ǥ –Š‡ͳͺʹ͵š ‹•‡ –‡ ‘—”ƒ‰‡†–Š‡ ”‡‰‹•–”ƒ–‹‘‹ͳͺ͹͸ǢŠ‘™‡˜‡”ǡ‡””‘”•

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 25

Whisky Issues National Debate

by his solicitor delayed his ability to

’”‘•‡ —–‡–”ƒ†‡ƒ”‹ˆ”‹‰‡‡–•
—–‹ŽͳͺͺʹǤ‡–‹–‹‘‹‰–Š‡ ‹‰Š‘—”–
‘ˆ —•–‹ ‡‹‘†‘ǡŠ‡ϐ‹”•– Šƒ”‰‡†
Š‹•ƒ‹ƒ–ƒ‰‘‹•–•ǣŽ‡šƒ†‡” ”ƒ•‡”
Ƭ‘’ƒ›‘ˆ Ž‡„—”‰‹‡Ǧ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–
‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›‹Ž‰‹ƒ†–Š‡‹”‘†‘
ƒ‰‡–ǡŠƒ”Ž‡• ƒ‹‰Ǥ‹–Š—Ž–‹’Ž‡
‘ˆˆ‡†‡”•’Žƒ‰‹ƒ”‹•‹‰–Š‡ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–
ƒ‡ǡ‹–Š„‡‰ƒ’”‘•‡ —–‹‰ƒ•‡”‹‡•
‘ˆ–”ƒ†‡ƒ” ƒ•‡••‹—Ž–ƒ‡‘—•Ž›Ǥ
ƒ›ͳͺͺͶǡ–Š‡ ‘—”–”—Ž‡†
ˆƒ˜‘—”ƒ„Ž›’‡”‹––‹‰‹–Šǯ• Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–
distillery the right for perpetual
‘™‡”•Š‹’–‘–Š‡–”ƒ†‡ƒ”Ǯ–Š‡
Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǯǤ ‘™‡˜‡”ǡ‹–™ƒ•‘Ž›ƒ
’ƒ”–‹ƒŽ˜‹ –‘”›ƒ•–Š‡ƒ‰”‡‡‡–
„‡–™‡‡˜‡šƒ–‹‘—•’ƒ”–‹‡•’‡”‹––‡†
‘–Š‡”†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•–‘—•‡ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ƒ•ƒ
Š›’Š‡ƒ–‡†•—ˆϐ‹š‹–Š‡‹”–”ƒ†‡ƒ”•Ǥ
›–Š‡ͳͻͺͲ•ǡʹ͹†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡••–‹ŽŽ—•‡†
Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–‹–Š‡‹”ƒ‡ǡ’”‘˜‹†‹‰
’‡”ˆ‡ –‡˜‹†‡ ‡‘ˆ–Š‡Ž‘ ƒŽ‹–›ǯ•
‡†—”‹‰ ‘‡” ‹ƒŽ”‡’—–ƒ–‹‘Ǥ
‡ƒ™Š‹Ž‡ǡ‘‰”‡••ƒ––‡’–‡†
legislating a national copyright
•–ƒ†ƒ”†‹ͳͺ͹Ͳƒ•ŠƒŽˆƒ†‘œ‡
‡”‹ ƒ•–ƒ–‡•Šƒ†ƒŽ”‡ƒ†›’ƒ••‡†
˜ƒ”›‹‰–”ƒ†‡ƒ”Žƒ™•Ǥ –™ƒ•‘–
—–‹Ž–Š‡‘‡” ‡ Žƒ—•‡‹ƒ” Š
ͳͺͺͳ–Šƒ––Š‡ϐ‹”•–‡ˆ‘” ‡ƒ„Ž‡ ‡†‡”ƒŽ
–”ƒ†‡ƒ”Žƒ™’ƒ••‡†ǤŠ‹•Ž‡‰‹•Žƒ–‹‘
”‡•—Ž–‡†‹–Š‡ϐ‹”•–†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›–”ƒ†‡ƒ”
ƒ•‡‹˜‘Ž˜‹‰Ǯ†‡• ”‹’–‹‘‘ˆ’Žƒ ‡‘ˆ
ƒ—ˆƒ –—”‡ǯ™‹–ŠǮ”‹‰Š–‘ˆ–”ƒ†‡ƒ”ǯ
ƒ––Š‡Ž†• ƒ”‡’’‡”‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǡƒ––Š‡
original site where Old Crow whiskey
™ƒ•ϐ‹”•–†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡†ˆ”‘ͳͺͶͲ–‘ͳͺͷͶǤ
ͳͺ͸ͻǡ–Š”‡‡›‡ƒ”•ƒˆ–‡”• ƒ”
‡’’‡”ǯ•†‡ƒ–Šǡ ƒ‹‡•ǡ‡””›Ƭ‘
Ž‡ƒ•‡†–Š‡Ž†• ƒ”‡’’‡”‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›
for three years and acquired the Old
”‘™–”ƒ†‡ƒ”ǡ–Š‡„—‹Ž––Š‡‡™Ž†
”‘™‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ƒˆ‡™‹Ž‡•†‘™”‹˜‡”
‹ͳͺ͹ͶǤ ‡”‡–Š‡› ‘–‹—‡† ƒ‡•
”‘™ǯ•”‡ ‹’‡Ȃ™Š‹Ž‡• ƒ”‡’’‡”ǯ•
•‘ǡ ƒ‡•ǡ„—‹Ž–ƒ‘–Š‡”• ƒ”‡’’‡”
‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ʹͲ‹Ž‡•ƒ™ƒ›‹‡š‹‰–‘Ǥ
‘–Š–Š‡”‘™ƒ†‡’’‡”ƒ‡•Šƒ†
enviable reputations in Kentucky. The
‘”‹‰‹ƒŽŽ†• ƒ”‡’’‡”‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›
ƒ†–”ƒ†‡ƒ‡™ƒ•’—” Šƒ•‡†„›
‡‘’‘Ž†ƒ„”‘–ƒ† ƒ‡• ”ƒŠƒ‹

26 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky Issues National Debate

ͳͺ͹ͺǤ ƒ‡•‡’’‡” ŠƒŽŽ‡‰‡†–Š‹• ‡˜‹”‘‡–ǡ™Š‹Ž‡• ”—’—Ž‘—•Ž›

contract and lost the case as Labrot & ƒ’’Ž›‹‰ ƒ‡•”‘™ǯ•’”‡• ”‹„‡†
”ƒŠƒŠƒ†’—” Šƒ•‡†–Š‡–”ƒ†‡ƒ” ˆ‘”—Žƒ•ˆ”‘‰”ƒ‹–‘–Š‡„ƒ””‡ŽǤŠ‡›
with the distillery and land, forcing were able to successfully litigate these
ƒ‡•–‘ ƒŽŽŠ‹•‡™†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”› ƒ‡• –”ƒ†‡ƒ”‹ˆ”‹‰‡‡–•Ǥ
‡’’‡”ǤŽ†”‘™™Š‹•‡› ‘–‹—‡† —”‹‰–Š‡’ƒ•––™‘†‡ ƒ†‡•ǡ–Š‡ϐ‹‡Ž†
’”‘†— –‹‘ƒ––Š‡Ž†”‘™‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǡ ‘ˆ‰”‡ƒ–‡•–‹“—‹”›ƒ†‡š’‡”‹‡–ƒ–‹‘
ƒ†–Š‡„”ƒ†„‡ ƒ‡–Š‡‘•–Ž‹–‹‰‹‘—• Šƒ•„‡‡ ƒ•™‘‘†ƒ†ƒ–—”ƒ–‹‘Ǣ
™Š‹•›–”ƒ†‡ƒ”‹‡”‹ ƒŠ‹•–‘”›ǡ ‹˜‡•–‹‰ƒ–‹‰‡˜‡”›–Š‹‰ˆ”‘–Š‡
ƒ•—• ”—’—Ž‘—• ‘’‡–‹–‘”•’‹”ƒ–‡†ǡ locality of oak sub-species, a section
’ƒ••‡†‘ˆˆƒ†‹•”‡’”‡•‡–‡†‹–ˆ‘” of the tree trunk, seasoning and
‘‡” ‹ƒŽ‰ƒ‹Ǥ ‹Ž‹‰‡–Š‘†•ǡ–‘˜—Ž ƒ‹•‹‰•–ƒ˜‡
ƒ†‡’‘•‹–‹‘ǡŽ†”‘™ǯ• –”‡ƒ–‡–•ǡ ‘‘’‡”ƒ‰‡–‡ Š‹“—‡•
‘™‡”• Žƒ‹‡†„›ͳͺͻ͸–‘Šƒ˜‡ ƒ†ϐ‹‹•Š‹‰‡Šƒ ‡‡–•ǡ™‘‘†
‹•–‹‰ƒ–‡†‘”‡–ŠƒʹǡͲͲͲ–”ƒ†‡ƒ” ƒƒ‰‡‡–ƒ†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”‹‘˜ƒ–‹‘
‹ˆ”‹‰‡‡– ƒ•‡•Ǥ ƒ›‘ˆ Šƒ•„‡‡–Š‡ƒ‹ˆ‘ —•ˆ‘”‹ ”‡‡–ƒŽ
–Š‡•‡•—„‹••‹‘•ǡ–Š‡›ƒ••‡”–‡† new product extensions. Attention is
their locality directly contributed to currently refocusing on localisation by
–Š‡™Š‹•›ǯ•ϐŽƒ˜‘—”ǡƒ†–Š‡”‡ˆ‘”‡ investigating the contributions grain
the locale was integral to Old Crow ƒ†›‡ƒ•–’Žƒ›•‹ϐŽƒ˜‘—”Ǥ
™Š‹•‡›ǤŠ‡›•–”‡••‡†–Š‡‹’‘”–ƒ ‡ Š‡•‡–™‘„‹‘Ž‘‰‹ ƒŽϐ‹‡Ž†•
‘ˆ–Š‡•’”‹‰•‘—” ‡ˆ”‘–Š‡ Š‡”– ‘’Ž‡‡––Š‡–™‘ƒŒ‘”‰”‘™–Š
Ž‹‡•–‘‡™ƒ–‡”ǡŽ‘ ƒŽŽ›‰”‘™‰”ƒ‹ –”‡†•‹–Š‡™Š‹•›‹†—•–”›ǡƒ‡Ž›
ƒ††‹•–‹ŽŽ‹‰‡“—‹’‡–ǡ†‡• ”‹„‹‰  ‘––‹•ŠƒŽ–™Š‹•›ƒ†‡”‹ ƒ
–Š‡ƒ”‡ƒǯ•‹ ”‘ϐŽ‘”ƒƒ• ‘–”‹„—–‹‰ straight whiskey, as both categories
Ǯ’ƒ”–‹ —Žƒ”ˆ‡”‡–•‘ˆŽ‘ ƒŽ‹–›ǯ†—‡ ‡‰ƒ‰‡ ‘•—‡”‹–‡”‡•–™‹–ŠŽ‘ ƒŽ‹–›
–‘–Š‡—‹“—‡‡••‘ˆ–Š‡ Ž‡•”‡‡ and the discernible characteristics

’”‡•‡–‹•‘‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•ǯ™Š‹•› These pages

’‘”–ˆ‘Ž‹‘•Ǥ‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•ƒ”‡‹‘˜ƒ–‹‰„› clockwise from
exploring heritage and landrace grains, bottom left:
Welcome to The
testing localised cerevisiae strains and
Glenlivet; Sourcing
‹ ”‘ϐŽ‘”ƒ‹•‡ƒ” Š‘ˆŽ‘ ƒŽǮ’”‘†— – barley for Kilchoman;
ƒ—–Š‡–‹ ‹–›ǯ–Š”‘—‰Š Š‡‹•–”›ǡ The barley
„‹‘Ž‘‰›ƒ†ƒ”‡–‹‰Ǥ behind the spirit;
‘‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•ƒ”‡•‡‡‹‰ Kilchoman’s Islay
to discover the extent to which barley harvest.
locality, such as Bruichladdich and
‹Ž Š‘ƒǯ•‡ˆˆ‘”–•‘ •Žƒ›ǡƒ†
•’‡ ‹ϐ‹ ‰”ƒ‹˜ƒ”‹‡–‹‡•ǡ•— Šƒ•”‡ ‡–
’”‘Œ‡ –•ƒ–ƒ–‡”ˆ‘”†‹ ”‡Žƒ†ǡ
can exhibit noticeable and desirable
•‡•‘”›ƒˆϐ‹‹–‹‡•–‘™Š‹•›Ǥ•‰”ƒ‹
undergoes a succession of destructive
ƒ†–”ƒ•ˆ‘”ƒ–‹˜‡’”‘ ‡••‡•Ȃˆ”‘
‹Ž‹‰ǡˆ‡”‡–ƒ–‹‘ƒ††‹•–‹ŽŽƒ–‹‘
–‘Ž‘‰’‡”‹‘†•‘ˆƒ–—”ƒ–‹‘Ȃ–Š‡
question is what palatable qualities
’‡”•‹•–‹‹„—‹‰™Š‹•›™‹–Šƒ
sense of place. The organoleptic and
perceived criteria on Sense versus
Sensibility now has to patiently await
‘•—‡”Œ—†‰‡‡–Ǥ

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 27

Whisky People Gordon & MacPhail

28 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky People Gordon & MacPhail

WORDS GAVIN D. SMITH

Celebrating a global
phenomenon
Raising a glass to 125 years of endeavour

G
ordon & MacPhail didn’t ƒ‰‡—‹‡ϐŽƒ‹”ˆ‘”–Š‡•‡Ž‡ –‹‘ǡ
invent single malt Scotch purchasing and maturation of whisky
whisky, but the Elgin- from local distilleries, and Stephen –
based company can a fourth-generation member of the
certainly claim a great deal ”“—Šƒ”–ˆƒ‹Ž›Ȃ ‹–‡•ͳͻͳͷƒ•ƒ‡›
of credit for transforming it from a niche †ƒ–‡‹–Š‡Š‹•–‘”›‘ˆ–Š‡ϐ‹”Ǥ
product – even across much of Scotland In that year, the Urquharts took
– into the global phenomenon it is today. control of the business and they have
Š‡ϐ‹”™ƒ•‡•–ƒ„Ž‹•Š‡†‹ͳͺͻͷǡ held on to it ever since, following the
ƒ†‹• ‡Ž‡„”ƒ–‹‰‹–•ͳʹͷ–Š„‹”–Š†ƒ›„› ’”ƒ –‹ ‡‘ˆŠƒ˜‹‰–Š‡‹”‘™ ƒ••ϐ‹ŽŽ‡†
releasing four single cask expressions with new-make spirit at distilleries
from ‘lost’ distilleries. As director of in order to ensure the highest-quality
prestige Stephen Rankin explains, mature whisky.
“These are extremely special releases According to Stephen, “Our success
for us as they are the last casks from is down to the philosophy of our
these four distilleries that we own.” forefathers: always take the long-term
Š‡‹‹–‹ƒŽ”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡•ƒ”‡ƒͳͻ͹ʹͶ͹ ˜‹‡™ǡ–Š‹™Šƒ–ǯ•”‹‰Š–ˆ‘”͵Ͳ‘”ͶͲ
Years Old Coleburn, distilled south years ahead, and place huge value
‘ˆŽ‰‹ǡƒ†ƒͳͻͺͶ͵ͷ‡ƒ”•Ž† on relationships.
Glenury Royal, produced in Stonehaven “Look after suppliers, colleagues and
during the distillery’s last full year of customers. If you respect your suppliers
operation. Two further ‘lost’ bottlings you will get a good-quality product from
will appear before the end of the year. them that customers will want to buy.
From the beginning, when James We are here because we’ve produced
Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail a product of outstanding quality, and
announced the opening of their quality never goes out of fashion.
‘centrical and commodious premises’ “My grandfather, George Urquhart,
‘‘—–Š–”‡‡–ǡŽ‰‹ǡ‘ʹͶƒ›ͳͺͻͷǡ wrote that ‘The future is shaped by
whisky from the heartland of Speyside what we do today, while today reveals
production was an important part of what we did in the past.’ We have to
the business, which also embraced ‡‡’–Š‡„—•‹‡•••–”‘‰ˆ‘”–Š‡ϐ‹ˆ–Šǡ
groceries and wine. sixth and seventh generations of the
When John Urquhart joined the ˆƒ‹Ž›ǡ•‘–Šƒ––Š‡› ƒ„‡‡ϐ‹–ˆ”‘
ϐŽ‡†‰Ž‹‰„—•‹‡••ƒ•ƒƒ’’”‡–‹ ‡ what we are doing.”
it soon became clear that he had It was George Urquhart who launched

