Cask & Still Magazine - Issue 17

ISSUE SEVENTEEN | FREE

THE ART OF WHISKY Why collaborating with artists is all the rage for distilleries

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From the

EDITOR

Once again it has been a huge year for whisky. More distilleries have been built, with yet more planned for the near future. The momentum behind Scotland’s national drink shows no sign of flagging.

I have visited several of the distilleries that have been built recently, and was particularly blown away by the 2023 launch of Gordon & MacPhail’s The Cairn distillery near Grantown-on-Spey – I urge you all to visit if you get an opportunity.

This issue highlights how whisky is working really hard at staying relevant.

This can simply be by ensuring that its production is as sustainable and environmentally sympathetic as possible, a subject covered by my colleague Peter Ranscombe with his usual aplomb.

I’m also interested in the increasingly

inventive ways in which whisky markets itself. One of these has been an alliance with luxury goods, which we’ve written about in the past, and, more recently, by the use of art as a powerful branding tool which also increases value.

Finally, two of my other hobby-horses have found expression in this issue.

One is Brooke Magnanti’s essay on the gorgeousness of perry, and the other is Geraldine Coates’ ruminations on the importance of decent tonic to accompany gin – a first-world issue, but no less important for all that.

EDITOR Richard Bath

ON THE COVER: NISEAG FROM UILE-BHEIST.

Contributors

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BLAIR BOWMAN Cask & Still’s commissioning editor continues his tour of the world of uisge beatha by visiting an unlikely whisky distillery in Bolivia.

TOM KITCHIN Scotland’s youngest ever Michelin starred chef talks us through his discovery, late in life, of a love for the water of life.

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4 | What’s inside

In this

ISSUE 30

10

Cover line 14 THE ART OF WHISKY

How art has been elevating whisky brands for decades

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Cask & Still Magazine | 5

08

&

S DECEMBER 2023 ISSUE SEVENTEEN @caskandstillmag

24 06 NEWS

Inside

Remember, you heard it here first...

08 BAR SNAPS

Whisking you away to Scotch heaven at London’s speakeasystyle jazz bar, Síbín

10 ME & MY DRAM We share a

49

dram with a culinary dynamo – celebrity chef Tom Kitchin

12 THE RANT

Federica Stefani has a bee in her bonnet about the lack of diversity in whisky

into wheat, maize and rye in global whisky production

42 WHISKY FESTIVAL Enjoy a

dram at the Scottish National Whisky Festival with a side of top-notch trad music

44 WHISKY HERO We meet two chaps who are on a mission to bring distilling back to traditional whiskymaking areas

Editor: Richard Bath Design: Grant Dickie Production: Andrew Balahura, Megan Amato Chief Sub-Editor: Rosie Morton Staff Writer: Morag Bootland Contributing Editor: Blair Bowman Contributors: Dr Brooke Magnanti, Mark Littler, Federica Stefani, Geraldine Coates, Peter Ranscombe, Bert Brunyeel Email: editor@caskandstill magazine.com

23 WHISKY BY NUMBERS

49 CONNOISSEURS’ SELECTION

ADVERTISING

24 REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

60 A TONIC FOR EVERY TASTE Helping

PUBLISHING

Peter Ranscombe looks at how amber nectar is ‘going green’

you to decipher your Schweppes from your Fentimans

30 ALL IN THE MIX Lind & Lime

64 SPIRIT LEVEL

Distillery provide six simple cocktail recipes to try your hand at

34 OVERSEAS WHISKY The rise of spirit- and whiskymaking in Bolivia

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40 A BLUFFER’S GUIDE TO BARLEY A deep dive

The team

DESIGN & EDITORIAL

Brooke Magnanti talks about the perfect pear, believing that perry is ideal for food pairing experiences

66 DRINKING WHISKY IN BELGIUM Bert

Brunyeel, the owner of Asta Morris, discusses the hows and whys of whisky’s growing success in Belgium

Grant Philbin, John Boyle Tel: 0131 551 7915

Publisher: Alister Bennett, The North Quarter, 496 Ferry Road, Edinburgh EH5 2DL. Tel: 0131 551 1000

Published by Wyvex Media Ltd. While Cask & Still is prepared to consider unsolicited articles, transparencies and artwork, it only accepts such material on the strict understanding that it incurs no liability for its safe custody or return.

The views and opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of Wyvex Media Ltd.

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6 | News feed

ONE OF A KIND

This year’s Distillers One of One charity whisky auction broke 19 records and raised a whopping 200 guests from across the world gathered for the 39-lot auction in Edinburgh. Leading the sale was the oldest ever bottle of Bowmore, which sold for a record-breaking £562,500, after a fierce bidding war. The Brora Iris 50 Year Old 1972, the oldest Brora single malt to ever be bottled, went for £400,000. www.distillersoneofone.com

News FEED

£2.25 million for charity. Some

DRAM DELIGHT

The Isle of Harris Distillers launched their long-awaited single malt Scotch whisky. The first legal dram from Harris, The Hearach offers an elegant single malt, with fruit and floral notes and a long, slightly smoky finish. The whisky, hand-crafted by a team of locals from Harris, has been distilled, matured – in first-fill bourbon, oloroso and fino sherry casks – married and bottled at 46% ABV on the island. More than 25,000 people queued online to bag the first eight batches of The Hearach, which sold out in less than five hours.

Around 1,000 people waited outside the distillery to buy the first bottle, with some travelling from as far as Canada. www.harrisdistillery.com

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A NEW DAWN

OLDEST WHISKY IN THE WORLD

been made to improve the

castle, nearly 200 years after it was distilled. Around 40 bottles of the

Scotch Whisky Experience

whisky, which was distilled in 1833, were found behind a hidden cellar

on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

door in Blair Castle in Perthshire. Bertie Troughton, resident trustee

A £3 million investment has

The world’s oldest whisky was discovered in the cellar of a Scottish

The attraction takes visitors

at the castle, discovered

through three areas of whisky

the whisky at the back of

making, from its origins to

a shelf. Experts said the

the art of whisky making and

Scotch could have been

maturation.

sipped by a young Queen

www.scotchwhisky

Victoria. www.whisky

experience.co.uk

auctioneer.com

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NEW EXPRESSIONS

COME TOGETHER

Stella and Mary McCartney are paying homage to their memories of Scotland by collaborating with The Macallan on a new release. As children, the pair spent time on the family farm in Kintyre with their father Paul McCartney. Now the sisters have worked together on

GLENFIDDICH ARCHIVE 1973

the third edition of The Harmony Collection, a limited annual release series. www.themacallan.com

42.9% ABV, RRP £33,500 This whisky is exceptionally rare with only 83 bottles available. The Glenfiddich Archive 1973 is taken from a refill American oak cask, where it was aged for 49 years. It is exclusive to the UK.

DEANSTON, VIRGIN OAK CASK STRENGTH 58.5% ABV, RRP £60 Finished for 12 months in virgin American oak barrels, all the way from Kentucky, this dram has flavours of warming spices, candied fruit, green apple and citrus.

FLYING HIGH

Port of Leith has opened its new £12 million distillery which can produce one million bottles of single malt whisky per

GLENCADAM 18 YEAR OLD 46% ABV, RRP £145 The reintroduction of this single malt will bridge the gap between the distillery’s 15-year-old and 25-year-old.

On the nose it has aromas of stone fruits, pear blossom and dried pineapple.

GLENDRONACH GRANDEUR 2023 49.2% ABV, RRP £870 One of the most anticipated annual batch releases of the year, Batch 12 is nearly 30 years old.

Matured in oloroso sherry casks, it has a tobacco and sherry-soaked walnut finish.

year. It’s the UK’s first vertical distillery with nine storeys. The distillery hopes to welcome 25,000 visitors in its first year, increasing to 160,000 by 2025.

You’ll find more information online. www.leithdistillery.com

DISTILLERY PLANS

Dal Riata Distillery Ltd has been awarded planning permission by Argyll & Bute Council to build a new distillery on the banks of Campbeltown Loch. The development will also feature a museum, visitor centre and shop. The £4.5 million investment will provide employment for around 20 locals. www.dalriatadistillery.com

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8 | Whisky bars of the world

SÍBÍN, GREAT SCOTLAND YARD HOTEL, LONDON Taking its name from the Irish word for illicit bar, Síbín (pronounced she-been) is entered through a bookcase in the hotel lobby. This elegant, yet relaxed, speakeasy-style jazz bar boasts a huge selection of drams, an impressive cocktail menu and some fabulous art. hyatt.com

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10 | Me and my dram

Me & my

DRAM Following a rocky start, celebrity chef Tom Kitchin has fostered an enduring love for whisky Interview by Morag Bootland

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Do you enjoy whisky?

Absolutely. I enjoy whisky, but I don’t think it was something that came automatically. I think I learned to enjoy whisky. I don’t know any young person, who’s being absolutely truthful, who would say that they loved whisky from a young age.

Do you remember the first time you tried whisky?

I do – it was terrible. I think it was a New Year’s Day party, actually. I wasn’t old enough and I think it was one of my first e periences of alcohol. It must have been watered down with Coke or something like that. It took me many years to recover from that e perience.

It was the smell, you know it was one of those e periences from a really ad hangover that stay with you for a very long time.

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What style of whisky do you prefer?

I like a Speyside whisky. Something rich and smooth. Not too peaty. Nice, smooth and maybe sherry cask would be my preference.

Do you have a favourite dram at the moment?

I was discussing this recently because my head chef, Lachlan, is a proper whisky connoisseur.

The one that we tasted recently that we were both super impressed with was GlenDronach 18yo from Speyside, which was a sherry cask and really interesting. I’m not plugging it, but Sam Heughan actually has a whisky called Sassenach now and we’ve had a bit of fun with it because we have so many Americans coming to the restaurant. So, we started making different whisky cocktails with the Sassenach, which is a blend, but it was really interesting.

I think they do like whisky; they just don’t realise it yet. I think a sense of place and a sense of time is really important with whisky. You have to be in the right moment to enjoy whisky if you’ve never really experienced it. If you have a magical moment in Scotland, whether you’re walking up the Mound in Edinburgh or out climbing Munros and you’re coming back to a wee bothy. Do you know, something like that? That is the magic of whisky for me. I don’t drink whisky that much throughout the year, but when I do, it’s a moment like that. A really pleasurable moment. For me, being outdoors is really interesting. You know, coming back and you’ve got that sense of relaxation after a long walk or being battered by the rain. Fishing as well – that’s another one where I quite enjoy a dram afterwards.

Have you had a chance to try much whisky that’s produced outside of Scotland?

Not really, no. Even though we do have a few at the restaurant I just haven’t tried them. Maybe I just need to embrace it a bit more. You feel like you’re being a traitor in a way, don’t you?

‘A sense of place and time is really important with whisky’

How do you like to drink your whisky?

I don’t mind a whisky cocktail. It’s fun and it’s a nice way to start a meal.

It’s a modern way to enjoy whisky, which is nice. We work with different whisky brands quite a lot and if they come into the restaurant quite often they will ask ‘can we match the whisky to the menu’ which is sometimes quite challenging.

But to start the meal with something fresh and exciting like a whisky cocktail is nice.

Where is the most memorable place you’ve ever drunk whisky?

It was at Skibo Castle, where we did this big dinner and it was literally like a ‘who’s who’, everyone was there. And we had this wonderful after dinner drink and we sat y the fire afterwards and it was just magic.

What would you say to anyone who says they don’t like whisky?

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Do you have a favourite whisky bar that you’ve drunk in?

