SMWS by Rob Pauwels

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“I can’t fight the attraction” YOSHI, COMPUTER PROGRAMMER, TOKYO

April 2009

A NEW AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT DISCOVER THE WONDERS OF YOUNGER WHISKY

HAVE KNOWLEDGE, WILL TRAVEL

MEET GLOBAL WHISKY TROUBLESHOOTER JIM SWAN

‘THE GREATEST’ IS TOKYO THE BEST CITY ON EARTH TO DRINK WHISKY IN? JOIN US ON A MISSION TO FIND OUT...

ALSO INSIDE TOM KITCHIN & JIM MURRAY

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Friends ARE the

chocolate chips in the cookie of

LIFE

Why not share YOUR ADVENTURE with a friend..? Introduce a friend and receive a £10 voucher * It takes just two minutes to secure 12 months of enjoyment for them and a £10 Society voucher for yourself. You can use your voucher against any future purchase of whisky, gifts or event tickets. To treat friends and relations to their own

membership, simply buy membership online at www.smws.co.uk or pick up the † phone and call us on 0131 555 2929. Even if you don't buy your friends and family Society membership, you can still receive a £10 Society voucher for each new member who joins up and mentions your name.

* This is an offer for UK members but similar offers may apply in other countries – please refer to your local branch for details. † Phone lines open Mon-Fri, 9am-4.45pm.

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Introduction

JOIN US ON OUR JOURNEY t the Society, we prefer to talk about a ‘world of whisky’ rather than an ‘industry’ or ‘business’. The idea of a ‘world’ or global community has never been more pertinent; occasionally, it is worth pausing for a moment to marvel at how what is essentially a very simple product has seeped into all corners of the planet. Scotland is still unquestionably the beating heart of the whisky world, but the volume of exports and global consumers has brought new perspectives and characters to the table. With branches all over the world, the Society is in a unique position to explore these new exciting elements. This is reflected in the international theme that runs through this issue, which touches down in Japan, America, Belgium, India and Australia. We travel to Tokyo to see why locals believe it is the best city on earth to drink whisky in; our columnist Jim Murray pays tribute to a bastion of Belgium’s distilling world and New York jeweller Maeve Gillies reveals an unexpected passion for malts. Elsewhere, David Baker from Melbourne’s Bakery Hill explains what it’s like to start your own distillery and we spend a minute in the company of Neelakanta Rao Jagdale, the managing director of Bangalore-based Amrut distillery. On top of all that, Jim Swan gives us an insight into his unique role as a jet-setting troubleshooter. As Louis Armstrong would say: “What a wonderful world…” Enjoy the issue. Kai Ivalo, editor

A ABOVE: a typical Tokyo scene as locals gather in a whisky bar for a post-work dram. Read the full feature on page 18

April 2009

04 Agenda

18 Tokyo nights

32 Indulge

Feedback; Jim Murray column; Society news; Robin Laing; Neelakanta Rao Jagdale

Is the Japanese capital the best city for drinking whisky in? We find out...

Experience Tom Kitchin’s recipe for whisky baba

10 Aide Mémoire Selected events from our packed calendar Spotlight

KNOWLED GE ~

Jim Swan on... Experimenting with finishes “You could take the view that we make very good whisky and let’s not bother changing it, but I think innovation is absolutely vital. Some of the finishes, such as the Glenmorangie ones, are extremely good. But there are also some horrors – I remember being a judge at an event in the US some time ago and being handed something that was slightly luminous!” Single malts, blends and ‘blended malt’ “I have seen a huge move towards single malts all over the world, but I think we still have an education problem to go through to explain the difference. The term ‘blended malt’ is horrible – you’re trying to explain to people the difference between a blend and a malt and then the Scotch Whisky Association introduce the term ‘blended malt’ – it’s confusing. To me, that was an incredible mistake.”