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 29

Whisky People Gordon & MacPhail

incredibly successful.
DzŠ‡„—•‹‡••‡’Ž‘›•ƒ”‘—†ͳ͸Ͳ
’‡‘’Ž‡ǡƒ†™‡†‘‘”‡–ŠƒʹͲͲ
releases per year overall, including lots
of single casks for various markets.
‡Šƒ˜‡•–‘ ˆ”‘‘”‡–ŠƒͳͲͲ
distilleries represented in our shop, and
ƒ”‘—†ʹͷ’‡” ‡–‘ˆ–Š‘•‡ƒ”‡ˆ”‘
‘lost’ distilleries.”
Stephen sums up the Gordon &
the Connoisseurs Choice range of single for Gordon & MacPhail. Even during Opening pages: MacPhail philosophy as “Drawing
ƒŽ–™Š‹•‹‡•‹ͳͻ͸ͺǡ–‘–Š‡†‹•„‡Ž‹‡ˆ a pandemic, we are creating a new Cheers to 125 years on the experience of the past and
or amusement of many in the Scotch distillery in the Highlands and providing of G&M. planning carefully for the future,”
This page from top
whisky industry, but he correctly jobs at a time when the world isn’t adding that, “We’re very proud of
to bottom:
interpreted that there were potential necessarily in a great place. We believe The Benromach what the company has achieved in its
markets of France, USA, Italy and the in the area and are investing in it and its Distillery has played ͳʹͷ›‡ƒ”•Ȃ‹–ǯ•ƒŽ™ƒ›•„‡‡ˆ‘”™ƒ”†Ǧ
Netherlands in particular. As Stephen ’‡‘’Ž‡Ǥ –ǯ•–Š‡ϐ‹”•–†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›™‹–Š‹–Š‡ its part in the story of thinking. Our generation is introducing
says, “We were at the forefront of Cairngorms National Park. Gordon & MacPhail; a new distillery, and it has created
†”‹˜‹‰•‹‰Ž‡ƒŽ–•ƒŽ‡•ˆ”‘–Š‡ͳͻ͸Ͳ• “We’ve got great distilling knowledge A look at the G&M new ranges and brought Red Door Gin
retail experience.
and helped create the demand for single from Benromach, but the new distillery from Benromach into the stable. Our
malts that we see now.” will be modern in design and quite portfolio is full of very rare and very
‘–Š‡”‹Ž‡•–‘‡ˆ‘”–Š‡ϐ‹” ƒ‡ unlike Benromach. It will have one wash precious whiskies.”
™‹–Š–Š‡ƒ “—‹•‹–‹‘ƒ†”‡ϐ‹––‹‰‘ˆ and two spirit stills and everything we Who can really doubt that in another
Benromach distillery at Forres, a dozen make there will be bottled as single ͳʹͷ›‡ƒ”•‡„‡”•‘ˆ–Š‡‡‹‰Š–Šƒ†
miles west of Elgin, by members of malt. Ideally, it will be in operation by ninth generations of the Urquhart
the third generation of the family. The Žƒ–‡ʹͲʹͳǤdz family will still be at the heart of all that
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›’—” Šƒ•‡™ƒ•ƒ†‡‹ͳͻͻ͵ǡ From new to old, Gordon & MacPhail is best about Scotch whisky?
™‹–Š†‹•–‹ŽŽ‹‰”‡ ‘‡ ‹‰ϐ‹˜‡›‡ƒ”• has been responsible for bottling some
later. Stephen notes that, “They wanted of the most venerable whiskies in the
a distillery and this was actually a dream ™‘”Ž†Ǥͳͳƒ” ŠʹͲͳͲǡ–Š‡ ‘’ƒ›
going back to before the First World War made history by launching Generations
when John tried to buy one. Benromach ‘”–Žƒ Š͹Ͳ‡ƒ”•Ž†Ȃƒ––Šƒ––‹‡ǡ
was a case of the right place at the right the world’s oldest bottled single malt
time, after decades spent looking for the Scotch whisky.
right distillery. ›‡ƒ”Žƒ–‡” ƒ‡ƒ͹Ͳ‡ƒ”•Ž†
“Buying Benromach was to safeguard Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ƒ†‹ʹͲͳͷ–Š‡‘Ž†‡•–”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡
supplies of good whisky, and it –‘†ƒ–‡ǡƒ͹ͷ‡ƒ”•Ž†‘”–Žƒ Šǡ
completed the ‘wheel’ for us. Choosing appeared. “They were a demonstration
ƒ†ϐ‹ŽŽ‹‰ ƒ••ǡƒ–—”‹‰–Š‡ǡ ‘ˆ ‘ϐ‹†‡ ‡ǡdz†‡ Žƒ”‡•–‡’Š‡ǤDz‡›
bottling and selling them. Now distilling, to what we do is patience.”
too. It has made us more in control of ʹͲͳͺǡ ‘”†‘Ƭƒ Šƒ‹Ž
our own destiny.” announced a total revamp of its existing
And now the fourth generation of whisky ranges, streamlining them
the family – comprising chairman and offering enhanced packaging.
Neil Urquhart, twin brothers Stuart Stephen explains, “Previously, we
and Richard Urquhart, and Stephen were so focused on the quality in the
ƒ‹Ȃ‹•ƒ††‹‰–‘–Š‡ϐ‹”ǯ•†‹•–‹ŽŽ‹‰ bottle that we didn’t tell people much
capabilities, with work well underway about the whisky. Now we have great
on a new distillery project at Carron, quality and we give customers more
near Grantown-on-Spey. information. Since the relaunch, we’ve
 ‘”†‹‰–‘–‡’Š‡ǡDz ʹͲͳͷ™‡ had great feedback about quality
started thinking seriously about a and presentation. The Connoisseurs
new distillery. That was a key moment Choice selection in particular has been

30 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

32 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170
 Distillery Focus Roe & Co

WORDS GREG DILLON

There’s a relative
new kid in Ireland’s
¿UVWFLW\

I
’ve always been a big fan of
Dublin; who doesn’t love a
Guinness, great food, awe-
inspiring street art and the
stereotypical craic (that’s banter
and good times for those not familiar)?
In recent times, visits to Dublin have
included trips to the Teeling Distillery
and its purpose-built visitor centre,
which was as much a consideration
when designing the distillery as the stills
and equipment to do the actual distilling.
Then there’s the impressive Jameson
Distillery Experience where distilling
used to happen, but where nowadays
there is an incredible set of experiences,
food and whiskeys for all levels of
whiskey interest.
Now there’s a new distillery on the
scene – one that is as beautifully crafted
as the spirit running of its stills: Roe &
‘Ǥ—–ϐ‹”•–ǡƒ•Š‘”–Š‹•–‘”›Ž‡••‘ƒ„‘—–
the brand. When creating the modern-
day expression of Roe & Co,
the team came up with the idea of
talking about the ‘greatest story never
told’: the heritage of Irish whiskey,

The distilling
including the George Roe distillery. It
was opened in 1757 but, after having
to tackle a number of adverse trading
conditions and global challenges such as
Prohibition, the 1916 Uprising and the
UK’s trade embargo enforced on Ireland,

experience
it sadly shut its doors.
The distillery design, bottle design
and overall brand aesthetic have been
inspired by the old distillery and the
tower remaining from the original
site. Interestingly, the teal and copper

Dublin style
colour palette used on the pack, in
design detailing and at point of sale are
supposed to represent Dublin and the
copper used in building work that has
oxidised over time.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 33

Distillery Focus Roe & Co

The pear drop device has been used

–‘”‡’”‡•‡––Š‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”’”‘ϐ‹Ž‡Ȃ–ƒ‡ƒ
look at the bottom of the bottle (yes,
put the stopper back in and turn it
—’•‹†‡Ǧ†‘™Ȍƒ†›‘—ǯŽŽϐ‹†–Š‡†‡˜‹ ‡
present there, too.
George Roe’s distillery was located
a mere 100 metres down the road
from Arthur Guinness’ world-famous
brewery. When it closed, Guinness
bought the site, sold the remaining
liquid, and eventually sold the site itself.
The new distillery was constructed
in a building that used to house the
Guinness brewery’s power station, but
lay derelict for around 18 years after
it joined the National Grid. Now fully
operational, it has a capacity of 500,000
litres of spirit per year, produced across
three pot stills producing single malt
for the blend, with grain whiskey being
bought in from a third-party supplier.
The fabulous design team at Hearts
& Feints in Scotland designed the
distillery experience, and have done
a superb job. When I visited back in
November 2019, I was genuinely taken
aback by how much of an immersive
and intriguing distillery it was –
arguably the most visitor-focused and Opening pages:
enjoyable distillery experience in the Taking a class in the
Diageo portfolio. Roe & Co style.
These pages, from
The operational side of the distillery
left to right:
is all in one room – both elegant and Looking over
‡ˆϐ‹ ‹‡–Ǥ–Š‡–‘—”›‘—ƒ”‡–ƒ‡ the glass bridge;
upstairs whilst being talked through the Creating cocktails;
Š‹•–‘”‹ ƒŽ•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ ‡‘ˆ–Š‡•‹–‡ǡƒŽ‘‘ Service with a
at the old tower and a chat about the smile; The Roe & Co
building frontage.
future of the brand and how the team
are working closely with bartenders
and mixologists to develop new and
‹–‡”‡•–‹‰ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•–‘‡š’ƒ††”‹‡”•ǯ
understanding of Irish whiskey and
how it can be consumed.
From there, guests are walked across
a glass bridge – something I was told
freaked a few people out – where you
get full visibility of the whiskey-making
process, including the fermenters which
are surrounded by heat jackets so that
Lora Hemy, Roe & Co’s master distiller,
has full control over all aspects of the
process. This set-up enables her to

34 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Distillery Focus Roe & Co

while enjoying different expressions of

Roe & Co and trying more cocktails.
As with other distilleries in Dublin,
you now have the opportunity to bottle
your own Irish whiskey straight from a
cask – or, in Roe & Co’s case, two casks
– in the distillery shop, so you have a
unique gift to remember your visit by.
All in all it is a rather splendid
distillery to spend time in, and a big
statement as to the direction the brand
is going in: mixology at the heart of the
brand and its whiskey’s consumption
moments; really interesting releases
that are bottled at a higher ABV so that
they work in cocktails without losing
that ‘whiskey-ness’; and engaging with
those who want to take the time to
make the recommended pilgrimage to
Dublin’s newest distillery.

tweak and ‘play’ with the various stages

of distillation to get the exact spirit she
wants for the various products Roe & Co
are looking to produce.
Next stop is the tasting room where,
around a Roe & Co pear-shaped table,
your senses are awakened as you nose
through components of the current
„Ž‡†ƒ•™‡ŽŽƒ•†‹ˆˆ‡”‡–‡›ϐŽƒ˜‘—”
notes. Through this process, guests
can begin to understand the brand and
ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•–‘”›ƒ•ƒ—Ž–‹ǦŽƒ›‡”‡†‡–‹–›Ǥ
Š‡ϐ‹ƒŽ•–‘’‘–Š‡–‘—”‹•–Š‡
mixology room, where you are invited
to make your own cocktails based on a
”‡ ‹’‡ Š‘•‡ˆ”‘–Š‡‘—–Ž‹‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”
’”‘ϐ‹Ž‡•‘–Š‡™ƒŽŽȂ ˆ‘—†–Š‡•‡–‘„‡
relatively sweet, but that may have been
down to the balance of whiskey and
‘†‹ϐ‹‡”•–Šƒ– —•‡†Ǥ
 ‡–Š‡–‘—”Šƒ• ‘ Ž—†‡†–Š‡”‡‹•
a very comfortable and full bar available
at the back of the old power station,
with booths for groups to sit around

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 35

Whiskey People Lora Hemy

36 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whiskey People Lora Hemy

A maverick
WORDS MARK JENNINGS
in the monolith
A wildcard distiller is laying down spirit
for this new venture

S
omething is brewing at Dublin’s St. James’s Gate, and it’s
not just the Guinness. A new distillery, set up by a wildcard
distiller, is laying down spirit and they are not afraid of
tearing up their own rules.
When Diageo sold Bushmills in 2014 many thought it
was to be their exit from the Irish whiskey market and at a strange
time too, just as things seemed to be hotting up. Then, out of the blue,
‘Roe & Co’ appeared: a reimagined brand trading on the heritage of
one of Dublin’s biggest distillery names of old, George Roe.
Behind the brand were bold plans for a new distillery, but
unusually it wasn’t to be part of Diageo’s gigantic whisky empire.
‘—ǯŽŽϐ‹†‹–Š‘—•‡†‹–Š‡ˆ‘”‡”’‘™‡”Š‘—•‡‘ˆ–Š‡ —‹‡••
brewery, a startup within a corporation.
The distillery isn’t set up to just make any old whiskey - the
intention is to do something experimental and maverick. To
commission and run it they needed someone unique, a non-
traditionalist, someone who knows the rules well enough to tear
them up. They found this in former art student, DJ and perfumer-
turned-distiller Lora Hemy. I caught Lora on a brief holiday before a
very busy distilling season.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 37

Whiskey People Lora Hemy

How do you think your friends to work out how to actually make it
describe you? happen. A 15-year opus.”
“A wee bit mad. A loner that isn’t scared Lora trained at Herriot-Watt’s famous
of things. I like the sort of adventures Institute of Brewing and Distilling,
that you can’t take your other half with graduating just as the gin boom was
you. I’d be a nightmare really as a friend exploding, “At the time there were loads
or partner.“ of startups and lots of opportunities to
get involved in distillery-building, and
‘™†‹†›‘—ƒƒ‰‡–‘ϐ‹†›‘—” I fell into that by the virtue of being in
way into distilling? that place at that time.”
“I got into my 30s and was sick of music She ended up at Halewood
studios and the nocturnal lifestyle and International (Whitley Neill, Liverpool
decided to swap it for another full-on Gin) and was part of the team that
nocturnal life,” she jokes. •‡–—’–Š‡‹”ϐ‹”•–†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•ǤŠ‡–Š‡
“I hated school, I found it boring bounced to Atom Group (Master of Malt
and restrictive and I found my tribe, and the Boutique-y brands).
the freaks and weirdos were all at art “They were doing some super cool
school and I had a brilliant time, but I stuff and were aligned with how I think
got less interested in painting in two about new product development and
dimensions and got into working with the exploratory side of spirits, ‘just try
aroma chemicals. It’s sculptural really stuff’, which is the best way to learn. I
and whisky grew out of that. You can do fell in love with their thinking. Then I
these cool things, working with abject got the call out of the blue.”
aromas and make them beautiful.”
Coming from startups, was it
When did you know that distilling a hard choice to work for a big
was your future? company?
“It was at Glen Ord, it’s a super techy “I think on paper I’m not the kind of
distillery and had a bunch of clever person people would expect to work
people talking you through the process for a company as big as Diageo, but
in quite an unromantic but factual and it’s completely the opposite of what I
interesting way. It took me a long time expected it to be, it’s a brilliant place
to work. We’re fairly unique, we don’t
report up through the distilling and
maturation line, we’re part of the beer
line – we’re the only distillery in that
part of the business. It’s everything
you’d expect putting a tiny distillery
inside a massive brewery would be.
“In the last 300 years, you’d struggle
–‘ϐ‹†ƒ‘”‡‹’‘”–ƒ–•–”‡‡––‘–Š‡
industry worldwide. Thomas Street and
James Street back in the day, you’d have
the world’s largest distillery on one side
– the original George Roe, and the other Opening pages:
the worlds biggest brewery. You can Lora Hemy.
feel the heritage. I walked in the famous These pages, from
arch at St James Gate... it’s hard to say left to right:
no to something like that.” The Roe & Co still
house, Outside the
distillery; A line up of
Can you describe your role? the latest expression;
“On paper, it is head distiller, but it Lora Hemy with a
can mean anything at the moment. It’s dram of Roe & Co.

38 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whiskey People Lora Hemy

Their still setup is rather interesting.

The stills themselves are made by
Diageo coppersmiths Abercrombie,
in Alloa. This not only gives them
access to years of experience but
their site is a kind of graveyard for old
Diageo distilleries. In fact, part of their
intermediate still came from the 1860s
ƒ†™ƒ•„‡‹‰—•‡†ƒ•ƒϐŽ‘™‡”’‘–Ǩ
They have a high-necked, wide-
based wash still with 14,000 litres
capacity. The intermediate still, whose
top was once a Tanqueray still and has
„‡‡–Š”‘—‰Š’‡”Šƒ’•ϐ‹˜‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•ǡ
has a double boil-ball still head
ȋ–‘•‘ˆ”‡ϐŽ—šȌǡ‰”ƒˆ–‡†‘–‘ƒ‘”‡
contemporary body. It’s 6,600 litres
capacity. Completing the set-up is a tiny
spirits still with a very long, skinny neck
and 4000 litres capacity.
The triple stills can run as a
balanced system or as a rather unusual
unbalanced, double distillation system,
™‹–Š–Š‡™ƒ•Š•–‹ŽŽƒ –‹‰ƒ•–Š‡ϐ‹”•–
stage and the spirit and intermediate
acting in tandem as a spirit still stage.
Apparently the spirit character is
almost the polar opposite of the triple.
As to future releases, Lora is about to
commence the 2020 innovation season
where for three months they’ll be
solely focused on innovation – rotating
recipes every few weeks. In terms of
liquid releases, there is a coffee cask
release imminent, inspired by her trip
to Ethiopia, and then two new distillery
exclusive releases. This includes one
partnering with the Guinness pilot plant
meant commissioning the new plant for don’t do that. It’s so much more using barrel-aged beer casks – one is a
–Š‡Žƒ•––™‘›‡ƒ”•ǤŠ‡ϐ‹”•–›‡ƒ”™ƒ• challenging,“ she joked. ”‡––ƒ‘› ‡•‹–”ƒ ϐ‹‹•ŠǤ
the build and I was very involved with “We’re in full production but clearly She’s tight-lipped beyond that but
the functional design process. We wrote when using a new distillery it’s like very excited about the experimental
and then tore up a lot of plans as we using a musical instrument, you learn things including a “different approach
went which is brilliant. all the quirks of the plant when you put to maturation.”
“I’m now moving on to organising all them together, they never do quite what —•–ƒ†‹–ǡ™Š‡ ϐ‹”•–•ƒ™‘‡Ƭ
of our innovation projects over the next you expect them to do on paper. Co launch a blend ‘made for bartenders
year. We built the distillery to be very “In terms of how a distillery usually by bartenders’ a few years ago, I was a
much focussed on innovation and doing runs in Diageo, we don’t run like that. little underwhelmed: the George Roe
cool stuff.” ‡Šƒ˜‡ƒ˜‡”›ϐŽ‡š‹„Ž‡’”‘†— –‹‘’ŽƒǢ name has such legacy it seemed a bit
I write it, which is unusual in itself and ™‡ƒǤ’‡ƒ‹‰–‘‘”ƒ ˆ‡‡Ž ‘ϐ‹†‡–
What’s the state of the distillery? we input what we want to make and that the history of this great if somewhat
“If you are thinking of building a we just do them. It’s like a pilot plant in forgotten name is in good hands and I’m
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›‹ƒ‘Ž†„—‹Ž†‹‰ǡ†‡ϐ‹‹–‡Ž› many ways.” excited for what’s to come.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 39