Yeah, there are a couple. One is the whisky bar Scotch at the Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh. I think they’ve done an amazing job there and it’s that kind of iconic experience that especially tourists are looking for. And the Abbey in Newington in Edinburgh as well – they’ve got so many different varieties and it’s got that old man whisky bar feel to it. Both of them are great, when we’ve got people visiting from far and wide, these are the kind of places we would take them.

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12 | The Rant

DO YOU EVEN

LIKE

WHISKY?

Women in whisky often feel downtrodden, but now they are fighting back and encouraging the industry to embrace diversity Written by Federica Stefani

I

f you are a woman with a passion for whisky or in a whisky-related profession, chances are you have been asked the uestion o you even like whisky ossi ly while on o cial duty or while openly en oying a dram.

I first approached whisky as a young woman in Italy – which sadly still lags behind other countries in terms of eradicating sexism from everyday life, and which is not widely known as a whisky country. Back then, I accepted that male bartenders and pub/festival-goers being curious – occasionally patronising – of my drink of choice was a normal state of affairs.

Fast forward a few years, a move to whisky country and a good amount of research (theory and practice in equal measure) for both personal pleasure and then working in a well-known whisky institution in Edinburgh and I started to have a good idea of what I was talking about when recommending a bottle or leading a tasting. Yet, the questioning, talkingover and mansplaining – when I was not outright ignored – still popped up more often than I’d like.

But I am not an isolated case. This happens to women all over the world, some of them having years, or decades

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of experience in the industry and an incredible knowledge of the whisky world.

‘Even as an editor of a whisky publication, I still had to prove myself and have my knowledge questioned all the time, and I was often mistaken for a PA, whereas I was the boss,’ says Becky Paskin as we talk about how sexism and stereotypes still affect the whisky industry.

The former Scotchwhisky.com editor – the first ournalist with a eneral ertificate in istilling – is now at the helm of the Our Whisky Foundation. Our Whisky started in 2018 as a campaign to promote diversity in the industry and developed into what is today a foundation aiming to empower women and non-binary people in the whisky industry, running a mentorship scheme alongside various other initiatives.

One of its latest efforts was running ‘Do you even like whisky? The barriers holding back women in the industry’, a survey to which more than 600 people worldwide responded.

A report released at the end of August showed a stark situation for the industry. Among the respondents, 81% said they had been asked the question ‘do you even like whisky’, while at work or while ordering a whisky.

Among the 80% who worked in consumer-facing roles which required them to run tastings or tours, 89% said they had been spoken over, or had their knowledge questioned while conducting a tasting, while a worrying

‘The questioning, talking over and mansplaining – when I was not outright ignored – still popped up’

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IMAGE: THE MODERN FACE OF WHISKY

Cask & Still Magazine | 13

83% have experienced customers preferring to talk to a male colleague.

What is worse is that 70% of all respondents said they’d experienced inappropriate or sexual remarks while doing their job, 33% having been inappropriately touched (44% among women working in consumer-facing roles).

The survey also explored parental support at work, the representation of women in whisky in the media and the main challenges women in whisky experience, which were mostly identified as unconscious ias and stereotyping (76%).

‘We need to get more women working in the industry, particularly those under-served roles in production and as ambassadors, these consumer facing roles,’ she continued.

The way to do that is to first of all improve the visi ility of women in marketing and communications. If we’re not showcasing women in these roles, they aren’t going to apply for those jobs or even think that whisky is even a career possibility. Then we need to support them once they are in these roles.’

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And here is a key element which should be applied to so many aspects of society – welcoming diversity and inclusivity fosters creativity and rings enefits for everyone across the board.

‘By showing the world that whisky can be something that women drink too, you’re also increasing sales, because you’re increasing the pool of people who are interested in purchasing your product. So that has financial enefits.

‘Those who stick with outdated views that diversity isn’t important, will ounder in the future.

Earlier this year, the Foundation launched the Modern Face of Whisky, a free-of-charge stock image library created in partnership with 11 whisky producers to challenge gender bias and improve the diversity of whisky drinkers portrayed in the media, which saw more than three million views and 20,000 downloads over the first week it was launched.

Although there have been changes in recent years and big brands are starting to understand that marketing to people from different backgrounds very much makes sense, we are still far from giving women, and in general anyone who is not the stereotypical middle-aged white man, the respect they deserve. It will not change overnight – it will take time and a collective effort from brands and consumers across the globe.

Next time you are at a tasting and you find yourself a out to ask the question then perhaps ask yourself first – why am I asking If everyone starts catching their unconscious ias and re ecting on the reasons behind it and why it shouldn’t be there, there is something to gain across the board and a basis for the industry to develop and ourish.

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14 | Whisky and art

the art of

W hisky

Art has been elevating branding for decades and the benefits of collaborating with artists certainly haven’t been lost on the whisky industry Written by Mark Littler

A

rt has always been part of humanity. rom the first cave paintings, to hieroglyphs, and through gold em ossed illuminated manuscripts in the medieval period, art has een used to teach, to tell stories and to uplift those that view it. Through those e periences art elevates the mundane to the e traordinary.

History shows us that art turns regular people into emperors, into gods, into something more than the sum of their parts. or centuries that elevation had een reserved for the patrons of the arts, often the wealthy ruling classes who used their association with art to etter their position in society. In the th century that relationship egan to evolve, so that now it is also rands that use this association to their enefit.

There have een multiple studies that show how colla orations etween rands and artists can provide enefits to a rand, especially where the rand is looking to position itself as more premium or lu ury. rt is used y rands to legitimise prices, create desira ility in new markets, and much more, and whisky rands are no e ception.

One of the most famous colla orations between an artist and a brand is the multicolour monogram ag from ouis uitton. In whisky we ll run through multiple e amples, ut I would argue that the acallan year olds were the first and possibly most poignant for the industry.

In the last decade the practice has ecome commonplace. We now see art on new whisky releases so regularly that it is almost e pected.

‘Art is used by brands to legitimise prices, create desirability and much more’

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>>>

RIGHT: SOTHEBY’S.

Left: The Macallan 1926 featuring the Valerio Adami label sold for £2.1 million at Sotheby’s.

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16 | Whisky and art

COLLABORATION IN WHISKY

As with many things in the single malt whisky world, at least where premiumisation is concerned, it was Macallan who we believe were the first.

In the 1980s, when Macallan found cask #263 that had been laid down in 1926, a 60-year-old single malt was not just unusual, there was simply no established market for that kind of premium aged single malt. avid olmes, marketing director of Macallan at the time, was renowned for cherry picking the best artists to work with for his campaigns, and in hindsight it is no surprise that he turned to artists to elevate the 60-year-old from just whisky, to art itself. The first ottles from the cask were adorned with labels designed by Peter Blake and Valerio Adami, two prominent artists of the time.

The ottles were even presented in glass cabinets upon velvet plinths in order to present these, not as ottles, ut as works of art.

Together the various iterations of the 1926 60-year old from Macallan have held the world record for the most

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expensive bottle of whisky more times than any other bottle, and it remains the current world record holder. Its status is more complex than just an art collaboration, but its renown and price is undisputed. What s more, it is arguable that the early position taken by Macallan with collaborations and more, laid the foundations for later brand position and work that spans everything from the iconic Folios in the Archival Series, through to the hand sculptures of the year old The each, and their most recent addition, the olour ollection.

THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY

Today, acallan is not without competition with premium single malt releases or art colla oration.

The istillers One of One auction was held in Octo er 2023 and showcased whiskies from Scottish distilleries. The event set 19 new auction records, and while record results from established premium brands like Bowmore and Brora may be expected, the extraordinary result for

Old ulteney really demonstrates what art can do for value.

On the afternoon of Thursday Octo er the hammer fell on a new record for Old Pulteney, smashing its pre-sale high estimate by more than dou le. The year old Bow Wave was the oldest e pression ever released by the distillery, so in a way it is no surprise that it took the record price. owever, prior to Octo er the highest price paid for the oldest available Old ulteney, an o cial year old, was just £2,700, and the true record for an Old ulteney was £3,000 for a no age statement adenhead s ottling from the s. The sale price for Bow Wave was , , an incredi le 2,500% increase in value compared to the year old.

We would argue that that kind of

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Cask & Still Magazine | 17

>>>

step up in value cannot be explained by ust five additional years in a cask.

There is likely an element of charity auctions at play here, which is a su ect for another article. owever, y looking at other e amples from the auction you can see the part that art played in the value achieved y the Bow Wave. ossi ly the most poignant comparison would e the eautiful pair of lenfarclas year olds. They were presented in nice ut standard ottles, and an elegant ut not ela orate case.

The pair sold for , – that s two lenfarclas year old single cask releases for ust over half the amount of a single ottle of year old Old ulteney. We will let you e the udge of who got the etter value there.

By creating record prices, art collaborations allow distilleries to justify pricing across their offerings

CORE RANGES

rt is not ust reserved for limited editions, and is often used to distinguish and elevate new releases and core range ottles. recent e ample from len Scotia uses local artist lice ngus to enhance its new year old release. lenmorangie has also recently colla orated with apanese artist amaguchi kira for its new Tale of Tokyo, a new e pression that is matured in apanese i unara oak casks. eanwhile acallan s latest travel e clusive The olour ollection is elevated y its colla oration with merican artist and graphic designer

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avid arson. The simple yet distinctly elegant tone enhances the range of what is, otherwise, ust a repetition of their core selection of age statements whiskies.

BRANDING

Of course, art has always played a part in randing. Before you even get to specific colla orations, well designed randing can show potential customers a rand s core values, help them appeal to particular markets and much more.

Left: Old Pulteney Bow Wave. Top: Alice Angus at Glen Scotia Distillery.

Above: Alice Angus Spirit Safe Collection.

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18 | Whisky and art

Art as branding is something that can be seen particularly in newer distilleries as it can help them stand out and establish themselves in a saturated market. Some nice examples include the Uilebheist distillery and Nc’nean.

Uile-bheist opened in 2023, its name and branding grew from its location on the banks of the River Ness, source of the legendary monster (called Uile-bheist in Gaelic). In its own words, the distillery’s name, produce and branding ‘all take inspiration from the myriad local tales of monsters, myths and legends.’ To make their brand a legend they enlisted the help of Ken Taylor, a graphic illustrator known for his striking work with the likes of Metallica, Pearl Jam, Queens of The Stone Age, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. The decision to collaborate with such a distinctive artist strikes a tone for its enterprise and creates instant appeal within that (large) market which is familiar with his work.

Nc’nean is another relatively recent example of how a new distillery can use its branding to make a statement about its products and position within the market. A combination of beautiful branding and poignant marketing helped it set a world record for the most e pensive first ottles released by a distillery back in 2020 (poignantly, another charity auction). This achievement has undoubtedly helped to pave its way to a position within the premium sector, despite the limitations of being a new distillery.

WHY DO THEY DO IT?

Looking at the above examples it can be easy to see why brands would choose to work with artists and turn their products into pieces of art.

Principally, turning a consumable object into a

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work of art means that it can become worth more than the sum of its parts. Whether it is a one-off like the bottles showcased in the Distillers One of One auction, or a limited edition like the myriad other examples we see across the whisky industry, art collaborations are largely worth more than the equivalent standard bottles.

By creating record prices for certain releases, art collaborations allow distilleries to justify pricing across their offerings. In turn, this can allow a brand to launch into (Nc’nean) or shift into (Old Pulteney) the premium sector. Being perceived as premium can enable them to charge more for their standard offerings, maintaining or building growth for the business.