The ﬁxer WORDS: JIM BYERS PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE WILKINSON

arvey Keitel and Clark Kent are the two most unlikely of names that spring to mind on meeting Dr Jim Swan. The swept-back silver hair, prominent nose and wide mouth are curiously reminiscent of the Hollywood tough guy. But the mild-mannered personality, softly spoken Edinburgh accent and conservative dress sense – all classic signs of a man with hidden depths – point more towards the comic book character. Calling him a superhero might be stretching the analogy a bit far of course. But, given his remarkably diverse 35-year career, it’s fair to say that this most unassuming of men is certainly a real unsung hero of the whisky world. Intriguing roles spill out from his lengthy CV – chemist, analyst, blender, maturation expert, researcher and developer, inventor, author of scientific papers, project manager for

Meet well-travelled whisky troubleshooter Jim Swan – if a distiller has a problem, he’s the man for the job Government programmes, expert witness in court cases, technical adviser, lecturer… it’s an impressive haul. When we meet for a chat at the Queen Street Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh, Jim modestly describes his current role as a ‘consultant to the drinks industry’. But that is a bit like saying Einstein studied Physics; it doesn’t quite do justice to the scope of his work. The deep, detailed knowledge Jim has gathered over the years about key topics such -12-

as maturation with oak wood products, cask management, flavour composition, distillation and blending is unrivalled. There is, quite simply, no-one else with his level of experience and understanding of such a wide range of subjects relating to the production of beers, wines and spirits. His unique knowledge of, in particular, whisky-making technology and processes means inexperienced distillers and blenders around the world are queuing up for his services. He is the ultimate whisky troubleshooter – if a company needs help setting up a new distillery or a blender has a problem, Jim is the ‘fixer’ they call on. Travelling to distilleries in far-flung destinations is a major feature of Jim’s working life. As we make our way to the bar on the first floor, he apologises for his slow progress up the stairs – the result of a little mishap during a recent trip to the Kavalan distillery in Taiwan. WWW.SMWS.COM

“I was out there recently being filmed for a promotional video for the distillery,” he said. “And I fell down some stairs and hurt my leg. I hadn’t even been drinking whisky at the time!” In his capacity as a consultant, Jim has a huge array of international clients across the drinks industry. His passport bears stamps from South Africa (Anchor Yeast), USA (Anchor Brewing, San Francisco; Jim Beam; Buffalo Trace; Maker’s Mark among others), India (Amrut), Puerto Rico (Bacardi), Nicaragua (CLNA Rum), Taiwan (Kavalan), Barbados (R L Seale), Japan (Suntory), Portugal (J Dias Cooperage) and Australia (Rosemount Estate). Though a passport isn’t required, Jim has also played a key role in the development of the Welsh Whisky Company’s Penderyn single malt and The English Whisky Company (St George’s Distillery). Naturally, he criss-crosses Scotland too on a regular basis advising a multitude of distilleries, most recently Kilchoman and The Annandale Distillery. Being paid to travel around the world and help create great whisky… it is a dream career for many. It’s been an interesting journey since Jim started out by gaining a degree in Chemistry and PhD in Chemistry and Biological Studies from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He then spent the first portion of his career as a chemist at research institute Arthur D THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

Little near Edinburgh. While there, he displayed an early flair for innovation. “I believe I was the first person to identify what ‘chill haze’ [the process which sees the fatty acids in whisky turn cloudy when chilled or diluted] was,” he said. “It was never published because it was confidential at the time, but I can remember staying late at work one night and watching this pen drawing a straight line on the equipment we were using. I was getting fed up and just about to leave when I saw it moving. I went back and watched it and what we found went on to basically identify ‘chill haze’.” He then spent 10 years as operations director of Blending, Bottling and Maturation Studies at

24 Worlds collide David Baker from Australia’s Bakery Hill on setting up a distillery

28 The young ones Discussing the merits of younger whisky

Pentlands Scotch Whisky Research in Edinburgh, the forerunner of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute. In the 90s, he became owner and partner at beer, wines and spirits analysts and consultant RR Tatlock and Thomson. During this time, Jim also acted as project manager for several government-funded programmes. One study considered ‘novel pyrolysis and mycological processes affecting Scotch whisky’ – answers on a postcard if you know what that is..! He also acted as an expert witness in a number of court cases concerning the drinks industry. In one particular case, he was asked to give his expert analysis of whisky-making at a trial in Los Angeles. His presentations in court proved crucial in settling a dispute that arose when a company was accused of copying a rival. His innovative side came to the fore again in 2000, when he invented a system to remove TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole – aka cork taint) from a batch of wine for one of the biggest barrelmaking companies in America. “The company shipped barrels out to Australia, but they were found to have mould in them. They had a big problem with the musty flavour you get from TCA, but I developed a very simple treatment where we filtered the wine through a medium