Distillery Focus Ardbeg

WORDS GAVIN D. SMITH

A Hebridean classic
7KHLFRQLF,VOD\PDOWLVGRXEOLQJLQVL]H±ZHYLVLWWR¿QGRXWPRUH

D
emand for Islay single stillhouse with spectacular sea views annual Fèis Ìle festival. Wee Beastie sits
malts has never been will house four stills instead of the at the opposite end of the age range to
higher, and the distilling previous two. Four new washbacks are ”ƒ‹‰ŠŠƒǡ„‡‹‰Œ—•–ϐ‹˜‡›‡ƒ”•‘Ž†ǡ
scene on the Hebridean being installed in the old stillhouse and and like its elder sibling it carries an
island has proved to be another two in the former fuel store. age statement, in contrast to most
incredibly dynamic of late. As if that wasn’t enough, the Ardbeg Ardbeg releases of recent years, due
In terms of new distilleries, Ardnahoe team has also been busy with new principally to the large holes in the
started production in November 2018, releases, commencing last September distillery’s inventory.
while Diageo’s project to create the new with 19-year-old Traigh Bhan, matured Ageing has taken place in a mix of
Port Ellen Distillery progresses, Elixir in a combination of Bourbon and sherry ex-Bourbon and oloroso sherry casks.
Distillers hopes to build a new distillery oak, followed by the 2020 Committee Ardbeg’s director of whisky creation,
near Port Ellen, and the much-delayed Release Ardbeg Blaaack and, most Dr Bill Lumsden, says, “I’m in no
Gartbreck Distillery project close to recently, Wee Beastie. Not only that, doubt that Ardbeggians will love this
‘™‘”‡ƒ›‘™ϐ‹ƒŽŽ›‰‘ƒŠ‡ƒ†Ǥ they have also found time to create the tongue-tingling expression. The casks
But there is also plenty of dynamism ϐ‹”•–‡˜‡””†„‡‰„‡‡”Ǥ chosen for its creation make it ideal for
around the long-established distilleries, Ardbeg Blaaack was bottled in enjoying neat, or as the mouth-watering
and nowhere more so than Ardbeg. celebration of the 20th anniversary of main ingredient in a smoky cocktail.”
Work began during 2018 to double the Ardbeg Committee, founded in the Distillery manager Mickey Heads
the potential output to 2.4mla in an year 2000 and now boasting more than adds that, “A new permanent expression
attempt to match future demand for the 120,000 members. The whisky has in the core range is always momentous
whisky, though coronavirus brought „‡‡ϐ‹‹•Š‡†‹’‹‘–‘‹”™‹‡ ƒ•• for the distillery, but Wee Beastie is
‘•–”— –‹‘–‘ƒŠƒŽ–ˆ‘”ƒ•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ– sourced from New Zealand and, as on a particularly special dram. As it’s a
period of time. Islay, sheep outnumber people in New younger whisky, it means we’re able to
Malt storage capacity is being Zealand, hence the name ‘Blaaack.’ It get as close to the still as possible. So,
increased from 60 to 120 tonnes, and ™ƒ•‘ˆϐ‹ ‹ƒŽŽ›Žƒ— Š‡†ƒ––Š‡˜‹”–—ƒŽ it’s safe to say this is a ferociously good
a second boiler installed, while a new ‘Ardbeg Day’ of this year’s cancelled wee nip!”

But there is also plenty of dynamism around

the long-established distilleries

40 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

Distillery Focus Ardbeg

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 41

Distillery Focus Ardbeg

Ardbeg’s foray into the world of in 1979. Prior to his move to Ardbeg,
beer came in August, with the limited he ran Jura distillery. This autumn,
release of The Shortie Smoky Porter, however, sees him step down from his
named after Ardbeg’s Jack Russell well-loved role of Ardbeg distillery
mascot. It was produced in association production manager.
with Williams Bros. Brewing Co and He says that, “Being at the helm of
”‡™‰‘‘†‡”ǡ™‹–ŠƒŽŽ’”‘ϐ‹–•„‡‹‰ Ardbeg for 13 years has been a great
donated to charity supporting clean privilege. The whisky we make here
water projects in Malawi. is of wonderful quality, and being part
Heads explains, “Not only is this a of the team that creates it is fantastic.
hugely important cause – that we’re Ardbeg has such a long history that
delighted to be a part of – but The I’ve always seen myself as a custodian
Š‘”–‹‡‘›‘”–‡”‹•‘ˆ ‘—”•‡ƒϐ‹”•– carrying it forward for the next
for the distillery. Helping brew a beer generation. So, you just do it as well as
may seem like unchartered territory for you can and with as much passion as
Ardbeg, but as any whiskyphile worth you can.”
their malt will tell you, beer and whisky Thomas Moradpour, CEO of The
share the same DNA.” Glenmorangie Company that owns
Heads has been in charge of Ardbeg Ardbeg, adds that, “Mickey Heads is a
since 2007, having been born and Š—‰‡Ž›”‡•’‡ –‡†ϐ‹‰—”‡‹–Š‡™‘”Ž†‘ˆ
raised on Islay, and started his working single malt whisky and will be sorely
life in the whisky industry at Laphroaig missed by Ardbeggians everywhere.

There cannot be many distillery

managers who combine such a wealth
of knowledge, depth of passion and
warmth of welcome. His successor will
have a hard act to follow.”
That successor has now been named
as Colin Gordon, latterly manager at
neighbouring Lagavulin, and previously
operations manager at Port Ellen
Maltings. Of his new appointment,
Gordon says, “Ardbeg is an iconic name
in whisky with an immense reputation.
I’m absolutely delighted to be joining
an experienced team producing such
an exceptional dram. Ardbeg has built
a reputation for producing amazing
whiskies with Mickey Heads at the
helm. He is a huge name in the industry
and will be a very hard act to follow. It’s
a privilege to be chosen to take over the
reins from him.”
During Heads’ tenure at Ardbeg,
some 24 different releases have been
bottled, and physical changes have
included a move to 24/7 operation
and the return of cask disgorging and

42 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Distillery Focus Ardbeg

back from the dead and that sometimes

the experience can make them even
stronger than ever.
The distillery was established by
John MacDougall in 1815 and operated
in private ownership until 1959, when
Ardbeg Distillery Ltd was formed. In
1973, Ardbeg was jointly purchased
by Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd and the
Distillers Company Ltd, with Hiram
Walker assuming full control in 1977.
However, when blended whisky
was truly king, a little of the powerful,
assertive Ardbeg malt went a long way,
and with the Scotch whisky industry
facing a glut of maturing spirit, Ardbeg
was silent between 1982 and 1989,
during which period it became part of
Allied Distillers Ltd when Hiram Walker
was taken over by that company in
1987. Ardbeg re-opened two years later,
but production was limited in quantity,
ƒ†ŽŽ‹‡†ϐ‹ƒŽŽ› Ž‘•‡†–Š‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›
once again in 1996.
The future looked less than rosy for
the run-down plant, but then in 1997
Glenmorangie plc acquired Ardbeg,
batch assembly of the whiskies. From The term ‘derelict’ could have been Opening pages: investing more than £10 million in the
the time when The Glenmorangie applied to much of Ardbeg not too many Looking out from the purchase and distillery refurbishment.
Company acquired the distillery, years ago, though anyone seeing the distillery pier. The year 2000 saw the introduction
These pages
casks were transported by road from gleaming distillery today, producing of one of the principal core offerings
clockwise from
the warehouses to Glenmorangie’s what is now a cult single malt, might bottom left: of Ardbeg: the 10 Years Old.
Broxburn base in West Lothian, where be hard-pressed to believe it. Ardbeg A taste of the Alongside this, Ardbeg embarked on
disgorging took place, but for the is living proof that distilleries do come landscape; The an imaginative and diverse release
past decade disgorging and the distillery has stood programme with many products being
preparation of ‘batches’ of single malt the test of time; Cut exclusively previewed by the Ardbeg
ready for bottling have taken place at
GETTING TECHNICAL peats air drying; A
Committee. Stand-out bottlings have
shiny new vat; A look
the distillery. Water source: Loch Uigeadail included Supernova in 2009, Ardbeg
at the team behind
This development involved Malt: peated (peated to 50-55ppm) the whisky. Alligator in 2011, Ardbeg Galileo in
expanding the distillery team to six – Laureate and Concerto varieties, 2012, Dark Cove in 2016, and Kelpie in
full-time warehousemen, and installing 2018 crop 2017. Additionally, limited quantities
Mashing: semi-lauter 5-tonne
large steel vats to hold the various of 21, 22 and 23-year-old expressions
stainless steel mash tun. 7.5-hour
expressions as batches were assembled. were released from 2016 to 2018.
mash cycle. 16-17 mashes per week
The introduction of An Oa in 2017 Although this year the whisky world,
Fermentation: 8 Oregon pine wash
necessitated additional vatting facilities, backs (average 36,000 litres capacity, along with the rest of the planet, has
as Heads explains, “To produce An ÀOOHGZLWKOLWUHV 8VHVKRXU been forced to hold its breath, as it
Oa, we installed two French oak vats fermentations were, once its expansion programme is
(15,000 litres each) and the main Distillation: 1 x wash stills – lamp complete Ardbeg looks set to be in
30,000 litres ‘Gathering Vat’, where it glass-shaped (charge 11,500 litres) ϐ‹‡•Šƒ’‡ƒ†”‡ƒ†›–‘ˆƒ ‡–Š‡ˆ—–—”‡
sits while marrying. Whisky from three 1 x spirit stills – lamp glass-shaped with the same determination to survive
types of wood goes into the An Oa (charge 13,000 litres) ƒ†ϐŽ‘—”‹•Š–Šƒ–Šƒ• Šƒ”ƒ –‡”‹•‡†
recipe – PX sherry casks, charred virgin Production capacity – 1.25mla the entirety of its colourful history over
oak and ex-Bourbon casks.” the years.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 43

Music & Whisky Oban and Getz

WORDS HANS OFFRINGA

Opening the gateway

This edition is a mellow pairing of malt and sax

T
he ‘mellow’ man with Starting as a teenager, Stan Getz perfection. John Coltrane once said These pages from
–Š‡ƒ•–‘—†‹‰ǡϐŽƒ™Ž‡•• frequently used alcohol and drugs. He about his colleague: “We would all play left: Saxophonist
technique and warm, continued to do so until he got arrested like that... if we could.” Stan Getz, a.k.a.
The Sound; The
poetical sound was born in ‹ͳͻͷͶˆ‘”ƒƒ––‡’–‡†”‘„„‡”›‘ˆ –ƒ ‡–œ™ƒ•‘–‘Ž›’”‘Ž‹ϐ‹ ‹ƒ
cosily positioned
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a pharmacy, needing to score. In an musical way. In between travelling and Oban Distillery; A
on 2 February 1927. Soon afterwards, effort to become sober, he travelled to playing concerts in Europe and the USA, view out from the
the Gayetski family moved to New York. Europe where he stayed in Copenhagen he managed to father six children with ‘Little Bay of Caves’.
They had come from the Ukraine at for a while. When he came back to New three different ladies, two of whom he
the turn of the century and decided to York in the early 1960s, he teamed up had married. His collaboration with
Americanise their name to Getz. with Charlie Byrd and got involved in the Gilberto couple ended after he had
Stan excelled at school and started Latin jazz. During this period he made enjoyed a love affair with Astrud.
to play saxophone when he turned 13, one of his most famous recordings, On 6 June 1991, the smooth operator
albeit that he would enjoy playing on with Joao and Astrud Gilberto, The Girl of jazz and women died of liver cancer.
every instrument he got his hands on. from Ipanema. After his Latin affair he In 1998 he was immortalised by a
‡•–‡”‘—‰™ƒ•‘‡‘ˆŠ‹•ϐ‹”•–—•‹ ƒŽ returned to cool jazz for a while. Then donation of the Herb Alpert Foundation,
‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡•Ǥ–ͳͶŠ‡™ƒ•’Žƒ›‹‰‹Š‹• he joined bass player Stanley Clarke and which made it possible to erect the Stan
high school orchestra, which entitled keyboard phenomenon Chick Corea in Getz Media Center and Library at the
him to get a free tutor from the New the early 1970s. It meant a step toward Berklee College of Music in Boston.
York Philharmonic Orchestra. jazz-rock fusion, which eventually led
—”‹‰ͳ͸Š‡„‡ ƒ‡–Š‡’”‘–±‰±ƴ Getz to experimenting with electronic A dram for easy listening...
of Jack Teagarden and started to play gimmicks on his sax like audio delay A small urban distillery is nestled
with famous musicians like Nat ‘King’ and echo. The critics didn’t like it and cosily in the centre of Oban, from
Cole and Lionel Hampton. Via gigs with slowly Getz returned to acoustic jazz. which it takes its name. It seemed a
Benny Goodman he became a soloist in In the last phase of his life, his music rare location for a distillery since the
Woody Herman’s Second Herd. Their hit became more esoteric and he turned overwhelming majority always liked the
‘Early Autumn’ boosted his career and away from the Bossa Nova style of his countryside better, for obvious reasons.
from 1950 on Getz would be the leading 1960s success altogether. Illicit stills were less easily detected in
man in his own quintets and quartets. Getz, nicknamed ‘The Sound’, was the hills and mountain ranges, when
In 1953 he formed a sextet with Dizzy often praised for his immaculate control gaugers and excise men operated their
Gillespie. The two were then later of the saxophone, which he played †‡–‡•–‡†’”ƒ –‹ ‡ǣ–”›‹‰–‘ϐ‹†ƒ†
joined by rhythm tandem Ray Brown- with seemingly no effort at all. But in demolish them.
Max Roach as well as Herb Ellis and reality it meant working hard, as it is Not so with Oban. On the contrary.
Oscar Peterson. ˜‡”›†‹ˆϐ‹ —Ž––‘‘„–ƒ‹•— ŠƒŽ‡˜‡Ž‘ˆ The name, meaning ‘Little Bay of Caves’

46 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

in English, had been an important port stemming from the Mesolithic period,
for many centuries to Picts, Celts and about 6,500 years ago. BLUE NOTE
Vikings alike. John and Hugh Stevenson After the modernisation, the distillery
took a different approach. They were slowly attracted the attention of Stan Getz earned his nickname ‘The Sound’ for his
avid builders and entrepreneurs, raising larger players in the industry. In 1898 immaculate control of the saxophone, regardless of the
an entire village around the distillery a conglomerate of various business style he played. He was a front man of the West Coast style,
developed by Dave Brubeck. Soon Getz ventured into the hard
and the bay. The brothers soon owned people, among them the powerful
bop area, adding Bossa Nova to his list of accomplishments
various other businesses ranging from Dewar-Buchanan clan, acquired
in the 1960s, travelling to Europe and experimenting with
ƒ•Žƒ–‡“—ƒ””›ƒ†ˆƒ –‘”›–‘ƒϐ‹•Š‹‰ Oban. The latter became part of the
electronic jazz, but eventually returning to straightforward
operation and a brewery, rapidly Distillers Company Ltd in 1925, which jazz. His music gently seduces you into listening, maybe in the
becoming the largest and virtually only eventually would become an important same way he seduced the many women in his life. Getz was
employer in the area around the turn of cornerstone of Diageo. an amazing soloist, but he also performed well with others.
the 18th century. Between 1931 and 1968, Oban This skill showed up in Woody Herman’s Second Herd in 1947,
In 1821 Hugh’s son Thomas inherited struggled as a start-stop operation, ZKLFKZDVYHU\LQÁXHQWLDODQGKHOSHGSURSHOKLPIXUWKHULQWR
the conglomerate and hurried back mothballed a couple of times. After the spotlight. Getz was one of the ‘Four Brothers’ in the band,
from Argentina to claim his stakes. elaborate reconstructions, the distillery joining Zoot Sims, Serge Chaloff and Herbie Steward.
Not having the business instinct of reopened in 1971 and has not ceased to Oban developed itself not only as a distillery but also as
Š‹•ˆƒ–Š‡”ǡŠ‡”ƒ‹–‘ϐ‹ƒ ‹ƒŽ†‡„–• ’”‘†— ‡•‹ ‡Ǥ–ϐ‹”•–„ƒ™ƒ•„‘––Ž‡† a whole town, with supporting industries surrounding the
ƒ†Šƒ†–‘ϐ‹Ž‡ˆ‘”„ƒ”—’– ›‹ as a 12-year-old single malt but that grounds, even venturing into beer brewing. Its single malt is
1829. Luckily his son John took after changed in 1988, when Oban became a soft seducer with a great balance. Due to its easy access
grandfather Hugh and saved the part of the original six Classic Malts. to some of the Western Hebrides, Oban is also called the
distillery, managing to buy it from the From then on the malt would be bottled Gateway to the Isles. Stan Getz in turn can easily be called a
creditors for the decent sum of £1,500 ƒ•ƒͳͶ›‡ƒ”•‘Ž†ǤŠ‹•‡š’”‡••‹‘‹••–‹ŽŽ Gateway to the Styles.
and running it successfully for more the core version, joined by a Distiller’s
than 35 years. In 1866 local man Peter Edition with an extra maturation in
Cumstie bought the distillery, probably Amontillado ex-sherry casks and Oban
as an investment, selling it 17 years Little Bay, a no age statement malt. RECOMMENDED
later to James Walter Higgins, who Oban is the second to smallest of LISTENING
started renovating and modernising Diageo’s 30-odd distilleries, and there ‘Blood Count’ by Stan Getz
Oban in 1883. During the expansion, isn’t really any room for expansion; it
workers found human remains and is crammed between other buildings to DRAM
tools in a cave behind the distillery. the sides, the main street and harbour Oban 14 Years Old
Š‡ϐ‹†‹‰•™‘—Ž†Žƒ–‡”„‡†ƒ–‡†ƒ• in front and a sturdy rock at its back.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 47