What s more, art can e used to define the consumer both to themselves and those around them, which can create a unique marketing avenue when the right artist or style of art is used. Uilebheist’s decision to partner with an artist known for their work with legendary rock bands opens an instant dialogue with a market that might not traditionally be expected to engage with whisky.

Yet the use of Scottish legends as the basis means it is still universal enough to appeal to traditional whisky consumers.

PREMIUM VERSUS LUXURY

ery rie y, premium and lu ury are technically different business models. One basic way to explain the difference is that premium brands justify their pricing, whereas a true luxury brand does not need to – you don’t buy a Rolex because of how well it tells the time, but you might buy an Audi because of the premium features compared to a Skoda.

Within the luxury sector art collaborations play an additional role as art collaborations can facilitate

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Cask & Still Magazine | 19

>>>

Left: Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo.

Above & right: The beautiful illustrations of Uilebheist’s Dark Horse Stout and Forest Dweller Pale Ale.

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ISSUE SEVEN | FREE

TARRED FEATHERED

NORTHERN

OBSESSION

Whisky’s traditional rite of passage

EXPOSURE

The world’s most driven whisky collectors explain their infatuation

Behind the scenes in the Arctic Circle at the world’s most northerly distillery

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Read the latest issue of Cask & Still magazine, and previous issues for FREE at:

issuu.com/caskstillmagazine

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05/12/2023 16:59:12

TOP: SOTHEBY’S.

Cask & Still Magazine | 21

Above: Glenfarclas 55 year old Single Casks 1967 & 1968.

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growth without the dilution of a brand’s luxury status, which often relies so heavily on scarcity. This is why you will often find that lu ury rands are stratified, so that they have different ranges or products aimed at high net worth individuals versus those aimed at a more accessible and aspirational market. The latter helps maintain growth and margins without sacrificing the core needs of the true luxury part of the brand. ou can see this stratification across multiple whisky brands, with the likes of Bowmore’s collaboration with Aston Martin (not technically art, but a similar concept), with multiple releases aimed at different sections of the market.

However, we would still argue it’s only really Macallan that follows the true luxury model when you consider they are the only brand to top the £1 million pound mark y a significant margin, and yet their range of hundred pound releases are by far some of their most purchased and traded releases.

THE EXCEPTION

We would be remiss not to close with a remark on the world record-holding Macallan 1926 60-year-old, and the fact that it is the Fine and Rare label, not one of the three artist collaborations, that is the current world record holding bottle.

In fact, the Fine and Rare 1926 is the only bottle to consistently break the million pound mark. (Although this is a somewhat unchallenged position as the Michael Dillon label, which also broke the £1million mark, is a one-of-one design that has yet to come back to auction.)

What does this tell us? Perhaps that, despite the proven enefits of art collaborations, The Macallan has elevated itself to the point where its own branding adds more value than even collaborating with the sort of artists who routinely elevate the price of less-exalted brands.

That is an impressive achievement for any brand, but one that Macallan has earned over the last four decades of unparalleled brand building.

05/12/2023 10:09:42

22 | Advertorial

40 YEARS OF LUVIANS

W

hen brothers Vincent, Anthony and Luigi opened the doors to their shop in Cupar on Christmas Eve 1983, their idea was to provide not only the best quality, but also the best experience they could. For 40 years, patrons of Luvians from far and wide have come to love the warm welcome, great service and tailored advice they receive. Friendship, family and food are values held dear by the three brothers, and inspire everything they seek to provide to their customers.

Now joined by the next generation, Emili and Chris, a passion for sharing a meal and a glass remains at the centre of what they do. As a business they move with the times but the original joy of chatting to people, listening to their stories and helping find their perfect bottle is still their priority.

A lot has changed since Luvians opened with just two malt whiskies on the shelves (Glenmorangie and Glenfiddich, since you ask!) all those years ago. Luvians now stock over 1,200 single malts, to say nothing of the grain, blends, international whiskies and literally thousands of top class wines.

But the welcome is still the same. They have something for every occasion (or no occasion at all!) and for every taste; to quote Vince: ‘The best whisky is the one you like the most!’

93 Bonnygate, Cupar KY15 4LG, Tel: 01334 654 820 and 66 Market Street, St Andrews KY16 9NT, Tel: 01334 477 752

H AVE A

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Laphroaig 10 Sherry Cask

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was £79.99

was £62.99

was £64.99

£70.00

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For more festive offers, visit

luvians.com

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05/12/2023 12:13:04

Cask & Still Magazine | 23

Whisky by numbers Impress your friends with these facts and figures

1,100+ The Scotch whisky industry employs over 1,100 people at visitor centres, many of which are based in rural areas

Investment in Scotch whisky tourism has totalled more than £300m over the past decade

£300 MILLION

£85,000,000+ Visitor spend per head at Scotch whisky visitor centres has risen

by 8.65%, with more than £85m spent at sites across Scotland’s five whisky regions, up 90% since 2010

2,000,000

Visitor numbers to whisky visitor centres throughout Scotland topped 2 million in 2022...

...collectively making Scotch whisky visitor centres the top visitor attraction in Scotland, with footfall more than doubling (114%) compared to 2021

Visitors from the UK account for over half of all visitors to Scotch whisky sites (51%), amounting to more than 1 million people for the first time

Tourists from the United States, Germany, Netherlands and France make up the rest of the top five demographics

Source: Scotch Whisky Association figures for 2022. www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

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04/12/2023 16:20:30

24 | Going green

REDUCE, REUSE,

RECYCLE

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05/12/2023 10:17:20

Cask & Still Magazine | 25

>>>

Scotch whisky distillers are adopting a whole range of methods for turning the amber nectar ‘green’, from reducing their energy consumption and reusing old buildings through to cutting the carbon from their packaging Written by Peter Ranscombe

S

logans have a habit of sticking in the mind. Walk into any room in the old county of Dunbartonshire and shout, ‘What’s it called?’, and the cry, ‘Cumbernauld’, is likely to echo back.

Few skyscraper-weans growing up in the 1980s will ever forget Mr Happy proclaiming that ‘Glasgow’s miles better’. And our current generation of bairns was raised on another earworm: ‘Reduce, reuse, recycle’.

In the run-up to 2021’s delayed COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, the Scotch Whisky Association committed the industry to reaching net-zero carbon emissions from its own operations y , five years ahead of the Scottish Government’s target and a whole decade before the UK Government. That pledge included slashing emissions by 40% before 2030 from their 2018 baseline.

Now, Scotland’s whisky distilleries are taking that ‘Reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra to heart in their efforts to meet their trade body’s goals. From harnessing the expensive heat that currently escapes as steam all the way through to reclaiming old buildings to house

Going green: Behind the scenes at Lindores Distillery, where a former steading was turned into a stunning venue.

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new distilleries, Scotch producers are exploring myriad ways to go ‘green’ – and that’s even before they get to questions about glass bottles or cardboard tubes.

Drive along the malt whisky trail through Speyside or traverse any other whisky region or locality and you’re likely to be struck by the number of tall chimneys belching out water vapour. Yet, if distillers are to hit their net-zero targets, much of this wasted heat needs to be recovered.

The first thing you should do is e the most e cient you can e ecause then you re going to be using the least amount of energy possible, and indirectly the least amount of carbon dioxide,’ explains Scott Davies, head of marketing at engineering firm Briggs of Burton.

‘After that, you can then decarbonise.’

Two of the heat recovery options are mechanical vapour recompression (MVR) and thermal vapour recompression (TVR): ‘These are two modes of the same philosophy of capturing vapour and giving it a bit more energy, either through steam, which is TVR, or electricity, which is MVR,’ says Davies. ‘If we

‘Scotch producers are exploring myriad ways to “go green” – and that’s even before they get to questions about glass bottles’

05/12/2023 10:17:52

26 | Going green

Clockwise from top left: Nc’nean’s wood chip boiler; wood chips; Witchburn Distillery; Lindores Distillery with some of the old wall visible in front; Nc’nean Distillery.

with GlenAllachie Distillery on Speyside. ‘I think the time is now – it’s a more topical discussion than it’s ever been,’ he adds.

As well as reducing the amount of heat they’re wasting, many distilleries are ticking the ‘reuse’ box – including buildings. Nc’nean Distillery at Drimnin on the Morvern peninsula renovated an old steading, while Martin and Claire Murray from

capture the water vapour and squeeze it a bit with either steam or electricity in a compressor then we can recover about 45% using TVR or up to 85% using MVR.’ In both systems, the heat is captured from shell-and-tube hot condensers. If a distillery has a traditional worm tub condenser then it would need to consider how switching to shell and tu e could affect the avour of its spirit.

‘There’s currently a handful of sites that use TVR and MVR – we at Briggs installed MVR at Auchroisk Distillery on Speyside back in 1985, which was ahead of its time, and we have done some work with Diageo,’ Davies says. ‘Now, roll forward several decades and the world is in a very different economic and political state.’

He points to Chivas Brothers’ work on heat recovery and sharing data with the industry, and with Briggs’ work

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Rose Rock gin-maker Dunnet Bay Distillers are converting the former Castletown Mill in Caithness into their Stannergill whisky distillery.

One of the most striking examples is Lindores Abbey Distillery in Fife, where Drew McKenzie Smith turned a former farm steading into a stunning venue. He inherited the site – which includes the ruins of Lindores Abbey – in 2003 and began converting the steading in 2016.

Stones from the old abbey had been used to build the steading, with beautifully-carved stones found within the steading’s walls during the conversion, now sitting proudly on display in the new distillery. The abbey itself was built in 1191, with the earliest written record of ‘aqua vitae’, the forerunner of modern Scotch whisky, being recorded at the site in 1494, when Tironensian monks made the spirit for King James IV. ‘Lindores is the gift that keeps on giving,’ smiles McKenzie Smith as he leads the way around the gorgeous

PREVIOUS & RIGHT PAGE: ORGANIC ARCHITECTS. LEFT PAGE: NC’NEAN.

‘Many distilleries are ticking the “reuse” box – including buildings’

05/12/2023 10:30:08

Cask & Still Magazine | 27

distillery. The latest archaeological dig in the grounds has found a pit lined with clay and containing traces of carbon and barley – perhaps the kiln that held a fire eneath an a ua vitae still? Further research is underway.

McKenzie Smith felt the pressure to create a fitting spirit for such a historic location, and to honour the memory of whisky consultant r ames Swan, who died the day efore the distillery’s topping out ceremony was due to take place. Steps to reach the whisky’s awardwinning status include a long fermentation and the use of not one but two spirit stills.

‘Adapting or reusing a building is a huge bonus in terms of your carbon footprint because the most ecologically-sound building is the one you don t uild, points out Bari eid, a director at Organic rchitects, one of the firms at the heart of the trend to reuse old buildings.

As well as working on picture-postcard pro ects such as indores ey and c nean, Organic is also turning disused functional uildings into distilleries, including adapting structures on the former Machrihanish air force ase near amp eltown to create Witch urn, and converting an old crab processing shed on Ben ecula, complete with a new lighthouse style still house.

‘Local council planners are often happy to see buildings being reused rather than trying to uild a relatively large uilding on a greenfield

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>>>

site, he says. In rural locations, there aren t many uses for uildings of these si es, and so distilleries can help to ring good uality o s into local communities.

With older uildings, you ll sometimes need to adapt your design, such as placing e uipment outside the stone walls. In some ways, that s what distilleries have always done, like putting worm tubs or condensers outside to cool them.