Debate

The young ones

CONTINUED OVER LE AF

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12 The fixer Singing the praises of Jim Swan, a real unsung hero of the whisky world

15 Outturn We’ve pushed the boat out again to bring you some wonderful bottles

16 Man on fire Malt whisky and food matching with Michelin Star chef Tom Kitchin THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

ge brings wisdom, maturity and understanding – or so the greybeards tell us. And for whiskies, it brings complexity, depth and taste – or so decades of marketing have told us. In fact, perhaps marketing is too kind a word – brainwashing might be more apt. But that hasn’t stopped some of the Society’s most successful recent bottlings from being mere whippersnappers – just five years old in some cases. And, with several new or reopened distilleries releasing their first bottlings, there is now a range of young and no-age-given whiskies available on the market. Does this mean we are in the age of the young whisky? Maybe so, says Jackie Thomson from Ardbeg, the Islay distillery that resumed production in 1997 and has released a series of whiskies with

names like Very Young and Still Young. “Ten years ago, young whiskies were drunk behind closed doors,” she said. “The idea behind our very young ‘Peaty Path to Maturity’ bottlings was that there were all these preconceptions out there around whiskies having to be of a certain age, and we stepped outside of those parameters.” On Islay, there’s a committee for everything, and Jackie is very involved in the Ardbeg Committee – a band of enthusiasts from around the world. Jackie says the first young Ardbeg bottling was produced for Committee members pretty much as a sample. “It was very strong and very young and the feedback we got was fantastic, and that led to the Very Young sequence. It was a means to an end as well, of course, because we wanted to get some whisky on the

There were all these preconceptions out there around whiskies having to be of a certain age, and we stepped outside of those parameters . JACKIE THOMSON, ARDBEG

CONTINUED OVER LE AF

MEET THE PANEL ~

Put a face to a name for the participants in this issue’s debate piece

JACKIE THOMSON From the Ardbeg Committee

DEREK SINCLAIR Distilleries general manager, Inver House

INA KRAAN Runs the Society’s branch in Switzerland

EUAN MITCHELL Managing director, Isle Of Arran Distillery

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ROBIN LAING Chairman of the Society’s Tasting Panel

RICHARD JOYNSON Proprietor of Loch Fyne Whiskies

WWW.SMWS.COM

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

Indulge FOOD

COLUMN NAME CHALLENGE BLIND-TASTING

RECIPE ~

Tom Kitchin’s whisky baba (serves 4)

THE BABA 100g raisins 300ml whisky – preferably a rich and sweet whisky. Try 37.43 ‘Reformed Sinner's Dram’ from Speyside 100g soft butter 30g fresh yeast 250g bread flour Two tablespoons of sugar A pinch of salt Four eggs Two tablespoons of warm water Small cake moulds

THE CONTESTANTS

Steven and Caroline

THE WHISKY SYRUP 50g caster sugar 50 ml water Your whisky

SWEET LITTLE MYSTERY

HOW TO MAKE IT First soak the raisins in the whisky, then mix the yeast with two tablespoons of warm water. Make a well in the flour and pour yeast mix in. Add in the sugar and salt and then mix together. Add in two eggs and mix, then add another egg and mix, then repeat again with the last egg. Dice the butter into small pieces and add to mix, beating the mix until all the butter is incorporated. Strain the raisins – retain the whisky, then add the raisins to the dough and mix through. Butter and flour cake moulds and fill them half way with the dough mix. Allow to prove (rise) in a warm place, then bake in a convection oven for approximately six to 10 minutes at 180°C. For the whisky syrup, heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until the mixture boils. Remove it from heat, cool the mixture and add whisky to your desired taste. Soak the baba in the whisky syrup once cooked.