Whisky Issues Diageo Special Releases 2020

48 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky Issues Diageo Special Releases 2020

WORDS MARK JENNINGS

RARE
BY
NATURE
– PART DEUX –
It’s that time of year again – get ready for
our take on the latest releases

H
old on, how is it of distilleries you know and love but ƒ†ϐŽ‘”ƒ•—””‘—†‹‰‡ƒ Š†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǡ
September already? tweaked in interesting ways – from rather than their usual livery. You’ll
This time of year is unusual casking to a younger release ϐ‹†——•—ƒŽƒ‰‡’‘‹–•ǡ‡š’‡”‹‡–ƒŽ
marked by two distinct you’ve not had before. With price maturation techniques and the
things: the changing varying from the generally affordable ϐ‹”•–Ǧ‡˜‡””‡Ž‡ƒ•‡ϐ‹‹•Š‡†‹’‘–Ǧ•–‹ŽŽ
of the season and Diageo’s annual to the ‘let me just ask my wife’, they Caribbean rum casks. Lovely.
collection of Special Releases. I’m not are a solid collection of bottles, loosely Of the process, Wilson said, “We
quite ready to relinquish summer yet themed to enable writers like me to have a huge inventory in Diageo so
but it seems I must. ponce on about them in long-form. it’s a painstaking process choosing
Though the hullabaloo was more Some time ago I’d heard that the from millions of casks and using our
muted this year – gone was the lavish Releases were to be culled, but last year ‡š’‡”‹‡ ‡ƒ•„Ž‡†‡”•–‘Ž‘‘–Š”‘—‰Š
launch event and in yet another –Š‡›”‡ƒŽŽ›•‘Ž‹†‹ϐ‹‡†–Š‹•–Š‡‹‰‹–‘ pockets of stock that we think are
‘‘ ƒŽŽȋƒŽ„‡‹––Š‡ϐ‹”•–‘‡ ǯ˜‡Šƒ† Rare By Nature, and this year the theme very special. It’s just a case of nosing
featuring a scratch and sniff pandan returns as… Rare By Nature – which hundreds of glasses and picking
leaf) – it was still a moment to enjoy. might seem a bit lazy to some, but the what we think are the best from each
aim, apparently, is to be a companion to distillery.” Tough gig, eh?!
What is a Special Release anyway? the 2019 releases. I thought the 2019 The full collection includes releases
The Special Releases, lest you’ve releases were all superb, so I’m not from Cardhu, Cragganmore, Dalwhinnie,
been hiding in a bunker since 2001, is going to start complaining. Lagavulin, Mortlach, Pittyvaich, Talisker
an annual, highly regarded collection and The Singleton of Dufftown 17 Years
of cask-strength bottlings from Diageo. This year’s collection Old. Let’s dive in…
Over the years there have been some Chosen by master blender Dr Craig
odd bedfellows but it typically features Wilson, the eight single malt releases Cardhu 11 Years Old, 56.0%
something from a long-silent distillery, are an encore to last year’s and again •ƒŽŽ„ƒ– Šˆ”‘”‡ϐ‹ŽŽǡ‡™ƒ†
something pretty old, and a bunch feature illustrations of the wildlife ‡šǦ‘—”„‘‡”‹ ƒ‘ƒǡˆ‘”ϐŽ‘”ƒŽ

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 49

Whisky Issues Diageo Special Releases 2020

sweetness and spicy intensity. single vintage Lagavulin matured in

Nose: Waxy potato skins, vanilla stem, ”‡ϐ‹ŽŽ‡”‹ ƒ‘ƒ ƒ••Ǥ
leather and wood shavings with hints Nose: A buttered crumpet, sun-warmed
of orange marmalade – even more juicy hay combined with sweet-peated briney
orange with water. pepperiness – unmistakable Laga.
Palate: Wood chips, caramelised roasted Lemon balm too.
purple carrots, root vegetable crisps, Palate: Waxy, oily, unctuous – a smash of
more orange marmalade, then white Barbour wax jackets, well-hung pheasant
peppercorn and green cardamom with meatiness, a working harbourside with
the addition of water. tar and brine. With water it’s fresher,
Finish: Stewed vanilla, apricot and more of the lemon comes through,
currents, moreish and juicy, peppery ‹–‡•‡Ž‹‡ϔ‹œœ‹‰•™‡‡–‹‡•Ǥƒ”
right at the tail. chocolate and coffee appear long into
the sip.
Cragganmore 20 Years Old 55.8% Finish: Long and saline, into olive oil
An age never before released from the pepperiness, really chewy.
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǡƒ–—”‡†‹”‡ϐ‹ŽŽƒ†‡™
fresh-charred casks. Mortlach 21 Years Old 56.9%
Nose: ‡ƒŽŽ›‘˜‡””‹’‡ϔŽ‡•Š›ˆ”—‹–Ȃƒ Rich in smooth intensity, from a small
big tropical sweetness, blueberries „ƒ– Šǡϐ‹‹•Š‡†‹‡†”‘‹‡‡œƒ†
and golden syrup on hot porridge into Oloroso sherry-seasoned casks.
‘Ž‘—”‡†’‡ ‹Ž•Šƒ˜‹‰•ƒ†ƒϔ‹ƒŽ Nose: Orange marmalade, Fruit
metallic note. Salad sweeties – so many layers, with
Palate: Quite dry, with dried apricot and honeysuckle, lemon balm and vanilla.
frangipane tart, into milk chocolate. Palate: ‘Œ—‹ ›ǡ•‘–Š‹ ƒ† ”ƒœ›†”›Ȃ
With water it’s dark chocolate, maybe sucks the spit off your tongue. A sunset
even cocoa nibs, some char is also whisky. Full on. Starburst sweets with a
coming through. big creaminess that coats the mouth.
Finish: Salty and peppery at the end but ƒ–‡”–ƒ‡•–Š‡‡†‰‡‘ˆˆ–Š‡„‘‘œ‡
a massive sweetness that wraps it all – oddly you feel the ABV on this one
together and rides it out on a caramel over the others but this but just serves
-fueled rocket. to intensify the juiciness. A roasted
pineapple that makes you want more.
Dalwhinnie 30 Years Old 51.9% A nice glycerin-like sweetness to it
˜‡‡”ƒ„Ž›ƒ‰‡††”‘’ƒ–—”‡†‹”‡ϐ‹ŽŽ that ligers in the top of the mouth With water, it’s a totally different nose –
Š‘‰•Š‡ƒ†•–Šƒ–™‡”‡ϐ‹ŽŽ‡†‹ͳͻͺͻǤ and then the tannins at the back, all hibiscus, and grapefruit candy.
Nose: An artist’s studio with oil paints very pleasant. Palate: A big fat juicy wedge of
and turpentine, big green olive oil Finish: So long, wave after wave of fruit pineapple. Herby, of thyme and rosemary,
waxiness, then into yellow grapefruit but dried now and then a tannin and Parma Violets and a salty savoury
at the end and kiwi. With water, such a ’‡’’‡”›ϔ‹‹•ŠǤ‘— Š’”‡•‡ ‡‹–Š‡ chewiness, sun-ripened tomatoes.
wedge of melon it’s almost Midori. glass even after it’s long gone. With water, it’s more tannic, as the wood
Palate: A canteloupe melon sweetness comes through. More pronounced umami
and green apples into salted caramel, Pittyvaich 30 Years Old 50.8% ϔ‹‹•ŠǤ—’‡”•ƒ˜‘—”›Ǥ
then a big dry hit arrives. With water, ‰Š‘•–ˆ”‘ͳͻͺͻǡƒ†–Š‡†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǯ• Finish: A salty liquorice thing, buttery
black peppercorn emerges and it’s ϐ‹”•–”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡‡˜‡”–‘„‡ϐ‹‹•Š‡†‹ and woody but clearly balanced.
almost astringent but is just about reined ‡šǦ‘—”„‘ ƒ••Ǥ
in by the sweetness. Nose: Tropical fruit salad, blood orange, Talisker 8 Years Old 57.9%
Finish: Super long – apricot jam, a lemon verbena – really have to search „‹‰‘‡ǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–Ǧ‡˜‡””‡Ž‡ƒ•‡‘ˆ
woody dryness and a bunch of pepper it out it’s so subtle but then it hits you, ƒŽ‹•‡”ϐ‹‹•Š‡†‹’‘–Ǧ•–‹ŽŽƒ”‹„„‡ƒ
and dried liquorice root. and it’s a fulsome smell. A world of red rum casks. Here we go!
peppers, later on, nutmeg, resinous Nose: ”‡ƒ•‘†ƒ˜ƒ‹ŽŽƒ„‘„ƒ–ϔ‹”•–
Lagavulin 12 Years Old 56.4% Ž‹‡‡Ž‡‰ƒ–ϔŽ‘‘”’‘Ž‹•Šǡ–Š‡’‡”ˆ—‡† into crème brûlée and then barbeque
Soaring and intense, a small batch of woodiness of Grandad’s cologne. bananas. Sweet and smoky.

50 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky Issues Diageo Special Releases 2020

With price varying from the generally

D̆RUGDEOHWRWKHµOHWPHMXVWDVNP\ZLIH¶WKH\DUH
DVROLGFROOHFWLRQRIERWWOHV
Palate: A big explosion of savoury and Singleton of Dufftown †”›Ž‘‰‹–‘–Š‡ϔ‹‹•Šǡ’‘–’‘—””‹†”‹‡†
sweet. It’s dry then a lump of sweet peat 17 Years Old 55.1% ϔŽ‘™‡”•ƒ†—––›Ǥƒ–‡”‰‹˜‡••‘ˆ–ˆ—†‰‡
and saltiness. The vanilla has gone, a big  Šƒ”ƒ –‡”ˆ—Ž”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡ǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–‡˜‡”–‘ and overripe fruit.
crunch of black peppercorns surrounds „‡ƒ–—”‡†‘Ž›‹”‡ϐ‹ŽŽ‡”‹ ƒ‘ƒ Finish: Long and dry.
and ushers away the hit of overripe hogshead casks.
tropical fruits. Nose: ƒ†›ϔŽ‘••ǡ’‡ƒ”†”‘’•ƒ†–‘ˆˆ‡‡ How to get your hands on them?
Finish: This is how I’d imagine licking a – a real sweetshop. The hot, nail polish A slightly mysterious ‘Autumn 2020’
hot tyre would be – but trust me, it is in acetone morphs into chardonnay and date was given but the middle of
ƒ”‡ƒŽŽ›‰‘‘†™ƒ›Ǩ‡œ ƒŽǦŽ‹‡†”›‡•• pear eau de vie, buttery underneath. September seems likely, from specialist
that coats the mouth making you take a Grassy greenness and straw at the back retailers in Europe, the USA, Canada,
pause, before all you want to do is dive ‘ˆ–Š‡‘•‡ǡƒŠ‹–‘ˆƒˆϔ‹”Ž‹‡Ǥ Australia, South Africa, selected markets
in again. Palate: Big stewed pear hit, unexpectedly across Asia and in airport duty-free.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 51

Whisky Issues The Cognac Connection

WORDS CHRISTOPHER COATES

The Cognac
Connection
7KHKDOOPDUNVRI)UHQFKVSLULWDUHLQ¿OWUDWLQJWKHZRUOGRIZKLVN\

I
t’s probably fair to say that, for a ƒ‘˜ƒ”‹ƒ‘ƒ” Š‹‰ ‡‘”‰‡  These pages: that was Scotland’s national drink
good chunk of the past century or imbibed copious volumes of a whisky The Camus into favour with merchants, paupers,
so, two champions of the drinks ƒŽŽ‡†Ǯ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡–ǯ†—”‹‰Š‹•ˆƒ‘—•˜‹•‹– Caribbean professionals, Royals, and just about
Expedition; Casks
world have been locking horns in –‘†‹„—”‰Š‹ͳͺʹʹǤ—ƒŽ‹–›ǡƒ–Ž‡ƒ•–‹ ‡˜‡”›‘‡‡Ž•‡Ǥ
being loaded for
what is surely the greatest booze ’‡›•‹†‡ǡ™ƒ•’”‡•—ƒ„Ž›‘–Š‡—’Ǥ their sea journey. ‘‰ƒ ™ƒ•‘–Š‡”‘’‡•Ǥ ‘– Š
–‹–Ž‡ϐ‹‰Š–—”‘’‡Šƒ•‡˜‡”•‡‡ǤŠ‡ ‘™‡˜‡”ǡƒˆ‡™”‘—†•Žƒ–‡”ȋƒ”‘—† gloated in triumph during a period of
it comes to the heavyweight spirits of the 1860s) Cognac was looking strong exponential growth, only to trip over its
these two nations, you can forget the when a new law allowed for the own feet and faceplant to the ground
‘auld alliance’ between Scotland and establishment of named brands as we in the calamity that was the ‘Pattison
”ƒ ‡ǣ–Š‡‰Ž‘˜‡•ƒ”‡‘ˆˆǤ know them today – previously, bottles ”ƒ•Šǯ‘ˆͳͺͻͺǤ’Ž‹ˆ›‹‰ƒ ‘–”ƒ –‹‘
Back in the late 18th century, one had borne the name of the merchant of the market and awash with the fruits
might have called the result early and who’d imported the spirit, rather of overproduction, the industry was
„‡–‡˜‡”›–Š‹‰‘‘‰ƒ Ǥ –Šƒ†ƒ –Šƒ–Š‡’”‘†— ‡”Ǥ‘‘ƒˆ–‡”ǡ”‹–‹•Š „”‘—‰Š––‘‹–•‡‡•Ǥ™‘™‘”Ž†™ƒ”•
‡•–ƒ„Ž‹•Š‡†ƒ”‡–‹”‹–ƒ‹ǡ ”‡Žƒ†ǡ customs duties on brandies were and Prohibition in America did neither
ƒ†ƒ‹Žƒ†—”‘’‡ǡƒ†ǡ‹•’‹–‡ lowered and sales of Cognac across the side any good and it wasn’t until the
of the little falling out that had to be Šƒ‡Ž–”‹’Ž‡†‹ͳͷ›‡ƒ”•Ǥ –™ƒ•ǯ– ‹†ǦʹͲ–Š ‡–—”›–Šƒ–„‘–Šϐ‹‰Š–‡”•
•‡––Ž‡†ƒ–ƒ–‡”Ž‘‘ǡ‹’‘”–•‘ˆ ”‡ Š looking so good for the Scots, but the ™‡”‡’”‘’‡”Ž›„ƒ —’‘–Š‡‹”ˆ‡‡–Ǥ
brandy to the UK continued to grow into ƒ– Š™ƒ•ǯ–‘˜‡”„›ƒŽ‘‰•Š‘–ǤŠ‡ Š‡„ƒ––Ž‡ˆ‘”–Š‡Š‡ƒ”–•ƒ†‹†•
–Š‡‹†ͳͺͲͲ•Ǥ ‹‰Š†—–‹‡•‹’‘•‡† Ž†‘”Ž†™ƒ•Ž‡ˆ–†—„ˆ‘—†‡†™Š‡ of discerning, image-conscious liquor
at the time could have hamstrung the twist of fate that was phylloxera drinkers continued throughout the
the Cognaçais, but canny smugglers – that pesky root-killing aphid which following decades, with numerous
ƒŽ™ƒ›•ˆ‘—†ƒ™ƒ›Ǥ ‘– Š™Š‹•›ǡ piggybacked its way across the Atlantic charges and retreats that led to
meanwhile, was mostly the product ƒ†‡˜‹• ‡”ƒ–‡†‘•–‘ˆ—”‘’‡ǯ• ˜‹ –‘”‹‡•ƒ††‡ˆ‡ƒ–•ˆ‘”„‘–Š•‹†‡•Ǥ
of illicit distilling and much of it was vineyards in the late 19th century – put Š‡•‡†— •ƒ†Œƒ„•™‡”‡†‡Ž‹˜‡”‡†
‡Œ‘›‡†„›Ž‘ ƒŽ•ƒ•—ƒ‰‡†‡™•’‹”‹–Ǥ –Š‡ ”‡ ŠȋƒŽ‘‰™‹–Š’”‡––›— Š out on the mat of the open market
Often pretty rough and ready, it’s fair everyone else with grape vines) down – a clever marketing tactic here or
to say that championship material was ˆ‘”–Š‡ ‘—–Ǥ –Š‡ ‘—”•‡‘ˆƒˆ‡™ expanded distribution there saw one or
”ƒ”‡Ǥ ‘™‡˜‡”ǡ‹ƒ‡–‡‘”‹ ”‹•‡ˆ”‘ short years, the scales tipped in favour –Š‡‘–Š‡”ƒ‡‰ƒ‹•Ǥ
zero to hero, the Scots peasants’ hooch of drinks made from grains, rather than –ǯ•™‘”–Š‘–‹‰–Šƒ–„‘–Š•‹†‡•
became an A-list celebrity after the grapes, and catapulted the underdog †‹†ǯ–ƒŽ™ƒ›•’Žƒ›ˆƒ‹”Ǥ ‘‡‘–ƒ„Ž‡

