SPECIAL FEATURE
L L E T S I D T E ME
R E L L I T S I D MASTER
tiller
Andy Watts - Master Dis
S
africa’s Bain’s Whisky, was named the World’s Best Grain Whisky at the 2013 Whisky Awards, an accolade that surprised the international whisky industry, and delighted South Africans. Andy Watts, master distiller of Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky and Three Ships whisky has been making headlines with his innovative approach to the art of whisky, as well as for the number of awards his whiskies have been receiving. Donald Makhafola caught up with him.
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www.spotongmag.co.za
I spent time working in Scotland during the late 1980s and I was fortunate enough to meet and work with some of the most influential whisky leaders at the time – people with incredible passion for whisky. Their enthusiasm and love for making and enjoying whisky I brought back with me to South Africa.
Whisky is internationally recognisable. It remains aspirational and to some is a sign of their success, no matter how great or small. There is nothing that says that you have to either drink whisky or another spirit… that it has to be one or the other. Whisky does not demand that. Whisky encourages you to share, talk about it and even compare it with other drinks, knowing that you will return because your journey with whisky becomes a lifestyle.
What do you think makes whisky special comparing to other drinks?
As a whisky connoisseur, do certain brands stand out for you?
How did you develop a passion for whisky?