Caroline Mackie, bar supervisor of the Society’s Queen Street Members’ Room in Edinburgh, tends to search out particular flavours in whiskies, with toffee and caramel notes being firm favourites. IT consultant Steven Hill lives in Edinburgh and has been a member since 2003. He’s hard pressed to choose a favourite whisky style: “There are so many nice whiskies – we are spoiled for choice!”

with noses ready

MAKE YOUR MENU A CUT ABOVE

SOCIETY TASTING NOTES

You’ve read about Tom Kitchin’s passion for single malts, now you can try one of his own recipes – whisky baba

om’s recipe is based on the traditional French recipe for rum baba (‘baba au rhum’) – a dish that was originally invented in France in the early 19th century. Various theories exist about its origin but, according to one piece of culinary folklore, King Stanislas Leszczynska, the exiled king of Poland, introduced the dish to France in the 1600s when he was exiled to Lorraine. According to legend, he found his customary kouglhopf (cake) too dry for his liking and dipped the bread in rum. He was so delighted that he named the cake after Ali Baba, one of the heroes of his favourite book, A Thousand and One Nights. Later, his chef refined the sweet bread by using brioche dough and adding raisins to the recipe. The dish was then simply called “baba.”

SOCIETY TASTING NOTES

“The nose suggested golden syrup, raisins, dried pineapple and coconut (trail mix?); also smoked ham and barbequed prawns. The palate was hot, spicy and salty... the reduced nose had everything from tea cakes to paella and the reduced palate was exquisitely smooth and integrated.”

Cask No. 44.37

“Succulent Speyside Dram” 8y/o Speyside

Cask No. 66.27

“A Foodie Dram”

23y/o Speyside

VERDICT:

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE WILKINSON

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“The nose initially has nail polish and pear drops, giving way to tulips, treacle, honeycomb, golden syrup, creme brulée and scented wood. The taste is warm, spicy and velvety, with flavours of sherry, toffee, dark maple syrup on waffles, rum and raisin and Christmas pudding with custard. Beautifully balanced ... and not just for sherry wood aficionados.”

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THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

CAROLINE

STEVEN

On the nose without water, there were woody notes and a little bit of sweetness – toffee, stewed fruits, caramelised apples and some butterscotch. On the nose with water, it became slightly sweeter, more vanilla-toffee, and raisins and dried fruits, although the taste didn’t change much. GUESS: 20y/o, Speyside. Key characteristics: toffee, dried fruits.

On the nose, it was sweet and not too heavily sherried, although the colour shows it has sat in a sherry cask for a long time. To taste, there were raisins and something chocolatey about it. With water, a medicinal note came through. I could also smell my mum’s baking – rich fruit cake flavours. GUESS: 30y/o, Speyside. Key characteristics: sweet, fruit cake.

CAROLINE

STEVEN

There was a real sweetness on the nose, icing sugar and vanilla and a slight solventy note in the background. Then I tasted it and it was unexpected – very meaty, quite savoury, and salty. Adding water led to more savoury notes and a tiny bit of smoke. GUESS: 12y/o, an island or Campbeltown, somewhere close to the sea. Key characteristics: meaty, salty.

The initial nose was toffee and caramel, with a whiff of smoke. The initial taste had a peatiness about it and, if there is such a thing, spicy leather, along with pepper. Adding water released a massive toffee and vanilla hit on the nose. With more water, the taste mellowed out. GUESS: 7 to 12y/o, Islay. Key characteristics: toffee, vanilla, pepper.

The two whiskies sampled were extremely tricky; well done to Steven for picking out the fruit cake flavours and sherry aging of the first, while Caroline was spot-on with the sweet and salty contrast of the second sample. -33-

33 Blind tasting Battle for the nosing crown in Edinburgh

34 Tippling over the edge

The marketing mantras have always implied that younger whisky is inferior to its older cousins – but is the tide turning?