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 Whisky Issues The Cognac Connection

episode during the 1990s, the Scotch or simply overt visual cues that are
™Š‹•›‹†—•–”›ǮϐŽ‹’’‡†ǯ–Š‡ƒ‹™ƒ‡•‡ reminiscent of the French ‘je ne sais
market from favouring Cognac in just “—‘‹ǯǤŠ‡•‡†ƒ›•ǡ”ƒ–Š‡”–Šƒ•‹’Ž›
a few years, in part by promoting attempting to outdo one another, there
whiskies as a ‘healthier’ alternative to are signs that distillers in both France
the French spirit, which it was claimed and Scotland are instead peering over
were full of sugary syrups – something the fence to see what might be learned
the Scotch whisky industry would, of from their direct competitors in the
‘—”•‡ǡ‡˜‡”‡˜‡ ‘–‡’Žƒ–‡Ǥƒ–Š‡” „”‘™•’‹”‹–•ƒ”‡–Ǥ
conspicuously, this all happened not First of all, the recent tendency to
Ž‘‰ƒˆ–‡”–Š‡ ‘– ŠŠ‹•›”†‡”‘ˆ embrace increasingly extravagant
1990 outlawed all additives in Scotch packaging designs for the most highly
ȋ‹ Ž—†‹‰–Š‡Š‹–Š‡”–‘Ž‹„‡”ƒŽŽ›—•‡† valued, old Scotch whiskies is arguably
Paxarette syrup), except in the case of evidence enough that the French are
ϐŽƒ˜‘—”Ž‡•• ƒ”ƒ‡Ž ‘Ž‘—”‹‰ǤŠ—•ǡ–Š‡ serving as something of an inspiration
Cognaçais were being accused by their –‘ ‘–•†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”•Ǥ –Š‡’ƒ•–ǡ‡˜‡
opponents of exactly the same practice the rarest and most highly prized
–Š‡ ‘–•Šƒ†‘Ž›”‡ ‡–Ž›‘—–Žƒ™‡†Ǥ expressions tended to come in quite
 ‹‡–ȋ‹ˆ‡›‡„”‘™Ǧ”ƒ‹•‹‰ȌŠ‹•–‘”› •‹’Ž‡„‘––Ž‡•ǡ–Š‘—‰Š–Š‡ϐŽƒ•Š‹‡”
aside, what one should take away from malts and blends might be honoured
this whistle-stop tour of the parallel ™‹–Šƒˆƒ ›Žƒ„‡ŽǤ‡™‘—Ž†ƒŽ™ƒ›•
fortunes of Scotch whisky and Cognac expect the most extravagant decanters
is that historically these two products to emerge from across the Channel
Šƒ˜‡„‡‡ ‘’‡–‹–‘”•‹–Š‡ƒ”‡–Ǥ but, nowadays, it’s hard to decide
Yet, these days, more and more whisky which category takes the biscuit when
makers are drawing on the hallmarks it comes to the indulgence of opulent,
of Cognac to promote their products high-end design and intricate, hand-
– whether it be the utilisation of „Ž‘™ ”›•–ƒŽ†‡ ƒ–‡”•Ǥ
French oak, casks that literally once More tangible and on-the-nose
held Cognac, the language of terroir evidence of cross-category inspiration

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Whisky Issues The Cognac Connection

maturation in vessels which previously

Š‡Ž†‘„ƒœ‹ŽŽƒ †‡••‡”–™‹‡ǤŠ‡•‡
”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡•–‘‡†–Š‡Ž‹‡‘ˆ–Š‡ ǯ•
regulations at the time, as the rules
technically stated that Cognac may be
matured in a cask that previously held
™‹‡‘”™‹‡Ǧ„ƒ•‡†•’‹”‹–Ǥ ‘™‡˜‡”ǡ
it’s been reported that this loophole
has now been closed, so it seems that
for now this route of cross-category
pollination is decidedly one way and we
are unlikely to see Scotch barrel-aged
‘‰ƒ ƒ›–‹‡•‘‘Ǥ –ǯ•ƒ•Šƒ‡Ǣ™Š‘
knows how peated Scotch-cask Cognac
might have tasted?
‘™‡˜‡”ǡ„‡›‘†–Š‡•‡‘”‡‘„˜‹‘—•
links, one wonders if perhaps there’s
room for a more high-minded sharing
‘ˆ‹†‡ƒ•ƒ†˜ƒŽ—‡•ǤŠ‘—‰Š–Š‡”‡ǯ•
undoubtedly a thing or two many
Scotch brands could learn about luxury
marketing from the French, surely
our friends across the water have
something more to contribute to Scotch
whisky than merely a penchant for
glitzy packaging and a few used casks?
Š‡†‡˜‡Ž‘’‹‰ ‘˜‡”•ƒ–‹‘ƒ„‘—–

is the use of ex-Cognac casks for This page from top: unheard of in the world of Cognac due
ƒ–—”ƒ–‹‘Ǥ Ž‡ˆƒ” Žƒ•ǡ Ž‡‘”ƒ‰‹‡ǡ The Camus Port Cask to the category’s exceptionally tight
””ƒǡ‘—‰Žƒ•ƒ‹‰ǡ ƒœ‡Ž„—”ǡ Finish edition; The ”‡‰—Žƒ–‹‘•Ǥ ‘”‡šƒ’Ž‡ǡ‹ʹͲͳ͸ƒ
Camus Distillery in
Kilchoman, Balvenie – all of these and controversial release appeared on
Cognac, where some
more have utilised these special French of the brand’s spirit is the scene from Martell that had been
‘ƒ ƒ••ƒ–‘‡–‹‡‘”ƒ‘–Š‡”Ǥ produced; Vines on ϐ‹‹•Š‡†‹‘—”„‘„ƒ””‡Ž•ƒ†ǡ‹
More recently, prominent Cognac the Camus estate in order to skirt the rules of the Bureau
cask-matured whiskies in the form the Borderies cru. ƒ–‹‘ƒŽ –‡”’”‘ˆ‡••‹‘‡Ž†—‘‰ƒ 
‘ˆŠ‹˜ƒ•ǡ–Š‡ƒ‡‘ˆ™Š‹ Š‹•ƒ Following page ȋ Ȍǡ–Š‡ ƒ–‡‰‘”›ǯ•‰‘˜‡”‹‰„‘†›ǡ
from top:
none-too-subtle homage to Cognac’s it had to be labelled only as ‘eau de vie
Cyril Camus has
Ǯǯ Žƒ••‹ϐ‹ ƒ–‹‘ǡƒ†Š‡ Ž‡Ž‹˜‡– been at the helm of †‡˜‹ǯ”ƒ–Š‡”–Šƒ‘‰ƒ Ǥ Žƒ–‡ʹͲͳ͹ǡ
Captain’s Reserve both traded heavily his family-owned Courvoisier’s Master’s Cask Collection
‘–Š‡‹”‘‰ƒ  ”‡†‡–‹ƒŽ•Ǥ†‡” business since 2004; Sherry Cask Finish hit the shelves and,
wraps for now, another Cognac-cask Drawing samples upping the stakes further, Camus, the
‘hero product’ from an equally famous from a cask. largest independent Cognac company,
Speyside distiller is set to hit the ’”‡•‡–‡†™Šƒ––Š‡›•ƒ›‹•–Š‡˜‡”›ϐ‹”•–
•Š‡Ž˜‡•‹ʹͲʹͳȋƒ›‡ƒ”Žƒ–‡ǡ–Šƒ•–‘ ’‘”– ƒ•Ǧϐ‹‹•Š‡†‘‰ƒ Ǥ
the pandemic) and will draw on both Š‘—‰Š—‹“—‡–‘–Š‡‘†‡”‡”ƒǡ
–Š‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•ƒ†–Š‡•–‘”‹‡•‘ˆ ”ƒ ‡ǯ• Camus believes maturation in port
’”‡‡‹‡–•’‹”‹–Ǥ casks did historically occur prior to the
Meanwhile, some innovative tightening of the Cognac production
French producers have adopted the ”—Ž‡•‹–Š‡‹†ǦʹͲ–Š ‡–—”›Ǥ ‹‹•Š‡†
–‡ Š‹“—‡‘ˆ ƒ•ϐ‹‹•Š‹‰–‘†‡˜‡Ž‘’ in wood that previously held tawny
˜‡”›•’‡ ‹ƒŽ”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡•Ǥˆ–Ǧ—•‡†‹ port, this expression was followed
Scotland, the practice is almost entirely by another that enjoyed a secondary

54 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

Whisky Issues The Cognac Connection

distillery terroir, wild yeast, and local •Š‹’ˆ‘”–Š‡”‡–—”Œ‘—”‡›–‘ ”ƒ ‡Ǥ

barley certainly shows that some Scotch š’‘•‡†–‘Š‹‰ŠŠ—‹†‹–›ƒ†•ƒŽ–
whisky companies have been listening spray, heat and turbulence, the result
–‘™Šƒ–‘—”—”‘’‡ƒ‡‹‰Š„‘—”• of this expedition is a unique Cognac
Šƒ˜‡•ƒ‹†ƒŽŽƒŽ‘‰Ǥ ‘™‡˜‡”ǡ–Š‡ that has been altered by its journey in
aforementioned family-owned Camus a way that simply couldn’t have been
company is one of the producers that ”‡’Ž‹ ƒ–‡†ƒ–Š‘‡Ǥ
•Š‘—Ž†„‡™ƒ– Š‡†’ƒ”–‹ —Žƒ”Ž› Ž‘•‡Ž›Ǥ Š‘—‰Š–Š‡”‡‰—Žƒ–‹‘•‘ˆ–Š‡
‹–Š–Š‡ ƒ•Ǧϐ‹‹•Š‹‰”‘—–‡ Ž‘•‡†‘ˆˆ would prevent a similar experiment
ƒ†‡‡–‘”‡•’‡ ––Š‡ ǯ•”—Ž‡•ǡ from occurring in the world of single
Camus has looked for more outside-the- malt Scotch whisky, the cliffside cellar
box opportunities for innovation that expression presents an interesting
the Scotch whisky category would do –Š‘—‰Š–Ǥ‹–Š–Š‡”‡‡™‡†ˆ‘ —•‘
™‡ŽŽ–‘•‹–—’ƒ†’ƒ›ƒ––‡–‹‘–‘Ǥ concepts such as terroir, there must be
No longer able to use unusual casks a place for Scotch whisky expressions
and with the growing regions or made up of whiskies matured solely
‘crus’ and grape varieties for Cognac in particular hyper-local or non-
production set in stone, Camus looked –”ƒ†‹–‹‘ƒŽ‡˜‹”‘‡–•Ǥ –ǯ•™‡ŽŽ
to the other factor that could still be known that the majority of Scottish
ˆ”‡‡Ž›ƒŽ–‡”‡†ǣƒ–—”ƒ–‹‘‡˜‹”‘‡–Ǥ distillers mature their spirits in central-
Š‹•„‡‰ƒ™‹–Šƒ‡š’”‡••‹‘ˆ”‘ belt warehousing, which is more
the producer’s Île de Ré range, made often than not palletised or racked,
entirely from grapes grown and distilled while simultaneously trading on their
on the quaint island of the same name distilleries’ wild and remote locations,
‘ˆˆ–Š‡ ‘ƒ•–‘ˆƒ‘ Š‡ŽŽ‡ǤŠ‡Ž‹ˆˆ•‹†‡ unique local climate and romantic
Cellar expression is blended using –”ƒ†‹–‹‘ƒŽ™ƒ”‡Š‘—•‹‰Ǥ
eau de vie matured entirely in – you Rather than perpetuating this
guessed it – a cliffside cellar on the obfuscation across the board, some
‹•Žƒ†Ǥ—‹–‡’”‡ ƒ”‹‘—•Ž›’‡” Š‡†‘ intrepid distillers would do well to
a rocky outcrop hanging over a sharp experiment with ‘all matured on site’
drop to the open ocean, a small storage expressions or perhaps even, for the
room in the sea wall of the historic Fort more innovative brands, whiskies
de la Pré has become home to a number matured in parts of Scotland with
‘ˆƒ—• ƒ••Ǥ‡–ǡ„—ˆˆ‡–‡†„›‰ƒŽ‡• climates very different to those found
and subject to large temperature ‹–Š‡˜‹ ‹‹–›‘ˆ–Š‡‹”†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›Ǥ •–‡ƒ†
ϐŽ— –—ƒ–‹‘•ǡ–Š‡ Šƒ”ƒ –‡”‘ˆ–Š‡‘‰ƒ  of covering it up, why not try making
matured in this environment stands maturation location a feature to be
apart from the rest of the range, which celebrated that can offer a basis for
‹•ƒ–—”‡†‹‹Žƒ†™ƒ”‡Š‘—•‹‰Ǥ comparison between different drams
•’‹”‡†„›–Š‹••— ‡••ǡ–Š‡ produced in varied conditions?
company’s latest release, Camus †‡‡†ǡ™Š‹•’‡”•‘ˆƒˆ‡™—’Ǧƒ†Ǧ
ƒ”‹„„‡ƒš’‡†‹–‹‘ǡ•ƒ™ ƒ••‘ˆ ‘‹‰†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”‹‡•Ž‘‘‹‰‹–‘ϐŽ‘ƒ–‹‰
the company’s spirit loaded on board warehousing shows that some have
a tall ship to undertake a sea journey ‡˜‹†‡–Ž›ƒŽ•‘‹†‡–‹ϐ‹‡†–Š‡’‘–‡–‹ƒŽ
to Barbados, replicating the historic of turbulent maturation environments
transatlantic trade route, where they that mimic the time at sea a cask would
were unloaded and placed in the have traditionally enjoyed during
warehouses of the Four Square rum ‡š’‘”–ǤŠ‡–Š‡”–Š‡•‡ƒ˜‡—‡•™‹ŽŽ
†‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›Ǥˆ–‡”—†‡”‰‘‹‰ƒ›‡ƒ”‘ˆ lead to the next great Scotch whisky,
maturation in this tropical climate ™Š‘ ƒ•ƒ›ǫŠƒ–ǯ•ˆ‘” ‡”–ƒ‹‹•–Šƒ–
under the watchful eye of Four Square’s there’s perhaps more to be learned
master distiller Richard Seale, the casks from Scotland’s Cognac connection than
were once again loaded on board a tall ƒˆ‡™‘”‡ ƒ•ϐ‹‹•Š‡•Ǥ

56 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

Whisky Magazine 21st Anniversary

WORDS CHRISTOPHER COATES

Twenty-one years
and counting :KLVN\0DJD]LQHKDVSDVVHGDVLJQL¿FDQWPLOHVWRQH

58 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky Magazine 21st Anniversary

I
don’t want to make our most warrant more than a couple of issues a agonising research one did or how
loyal subscribers feel too old year and that, whether after 10 issues sophisticated the market analysis model
(you know who you are), but or 100, we’d inevitably run out of things one used is, the method of projecting
for the past year this title has to say, distilleries to write about and future sales of any given whisky brand
been celebrating a rather special whiskies to taste. still very much boils down to licking
birthday. As we look back on 21 years We might scoff and have a little ‘‡ǯ•ϐ‹‰‡”ƒ†•–‹ ‹‰‹–‹–Š‡ƒ‹”Ǥ
of publishing Whisky Magazine, a much- chuckle at their pessimism now but, of What’s more, he said, even those with
repeated story told by our founder and course, none of us can really predict the the most experience almost always get
managing director, Damian Riley-Smith, future – though that’s what distillers it wrong. With that in mind, I suppose
comes to mind. He often says that, have to do every day when they decide we should be thankful that there were
back in those early days, many people how much barley to order and stock some naysayers and sceptics back in
remarked that they just couldn’t believe to lay down, which casks to bottle this magazine’s early days. If everyone
there would be enough to write about and when. Early on in my career, I had wished us a long and prosperous
to justify a regular magazine. They said remember being told by one industry future, who knows what might have
that the topic of whisky surely couldn’t veteran that, no matter how much actually happened.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 59

Whisky Magazine 21st Anniversary

been written yesterday and have

perhaps even become more relevant
with each passing year. Today, distillery
openings and product innovations are
coming thick and fast, keeping whisky
journalists like me busier than ever as
we scramble to document each new
development. Food and beer pairings,
cocktails, local barley, microdistilleries,
Š‹‰Š„ƒŽŽ•ǡ™‹‡Ǧ ƒ•ϐ‹‹•Š‡•ǡƒ†
even the release of ‘young spirit’
that’s not yet whisky – all have been
described by some as disruptive ideas
and emerging trends. Yet, there are
–Š‘•‡‘ˆ—•™Š‘ϐ‹†‘—”•‡Ž˜‡••–ƒ”‹‰ǡ
somewhat bemused, at our screens,
as we experience an odd sense of déjà
vu. Akin to the bleary-eyed, late-night
viewer who feels like the plot of the
ϐ‹Ž–Š‡›ǯ”‡™ƒ– Š‹‰•‡‡•‘††Ž›
familiar and the protagonists uncannily

Of course, the world was different ƒ†’—‰‡–ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•‹™Š‹•›Ǥ ‡

then. Back in the late 1990s, plenty described how newcomers to the
of people also said the new ‘world category would regularly tell him that
wide web’ wouldn’t catch on and the they’d become hooked on whisky not
millennium bug was feared to be the after trying something “relatively mild
‰”‡ƒ–‡”ƒǦ†‡ϐ‹‹‰ ƒŽƒ‹–›Ž—”‹‰ ‹ϐŽƒ˜‘—”dz„—–„›•ƒ’Ž‹‰†”ƒ•
around the corner. Likewise, one would that are the antithesis of “light and
never have guessed that the historic ‹‘ˆˆ‡•‹˜‡dzǤ ‡™ƒ”‡†–Š‡‹†—•–”›‘–
city of Norwich in Norfolk, England, to fall into the trap of making milder,
would become the birthplace of the blander whiskies in efforts to appeal to
™‘”Ž†ǯ•ϐ‹”•–ƒ†Ž‡ƒ†‹‰™Š‹•› a wider audience (for those customers,
periodical but, nevertheless, that’s Š‡•—‰‰‡•–‡†ǣDz”‹‘†ƒdzȌƒ†
where it happened. As for when, issue lamented the actions of those marketers
one published on a chilly Friday in he felt were on a mission to “remove all
winter 1998 (20 November, to be ™Š‹•›–ƒ•–‡•dzˆ”‘‘—”‰Žƒ••‡•‹–Š‡‹”
precise) and included features by a host ‡ˆˆ‘”–•–‘‡”ƒ†‹ ƒ–‡–Š‡ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•‘ˆDzƒŽ–ǡ
of household whisky names that are ’‡ƒ–ǡ•Š‡””›ǡ•ƒŽ–ƒ†•‡ƒ™‡‡†dzǤ‡ƒ†‹‰
still just as prominent today. Charles the words of the great man, written
Maclean, Dave Broom, Jim Murray, Neil more than 21 years ago, it’s remarkable
Wilson: together, their opening bars set how valuable his insight remains today.
the tone of the title’s coverage for the Politically, socially, and
next two decades. technologically, 2020 feels almost as
Š‹•˜‡”›ϐ‹”•–‘’‹‹‘ ‘Ž—ˆ‘” far removed from 1998 as it does from
the magazine, the late, great Michael 1988, 1978 or 1968; yet, Michael’s
Jackson extolled the virtues of bold comments could just as easily have