‘With distilleries wanting to recover and reuse more heat, I think it might e more di cult in the future to adapt some older buildings because they’ll need to contain more e uipment. It s going to e nuanced – not every building will be suitable.’ eusing an old uilding can also help smaller distilleries to esta lish their rands, giving tourists an Instagram a le stone structure to visit. Being ased on an historic site or emphasising its ‘green’ credentials can help a

05/12/2023 10:24:54

28 | Going green

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tighter, so there’s less wasted space.

His company is helping brands including Jura and Bushmills to make their packaging more easily recyclable by including perforations along the sides of the cardboard tubes, which allow customers to pop out the metal base and put them separately in their home recycling boxes or bins.

McLaren also highlights problems with some distilleries importing packaging from China, adding their whisky bottle, and then exporting the complete package back to China. ‘You can draw your own

conclusions on the impact that has,’ he adds.

‘It’s not just whisky – a lot of consumer goods operate in the same way. Now, there is a movement from responsible distillers in Scotland to really challenge the practices of the past and look to source more locally because they understand the impact that has, and that’s a good sign.’

Below: Benbecula Distillery with its lighthouse-inspired section on the left. Bottom: McLaren Packaging is intent on creating tubes that aren’t harmful to the environment.

LEFT: ORGANIC ARCHITECTS. BELOW: MCLAREN PACKAGING.

company to tell its story to its customers.

The final piece in the ‘Reduce, reuse, recycle’ jigsaw focuses on packaging. Yet ‘recycled’ doesn’t always mean ‘lowest carbon footprint’.

Michael McLaren, sales director at McLaren Packaging, says: ‘For example, some of our drinks customers want to remove the single-use plastic from their packaging and the way to do that is replace it with board made from recycled paper. With that, you increase the carbon footprint that’s associated with it because the board that’s required to replace the plastic in this example has a higher footprint.’

Other examples include replacing old-fashioned metal clasps on boxes with magnets, which can have a higher carbon footprint. Instead, c aren points to the enefits of designing packaging from the outset that has a lower impact on the environment, such as making packaging

05/12/2023 10:30:27

Advertorial | 29

D

JEFFREY ST.

ive into the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town at Jeffrey St. Whisky & Tobacco – your go-to spot for top-notch whisky and Cuban cigars, open six days a week.

For the past nine years, they’ve been your local source for an awesome selection of distillery and indie bottlings. Known for their laid-back daily whisky tastings, they’ve even caught the eye of some cool publications like Oenologique Magazine, Forbes, and LA Weekly.

What sets them apart? The humidor stocked with cigars from Cuba and all over. Plus, there’s the perfect accessories for your whisky and cigar game. Ideal for grabbing a gift for that special whisky or cigar lover in your life.

Jeffrey St. is where good times meet good tastes.

Swing by and see for yourself or check out the website: www.jeffreyst.com Tel: 0131 556 9930

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05/12/2023 16:40:25

30 | Lind & Lime cocktails

THE MIX

ALL IN

Sam Travers, head of gin at Lind & Lime Distillery, shares some easy-to-make tipples that will spice up your Christmas party

SPICED GIMLET

WINTER NEGRONI

LIME SNAPPER

SERVE IN: Stemmed cocktail

SERVE IN: Rocks glass

SERVE IN: Highball glass

GARNISH: Orange peel

GARNISH: Tajin Rim

30ml Lind & Lime

40ml Lind & Lime

30ml Sweet Vermouth

75ml Tomato Juice & Passata

15ml Amaro

Blend

glass GARNISH: Dehydrated lime and star anise 60ml Lind & Lime 20ml Lime Juice

15ml Worcester Sauce

10ml Spiced Falernum

METHOD: Add all ingredients

10ml Tawny Port

5ml Simple Syrup

to a cocktail tin. Add ice to the

10ml Lime Juice

tin and stir until chilled. Strain

5ml Maple Syrup

METHOD: Add all ingredients

into your favourite rocks glass.

1 Pinch Kosher Salt

to a cocktail shaker. Add ice to

Add ice and garnish with a zest

1 Pinch Pink Peppercorns,

the shaker and shake until well

of orange peel.

1 Barspoon Masala Ketchup

chilled.

Green Hot Sauce to taste

Double strain the mix into your favourite stemmed cocktail

METHOD: Wet the rim of your

glass. Add ice and garnish with

highball glass with lime juice

a dehydrated lime wheel and

and sprinkle with Tajin. Add

star anise.

all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice to the shaker and gently roll to aerate and chill. Strain into your highball glass and enjoy.

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05/12/2023 10:50:40

Cask & Still Magazine | 31

S’MORE FASHIONED SERVE IN: Rocks glass

1964 SOUR SERVE IN: Stemmed cocktail glass

GARNISH: Toasted GARNISH: Rose petals

marshmallow

HOT & MULLED ORCHARD CIDER SERVE IN: Irish coffee mug GARNISH: Mulled spice teabag

25ml Lind & Lime

30ml Lind & Lime

25ml Oloroso Sherry

20ml White Vermouth

25ml Lind & Lime

15ml Cacao Blanc Liqueur

20ml Cacao Blanc Liqueur

15ml Port of Leith Oloroso

5ml Orgeat

20ml Lemon Juice

Sherry

1 Dash Walnut Bitters

3 dashes Miracle Foamer

10ml Maple syrup

2 Dashes Vanilla Essence

3 dashes Rose Water

2 dashes Aromatic Bitters

METHOD: Add ingredients to

METHOD: Add all ingredients

a cocktail tin. Add ice and stir

to a cocktail shaker. Add ice to

METHOD: Add all ingredients

until chilled. Strain into your

the shaker and shake until well

to a microwave safe vessel and

favourite rocks glass. Add ice

chilled. Double strain the mix

stir well. Microwave until hot.

to the top and enjoy with a

into your favourite stemmed

Transfer to an Irish coffee mug

toasted marshmallow.

cocktail glass. Add ice and

and garnish with a mulled spice

garnish with a pinch of rose

teabag.

100ml Medium Dry Cider

petals.

Sam Travers is head of gin production and is a hugely passionate distiller and cocktail maker. Lind & Lime Gin is made using seven botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica, liquorice, orris, fresh lime peel and aromatic pink peppercorns. The team were proud to have been awarded organic certification in 2023, showcasing their commitment to sustainability. To find out more about Lind & Lime, please visit their website. lindandlime.com

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05/12/2023 10:51:28

* LONG or SHORT?

*There is no wrong answer.

The second release from The Borders Distillery’s Workshop Series.

Designed to be served long, or short this is your whisky, your way.

The Borders Distillery Company Ltd.indd 32

thebordersdistillery.com @thebordersdistillery Please enjoy our spirit responsibly.

#MADETOBEMEASURED

05/12/2023 15:46:13

Advertorial | 33

THE WORKSHOP SERIES Following the success of their WS:01 Borders Malt & Rye Scotch whisky, the Borders Distillery team is excited to introduce their second Workshop Series release

T

he Borders Distillery Workshop Series showcases an experimental collection that forms stepping stones to the long-awaited release of their single malt. This collection provides a first glimpse into Borders istillery style and creativity.

In 2019, Borders distilled a small batch of rye spirit and matured it in the same fresh fill bourbon casks as the malt, to create a remarkable and aromatic whisky. Bottled in the autumn of 2022 as WS:01 Borders Malt & ye, it stood as the first lended

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Scotch whisky to leave the Scottish Borders in years, and the first expression of the Workshop Series from the Borders Distillery.

Serving up soft spice on the nose, baked fruit on the pallet doused in warm custard to finish, Borders Malt & Rye has quickly become known for its friendly and balanced tone.

Fast-forward to 2023, and the second release of Workshop Series has now hit the shelves.

The Long & Short of it is a whisky that plays with time, serving up a dram that motivates you to enjoy your whisky, your way.

Fermentation is an essential part of determining avour in Scotch whisky. For this second edition of the Workshop Series, Borders distillers experimented with very short fermentations of 55 hours and very long ones of 150 hours. Both batches were distilled twice and matured in

first fill e our on arrels, efore being married with single grain.

The result? Fresh bursts of gooseberry skin, citrus zest, and green apple in the short and notes of fig pudding, sultanas and butterscotch with the long.

Both WS:01 and WS:02 are available to buy on the Borders Distillery website, and it’s worth noting that each bottle is individually numbered, with only a few thousand of each edition being released worldwide.

Using malted barley entirely grown in the Scottish Borders, and entirely produced in-house by the Borders distilling team, these two editions of the Workshop Series have us waiting patiently for WS:03 in 2024.

Tel: 01450 374330 www.thebordersdistillery.com @thebordersdistillery

05/12/2023 15:44:41

34 | Bolivian whisky

Grain of the gods Created in a land where one of the world’s most ancient civilisations revered grain as a gift from the gods, it’s little wonder that Bolivian whisky is made with the utmost care and passion Written by Blair Bowman

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05/12/2023 15:53:28

Cask & Still Magazine | 35

LEFT: ADOBE STOCK. BELOW: SF_FREELANCER/ADOBE STOCK.

B

olivia is a country not typically associated with whisky. In fact, its relatively small market for Scotch whisky imports is unsurprising.

Bolivia ranks as the 82nd largest market for Scotch whisky in the world by value (£3.5m in 2023) and 90th by volume (equivalent to 600,000 70cl bottles exported there last year).

However, a pair of friends with a shared passion for drinks are at the heart of a nascent whisky distilling scene that I personally think could be game changing for new world whisky.

Bolivia’s diverse landscape, encompassing highlands, valleys, sierras and forests, has fostered a rich tapestry of cultures, each with a deep understanding of the land and its resources. This deep-rooted connection is evident in the cultivation of sacred crops like corn, quinoa and cañahua, which serve not only as sustenance but also play a central role in Andean culture.

Andean beliefs hold grains as a gift from the sun god Inti, revered as sacred food that nourishes both the body and the spirit.

Fermented grains are believed to magnify moments of joy and serve as offerings in rites and peace ceremonies. Andean cultures have developed a variety of traditional fermentation techniques, such as chicha, a fermented maize drink commonly used in celebrations and ceremonies, and api, a fermented drink made from maize, quinoa or cañahua, which is often

>>>

Below: Fernando Marin is part of a drive to uncover the untapped potential of Bolivia’s crops for crafting spirits.

consumed hot and which is believed to possess medicinal properties.

In 2016, two lifelong friends, Fernando Marin and Felipe Gonzalez-Quint, driven by a shared curiosity, innovation and a fascination with the origins of alcohol, embarked on a journey to uncover the remarkable potential of Bolivia’s untapped crops for crafting exceptional spirits. Their passion for whisky making ignited, they set out to harness the unique grains of their homeland, venturing beyond traditional whisky ingredients. With unwavering determination, they established Bolivia s first legal craft distillery, ndean Culture Distillery (ACD), paving the way for a new era in the country’s artisanal spirits industry. Embracing the lessons learned

Home-grown: Ki One Korean single malt whisky – the name means ‘origin’ and ‘hope’ in Korean.

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05/12/2023 17:20:57

36 | Bolivian whisky

Below: The stills at ACD. Opposite page: The Killa whisky, Bolivia’s first legal whisky.

during their formative journey, they shaped a distinctive vision for ACD, recognising that even the grandest endeavours begin with humble steps.

The genesis of ACD can be traced back to a lighthearted prank in 2011, when Fernando and Felipe presented a cheap bottle of vodka with its label removed, claiming it as their own creation at a party. This playful act sparked a curiosity about alcohol production, leading them on a path of exploration and learning.