WORDS: ANDREW BEACH

Indulge

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Tom Morton heads outdoors for a spot of al fresco dramming

JUMP IN, THE WATER IS LOVELY If you have ever wondered what the perfect temperature for drinking whisky is – or for the water you may like to add to it – then we suggest you dive right into page 9 where you’ll find some handy advice.

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Agenda

Your slings and arrows of outrageous feedback You tell us what you think and we’ll print it! Ping your thoughts in the direction of unfiltered@smws.com Tom Morton’s mention of the ‘pony’ [Tippling Over The Edge, Jan 09] brought the memories back. 30 years ago, working behind a bar in rural Perthshire, I served many a ‘pony’ to accompany a dram. We used a standard whisky tumbler and usually this was filled with McEwan’s Export or Tartan Special. I had no idea I was breaking the law! INNES GRAY

How about some Welsh or Indian whisky? MARTYN DAWE

Editor’s response: The Tasting Panel is looking forward to sampling a range of non-Scotch malts. Depending on what

we can obtain, we will be sure to bottle these casks in the future. How refreshing to see someone of the standing of Jim Murray writing about whisky forums. But one thing he missed was that the administrators of these forums often have little time to do a proper job of moderation. My vote would be “Don’t do it unless you can resource it.”

Editor’s response: Women are indeed in the whisky industry and enjoying drams. In the November 08 issue, we featured Rachel Barrie of Glenmorangie plus two female participants in our blindtasting test. This issue features an interview with jeweller and whisky fan Maeve Gillies, while there are two female experts in our debate feature on younger whiskies.

NICK RAMSEY

Really enjoying the new Unfiltered. But I’ve been struck by the lack of femaleinterest content. Are women really not working in the industry nor enjoying drams?

I liked the Oz Clarke article [Jan 09] as my own whisky “epiphany” was similarly based on discovering Highland Park. BOB PAYNE

HANNAH RUDMAN

PUBLISHERS The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Registered in Scotland No SC83022 Registered Office: The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Edinburgh EH6 6BZ

EDITOR Kai Ivalo Unfiltered is available to members of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. For details of how to join please contact your local branch. Australia – www.smws.com.au Benelux and Germany – www.smws.nl France – www.smws.fr Italy – www.smws.it Japan – www.smwsjapan.com South Africa – www.smws.co.za Sweden – www.smws.se Switzerland – www.smws.ch Taiwan – www.smws.com.tw United Kingdom – www.smws.co.uk

PRODUCTION Unfiltered is produced on behalf of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society by Connect Communications Ltd www.connectcommunications.co.uk Managing editor: David Cameron Assistant editor: Jim Byers Jim@connectcommunications.co.uk Design: Renny Hutchison Renny@connectcommunications.co.uk

CONTACT Email unfiltered@smws.com

Scribes, snappers and scoundrels...

JEREMY SUTTONHIBBERT

While working in Antarctica, photographer Jeremy enjoyed a Laphroaig with a sliver of 2,000year-old iceberg dropped in it.

ANDREW DERBIDGE The cellarmaster of the Australian branch of the Society can occasionally be heard discussing matters other than single malt.

STEPHEN PHELAN Stephen recently shared his flask of Yamazaki whisky with shivering participants of Japan’s Naked Man Festival in Okayama.

JIM BYERS Jim has been experiencing cravings for powerful peaty malts lately and has been happily researching this matter. -4-

YOICHI MOTOKI A big thank you goes to Tokyo resident Yoichi who was our guide for our feature on whisky bars in his city (see pages 18-22).

© The Scotch Malt Whisky Society 2009 The views expressed in Unfiltered by invited contributors are not necessarily those of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The publisher cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. On no account may any part of this publication, including images, be reproduced, in English or in translation, without the written permission of the copyholder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Overseas branches or franchises of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society should equally make application to the publisher. The columnist Jim Murray is the sole copyholder of his published work. On no account may his work be reproduced without his written permission – application for which should be made to info@whiskybible.com Prices quoted in Unfiltered relate to the UK branch. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society cannot be held to prices printed in error. The paper used for Unfiltered is 80% recycled and FSC (sustainable forest management) certified.