60 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky Magazine 21st Anniversary

Thankfully, what has never wavered tasting reviews analysed whiskies

is the support we receive from our from Highland Park, The Glenlivet,
readers and the global whisky industry. Ž‡ϐ‹††‹ Šǡ‡†„”‡ƒ•–ǡ Ž‡‘”ƒ›
In the spirit of this special occasion, 21 and many more besides. That these
whisky brands that have been with us same distillery names appear on the
since the early days have kindly gifted a following pages is a testament to the
bottle of their 21-year-old expression, quality of the spirit they produce and
distilled the year we began publishing, our enduring kinship. Bereft of either,
to 21 of our lucky readers. Chosen at this magazine couldn’t have reached
random from our subscriber list, these its second issue, let alone its 170th.
special bottles have winged their way Much has changed since issue one, but
around the world and are now being we’re thankful for every minute we’ve
enjoyed by very surprised, very happy spent learning and sharing the love of
readers. In the tradition followed since whisky. Beloved bottlings come and go;
issue one, these whiskies have been –”‡†•ƒ†ˆƒ†•‡„„ƒ†ϐŽ‘™Ǣ— ŠǦ
tasted blind by us and our tasting notes loved friends sadly leave us and we
will be published in the next issue, meet others along the way; distilleries
alongside the kind comments signed expand and contract, open and close –
by distillery teams in the industry’s but the passion for whisky always lives
‘birthday card’ to Whisky Magazine. on. Here’s to friends, the spirit, and the
‘—”‡ƒ”Ž›‹••—‡•ǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–„Ž‹† next 21 years.

recognisable, we ask ourselves, ‘Haven’t

we seen this movie before?’
Sure, things might be done
somewhat differently now – social
media, digital publishing, clickbait,
PR jargon like ‘recruiting urban
millennials’, the climate crisis and new
industry rules come to mind – but, in
other ways, it almost feels like we’re
re-treading an old path, returning
to how things used to be done as we
simultaneously plough a new furrow.
It’s true that the fortunes of the whisky
industry have changed a lot since the
ͻͲ•ǡ„—–ƒ“—‹ ϐŽ‹ –Š”‘—‰Š‘—”‡ƒ”Ž›
issues shows how so many common
–Š‡‡•‡†—”‡ǣ–Š‡‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡ȋ‘”
’‡”Šƒ’•Ǯ‘˜‡”Ǧ‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡ǯȌ‘ˆ ƒ••
ƒ†™‘‘†ϐŽƒ˜‘—”•ǡ“—‡•–‹‘•ƒ„‘—–
sherry casks and sulphur, the debate
surrounding NAS whiskies, discussion
Opening pages:
of yeast and terroir, all are still as much
Our 21st birthday
at the forefront of whisky discussion celebration line-up.
ƒ•–Š‡›™‡”‡–™‘†‡ ƒ†‡•ƒ‰‘Ǥ ϐ‹† These pages from
myself mulling over the words of top left across:
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, whose Glengoyne’s 21-year-
magnum opus The Leopard grappled old expression; The
Balvenie Portwood
with the paradox of progress and a
21 Years Old; Jura’s
rapidly changing world: “Everything 21-year-old Time
must change so that everything can bottling; BenRiach 21
•–ƒ›–Š‡•ƒ‡Ǥdz Years Old.

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 61

WORDS IAN WISNIEWSKI
PICTURES CHRISTOPHER COATES

GOING WITH THE FLOW

&DQWKHOD\RXWRIDGLVWLOOHU\KDYHDQ\VLJQL¿FDQFH"/HW¶VWDNHDORRN

S
ome distilleries possess less likely to impose space restrictions
more beautiful exteriors than than urban addresses. Similarly, new
others, but every distillery builds usually offer more scope than
has the same inner beauty: adapting existing buildings. But these
shimmering, gleaming are of course generalisations, and
equipment that produces new make whatever the space the same criteria
spirit. How this equipment is laid out still applies.
varies enormously among distilleries, Richard says, “The only area to
which raises the question: is there an partition off is the malt intake and
‘’–‹ƒŽŽƒ›‘—–ǡƒ†™Šƒ–‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡ ƒ milling, as it produces dust which
this have? entails the risk of an explosion. Malt is
“A logical layout will always promote conveyed mechanically from storage
‡ˆϐ‹ ‹‡ ›ǡ–Š‡”‡ǯ•‘“—‡•–‹‘ǡ„—– to the mill, and the resulting grist is
every site has its own opportunities conveyed mechanically to the mash
and challenges. With any new distillery tun, so they should be as close to each
–Š‡ϐ‹”•–“—‡•–‹‘™‡ƒ•‹•ǡŠ‘™ ‘–Š‡”ƒ•’‘••‹„Ž‡Ǥˆ–‡”ƒ•Š‹‰ǡ‹–ǯ•
much alcohol do you want to produce liquid all the way, pumped through
annually? From there we work out pipes to the wash backs, stills and
the size of the mash tun and pot stills ϐ‹ŽŽ‹‰•–‘”‡Ǥdz
to achieve this,” says Richard Forsyth, ‹–Š’‹’‡™‘”•— Šƒ•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ–
chairman of Forsyths, which provides conduit, there are clear parameters.
services including distillery planning, “Pipework is expensive, but
completion and maintenance. —Ž–‹ƒ–‡Ž›‹–ǯ•‘––Š‡Ž‡‰–Š–Šƒ–
Š‡‹–ǯ•ƒ ƒ•‡‘ˆ’‘•‹–‹‘‹‰–Š‡ ƒ––‡”•„—–Š‘™‹–ǯ•Žƒ‹†‘—–Ǥ‹’‡•
equipment within the size and shape of that turn quickly like a chicane or have
–Š‡ƒ˜ƒ‹Žƒ„Ž‡•’ƒ ‡Ǥ ”‡‡ϐ‹‡Ž†•‹–‡•ƒ”‡ a dead leg (dead end) can harbour

62 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 Whisky Production Layout

bacteria, and lead to hygiene issues and

infections,” says Brendan McCarron,
Ž‡‘”ƒ‰‹‡ǯ•Š‡ƒ†‘ˆƒ–—”‹‰
whisky stocks.
ƒ›‘—–‹•ȋƒ”‰—ƒ„Ž›Ȍ‘”‡•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ–
in manually operated distilleries, where
operators interact directly with the
equipment, rather than automated
distilleries, where interaction is more
focused on a computer screen.
Stewart Buchanan, global brand
ambassador, BenRiach Company, says,
Dz‡”‹ƒ Šǯ•’”‘†— –‹‘‹•„ƒ•‹ ƒŽŽ›ƒŽŽ
on one level and almost open plan,
meaning one operator can happily go
between each part of the production,
milling, mashing, fermenting and
distilling, and the timing of each process
means the operator is never trying to do
two things at once.”
Where production areas are on These pages “This listing meant the new
different levels an operator can clock up clockwise from left: ’”‘†— –‹‘„—‹Ž†‹‰ ‘—Ž†ǯ–„‡ƒ› VISITOR
abundant mileage on stairs. Kingsbarns Distillery
in action; A feast
taller than the historic buildings, which EXPERIENCE
Dz ƒ’ƒǯ•‘Ž†Žƒ›‘—–Šƒ††‹ˆˆ‡”‡– in turn determined the maximum
for the senses at It’s not only malt that arrives in large
levels and required two operators. Macallan; A moment Š‡‹‰Š–‘ˆ–Š‡•–‹ŽŽ•ƒ•ϐ‹˜‡‡–”‡•ǡdz•ƒ›•
Refurbishment in 2004-5 brought the Peter Holroyd, Kingsbarns Distillery quantities at distilleries.
of stillness at
grist bins, mashing and fermentation BenRiach Distillery. manager. “Modern distilleries have tourism
onto one level, which can be operated Regulations that all distilleries must at the heart, but this wasn’t even
by one man manually,” says Ewen comply with are health and safety, a concept when older distilleries
Fraser, engineering manager at which are also continually evolving. were being built so things such as
Chivas Brothers. “One reason for building a new accessibility and having everything
Different levels can, however, be the Macallan distillery rather than adapting on ground level or having lifts as well
only way of making a distillery viable. the existing one was a change in as stairs are now a key factor when
“We wanted to produce 400,000 lpa regulations which would make the considering the distillery layout,” says
(liters of pure alcohol) annually, and ‡š‹•–‹‰ ‘ϐ‹‰—”ƒ–‹‘‘ˆ’Žƒ–ƒ† Stuart Urquhart.
Šƒ†–‘ϐ‹––Š‹•‹–‘ƒ‡™„—‹Ž†‹‰‘ „—‹Ž†‹‰•†‹ˆϐ‹ —Ž––‘ ‘’Ž›™‹–ŠǤ ‘” A prime example is the layout of
a site totalling one-third of an acre, the new Macallan distillery we also had Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh,
which led to the concept of a vertical to devise a drainage system that would which was installed in a long,
distillery,” says Paddy Fletcher, co- ‡š–‹‰—‹•Šƒ†”‡‘˜‡ƒ›ϐŽƒƒ„Ž‡ narrow building dating from 1839.
founder of Port of Leith Distillery (due liquid from the distillery within 20 Holyrood Distillery founder David
for completion in 2021). “Milling is on seconds, and we had to demonstrate Robertson says, “We wanted a city
–Š‡ˆ‘—”–ŠϐŽ‘‘”ǡƒ•Š–—•‘–Š‡–Š‹”†ǡ that this works,” says George McKenzie, centre distillery and repurposed an
wash backs on the second, with stills head of engineering at Edrington Group. existing three-storey building. We
‘–Š‡ϐ‹”•–ƒ†‰”‘—†ϐŽ‘‘”ǤŽŽ‘ˆ–Š‡ So, what conclusions can we reach? WKRXJKWDERXWWKHPRVWORJLFDOÁRZ
visitor experience space (bar, tasting Dzƒ›‘—–†‘‡•ǯ–‹ϐŽ—‡ ‡’”‘†— –‹‘ IRUYLVLWRUVDQGIRUPHGWUDIÀFODQHV
rooms, shop etc.) then sits at the very capacity, it just makes it easier to on one side of the building on each
–‘’ƒ„‘˜‡–Š‡’”‘ ‡••ϐŽ‘‘”•Ǥdz work,” says Stuart Urquhart, operations storey, with lifts at either end. This
Adapting existing buildings can add director at Gordon & MacPhail. also constrained the diameter of
†‹•–‹ –‹˜‡ˆ‡ƒ–—”‡•ǡ„—–ƒŽ•‘•‹‰‹ϐ‹ ƒ– ”‡†ƒ ƒ””‘ƒ††•ǡDz –ǯ• production vessels to no more than
constraints. Kingsbarns, for example, important for the site to be well laid-out half the width of the building, the
constructed a new distillery onto a and designed from an operational point RWKHUKDOIEHLQJDWUDIÀFODQHIRU
Georgian sandstone farmstead and of view, and for maintaining equipment, visitors, which means the building
dovecote listed by Historic Environment otherwise it can compromise the helped dictate production capacity.”
 ‘–Žƒ†ƒ• ƒ–‡‰‘”›ǮǤǯ †‹•–‹ŽŽ‡”›ǯ•‡ˆϐ‹ ‹‡ ›Ǥdz

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 63

TASTE
64 The Epicurean
68 Tastings

WORDS ROB ALLANSON

THAT TIME AGAIN

A slew of new releases leaves drinkers spoilt for choice

H
ere we go… it must be For those of you wondering what These pages from see a parallel collection of some of the
getting close the true all the fuss is about, the collection was below: weird and wonderful experiments that
heart of Autumn as ϐ‹”•–Žƒ— Š‡†‹ʹͲͲͲƒ†ˆ‡ƒ–—”‡•ϐ‹˜‡ The perfect pour; The are lurking in the warehouses…
2020 Buffalo Trace
Diageo has now released limited-edition releases bottled from So here is the lowdown on what’s
Antique Collection.
its annual Special rare stocks at the distillery, featuring waiting for you, and perhaps why it’s
Releases – and boy do they look good. various ages, recipes and proofs. This worth getting the sleeping bag out and
I’m still waiting for a Walker blend to quintet is so anticipated that people heading down to Binny’s or your own
end up in this lineup, just to highlight have been known to line up outside local shop.
the huge importance of that brand their liquor shops before they open just Let’s start with the ryes in the
to those releases. Something I try to to get a bottle. collection. Thomas H. Handy is an uncut
highlight when people bring up their One thing before we start exploring ƒ†—ϐ‹Ž–‡”‡†•–”ƒ‹‰Š–”›‡™Š‹•‡›ǤŠ‹•
distaste for blends is that we wouldn’t all this loveliness is to bear in mind that year’s offering comes from a Spring
have the capacity for Special Releases next year the collection ‘comes of age’. distillation in 2014 and have been
if it weren’t for global juggernauts like Who knows that this means, but with assembled from casks aged in K, M
Johnnie Walker. It’s a fact worth bearing the stock and experiments going on and N warehouses. Punching in a 129
in mind, while also noting how lucky we at the distillery, we can dare to dream proof (64.5% ABV), this whopping rye
are to access liquid of this quality. perhaps. Personally I would love to gives you everything you would expect:
There’s also been a raft of newly
released expressions; we must be
leading up to Christmas and the
holiday season. New whiskies have
appeared from Distell, Glenlivet and
Aberfeldy, among others, and let’s not
forget the continual releases from the
independent bottling sector. Plenty to
get excited about, and that is before
we even step out of Scotland and into
the rest of the world. Ireland, America,
Mexico, Sweden and other producing
nations have turned out some
impressive gems of late.
However, for those of you paying
close attention, this article is going to
seem a little like deja vu if you were
reading this feature in the last edition.
—•–ƒ• ϐ‹ƒŽŽ›”‘—†‡†—’Žƒ•–›‡ƒ”ǯ•
2019 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection,
this year’s selection is announced.
Now that is what I call timing! So let’s
dive in and see what those wonderful
people in Franklin County have waiting
for us this time.

64 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

cinnamon spice, black cherry compote From the ryes, let’s head to what I
and sweetness from honeycomb and often think of as the hidden gem of the
chewy toffee. collection – William Larue Weller.
Its rye stablemate, the 2020 The 2020 release was distilled in the
Sazerac Rye 18 Years Old, comes in winter of 2008 and aged in warehouses
at a respectable 90 proof (45% ABV). I and C.
This was distilled back in Spring Don’t be fooled by the alcoholic
2002, and similar to other years, has strength: this year’s is coming in at
„‡‡‰ƒ–Š‡”‡†ˆ”‘‘‡ϐŽ‘‘”‘ˆƒ 135.5 proof (67.25% ABV), a climb from
™ƒ”‡Š‘—•‡Ǣ–Š‹•›‡ƒ”ǡ‹–‹•–Š‡–Š‹”†ϐŽ‘‘” last year’s 128 proof, and this is still
of warehouse K. You can expect a really a stunner. A drop of water and bingo,
intense experience from a rye of this ϐŽƒ˜‘—” ‹–›Ǣ‹–ǯ••—„–Ž‡ƒ†ƒ”‘ƒ–‹ ǡ
age, one that has been well looked too. It takes you into a mint-laden herb
after, and it gives plenty of dark garden with a stick of Big Red chewing
chocolate, caramel-coated coconut, gum. Buttered sweetcorn and a little
black cherry jam and a pepper and prickly chilli heat. More, please!
cinnamon spice edge. Finally let’s move into Bourbon
TASTE | The Epicurean

territory and the whiskey that seems to

get most people excited: Eagle Rare 17
Years Old.
This 101 proof (50.5% ABV) whiskey,
again bottled at the same proof in
honour of the brand’s roots in 1974,
was distilled in Spring of 2002 and was
ƒ‰‡†ƒ‰ƒ‹‘Œ—•–‘‡ϐŽ‘‘”ǡ–Š‹•–‹‡
–Š‡ϐ‹”•–ϐŽ‘‘”‘ˆ™ƒ”‡Š‘—•‡ǤŠ‹•
belter of a Bourbon has set the bar yet
again, offering fruit, cream and hints
of oak spices. There’s plenty of vanilla
and cigar-box tobacco-like notes before
toffee and coffee cream take over.
There’s even a hint of fresh-cut herbs at These pictures this year, so should offer an interesting
the end. from top left: comparison to other years (if you have
Finally we come to what the distillery Taking a rest in any left).
the sun; Inside the
refers to as its “powerhouse favourite”, ‘‡‘ˆ–Š‡•‡™‹ŽŽ„‡‡ƒ•›–‘ϐ‹†ƒ•
warehouse; The
George T. Stagg, coming in at a punchy power of Buffalo usual, but if you do, remember to share
130.4 proof (65.2%) this year. This Trace. – that’s the best thing about whisky.
tour de force Bourbon was collected For our cocktail suggestion this
from a number of warehouses for this edition, with these whiskies I think I am
year’s release, including L, K and Q. The going to stick with my steer last edition
evaporation topped last year’s 56 per and go with simplicity: glass and ice,
cent, losing 59 per cent to the angels. possibly a little water on the side.
This fan favourite will give you pretty Again, following on from last edition,
much everything you are looking for I am going to recommend a pipe
in a benchmark Bourbon. It is packed with pretty much any of these, but
with huge oak tannins, cinnamon especially with the Weller. If you can
spices, vanilla cream and custard notes. ϐ‹†ƒ„Ž‡†Š‹‰Š‹ƒ–ƒ‹ƒŽ‡ƒˆ–Šƒ–
There’s also chocolate-covered cherries, ™‘—Ž†„‡’‡”ˆ‡ –ǤŠ‡ ƒ’ϐ‹”‡‘–‡
hints of pipe tobacco and a peppery and from this style of tobacco will really
chilli spiciness. compliment the Weller. Try some of
Sports fans paying close attention the Peter Stokkebye blends, or if you
to this year’s collection will note that ƒϐ‹†‹–ǡ–Š‡™‘†‡”ˆ—ŽŽ›ƒ‡†
Stagg is back to its punchy self again. Presbyterian Mixture.
‘”–Š‡ϐ‹”•––‹‡‹ˆ‘—”›‡ƒ”•–Š‡’”‘‘ˆ As I have said often in these articles,
is back up above 130. The Weller as slow down and enjoy. These whiskies
well has climbed up the proof notches and tobaccos should be savoured.