Undeterred by their limited knowledge and the challenges of comprehending technical language in English, their rebellious spirits persevered. After months of failed attempts, they successfully fermented and twice-distilled quinoa, opening

034-039_cs11.indd 36

‘They envisioned crafting unique whiskies, deeply rooted in Bolivian heritage and the wisdom of Andean cultures’ their eyes to the uni ue avour potential of their local ingredients.

Their immersion in the world of spirits drew them to the allure of whisky, its complexity and charm captivating their imaginations. They envisioned crafting unique whiskies, deeply rooted in Bolivian heritage and the wisdom of Andean cultures, deeply connected to the land and its natural resources. Their passion and determination laid the foundation for ACD, a testament to the pursuit of a dream born from curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.

The distillation process at Andean Culture Distillery

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Cask & Still Magazine | 37

takes place at an extraordinary altitude of 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level. This unique setting creates a lower boiling temperature, resulting in a gentler distillation process that preserves the delicate avours and aromas of the wash. This location presents unique microclimates and opens up new avenues for whisky production and aging.

The distillery’s terroir bestows upon them a bounty of grains that thrive only in this distinct environment, while the neighbouring Amazon rainforest offers an abundance of woods, such as Amburana (also known as Brazilian oak). They have been

034-039_cs11.indd 37

>>>

using custom made new Amburana oak casks for their current whiskies.

Despite limited access to resources and expertise, the founders embraced a hands-on approach, meticulously crafting their own alembics, tanks and barrels. This entrepreneurial journey has been marked by challenges, yet their passion and determination have propelled them forward.

ACD’s founders, millennials who immersed themselves in the world of whisky through the vast expanse of the internet, now hold a clear vision for the future of whisky, one that is deeply rooted in Bolivian tradition

05/12/2023 17:27:39

Scotland’s Definitive Whisky Festival Hundreds of incredible whiskies • One ticket

SWG3

Glasgow Sat 27 Jan 2024 Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh dates to be announced soon.

scottishnationalwhiskyfestival.com

National Whisky Festival.indd 48

05/12/2023 15:51:58

Cask & Still Magazine | 39

Below: Trigidia Jimenez, a cañahua producer.

Bottom: Anu Thakhi quinoa spirit in Uyuni salt flats.

and innovation. Currently, they are experimenting with various whisky aging styles, while carefully nurturing their limited quantities of young spirit. The diverse ingredients, culture and resources of Bolivia serve as a treasure trove, waiting to be unearthed and transformed into exceptional whisky creations.

At Andean Culture Distillery quality reigns supreme over quantity. They wholeheartedly embrace Pappy Van Winkle’s philosophy: ‘We make fine whisky, at profit if we can, at loss if we must, but always fine whisky.

They steadfastly refuse to compromise the quality of their products in pursuit of profits.

ACD is also deeply committed to fostering relationships with local suppliers, producers, and developers. They firmly elieve that sourcing resources locally not only contributes positively to the Bolivian economy but also allows ACD to infuse the

‘We make fine whisky, at profit if we can, at loss if we must, but always fine whisky’ essence of their homeland into the products and brand identity.

KILLA Whisky, a name derived from the Quechua word for moon, holds the distinction of being Bolivia’s first legal whisky and s inaugural release. In Andean cultures, the moon was held in high esteem as a female deity, revered primarily by women for its embodiment of protection and a promising harvest season.

KILLA Whisky is aged in

034-039_cs11.indd 39

indigenous Amburana oak, imparting delicate notes of vanilla, cinnamon and clove.

The carefully selected mashbill consists of yellow corn, wheat and malted barley, resulting in a sweet and complex base for the whisky.

The team at ACD has embarked on a remarkable journey of collaboration with local indigenous communities, seeking to delve into their deep-rooted knowledge of the land and the grains they have meticulously preserved for generations. Building trust takes time, but the team hope to forge close partnerships with these communities, unlocking the secrets of ancient grain varieties of which they are the custodians.

This endeavour holds the potential to unveil distillates that have never graced the modern world, a symphony of avours born from a harmonious blend of indigenous grains and Andean oak.

I can’t stress how exciting this is. It is the ultimate distillation of ‘terroir’ in every sense of the word.

05/12/2023 17:19:13

40 | A bluffer’s guide to...

Beyond

Written by: Federica Stefani

’ T

barley

Cask & Still takes you on a deep dive into wheat, maize and rye in whisky production around the world

I

n the majority of single malt distilleries in

white winter wheat,’ he explains. Winter wheat

Scotland, visitors will be introduced to the

is in fact richer in starch and makes for a better

wonderful world of malted barley.

yield.

However, barley is far from being the only

Wheat kernels, unlike barley, are ‘naked’: they

grain out there. Many other cereal grains can

come without a husk. Particularly in Scotland,

be, and are, used in the production of whiskies

it’s common practice to use a part of malted

around the world. Among the most popular we

barley in the mash (around 10%) to ensure starch

find wheat and maize – largely used in grain

will be more efficiently converted into sugars

whisky production – as well as rye.

and then into alcohol. However in America the

These grains have their own peculiarities

use of exogenous enzymes – which is illegal in

which affect the production process. They can

Scotland – is common practice to supplement

be malted or unmalted and add a wonderful

the mash.

set of flavours to the whisky-makers’ palate.

Let’s look at some of their main characteristics – with the help of some experts.

Because of its properties, wheat is milled finely and often the solid compounds will not be separated from the liquid in the process.

For the mash, the flour goes in water at

WHEAT

100°C to extract the starches (whereas for

Wheat is the most used cereal in grain whisky

malted barley it usually takes three rounds at

production in Scotland, and is also popular in

much lower temperatures).

other whisky countries.

In the US, wheat is used as a ‘flavour grain’ to compliment the sweetness of corn in bourbon,

If the solid parts are kept in the fermentation process, the use of an agitator will be required to keep the fermentation temperature even.

as Matthew Farmer, head distiller at GlenWyvis –

Most commonly distilled in column stills,

who has extensive experience of distilling in the

some experiments at InchDarnie have seen

United States – explains. ‘We used to use soft

wheat spirit produced in a Lomond still (a

040-041_cs11.indd 40

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Cask & Still Magazine | 41

variation on the conventional malt

RYE

whisky pot still).

Another ‘naked’ kernel, this grain

‘Wheat is characterised by

is famously tough to work with.

a sweet, buttery flavour,’ said

‘People say it’s a struggle to

Matthew. ‘When used as a flavour

work with rye, but once you’ve

grain in a bourbon mash bill, it

planned ahead – it works very

compliments the sweet flavour

well,’ says Kalle Valkonen,

given by corn.’

head distiller and co-founder of Finnish distillery Kyrö. They

MAIZE (CORN)

produce 100% rye whisky – the

The star grain in bourbon is also

grain is fundamental to Finnish

a favourite in Scotland due to its

culinary culture – using unmalted

higher alcohol yield.

and malted rye, with smoked

‘Most American bourbon

and peated versions.

distilleries were set up with a column still in mind so they’re pretty much all grain-in ferments,’ Matthew explains.

‘In Scotland that is reserved for grain whisky, but in bourbon they’re using exactly the same process, but their goal is a more flavourful, low-proof spirit.

‘If you’re going to keep the grain in the ferment, you can afford to mill really finely. With corn you have to do that, it’s such a hard grain.’

In order to do this, distilleries can

Producing smoky rye is

These grains have their own peculiarities which affect the production process

different from malted barley.

‘Because the kernel does not have a husk, the smoke does not penetrate as much so it’s more subtle,’ Kalle explains.

‘The absence of the husk also removes some phenols contained in malted barley, which is a positive.

‘Malting breaks down some of the spiciness of the rye and we also gain complexity.’

Similarly to corn production,

use a six-roller mill or a big hammer

a mill is used to grind a fine flour.

mill. The flour is then ‘cooked’ at

Kyrö’s method is not to filter

100°C in the mash.

the solids out, however other

Because of the thickness of what goes in the mash and fermentation process, distillers

distilleries like InchDairnie have opted to use a mash filter.

Agitators are used to

need to take extra steps to ensure

prevent solids from sinking.

everything goes smoothly – such as

There’s a preference for column

agitators in the fermenters. Bigger

still production in the US, but pot

hoses are also needed to pass the

stills are common in Europe.

‘sludge’ across the process.

Maize gives a characteristic

‘It has that spiciness,’ says Kalle. ‘When you rub the spirit in

flavour profile. ‘It’s sweet and

your hands, it’s like freshly baked

candyfloss-like,’ says Matthew.

rye bread.’

040-041_cs11.indd 41

05/12/2023 15:51:34

42 | Whisky and music

Scotch rocks

The Scottish National Whisky Festival is bringing its heady blend of whisky and music to Glasgow and beyond in 2024 Written by: Morag Bootland

F

or centuries there has been a deep rooted connection between whisky and music, and it’s fair to say that enjoying a dram and sharing live music is still at the very heart of Scottish culture. So, it’s little wonder

042-043_cs11.indd 42

that the Scottish National Whisky Festival’s partnership with Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow in January 2024 is already exciting whisky and music lovers alike.

Having brought their heady sensory mix

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Cask & Still Magazine | 43

to Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh in 2023 and with plans to do the same in 2024, Gareth Croll, who is in charge of organising the Scottish National Whisky Festival, is determined to bridge the gap between the whisky and music industries. Using his close ties with Scottish music and the organisers of Celtic Connections, he hopes to open up the wonderful world of whisky festivals to a whole new audience.

‘Scottish National Whisky Festival is built on experimental collaboration, enhanced by a vision of attracting new demographics into the future world of whisky,’ he says. ‘We work closely with an array of distillers, bottlers, artists and award-winning musicians to build a consumer experience which touches all of the senses and e emplifies the far reaching in uence of whisky and music in modern Scottish culture.

So, visitors to the festival at SWG3 in Glasgow on 27 January can expect to enjoy a curated line-up of music from Celtic Connections. Trad musicians are always a feature, but the Scottish National Whisky Festival is keen to champion Scottish artists from a range of genres. Musicians who have already performed at festivals in 2023 include Ellie Beaton, Megan Henderson and Ewen Robertson from Breabach, Hayley Keenan, formerly of Talisk, Terra Kin and Dallahan Duo. But what of the whisky offering on the day? This is likely to include some expressions from distilleries that visitors may not have discovered yet. There’s an emphasis

042-043_cs11.indd 43

on independent bottlers and blended malts, which is designed to help actively promote new distilleries and expressions, enabling the festival to change with current trends.

In Glasgow, festival-goers will have the opportunity to sample drams and chat to distillers from big hitters like GlenAllachie, Loch Lomond and Bruichladdich, as well as discovering relatively new distilleries like Ardnamurchan and The Borders Distillery. These will sit alongside local representation from Glasgow Distillery, The Clydeside Distillery and Auchentoshan. There will also be a raft of independent bottlers of all shapes and sizes to explore.

The hottest local whisky and cocktail bars will pop up to provide inspiration on how to enjoy whisky in cocktails. Bottles that visitors sample on festival day will be available to purchase from Robbie’s Whisky Merchants. So, it will be easy to take home any favourite bottles at special festival rates.

The Glasgow festival will feature food pairings from local cheese shop Starter Culture, who’ll be providing sustenance in the form of charcuterie, cheeses and snacks.

The live music stage, which is a collaboration between the Scottish National Whisky Festival and Celtic Connections, runs at The Poetry Club, on the same street as SWG3. The stage is open to the public, so that anyone can access it, even without a festival ticket. ‘We see it as our way of giving something back to the local community while also supporting the music industry’, says Gareth.

Further information can be found at scottishnationalwhiskyfestival. com and updates to the line-up can be followed on social media.