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Agenda NO HALF MEASURES

BITTERSWEET MEMORIES Jim Murray raises a glass to Belgium’s

much-missed master distiller Jan Filliers

e all know about the time and care it takes to make a whisky. The years of planning and then loving tenderness that goes into the creating and cajoling of each cask. Yes, the industry’s PR machine never lets you forget. And understandably so. But today I sit here celebrating the accidental whisky and, especially, those who made it. The one that got there by fluke. The dram that sat in the warehouse year upon year – some of it reaching more than ten years of age – and yet without anyone having the faintest idea of its very existence… Such a whisky until very recently hid itself away. Most probably somewhere in the world it still does. Never heard of it? Then let me tell you the story… Some years back, Ghent Whisky Festival was in full swing. And there, among the throng of whisky importers and imbibers, I met one of the bastions of Belgium’s distilling world, Genever producer Jan Filliers. Among all the distillers of the Low Countries, none stood higher than Jan. A man whose passion for his Genever (or Jenever/Genievre/Junever – take your Pekek) more than matched any whisky distiller’s for his own make I have ever met. That visible passion was based on a pride formed on a bedrock of 120 years’ distilling in his family. He was following on in the Filliers’ deep footsteps and the 1880 that was displayed aloft the wonderful, farm-courtyarded brick distillery was less a commercial boast than a statement of family pride and fact. The following day at Bachte-Maria-Leerne near Deinze, Jan received me and my temporary chauffeur, the fair’s organiser Wouter Wapenaar, with the gentle, unaffected olde worlde charm that set him apart from the average distilling executive. There was no bluster, just the delight in showing a stranger his shared giant family heirloom, the Filliers Graanstokerij. And how he changed an already beautifully made spirit into something extraordinary with his skilled and judicious use of juniper.

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

Finally, in the warehouse, he pointed to the thousands of neatly stacked bourbon casks. “Here, Jim, is something we are very proud of – we have ten years of maturing Genever.” “Actually, Jan, you don’t.” Jan looked at me with the furrowed brow of a man who could not quite believe what he had just heard. Or a high priest not used to being contradicted in the cathedral of his warehouse “If you forgive me, Mr Murray, we have been making this here for some 125 years. And as a fifth generation distiller here, you will forgive me for presuming that I know what I’m talking about.” “Quite. Except that what lies in the casks isn’t Genever. It isn’t that until you’ve conducted your alchemy with the flavourings later down the line. What you have here is ten years’ worth of… whisky!” Our host thought quietly for a moment, then claimed it couldn’t be, as the spirit’s mash bill contained only a third malted barley, the remainder split equally between corn and rye. “So, you see,” he said evenly, “it cannot be whisky.” “Not malt whisky, no. But whisky, yes. It is made from 100 per cent grain, and matured for more than three years in oak casks with nothing yet added. You have created Belgian whisky. Congratulations!” The look of bewilderment, then realisation and finally shock, which crossed Jan Filliers’ face as the truth dawned will be something both Wouter and I will never forget and forever cherish. And I remembered it like yesterday when I belatedly learned the appalling news that Jan had perished in a coach crash while holidaying in Egypt. Being the gentleman he was, he had given me first option to bottle the -5-

accidental whisky under my name. I declined for a number of now worthless reasons including perceived neutrality. How I now regret that. I should have, of course, accepted the great honour bestowed upon me and not cared a fig for the smaller minds and cynics. I later visited the distillery under my own steam and kept in touch by phone. But the last time I saw Jan was a year ago, also in

The last time I saw Jan was a year ago, also in Ghent, when I playfully chided him for adding caramel against my advice to the official bottlings the distillery finally decided to release.

Ghent, when I playfully chided him for adding caramel against my advice to the official bottlings of whisky the distillery finally decided to release, some three or four years after its discovery. “The casks were old, Jim. We had no option. But we are getting newer ones in to ensure natural colour.” Before me is a glass of the accidental whisky. I drink to the recovery and future happiness of his beautiful, mainly teenage, family, who also received terrible injuries in the crash. And to the memory of the effortlessly charming and always kind Jan Filliers, a true master distiller, who for such a tragically short time brightened up and expanded the known whisky world.