66 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 E R MA N
BEST G RNATIONAL
Y IN E
T 9
WHISK , 2018 & 201
2017
Tastings: Latest SCOTLAND AMERICA REST OF WORLD

Balcones
Texas Pot Still Bourbon
Taster biographies BALCONES DISTILLING

Rob Allanson ABV: 46.0% Rob Becky

Style: Bourbon
Rob is editor-at-large of Whisky Magazine and formally Region: Texas Nose: Fruit, fruit and Nose: A shy start
held the position as a global brand ambassador for William Price per bottle: just a little more fruit, developing into savoury
Grant & Sons' whisky portfolio. His experience in the Bottling: Distillery my word; it’s a rich, well- aromas of cornbread
industry, which has seen him explore whiskies from around Availability: Worldwide stocked soft fruit section and rye grass with
the world, has given him a keen and well-versed palate. of a greengrocer. A good a sweet nuttiness in
AMERICA
mix of orchard and dark roasted chestnuts and
fruits, then a little spice toffee-coated popcorn.
Becky Paskin creeps in. Palate: More of that
Becky has been writing about food and drink for over a Palate: Deep, dark crunchy popcorn with
decade, after stepping out from behind the bar to take up Cassis syrup, alcoholic seeded rye bread and
her pen. For her industry work, Becky has been made a red berry squash. Those hot, buttered corn on
Keeper of the Quaich and is now a freelance sprits writer spices start to take hold, the cob. That chestnut
and co-founder of Our Whisky. oak, vanilla and a rye quality continues too,
pep come through. joined now by some
Finish: Sweet and fruity roasted hazelnuts and
THE PROCESS and just takes forever. caramel milk chocolate.
Comments: Not sure if Finish: A touch of
• All samples are blind tasted, with ABV and style the only
I said it was fruity. Not a cinnamon spice,
information disclosed. After scores and notes have been
one-trick pony though, caramel and nuts.
submitted, the identities are revealed and our tasters
great oak and wood Comments: A Bourbon
SURYLGHWKHLUÀQDOFRPPHQWV
spice integration too. that ticks all the boxes.
• Samples are tasted individually over a two week period. It takes time to open in
• Tasters are provided tasting and scoring guidelines the glass but this’ll be a
for consistency. crowd-pleaser.
• The top scorer is awarded Editor’s Choice.
• Scores of 17+ receive a Recommended award. 9.3 9.2

Balcones Berry Bros. & Rudd

Lineage 16 Years Old, Orkney Islands
BALCONES DISTILLING BERRY BROS. & RUDD

ABV: 47.0% Rob Becky ABV: 53.6% Rob Becky

Style: Single Malt Style: Single Malt
Region: Texas Nose: Takes its time, Nose: A big strawberry Region: Islands Nose: Huge sweetness Nose: Delicately smoky
Price per bottle: slowly opens up to hit, both under-ripe Price per bottle: UROOVLQÀUVWFDUDPHO with a creamy, milky
Bottling: Distillery reveal hot buttered and the jammy kind. Bottling: Independent toffees and chocolate- aroma, like chocolate
Availability: Worldwide corn with a little chilli There’s bramble fruit Availability: Worldwide coated raisins, then melting over a
heat. There’s sweetness in blackcurrants, slowly smoke comes ERQÀUH/XUNLQJLQWKH
AMERICA SCOTLAND
with chocolate-coated blackberries and through, the fattiness background are raisins
cherries and pistachio raspberries, tempered of smoked bacon and and a faint meatiness.
Turkish Delight. by dried ginger, black black pepper. Palate: Meaty and fruity
Palate: More corn pepper and toffee cake. Palate: That bacon and with more of that mouth-
comes through, almost Palate: The berries black pepper continues coating creaminess, but
corn pancakes with chilli move straight into the with the umami of it quickly becomes very
jam and black pepper palate but are joined by tomato sauce. A little dry as spice builds into
spice. Starts to sweeten Jamaican ginger cake chilli prickle and then the mid-palate, stirring
with chocolate-coated and a lovely bready, things start to dry out. up a whoosh of smoke
peanuts and raisins. nutty, mentholic rye Finish: The salt-tinged with it.
Finish: A little spice spice that elevates it smoke holds everything Finish: The smoke
pucker that fades beyond the sweetness. together as fruit and whirlwind subsides,
leaving a jammy Finish: Blackberry jam vanilla dry slowly. settling into barbeque
sweetness behind. smothered on hot, Comments: Oh yes… coals and bacon fat with
Comments: A fantastic buttered rye toast. WKLVLVÀQHVWXIILQGHHG dried fruit and citrus
sip that has some Comments: So much Well balanced with a peel too.
hidden depths behind ÁDYRXULQRQHJODVV,·P JRUJHRXVVPRNHSURÀOH Comments: A tornado of
the shyness. certainly coming back a whisky; buckle in for
for another. the ride.

9.0 9.6 9.2 8.5

68 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

Bottle price guide: £11-25 (US$17-40) £26-70 (US$40-110) £71-120 (US$110-190) £121-180 (US$190-280) £181 plus (US$280 plus)

Elijah Craig Fettercairn

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 12 Years Old Pedro Ximénez Sherry Cask Edition
HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY WHYTE & MACKAY

ABV: 63.3% Rob Becky ABV: 40.0% Rob Becky

Style: Bourbon Style: Single Malt
Region: Kentucky Nose: Opens up with Nose: Things start with Region: Highland Nose: Grainy and malty Nose: Liquorice
Price per bottle: plenty of sweetness, milk chocolate, runny Price per bottle: at the start, fresh loaf blackcurrants with a
Bottling: Distillery apricot and almond caramel and oak spice, Bottling: Distillery crust, a little warm yeast hint of menthol too,
Availability: Worldwide croissants, fresh brioche then French toast Availability: Travel-retail and then a touch of alongside toasted oak
buns and toffee wafers. DQGYDQLOODÁDYRXUHG toasted spices begins to and baking spice.
AMERICA SCOTLAND
There’s dark fruits pancakes topped with come through. Palate: Things become
here, plum jam and fresh blueberries. Palate: Dense and lush, richer, with red bramble
blackcurrant cordial. Palate: Though with plenty of body. fruits and black cherries,
Palate: Follows the nose surprisingly tame for All-butter shortbread while wine gums retain
nicely with those dark such a high strength, sweetness meets that candied quality
fruits leading the way. with more chocolate, hedgerow fruits, quince from the nose. The oak
Then it’s the turn of caramel and a touch jam. There’s ground keeps things grounded
ZDUPEXWWHUHGPXIÀQV of spice, water brings allspice and egg custard and adds a touch of
and a little spicy edge. out a fragrant fruitiness tarts there too. spice with nutmeg,
Finish: It has a in banana chips and Finish: The fresh oak vanilla, cinnamon and
wonderful aromatic note blueberry purée. spice really starts to grip brown sugar.
to it as it dries slowly. Finish: Ending on a spicy and slowly dissipates Finish: Oaky and dry.
Comments: A stonking note with buttered corn leaving sweetness. Comments: Forest
Bourbon; that ABV and lightly done toast. Comments: Plenty going walks should always be
doesn’t seem to register Comments: A solid on despite coming in accompanied by a bag
at all. breakfast Bourbon, at just 40% ABV. This is of blackcurrant sweeties
but I would add water, nicely put together. in my opinion.
DQGGHÀQLWHO\VHUYHLW
alongside pancakes.

8.5 8.6 8.0 8.3

Glen Moray
Distillery Edition Burgundy Cask 2004
LA MARTINIQUAISE-BARDINET

ABV: 60.1% Rob Becky

Style: Single Malt
Region: Speyside Nose: A sense of aged Nose: Waxy orange skin, A tornado of a whisky;
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
FDVNVKHUHDWÀUVW
baked lemons, vanilla
then cookie dough and
pancake batter with rum buckle in for the ride
Availability: Worldwide pods and candied ‘n’ raisin ice cream.
oranges. A savoury edge Palate: A wintry buffet Becky Paskin
SCOTLAND
with Yorkshire puddings of afternoon tea treats:
and creamy mash shortcake, gingerbread
potatoes appears. biscuits and a slice
Palate: That savoury of nutty Christmas
edge is still here, Fig pudding. Orange peel
Newtons, date slices and lemon oil lift the
with golden syrup and honeycomb sweetness
roasted hazelnuts. and oak spice.
There’s a gentle spice Finish: Dry and biscuity.
note and woodsmoke. Comments: I would
Finish:+LWV\RXÀUVWZLWK recommend adding a
a ton of sweetness then few drops of water to
dries swiftly leaving a experience that buffet.
grainy edge. Pass the biscuits.
Comments: This is a
great Speysider; the ABV
doesn’t seem to kick at
all, suggesting carefully
curated maturation.

8.2 8.4

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 69

TASTE | Tastings Latest SCOTLAND AMERICA REST OF WORLD

Glen Moray
Distillery Edition Chardonnay Cask 2003
LA MARTINIQUAISE-BARDINET

ABV: 58.9% Rob Becky

Style: Single Malt
Region: Speyside Nose:7KDW$%9KLWVÀUVW Nose: It’s a slow
Price per bottle: huge alcohol and not opener, but eventually
Bottling: Distillery much else. Sort of shy there’s dried fruit and
Availability: Worldwide but in time releases a caramelised muscovado
EXIIHWRIÀJVDSULFRWV sugar, toasted nuts and
SCOTLAND
goats cheese and worn leather with plum
honey. MDP7KHUH·VDÀHUFH
Palate: Again with alcohol nose prickle.
WKDWIRRGLHLQÁXHQFH Palate: Juicy and fruity
Dense, funky and fun, an Christmas cake and
Cheddar cheese,
with baked apples and
dried citrus peel. Water
intriguing Australian treat banana bread tames the somewhat
with seville orange overwhelming oak and
Becky Paskin marmalade. Walnut alcohol spice, revealing
fondants, milk chocolate vanilla, chocolate
and brown sugar syrup. biscuits, raisins and
Finish: All heads off cooked banana.
toward Christmas, long Finish: Charred
and lush. hazelnuts, brioche,
Comments: A very lovely black treacle and a
whisky with great cask handful of prunes.
LQÁXHQFH:DWHUUHDOO\ Comments: Fruity,
sweetens it up. warm and comforting, a
perfect Autumnal treat.

8.3 8.5

Glengoyne Hammerhead
Cuartillo 25 Years Old
IAN MACLEOD DISTILLERS PRÁDLO DISTILLERY

ABV: 40.0% Rob Becky ABV: 40.7% Rob Becky

Style: Single Malt Style: Single Malt
Region: Highland Nose: Takes its time Nose: Fresh, breezy and Region: N/A Nose: Full-on woody Nose: Super funky, a
Price per bottle: to reveal all that it’s brimming with pears Price per bottle: notes come through at white wine and rum-
Bottling: Distillery holding, but then it’s and other ripe orchard Bottling: Distillery ÀUVWRSHQLQJDZRRGHQ spiked cheese fondue
Availability: Worldwide all meadow grass, corn fruits. Some dried grass, Availability: Worldwide chest full of pine cones and crusty wholemeal
ÁRZHUVDSSOHEORVVRP vanilla and a kiss of oak and damp moss. Earthy. bread. It settles into
SCOTLAND CZECH REPUBLIC
and hyacinths. spice in there too. Flapjacks with honey dried fruit (raisins, apple
Palate: Gentle with an Palate: Soft and delicate and dark chocolate. pieces) with rum ‘n’
edge of grain and sugar with hay and runny Palate: Heads into an raisin ice cream, and
syrup running through it. honey, before moving almost savoury side of the piney note remains.
Starts to move into more into warm meringue, things, tomotoes and Palate: Very sweet,
savoury notes as it goes, macadamia nuts and soft goat’s cheese, almost saccharine-like,
roast honey nuts and lemon sherbets with but then sweetens up with fresh apple. There’s
tingling spices. more of those now swiftly. Heather honey, more green, piney wood
Finish: The spices take poached pears. blueberry compote and notes with some anise
just a little time to die Finish: Gentle, more red cherry jam. and eucalyptus, while
down, leaving honey and conference pears and a Finish: The earthy, cedar the butyric (cheese)
QXWFRUQÁDNHV sprinkle of cinnamon. chest box quality returns creates a waxy texture.
Comments: A really Comments: A light to slowly dry out with Finish: Sandalwood
gentle yet complex summer dessert very aromatic wood. and spice with cheese
whisky that offers much dram to sip during the Comments: It’s like fondue and dried apple.
more once it is left for afternoon sunlight. someone locked you in Comments: Unexpected,
a little. an old pine cupboard but that’s what 25 years
with a packet of oat of maturation in Czech
biscuits. Great fun. oak does.

8.5 8.8 7.3 7.4

70 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

Bottle price guide: £11-25 (US$17-40) £26-70 (US$40-110) £71-120 (US$110-190) £121-180 (US$190-280) £181 plus (US$280 plus)

Kavalan Label 5
Ex-Bourbon Oak Classic Black
KAVALAN DISTILLERY LA MARTINIQUAISE-BARDINET

ABV: 46.0% Rob Becky ABV: 40.0% Rob Becky

Style: Single Malt Style: Blended
Region: N/A Nose:6K\DWÀUVWEXWLQ Nose: It takes a little Region: Highland Nose: Fresh and Nose: Super fresh
Price per bottle: time there’s plenty of time to get going but Price per bottle: youthful with a zip of and vibrant with lots
Bottling: Distillery tropical fruit, pineapples there’s a lovely balance Bottling: Distillery citrus zest. Plenty of of tropical fruit and
Availability: Worldwide and peaches mixed between gentle, fruity Availability: Worldwide fruit sweetness with the a creamy vanilla
with custard and a little spirit and vanilla spice merest hint of smoke. sweetness. Tutti frutti
TAIWAN SCOTLAND
vanilla sugar. Hints of from the cask. Banana and caramel ice cream, apricot
baking spices too. Palate: Creamy and pie moving into rich yoghurt, ripe juicy
Palate: Again really light, it’s all stewed chocolate brownies. peaches and sticky
gentle and shy at apples and raisins Palate: Plenty of grain pineapple too.
ÀUVW7KDWWURSLFDOIUXLW with vanilla ice cream, notes come through Palate: Malty and gristy
note emerges slowly. coconut and the ÀUVWZKHDWFHUHDODQG with a viscous fruitiness
%OXHEHUU\PXIÀQV gentlest oak spice. For hot milk, hot buttered like syrupy tinned peach
chocolate macaroons all its delicacy this could cornbread and then juice. The cereal note
and a freshly baked easily be a grain whisky. sweetness of strawberry continues throughout as
apple pie. Finish: Mr. Whippy ice jam and clotted cream. EUDQÁDNHVDORQJVLGH
Finish: Fits the rest of cream, in a cone, no Finish: Takes its toasted brioche and iced
the whisky; it is slow, ÁDNHEXWZLWKDVSULQNOH time with corn syrup cinnamon pastries.
gentle and vanilla-laden. of cinnamon. sweetness and a little Finish: Gritty, malty and
Comments: Such a Comments: Soft, apricot jam. fruity with a little char
delicate drop, this one. creamy and just Comments: A good grip and anise spice.
It is quite refreshing. all-round delicious. solid whisky with nice Comments: Not quite
Kavalan is showing up balance to it. as fruity as I’d hoped
exceptionally well in ex- but it makes a cracking
Bourbon casks. breakfast whisky.

8.5 8.8 7.6 8.0

The One
Orange Wine Cask
THE LAKES DISTILLERY

ABV: 46.6%
Style: Blended
Rob
Nose: Sweetness up
Becky
Nose: It starts out a bit
An after dinner dram if
Region: N/A
Price per bottle:
Bottling: Distillery
front with a little citrus
zip to it. Strawberries
rubbery, but settles into
raspberry jam, black
ever there was one
Availability: Worldwide and balsamic vinegar. pepper and wholemeal Rob Allanson
Reduced red fruits, toast with a smidge of
ENGLAND
compote-like, but there Turkish delight.
is a chewy wine gum Palate: More of that
and jelly note too. delicate, rosewater-
Palate: Those sweet perfumed Turkish
ZLQHJXPVKLWÀUVW Delight though that
the sugar-powdered rubbery grip is back
jelly sweet too. The making things a tad
sweetness slowly fades, bitter. More black
making room for orchard pepper, orange zest and
fruits and some rich some thick strawberry
vanilla custard. purée with green apple
Finish: Slowly fades with skins surrounding.
sweetness and a little Finish: The after-taste
fruity red wine edge. of blowing up balloons
Comments: A soft and spritzed with a little light
gentle drop that has rose perfume.
a real winey quality to Comments: Delicate
it, perhaps one for the DQGÁRUDOZLWKDKLQWRI
cheese course? spice there too.