05/12/2023 15:50:10

44 | Whisky Heroes

COMMUNITY SPIRIT

at GlenWyvis Bringing distilling back to the people who live in traditional whisky-making areas benefits local communities in many ways

Written by Federica Stefani

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Cask & Still Magazine | 45

istorically whisky distilleries have been an integral part of communities around Scotland, providing local jobs and investment for generations and very often being at the heart of the settlements they were based in.

However, with the world becoming more interconnected in the last century and the industry booming on a global scale, many distilleries today find themselves under the ownership of international companies.

In contrast to this, recent years have seen the resurgence of a movement which is aimed at bringing heritage assets back under community ownership, with an increasing number of pubs and old buildings being bought by the community – to serve the community.

It was in this context that the idea for a new, community-owned whisky distillery in the Highland town of Dingwall germinated. It was the spark which led to the world s first 100% community-owned distillery: GlenWyvis.

H

Top left: Matthew Farmer and Craig MacRitchie.

Top right: GlenWyvis Vintage Distillation 2018 The Members’ Release.

044-047_cs11.indd 45

>>>

‘In the Highlands, distilling has such a big footprint, there are so many distilleries and they employ so many people,’ said distillery manager Matthew Farmer, who moved back to Scotland in 2020 to work at GlenWyvis after a decade in the United States working in the whiskey industry.

‘But there are very few of them that are owned by Scottish companies, and a lot of the money and the profit they make actually exits Scotland through various channels.

‘What really captured people’s imaginations was being able to bring a product like whisky and keep the profits in the community that makes it, which in turn directly enefits the town and the surrounding area.’

It was the right move at the right time. In 2016, local farmer and entrepreneur John McKenzie launched a crowdfunder for a new, sustainablypowered distillery near Dingwall. The first community share offer raised . million in just under 80 days, with around 2,200 investors from the area and all around the world.

05/12/2023 17:17:55

The first bottling in the new Scottish Field Whisky Series of exclusive cask bottlings Exclusively selected single cask of Dailuaine 12 YO PX Sherry Finished 46.9%

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Cask & Still Magazine | 47

>>>

From top: Raising a glass to helping the community; GlenWyvis Vintage Distillation 2018 The Inaugural Release.

Linking back to the historic distillery of Ferintosh – the first legal distillery in Scotland, which closed in 1784 – the idea was to bring back whisky distilling to the area, develop sustaina le whisky production they use wind, hydro, solar and iomass energy to power the distillery) and focus on giving ack to the community.

The distillery opened its doors in 2017 and launched its GoodWill gin the following year. Their first single malt was released at the start of

044-047_cs11.indd 47

‘The focus is on projects that benefit the community’ , starting out a series of lenWyvis vintage ottlings.

Although McKenzie resigned his position in , he remains a shareholder and landlord of the distillery. eanwhile, the small team ehind lenWyvis is usy producing whisky and taking forward their mission to support the local community.

In anuary , they launched the first round of their GoodWill Fund: 5% of all online sales including whisky, gin and casks) go into the fund, which is then released in the form of micro-grants to local pro ects. In , eight local causes based in

the area around Dingwall shared , in total, and applications opened in October for another round of funding, this time amounting to , . The focus is still on pro ects that enefit the local community, and initiatives can e of various types, ranging from educational to cultural and entrepreneurial.

It s kind of a sneak peek at what we could e doing, atthew e plained.

The original pitch was for investors to get dividends on their shareholding, much as you would do with a pu licly traded company. owever, this first step was very well received y the whole community. It s very rewarding, said atthew. It s the same feeling I get when I’m a le to give someone a dram of the whisky that we made and you feel like we did that, there is a sense of pride in it.

05/12/2023 16:31:23

48 | Advertorial

O

SCOTTISH EXCELLENCE IN BOTTLE SEALING WAX

akbank Products Ltd is a Scottishbased supplier of premier bottle sealing wax, used to dip prestigious Scottish whisky bottles, as well as seals and cartouches. Their high-profile range of whisky clients include a 50-year-old Glenfiddich, The Macallan in Lalique and The Ardbeg.

The company has been successfully trading for ten years and was delighted to be invited to the showcase for the One of One Auction run by the Worshipful Company of Distillers and the Distillers’ Charity. The auction included rare, customised Scotch whiskies from Scotland’s leading distilleries, with £1.8 million donated to The Distillers’ charity’s Youth Action Fund.

Oakbank general manager Bill Corbett explains, ‘In the lead up to the event we were asked by The Glenturret Distillery to help with their submission (The Glenturret Enduring Spirit), by engraving a stamp and

038_cs11.indd 48

wax dipping their four Lalique decanters.

At the event, there were many other whisky lots that had our wax applied.

Oakbank Products is committed to excellence from its hand-crafted premier bottle sealing wax, proudly displayed on several other high-end products around the globe as a mark of brand authenticity, and to pushing its own sustainability boundaries.

For more information, visit www.oakbankproducts.com

05/12/2023 17:15:46

Cask & Still Magazine | 49

>>>

s r ’ u e s s i o n on

C

N O I T EC

L E S

n ks o drin f o e ur ang th o i r w g t in n lif rink izzy ts d fusio r he d n e t o p y of c db al ex fog ddle e re e u h f h t t e t l B ee wha r? F e to d i offe u g age six-p

S &

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05/12/2023 16:00:49

50 | Connoisseurs’ Selection

Lowlands LOCHLEA SOWING EDITION SECOND CROP SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

49.95 AT ROYAL MILE WHISKIES

BLADNOCH SAMSARA SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

85.95 AT ROYAL MILE WHISKIES

46.7

This is part of a trio of expressions released to celebrate the distillery’s reopening

46

in 2017. Samsara, meaning ‘rebirth’, is

This seasonal small batch release

created from whiskies believed to be a

celebrates the importance of

minimum of 8 years old and is matured

springtime in the farming calendar.

in a combination of Californian red wine

The 2023 batch is created from

and bourbon casks.

100% first fill bourbon barrels from the upper reaches of warehouse #1

NOSE: Rich and inviting, with plum,

where warmer temperatures have

apricot and poached pears.

accelerated maturation to maximise

PALATE: Orange blossom

flavour.

and ginger spice give way to nectarines, apple tart and sweet

NOSE: Lovely creamy vanilla with crisp apples and pears.

biscuity notes.

PALATE: Toffee fudge, orange oils and

FINISH: The wine casks surge forward, with sultana cake,

ripe fruits. A touch of oaky spice too.

brambles and light peppery spice.

FINISH: Sugared almonds and hazelnuts.

ROSEBANK 1991 31YO GORDON & MACPHAIL CONNOISSEURS CHOICE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

2,000 AT THE WHISKY EXCHANGE

53.5

Silent since 1993, the first drops of new make were distilled at Rosebank earlier this year in preparation for this iconic Lowlander reopening in the next few months. This whisky is from a single first fill bourbon barrel, filled in 1991 and bottled earlier this year by Gordon & MacPhail for their Connoisseurs Choice The Recollection Series #2.

NOSE: Faint candle wax, ripe tropical fruits and sandalwood combine superbly.

PALATE: Lovely oily mouthfeel, with banana, pineapple, papaya and soft peaches. A touch of white pepper too.

FINISH: Long and juicy with a light oakiness.

Dr. Christopher White

HEAD OF PRIVATE CLIENTS AT BEAMISH INTERNATIONAL

www.beamishinternational.com

Dr. Christopher White is an award-winning whisky writer, presenter, host and judge, with over 15 years’ experience in the industry. Beamish International is a global private client business specialising in advising on the acquisition of rare single malt whisky.

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Cask & Still Magazine | 51

>>>

Islay KILCHOMAN SANAIG SINGLE MALT

64.95

46

From a family-owned distillery.

NOSE: White fruit, stone fruit, raisins and

BUNNAHABHAIN STIÙIREADAIR

sultanas, rich peat.

SINGLE MALT

44.95

PALATE: Rich fruit with toffee and sherry,

46.3

more smoke.

Non-age statement from Bunnahabhain.

FINISH: Rich, cloves, mixed fruit and spices,

NOSE: Nutty and fruity with hints of the maritime.

long lasting.

PALATE: Soft spice and nuts, slightly salty.

FINISH: Long with dried fruits and spices.

SIGNATORY VINTAGE CAOL ILA 2006 12YO SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT

250

55.9

Two casks combined from Andrew Symington (Edradour Distillery).

NOSE: Toffee, smoke, vanilla, rich and sweet.

PALATE: Warm oily fresh pastry, more sweet fruits.

FINISH: Long! Smoky fruit and malts.

c Ewan M Ilwraith OWNER, ROBERTSONS OF PITLOCHRY

www.robertsonsofpitlochry.co.uk Ewan bought Robertsons of Pitlochry in 2013. Robertsons, an award-winning whisky shop and tasting room, have their own range of single cask whiskies and a gin. A warm welcome is always on offer and friendly advice is readily available.

051_cs11.indd 51

05/12/2023 15:58:48

52 | Advertorial

L

THE ISLAY RUM DISTILLERY

ocated on Islay, between Kilnaughton Bay in Port Ellen and Borraichill, the Islay Rum Distillery is the newest addition to the Scottish rum scene. Revelling in the success of winning ‘Best Start Up’ at the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink wards , they are the first and only rum to e distilled on the iconic, spirit-producing Isle of Islay.

As an independent distillery, their young distiller, Ben Inglis takes great pride in producing highquality, small-batch rum, inspired by traditional distillation and fermentation methods used in the Caribbean. The Islay Rum Distillery creates rum in a bespoke pot and twin retort still. Prolonged copper contact, coupled with a ‘triple distillation’ effect from the double retorts creates a smooth rum, full of character with a unique Scottish twist. Despite only starting production in January 2022 their rum has already won several awards and, even if they do say

so themselves, is truly outstanding!

Releases include Islay Rum Geal and Islay Rum Peat Spiced. Geal, is a delicious pure single white rum, perfect for sipping or cocktails. Peat Spiced pays homage to its Islay roots, with an intense smoky avour, making it unlike any other rum you will ever have tasted! It pairs well with ginger beer, or can be enjoyed on its own.

While the distillery is not yet open to the public, if you happen to be on Islay, please give them a call and they will do their best to provide you with an unforgettable Islay Rum experience.

To purchase and see the full range of products or find their contact details, please visit www.islayrum.com.

Retail enquiries please contact sales@ selectdrams.co.uk or call 01357 521742.

FROM THE PEAT FIRES OF ISLAY... ...ISLAY RUM PEAT SPICED INTENSELY SMOKY TASTE EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY OTHER RUM IN EXISTENCE WITH A CORE OF ORANGE, GINGER AND CACAO NIBS AMONGST OTHER SECRET INGREDIENTS! SMOKED OVER A PEAT FIRE, THE RESULT IS AN INTENSELY SMOKY TASTE EXPERIENCE UNLIKE ANY OTHER RUM IN EXISTENCE. A TRUE REFLECTION OF ITS ISLAY ROOTS.

THE ISLAY RUM COMPANY, THE OLD LEMONADE FACTORY, PORT LLEN, ISLAY PA42 7BX. TEL: +44 (0)1496 302679 EMAIL: Ben.Inglis@islayspirits.com WWW.ISLAYRUM.COM Islay Rum encourages responsible drinking

052_cs11.indd 52

05/12/2023 15:57:22

Cask & Still Magazine | 53

>>>

Speyside MEIKLE TOIR THE SHERRY ONE, 5 YEAR OLD, PEATED SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

49.99

48

JAMES EADIE DAILUAINE 12 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

74.99

55.5

This James Eadie Dailuaine 12YO is from the

Meikle Toir (meaning Big Pursuit), is from the

autumn 2023 release and a UK exclusive bottling.

GlenAllachie Distillery. The creation of this

A single cask first-fill oloroso sherry hogshead

exceptional peated Speyside single malt is

finish. James Eadie specialise in cask finish,

testament to the expertise and dedication of the

single cask and small batch releases and are

blending team, led by Master Blender Billy Walker.

becoming one of the most popular independents

NOSE: Cedarwood and cigar box, alongside

with our customers.

butterscotch, mocha and orange peel, with hints of

NOSE: Tangy red berries – strawberry,

honey and plum jam.

redcurrants and raspberry – with Bakewell tart,

PALATE: Rich, dark chocolate, smoked honey and

milk chocolate and banana split.

mocha. Followed by fig syrup, treacle and burnt

PALATE: Rich, well-rounded fresh coffee with

sugar, with puffs of peat smoke on the finish.

milk, dark chocolate, fruit cake, nutmeg,

FINISH: Long and lingering with hints of smoke.

and cracked pepper.

FINISH: Long lasting, ending on dark chocolate, orange peel and cumin.

TAMDHU CIGAR MALT, LIMITED RELEASE BATCH 3, 2023 SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

215

53.8

Tamdhu Cigar Malt III undergoes a unique maturation journey, developing its complex natural colour and flavour exclusively within the finest firstfill European oak oloroso sherry casks. This commitment to quality and craftsmanship ensures an unforgettable experience, perfect for whisky aficionados seeking a companion to their most cherished cigars.

NOSE: Gingerbread dipped in honey, with unmistakable sherry oak.

PALATE: Panna cotta with sherry-dipped raisins and malt biscuits.

FINISH: A hint of apricot jam, ending with rich praline.

Robin Russell

OWNER, ROBBIE’S DRAMS WHISKY MERCHANTS, AYR robbieswhiskymerchants.com

Robbie’s Drams Whisky Merchants is an independent family-run business, situated in the seaside town of Ayr. Fine character, great whisky since 1984. Here Robin selects some of his favourite malts from across the Speyside region.

053_cs11.indd 53

05/12/2023 15:56:09

54 | Advertorial

J

JUST WHISKY AUCTIONS

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Additionally, the platform ensures fast payments, guaranteeing a hassle-free transaction process.

For buyers, the appeal lies in the convenience of worldwide shipping, enabling whisky enthusiasts from all corners of the globe to participate.

Moreover, Just Whisky Auctions conducts monthly auctions, providing a consistent stream of exciting opportunities to expand one’s whisky collection.

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054_cs11.indd 54

05/12/2023 15:55:27

Cask & Still Magazine | 55

Blends

THOMPSON BROS ‘LOWRIE’S RESERVE’

TURNTABLE ‘SMOKIN’ RIFF’

BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

45

45.7

The Thompson brothers are dedicated whisky fanatics that have carved out a great wee independent bottling company and currently, tiny distillery in Dornoch. They have made a name for themselves by selecting great,

53

46

Two more brothers, this time Gordon and Ally Stevenson, who between them have loads of experience in the whisky trade, have gone it alone to reinvigorate the blends category. So far, what they have released has been

well-priced whiskies and producing some

excellent.

excellent blends.

NOSE: The nose is bright, initially smoke drifts from

NOSE: Honey and marmalade dominate

the glass followed by bright polished cask notes of

the nose, with leather and a hint of

spice and toffee.

dunnage.

PALATE: Again, it’s the smoke that appears first,

PALATE: Sweet, oily and textured. The

followed by waves of caramel, pear, dried fruit and

marmalade comes through along with some

spice.

damp hay, tobacco and warming toffee

FINISH: Balanced and long, this is another example

notes.

of exceptional cask selection, maturation and

FINISH: The finish is long and gentle with

blending. So far they have not

just a touch of spice.

>>>

put a foot wrong.

NOTABLE AGE STATEMENTS 17 YEAR OLD BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

95

53

Notable Age Statements is a relatively new label from Decadent Drinks, they source exceptional casks of well-aged spirits and have bottled brandy, rum and Scotch whisky.

NOSE: The nose is inviting, with warming Christmas cake notes, dried fruit and a touch of spice.

PALATE: Bright and rich on the palate, there is dried fruit, raisins, sultanas, dates and warming spice.

FINISH: Mouth-coating and long, this is an old-fashioned dram that suits these shorter nights.

c MatthewM Fadyen

CO-OWNER, THE GOOD SPIRITS CO., GLASGOW

www.thegoodspiritsco.com

Matt can usually be found at the helm of The Good Spirits Company on Glasgow’s Bath Street, hosting monthly whisky, gin and cocktail tastings.

055_cs11.indd 55

05/12/2023 15:53:51

56 | Advertorial

TEUCHTERS BARS Teuchters Bar and Bunker

Nestled on William Street is an absolute cracker of a free house in the heart of Edinburgh’s west end.

Established in 2001, the deceptively large bar is ased over two oors, supplying locally sourced drink and the freshest food. Thirsty patrons can find 20 beers on tap, 17 wines by the glass and 150 malts.

Go for lunch or dinner and try pub favourites like a mug of mac and cheese, a Newtonmore venison burger or a delicious plate of pan fried scallops.

Always a warm and welcoming atmosphere and only a short walk to the tram. It’s weil kent for the rugby too!

Teuchters Landing

Only four minutes from the Port of Leith tram stop you will find Teuchters Landing, one of the

most unique and welcoming free houses in Scotland.

The bars, barge, bothy, beer terrace and bridge are all located right on the water at the shore in Leith. Teuchters also sports a huge outdoor tented and heated area with the UK’s only licensed bridge.

Food ranges from a mug of kedgeree, or a bowl of Newtonmore venison stew, to a kilo pot of mussels.

Teuchter’s also offers 22 beers on tap, 17 wines by the glass and 260 malts.

All vegan, vegetarian and dietary requirements are well catered for both at Teuchter’s Landing and at Teuchters Bar & Bunker in the West End. Teuchters’ owners John Tindal and Peter Knights have made these two free houses Edinburgh staples for locals and visitors alike.

Teuchters Bar and Bunker open 12pm til 1am, 7 days a week. Tel: 0131 225 2973. Teuchters Landing open 10am til 1am, 7 days a week.

Tel: 0131 554 7427. www.teuchtersbar.co.uk

fantastic beer, hearty food, great blethering, havering and the odd dram

william street EH3 7NH

dock place leith EH6 6LU

www.teuchtersbar.co.uk

056_cs11.indd 56

05/12/2023 15:54:50

Cask & Still Magazine | 57

>>>

Worldwide BLANTON’S STRAIGHT FROM THE BARREL (2023) 126.2 PROOF BOURBON 70CL USA • BOURBON

INDRI TRINI THREE WOOD INDIA • SINGLE MALT

39.99

150

63.1% FOR THIS BATCH –

VARIES Blanton’s is distilled at Buffalo Trace

46

Piccadilly Distillers in Haryana have been making Indri single malt since 2012. This Indian single malt has been matured in ex-bourbon casks, wine casks and PX sherry casks.

NOSE: Sweet aromas of vanilla fudge, raspberry jam and stewed apple blend together with toasted malt.

PALATE: More sweetness on the palate with caramelised oats, honey and raspberry. There’s a silky texture to the whisky with the distillate nicely balancing with the cask influence, particularly the PX adding weight.

FINISH: A medium length finish retaining the cereal character of the spirit and a touch of espresso from the oak influence.

Distillery in Kentucky and is always bottled as single barrel releases. Straight from the Barrel is made with the same mash bill as Original and Gold but kept at its natural cask strength which varies batch to batch.

NOSE: Milk chocolate, caramel and demerara sugar aromas.

PALATE: A massive, rich and spicy bourbon on the palate with toffee apples, Chantilly cream and walnuts.

FINISH: The vanilla cream element lasts with the flavour and texture in the finish.

HARAN 12 YEAR OLD SHERRY CASK FINISH SPAIN • SPANISH WHISKEY

64.99

43

Haran is made in The Basque Country at Acha Distillery which was founded in 1831 making a wide variety of spirits. They have been making Haran Whiskey there more recently and have a core range spanning 8 to 21 years old.

NOSE: Hints of citrus and mulled fruit with star anise and a touch of toasted malt.

PALATE: Rich fruit with sweet toffee flavours, charred oak notes, black pepper and floral hints.

FINISH: The spice of the black pepper note lingers with cinnamon and oil rind.

Fraser Robson

WHISKY AMBASSADOR AT GORDON & MACPHAIL, SOUTH STREET, ELGIN

www.gordonandmacphail.com

Based in the company’s spiritual home in Elgin, Fraser has been the Whisky Ambassador at Gordon & MacPhail South Street since 2018. Fraser is also one of the judges of the Scottish Field Whisky Challenge.

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05/12/2023 15:52:50

58 | Gin & tonic

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T

NIC

F O R E V E R Y TA S T E If you’re struggling to get to grips with your Schweppes and your Fentimans, our expert has you covered when it comes to the terrific world of tonics

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o-one knows the exact date when a lonely sahi in a far ung corner of the a first decided that his daily shot of itter uinine tincture would taste much etter with a slug of gin, ut that was the day that the Gin and Tonic was born. uinine tincture was made from an e tract of the ark of the cinchona tree, native to various South merican countries and widely used there oth as a cure for and a preventative against malaria, a disease that has killed more people than all other causes of death put together throughout history.

The story of how cinchon – fever tree ark, esuits Bark or eruvian ark – travelled from the ungles of South merica to ecome a mainstay of western medicine is e ual to anything you might find in Raiders of the Lost Ark. By the middle of the th century British soldiers, sailors and functionaries in malaria ridden corners of the world were given regular

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doses of uinine in li uid form. This secret cure for a deadly disease soon ecame the lifelong companion of a spirit that also has an interesting medicinal past.

Today, despite the ongoing interest in cocktails, it is estimated that around of gin is drunk in the form of a in and Tonic. nd we no longer have to make our own tonic water .

This is not new either. ommercially produced tonic waters have een around for a long time. In the late th century, a certain aco Schweppe developed a process to manufacture car onated mineral water in eneva. In he moved to ondon to develop the usiness there.

Soon he made a range of drinks that were literally drunk as tonics for health reasons and, over time, the company s Schweppes Indian Tonic Water evolved into the default rand in terms of si e and availa ility and retained pole position right up to the early s. nter r. harles olls, the saviour of

IMAGE: ALEMSTAR / ADOBE STOCK.

Written by Geraldine Coates

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>>>

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60 | Gin & tonic

In the same way that the revival of Plymouth Gin was a crucial element of the gin renaissance, Fever-Tree has been a game-changer for the gin drinking experience. I’ve always believed that when people said they didn’t like gin it was because they actually didn’t like the harsh taste of tonic water. The softer more sophisticated avours of ever Tree, with its aromatic notes, transformed the G&T. And, naturally, where Fever-Tree has led, others have followed, and we are now almost spoiled for choice.

Fentimans, 1724, Double Dutch and (a personal favourite) Franklins, have quickly become established premium brands that work on the Fever-Tree model of using natural not artificial ingredients. There are also interestingly uirky Scottish brands such as Bon Accord made in Edinburgh and Walter Gregor’s from the wilds of Aberdeenshire.