8.2 7.7

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 71

TASTE | Tastings Latest SCOTLAND AMERICA REST OF WORLD

Lark Mackmyra
Classic Cask Brukswhisky
LARK DISTILLERY MACKMYRA SVENSK WHISKY AB

ABV: 43.0% Rob Becky ABV: 41.4% Rob Becky

Style: Single Malt Style: Single Malt
Region: N/A Nose: Heading into Nose: Funky and earthy Region: N/A Nose: Huge and heady Nose: It’s incredibly
Price per bottle: the hay rack on a hot like a rhum agricole, or Price per bottle: ZLWKSOHQW\RIÁRUDO aromatic. On one hand
Bottling: Distillery summer’s day. Farmyard sticky toffee pudding left Bottling: Distillery QRWHVSDSHUEDJVÀOOHG LW·VGHOLFDWHDQGÁRUDO
Availability: Worldwide notes and a little RQWKHÁRRURIDEDUQ Availability: Worldwide with potpourri and with apple blossom and
OHDWKHU\HGJH%RQÀUH Looking past the funk smouldering herbs. a touch of rose petal,
AUSTRALIA SWEDEN
night toffee sweets and there’s sticky dried fruits There’s milk chocolate there’s fruitiness with
pomegranate syrup. ²ÀJVSUXQHVDQGGDWHV sweetness here too and icing sugar-dusted apple
Palate: The sweetness alongside molasses and raspberry doughnuts. strudel, juicy pears and
backs off a little, black treacle. Palate: Follows on tinned peaches.
opening the way for Palate: Not quite as with those sweet fruity Palate: More delicate
WKRVHERQÀUHWUHDFOH sweet as the nose notes, plenty of caramel than expected, big
toffee notes, moving to suggests although the and apple pudding orchard fruits, cooked
a sticky brown sugar mustiness remains. with cream sauce and this time, before vanilla
sweetness. The texture is oily with shaved dark chocolate. cream washes in with
Finish: Long, sticky and a tar-like quality, while Finish: Takes its time tantalising cask spice.
it manages to just keep the palate is treacle and to dry with those fruit Finish: A surprising
on going and going. burnt digestive biscuits. notes coming through, tingle of cinnamon and
Comments: Really Finish: Thick, rummy before the vanilla and anise spice with fresh
interesting stuff, does and lingering. cream takes over. apple pastries.
make you want more Comments: Dense, Comments: Rich and Comments: A lovely
RQFHWKHÀQLVKGLHV funky and fun, an deep, really lovely and balance between spirit
away though. intriguing Australian shows the strength of and cask that will make
treat with a hint of whisky coming out of you crave apple pie and
Tasmanian peat. Sweden at the moment. ice cream.

8.6 8.9 8.9 9.4

Michter’s Michter’s
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
MICHTER’S DISTILLERY MICHTER’S DISTILLERY

ABV: 47.2% Rob Becky ABV: 46.4% Rob Becky

Style: Bourbon Style: Rye
Region: Kentucky Nose: Gentle and Nose: Shy though Region: Kentucky Nose: Oh so spicy Nose: It kicks off with a
Price per bottle: TXLWHVLPSOHDWÀUVW sweetly perfumed, it Price per bottle: and sweet, plenty of good deal of spearmint,
Bottling: Distillery aromatic, a little grassy, opens up with water into Bottling: Distillery rye peppered spice, menthol and spice,
Availability: Worldwide then vanilla spices and stewed apples, raisins Availability: Worldwide unsmoked bacon and settling into dense
custard cream biscuits. and fresh butter. scallops. Then cherry cherry, raisin and nut-
AMERICA AMERICA
Toffee ice cream. Palate: What starts ÁDSMDFNVDOPRQG packed fruitcake topped
Palate: Now it really out as simple caramel croissants, caramel with super-sweet icing.
starts to open up, popcorn moves into ice cream with dark Palate: An initial hit
black cherries in dark fragrant Turkish delight, chocolate pieces. of caramelised brown
chocolate, prawns and cherry blossom, Palate: Plenty of sugar and baking
chilli jam. Cracked black lemongrass and red sweetness upfront but spices, before more
pepper spice tingles, chilli. Water releases then it turns a little of that rich fruitcake
orange candied peel more sweetness in milk darker with cherries and comes to the fore, this
and chocolate orange. chocolate and some pomegranate molasses. time with a nutty, rye
Finish: Really aromatic, toffee pennies. A little roasted peanut. breadiness to it.
exotic spices and dries Finish: Brown butter and Finish: Big, bold and Finish: Rye bread and
with those orange oil cardamom hangs on. spicy that slowly gives butter pudding with rum-
elements too. Comments: With its way to a bright, sweet spiked custard.
Comments: Wow, remarkably fragrant cherry jam. Comments: For all its
serious aromatic character, this would Comments: A fantastic sweetness there’s a
elements here, a make an excellent drop this – so glad rye lovely balance between
full-on spice drawer of accompaniment to a made a comeback, and the savoury rye and
a whiskey. masala or bhuna. this shows why. sugary, fruity freshly
baked goods.

9.0 8.5 9.1 8.8

72 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

Bottle price guide: £11-25 (US$17-40) £26-70 (US$40-110) £71-120 (US$110-190) £121-180 (US$190-280) £181 plus (US$280 plus)

Tamdhu
Ambar 14 Years Old
IAN MACLEOD DISTILLERS

ABV: 43.0% Rob Becky

Style: Single Malt
Region: Highland Nose: A gentle hint Nose: An immediate
The ideal drinking
Price per bottle: of sherry mixed with sense of waxiness, companion
Bottling: Distillery some sweet farmyard like sweaty cheese
Availability: Travel-retail notes, goats cheese and and thick, set honey,
maple syrup. Chocolate- then chewy toffees, Pick up a copy today,
SCOTLAND
covered honeycomb and milk chocolate, mint grab a dram,
a slight hint of menthol, Matchmakers and
almost eucalyptus oil. – quite surprisingly – and get sampling!
Palate:*HQWOHDWÀUVW Moutai baijiu.
with plenty of chocolate Palate: Lighter than
eclairs, vanilla toffee the nose suggests,
and grilled peaches. with lots of smooth
Then the spices slowly milk chocolate and
start to build with honey-soaked stone
cardamom and cumin, fruit, before chilli spice
as well as a black emerges with green aloe
pepper tingle. and eucalyptus notes.
Finish: The spices take
hold, a slight chilli heat
Finish: Chocolate-
covered raisins and ONLY
then it dries into sweet
vanilla fudge.
GULHGFKLOOLÁDNHV
Comments: If you
£8.50
Comments: A delightful couldn’t get away for a
whisky that really makes holiday this summer,
you smile. this whisky certainly will.
Available from:
8.8 8.4 [Link]/shop

Teeling Whiskey
Blackpitts Peated Single Malt
TEELING WHISKEY CO.

ABV: 46.0% Rob Becky Wow, serious aromatic

Style: Single Malt
Region: N/A
Price per bottle:
Nose: Sweet, smoky and
with a hint of seaweed
Nose: The sweet, fruity
and estery aroma of
elements here, a full-on spice
Bottling: Distillery
Availability: Worldwide
and brown sugar.
There’s a lovely fruity
well-made new make,
gentle maritime smoke
drawer of a whiskey
side to this too, lemon and subtle vanilla cask Rob Allanson
REP. OF IRELAND
wedges baked with LQÁXHQFH/HPRQ]HVW
trout, poached apples in crisp green apples and
cider, spaghetti vongole. cooked pears. Then
Palate: All those fruits clamshells and the faint
FRPHÁRRGLQJLQWRWKH VPRNHRIDERQÀUH
palate, tinned exotic Palate: More fruits with
fruit salad, vanilla sugar a creamy texture, like a
and then a really salted zesty lemon meringue
ham edge takes over. pie. There’s poached
Finish: All the smoke pears and vanilla ice
and seaweed from the cream before the smoke
nose returns to dry nice builds to centre stage.
and slowly. Finish: Salty, meaty, all
Comments: Initially this JULOOHGÀVKDQGERQÀUH
is like hugging a wet Comments: Youthful but
dog from the sea, but is with precise balance.
nicely balanced with this A peated Irish single
fruity, sweet side too. malt to rival the might
Great stuff. of Islay.

9.1 9.0

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 73

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 NIGHTCAP
Whisky Magazine Puzzles 79
Travel Retail 80
Castaway 82

PUZZLES
Welcome to our puzzles page. Make sure you enter the Unlock the Whisky Label competition (see below for details)
and send your entry to editor@[Link] for your chance to win a bottle of great whisky. UK & EU entrants only.

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15 12 Worry about large Cambridge 11 Turn your gaze from a French green (5)
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Issue 170 Whisky Magazine 79

WORDS JOE BATES

THREE STILLS AND A TRAVELLER

In this issue, Tony Roberts of Three Stills Company Ltd. reveals
his tips for travel and his most memorable experiences

I
n this edition we meet up with I really enjoy Asia but in particular, just in case there are some gems in
Three Stills Company Ltd. co- Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. I am there, but I am usually disappointed.
founder Tony Roberts, a veteran also a big fan of the African continent. Le Clos at Dubai Airport is one very
traveller who’s visited more than A trip to an African country is a great good exception to this and it stocks a lot
85 countries in his career. test for my planning obsession (where of magnums as well. I always browse
absolutely anything that can go wrong, the Scotch whisky section, mainly for
What have been some of the most will go wrong!) and also cleanliness. I professional reasons, but occasionally
memorable and interesting countries was once served a very large measure to buy a heavily peated malt for my
and places that your work has taken of whisky in Ghana with one big ice father (as he won’t drink any other
you to over the years? —„‡–Šƒ–Šƒ†ƒƒ••‹˜‡„Ž—‡„‘––Ž‡ϐŽ› style!) and these days I take a good look
I am fortunate enough to have travelled frozen in the middle! I drank the whisky at both gin and vodka.
to 85 countries throughout my career. as quickly as possible to avoid the ice
It’s a little sad I know, but I still get cube melting! What’s the most memorable dram
ridiculously excited when I am about to that you’ve had on your travels?
visit a new country and can add to that What whiskies and other spirits do In the last 12 months I was lucky
total. I love the sense of adventure and you like to buy in duty free when enough to be given a small taste of a
the unknown. I absolutely love Canada travelling overseas? 30-year-old Springbank Single Cask
and Lebanon. I nearly always start in the wine section ™Š‹•›‹ƒ™Š‹•›„ƒ”‹‘ϐ‹ƒǡ—Ž‰ƒ”‹ƒ

80 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 NIGHTCAP | This Travelling Life Tony Roberts

I am fortunate enough to have travelled to

85 countries throughout my career

– that was very special. However, the –‘‡š’Ž‘”‡’”‘’‡”Ž›ǡ‹–™‘—Ž††‡ϐ‹‹–‡Ž›

most memorable was probably tasting have to be Athens.
–Š‡ Ž‡ϐ‹††‹ ŠͷͲ‡ƒ”•Ž†ƒ–ƒ‡˜‡–
in Calgary, Alberta. An hour after the Once we can all travel again, what
event, the room was still full of the Three Stills Co. whiskies available in
aroma of the whisky! TR should travellers look out for?
—”„Ž‡†‡†ƒŽ–™Š‹•›ǡ‘™‡”ƒ•–
What’s your favourite airport and Side, is receiving rave reviews and
why is that? ™‘‡•–‹ƒ–‡‰‘”›ƒ––Š‡ ‘‰‘‰
I do like T5 at Heathrow but, Spirits Awards in 2019. It is a very
internationally, any airport that is easy-drinking style of malt.
‡ˆϐ‹ ‹‡–Ž›”—ƒ†‹‹‹•‡•›‘—”–‹‡
clearing passport control and customs. Tell us about a funny, strange or
That usually means Asia, so [Hong unusual thing that happened to you
Kong] Chek Lap Kok, [Singapore] Changi on your travels.
ƒ†ȏƒ‰‘Ȑ—˜ƒ”ƒ„Š—‹Šƒ˜‡ƒŽŽ I was once in a nightclub in Douala in
been pretty good in my experience. Cameroon where one of my whisky
brands was on promotion that night.
You must spend a lot of time on the Suddenly, all the lights in the club were
road. What travel tips do you want to switched on and the music stopped.
pass on to our readers? The club was swarming with soldiers
My trick is to adjust my watch to the looking for people without the correct
destination time as the last thing I do paperwork. I had stupidly not taken my
before I pull on my eye-mask. When passport out with me. I had a soldier
I wake, I don’t think about the time jabbing the butt of a semi-automatic
difference or what the time is where I ”‹ϐŽ‡”‡’‡ƒ–‡†Ž›‹–‘› Š‡•–ƒ†„›–Š‡
have come from – but try to bluff my look in his eyes I suspected he was on
body that I have slept well and it really something, so I was very wary that his
is now 6am in London. ϐ‹‰‡”‹‰Š–Œ—•––™‹– ŠƒŽ‹––Ž‡–‘‘— Š
In the drinks industry, it is quite often on the trigger!
required to be out late at night checking Fortunately, my distributor managed
out bars and clubs that have our brands. to smuggle us out of the back door into
This can be disruptive to sleep, so I have a waiting car and we got out of there. I
learned to grab 20 minutes sat in the can laugh about it now!
back of a taxi or even at my desk when I
worked in Miami and had arrived on the You’ve been shipwrecked on a desert
red-eye at 6am from Los Angeles! island. Which whisky would you like
–‘ϐ‹†™ƒ•Š‡†—’‘–Š‡•Š‘”‡ǫ
If you had 24 hours to spare, what If it has been washed up, then hopefully
city in the world would you most like it had been in the sea for quite a few
to explore? years. With that in mind it would ideally
ˆƒŽŽ–Š‡ ‹–‹‡• Šƒ˜‡ǯ–„‡‡–‘ǡ‘›‘ „‡ƒ„‘––Ž‡‘ˆŠ‡ƒ ƒŽŽƒͳͺ‡ƒ”•Ž†
™‘—Ž†„‡–Š‡‘‡Ǥˆ–Š‡ ‹–‹‡•–Šƒ–  from the 1990s when the whisky was
have been to, but not had the chance like nectar!

Issue 170 | Whisky Magazine 81

Castaway Dave Broom

ISLAND LIFE
In each edition we ask one of the industry’s
great and good to tell us what they would
take with them to our island

D
ave Broom is no stranger WHISKY #1 ggreat session drams.
to Whisky Magazine Talisker Bu the Johns Lane
But
readers, I wouldn't Ü1RUWK is th
the 100 per cent pot
hesitate to say to most For me, this is as close still an
and it’s Powers on
people in the whisky to the old Talisker 8 Years steroids. IIt is big, rich, huge
world. Commentator, writer, star of big Old, which was my whisky fruit, hedonistic deliciousness.
and little screen and font of knowledge, lightbulb moment and made me fall in
it is worth checking out his new website Ž‘˜‡™‹–Š™Š‹•›‹–Š‡ϐ‹”•–’Žƒ ‡Ǥ – WHISKY #4
The Whisky Manual [thewhiskymanual. always has to be there. It is strong and Craigellechie
uk] to see what he has been up to. smoky, but also oily and sweet, and is <HDUV2OG
everything you want from a Talisker. I A great dram, which was pretty much
remember drinking the old 8 Years Old unknown until my dear friend Stephen
one night heading to a ceilidh, in Assynt Marshall masterminded its proper
(the far north-west of Scotland) and it Žƒ— ŠǤ –‹•ƒ‰‹ϐ‹ ‡–Ǥ•ƒ‡™ƒ‡
struck me that it was from this kind of it is really sulphury and it takes a while
landscape. It spoke to me emotionally, for that to work itself out, but when
rather than simply being a beverage. it does you get this incredible heavy
This was when I decided I had to know ϐŽ‘”ƒŽ Šƒ”ƒ –‡” ‘‹‰–Š”‘—‰ŠǤ‰‘‘†
more about this because it’s magical. contrast to the others I have chosen so
far. It will also remind me of amazing
WHISKY #2 times in this awesome little village that
Hakushu is home to three of the world’s greatest
<HDUV2OG whisky bars.
An extraordinary distillery that again
seems to distil its sense of place. It is WHISKY #5
in this amazing forest at the foot of a Compass Box
huge granite mountain. All Hakushus +HGRQLVP
have this intense, green, grassy, mossy A great whisky, blended grain
fragrance to them, even the smoky loveliness, all thanks to the genius of
ones. It is a great example of a whisky ‘Š Žƒ•‡”Ǥ ƒ‰‹‡ǡ–Š‡ϐ‹”•–™Š‹•›
that seems to be fragile and delicate but he released after leaving Diageo is a
has a huge amount of complexity to it. blended grain. No one was bottling
grain seriously until he did. It is utterly
WHISKY #3 gorgeous, and I think it changed
Power's people’s view on how great grain
-RKQV/DQH whisky can be, and how complex.
This is a wonderful single pot still in
the old Dublin style. The ‘standard’ (if $%5,()),1$//8;85<
you can use such a terrible word) is A lifetime supply of pens and paper,
this ludicrously drinkable, juicy, peachy, because I would have to be able to write
but also kind of oily whiskey, one of the and sketch.

82 Whisky Magazine | Issue 170

 The world’s premier whisky tasting show

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