You-Know-Who suddenly woke up to what was happening on its home turf and got busy going premium too with the launch of its 1783 tonic waters? The Schweppes 1783 range includes lemon and cucumber

‘ Where Fever-Tree has led, others have followed’

LEFT: RABBI / ADOBE STOCK.

Plymouth Gin, a revered brand that he had rescued from near oblivion. I recall meeting him just before he sold up to Absolut Vodka and it was clear his mind was already on mixers.

‘If you consider that three quarters of your gin and tonic is the tonic water,’ he said, ‘it doesn’t really matter how good your gin is when the tonic is at, over sweet and one dimensional.’ In 2005 he started Fever-Tree. ever Tree was the first of what we have learned to call ‘boutique’ tonic waters. It has achieved astonishing success by going back to the 19thcentury roots of tonic and other mixers.

So, instead of the artificial uinine that you find in most ig commercial brands, Fever-Tree uses natural quinine grown in the Democratic Republic of ongo, sugar not artificial sweeteners and 100% natural botanicals both in its Indian tonic water and in its variants such as angostura, clementine and elder ower.

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05/12/2023 16:25:44

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SCOTTISH TONICS

BON ACCORD

Founded in 1909 and resurrected in 2016. Made with 100% natural sweeteners and less quinine than many other tonics.

avours and is really very good with none of the cloying sweetness that characterises its mother rand. s you would e pect in this case, a premium rand really does translate into a more e pensive rand. fter all, when you are sourcing e otic ingredients and using natural avours, production costs are far higher. nd these relative new ies are constantly innovating and coming up with new avour twists on the iconic mi er. re they worth it Only you can decide if you re willing to spend what can e twice as much on a outi ue type tonic water to improve the taste of your T. But there are other things to consider too and one of them is that certain rands of gin really do taste etter with certain rands of tonic. any years ago when I was working for . . Other drinks maga ine we decided to do a T taste test comparing different rands of tonic water. Once we worked out the impossi ility of the around com inations of

Top: The best G&T comes down to personal preference for tonic.

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gin and tonic that we were looking at, we decided to keep it simple – three gins, three tonic waters.

The three gins were Beefeater, endricks and lymouth in. The three tonic waters were ever Tree, Schweppes and here s an insider s tip Waitrose own rand, which has all the elements of a outi ue rand at a fraction of the cost.

The real surprise was not that the lymouth in and ever Tree com o came top, ut that endrick s with old style Schweppes almost outclassed it.

But if one considers the oral and slightly vegetal avours in endrick s then it made sense that the drink tasted good when complemented y the very o vious itter and acidic lemon notes in og standard Schweppes.

The answer is e periment. ind which tonic water goes est with the gin you like and create the T that is perfect for you. But one thing I would urge you to refrain from is uying large ottles of tonic water. lways uy single use cans or ottles – that way you won t find yourself regularly chucking out at ottles of tonic, whether they are the outi ue or standard supermarket versions.

WALTER GREGOR’S

from Aberdeenshire, the first Scottish tonic water and recommended by Harris Gin for the perfect serve.

CUSHIEDOOS

A tonic with no quinine, no artificial ingredients and 24% less sugar than the market leader. Named after wood pigeons.

JUST THE TONIC

Their focus was simply to make a great tasting clean and crisp tonic water, made 100% in Scotland.

05/12/2023 16:26:49

62 | Advertorial

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05/12/2023 12:18:41

Cask & Still Magazine | 63

Gin EDEN MILL LOVE SCOTTISH GIN

25

40

If you like a touch of sweetness, this is perfect. This light pink gin has always been a favourite of mine from St Andrews.

NOSE: Hints of rose water and fresh fruit.

PALATE: Crisp, fresh apples and strawberries.

FINISH: Fresh and fruity, perfect with soda, tonic or in a cocktail.

WOLFCRAIG GIN SCOTTISH GIN

40

44.5

This fantastic gin is infused with 17 botanicals and is wonderfully complex.

With Ian MacMillan and Richard Paterson behind this gin, this is just the beginning of the Wolfcraig journey.

NOSE: Mainly notes of lemon rind,

ISLE OF HARRIS GIN SCOTTISH GIN

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orange peel and juniper, but has so much more than that.

PALATE: Sweet and bitter orange

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This beautiful bottle from the Isle of Harris grabs your attention first, the gin is well presented and tastes every bit as good as it looks.

flavours, hints of raspberry and subtle spice.

FINISH: Delicious and fresh, perfect with a fizzy tonic and a garnish of your choice, from lemon to a slice of chilli.

NOSE: Herbaceous, notes of citrus and bitter grapefruit.

PALATE: Well balanced with bitter juniper and sweet fruits.

FINISH: Zesty, fresh and best served with tonic and a slice of grapefruit.

Gillian Kirkland

OWNER OF THE PIPER BAR AND WHISKY ENTHUSIAST

www.thepiperbar.com

Gillian has owned the award-winning Piper Whisky Bar in Glasgow for eight years and is incredibly passionate about whisky. She is a collector and is currently experimenting with casks.

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05/12/2023 11:57:07

64 | Spirit Level

the perfect pear

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ntil two months ago, I thought Stinking Bishop was a cheese.

But it is! I can hear you say. And you’d be right. What I hadn’t known is that the cheese takes its name from the perry pear of the same name, which is used to wash the rind as the cheese matures.

Oh: and the Bishop is so called not in honour of an especially smelly member of the clergy, but because the eponymous farmer who developed the cultivar was, by all accounts, a bit of a berk.

None of us know how the world will remember us. I re ect on this truth, ni ling a it of cheese and sipping perry, as my back deck reaches insane temperatures in the last ush of a Santa

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A fine perry is a great alternative aperitif, but this heritage pear fizz can also be an ideal match for food Written by Brooke Magnanti

Fe summer. What would Mr Bishop make of his legacy? And would Willa Cather’s Archbishop, for whom Death so famously came in a book set where I sit now, enjoy the tipple that bears a grumpy farmer’s name?

To say that getting a hold of real craft perry outside of the United Kingdom is something akin to wrestling the sword from the stone might be an overstatement, but that was certainly how it felt when I ventured down to the nearest large city and its expansive alcohol supermarkets to attempt to get my paws on the good stuff.

The problem being, of course, that perry is

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a rare enough gem in its natural habitat of southwest England, and the fact that Americans don’t really know the difference between perry and apple cider with a splash of pear avour only complicates matters.

The reason for this di culty is understandable – perry pears grow slowly, are di cult to harvest, and the window for their successful juicing is pretty narrow. It truly is the anti-America of traditional drinks.

All the better reason, then, to dive into this drink which I first e perienced while living in Bristol, where it was a frequent guest pump at the local cider pubs. Far from the sweet schlock of the supermarket shelves, I was stunned to find perry as varia le and nuanced as fine dry cider, and as equally suited to pairing with food.

This time I’m half a world away and apart from the inevita le imports (among them standards like Samuel Smith’s, which is une pectedly u i uitous with S ottle vendors I stum led across a few gems from that area most similar to Britain’s wild west in terms of climate, the acific Northwest.

Perry made from dessert fruit is called ‘modern’ here, while ‘heritage’ indicates the output of a true perry pear, dry and tannic, with a range of aromas and finishes that recall the best dry meads.

Heritage is what you want if you were brought up on proper ‘three counties’ perry from Herefordshire,

Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire – or even poir from rance. ou know, something like a nice bottle of Dunkerton’s.

Armed with the correct local le icon I thus o tained two race of suitable drinks. Not the best haul for a reviewer ut not the worst either.

Snowdrift single varietal perry was the standout, especially for those making the transition from cider or hard cider if you are evvying la mericaine , with an origin in Washington State and a surprisingly apple-y nose.

Snowdrift also produce perry from blends of pears and this I could see going down well with a creamy, light, cheesedusted pasta or a fresh and funky plate of pickled veg.

Dragon’s Head, meanwhile, seemed to straddle the division etween modern and vintage, with oth kinds of pears in the mi .

Robust and nutty, this would be a born companion to a layered biryani jeweled with spice and oil. Note to self, may e one to save for when the weather turns.

But since I was roasting, my top marks actually went to what is (for me at least an import. ewton Court sparkling perry, bursting and effervescent ehind a hampagne cork, and e actly the thing to slake the thirst on a hot and dry one.

Or may e even replace the fi on Christmas morning? Think of me, please, as I apply my third layer of late summer sunscreen, and perhaps send a little of the wet stuff our way! But not too much rain, and not too soon...

‘Maybe even replace the fizz on Christmas morning’

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WORTH A LOOK

DIGGERS ASTER

An unfiltered and fermented Scottish perry made with Scottish pears from the historic Carse of Gowrie orchard in Perthshire. Bottle conditioned and gently sparkling.

POIRÉ GRANIT, ERIC BORDELET

A complex perry from Normandy, made from 300-yearold pear trees. Lots of fresh herbs with traces of quince, pineapple and caramel.

OLIVER’S ALMOST A PET NAT BUT STILL A TANGY PERRY

A clean and citrusy perry from Herefordshire, made with a blend of late season pears.

05/12/2023 11:58:26

66 | Whisky in Belgium

Belgium has a very rich history with distilling genever, and today there are several distillers making Belgian whisky. Some of them started maturing grain spirit for genever in bourbon casks, and then realised they had whisky!

Whisky has become a serious business in Belgium, says independent bottler and owner of Asta Morris, Bert Brunyeel Until I was 19 I didn’t drink a drop of alcohol, but in 1994 a friend was working as a bartender in a speakeasy bar and gave me a taste of Jack Daniel’s single barrel. I must say, lightning struck for me!

We started meeting regularly to taste whisky, and opened a club together. I became a member of the malt maniacs and started writing columns for two Dutch whisky magazines and I also started organising tastings for two Belgian importers.

I am an independent bottler who buys whisky, rum, cognac, armagnac and calvados. Whisky has always been my favourite. It all started one night at Benriach Distillery when I came across a beautiful cask from my year of birth.

The scene has hugely developed. When I first started, it was just us, a bit like preachers in the desert. The main ‘gurus’ were Bob Minnekeer and Gustaaf and Geert De Bolle (father and son).

When they started their own clubs, it started spreading and now there are many whisky clubs around Belgium.

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Some of the first names that come to mind are The Belgian Owl – who were among the first whisky distilleries in the country – Wild Weasel, Filliers Distillery, Acker & Go and Braeckman.

Some make very good whisky.

Belgium is not a cocktail country and many whisky drinkers are purists. I was a purist for many years, but now I really enjoy a good whisky cocktail.

The whisky scene is getting younger – but as it’s also getting more expensive, the market for some bottles is restricted to older people, who have the means to buy the bottles.

More and more women are taking part in tastings and events and there’s more and more knowledgeable women working as brand ambassadors, which is a change for the better.

The biggest whisky event is Spirits in the Sky in Brussels, and then there are several smaller ones.

Whisky Festival Gent is very good for beginners.

We don’t really have a whisky bar culture in Belgium – there are a few good ones like the GlenGarry in Gent, but it’s cheaper to drink at home. The best way to taste good whiskies is to join a good whisky club and follow their tastings.

One of the things I love the most about whisky clubs is that at the same table you will find people working in a factory, company owners, doctors, school and teachers, who get together and talk about whisky – all the backgrounds disappear.

05/12/2023 17:15:24

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04/12/2023 14:54:04

Every great deserves a great dram.

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*FREE snifter is subject to availability. One free Annandale Distillery or STORYMAN snifter glass with every bottle of STORYMAN - premium blend whisky purchased until 23:59 on December 31st 2023, while stock lasts.

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04/12/2023 14:14:52