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Agenda

MY FIRST DRAM ~

ROBIN LAING Robin Laing is a chair of the Society’s Tasting Panel. He plays a pivotal role in selecting single casks for our members and also writes many of our unique Tasting Notes. Robin combines his passion for whisky with his career as a folk singer and songwriter.

PRIVATE EVENTS ~

ANY TIME, ANY PLACE – OUR PRIVATE TASTINGS ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD “I first tried whisky when I was 15 years old; I was given it by someone at a Hogmanay party. I thought it was disgusting and poured it out when no-one was looking! “A few years later, I was working in the cocktail bar of a hotel and felt I had to try some of the single malts, just to be able to answer the many questions that American and European tourists asked me. “I discovered Talisker 100 proof – it was like nothing I had ever tasted. Just to put some on my tongue and breathe over it was enough; fire and smoke laced with honey and oak – a peppery, passion-provoking whisky. “After that, I was on the trail of single malts, especially at natural strength – a road that inevitably led to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. I am particularly fond of sherrymatured malts (that wonderful marriage of Scotland and Andalusia), but I also like malts that are fresh and sweet; then again, sometimes a smoky beast is the answer. “In truth, it’s the diversity of Scotch whisky that drives my passion – the next one is always a potential adventure – and, of course, the fact that whisky is one thing Scotland does better than anybody else.”

If you could arrange a once-in-a-lifetime private tasting event anywhere in the world, where would you pick? How about on your favourite beach, at the bottom of your garden or even on the moon when cheap flights into outer space become a reality? Whatever your choice, the Society can bring a one-of-a-kind whisky tasting to you or you can come to us at one of our exclusive venues in Edinburgh or London. Nowhere is too far when it comes to sharing our expertise and passion for single cask, single malt whisky. To help plan your event, we have created

a website dedicated to private events – www.smwsevents.co.uk Whether it’s an anniversary, an important meeting or private dinner, the site has all the information you will need to help you create the perfect event. You can also create a special ‘event package’ and combine a tasting with anything from golf to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. To discuss a private event in the UK, call the events team on 0131 555 2266 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) or email events@smws.com

Just seconds to launch … Sign up for our informative email service at the new site www.smwsevents.co.uk and you could win an exclusive private events experience complete with champagne and canapé -6-

reception, chocolate and whisky tasting followed by a four-course dinner with matching wines. Or book a private dinner at one of our three beautiful venues and receive a complimentary

three-dram single cask whisky tasting. (This is a UK branch offer only). Offer ends Thursday 30 April

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MARVELLOUS MEMBER ~

SPREADING THE WORD A special mention this issue goes to Greg Smith, a member from London, who has been spreading the gospel about our single cask, single malt whisky far and wide. In February, Greg took advantage of our private events service to host a whisky tasting for his international colleagues from the social networking website Facebook at our London Members’ Rooms. The participants, mostly from America, thoroughly enjoyed the event which saw them sampling a variety of well-known premium blends

along with of our finest single cask, single malts. Bottlings 1.141 (‘One to Cherish and Love’) and G4.1 (‘Mellow Menthol’) drew particular praise and one or two of the guests were so enthralled by the experience that they signed up for membership on the spot. Greg said: “My missionary work for the Society’s whiskies isn’t over yet and I’m looking forward to bringing another group of potential converts in a few months’ time!” Good work Greg!

REFURBISHMENT ~

LOOKING GOOD Regular visitors to our Queen Street Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh will notice some refurbishment work being done in the venue in coming weeks. The venue is celebrating its fifth birthday on 28 May and, to keep it in tippety-top fashion for our members, we are giving the toilets and reception area a makeover.

In case you missed it... We’re not sure if it is a good idea or not (or perhaps even an early April Fool), but in February, it was reported that Panamabased whisky exporter company Scottish Spirits LTD was launching the world’s first alcohol-free whisky. The whisky, called ‘John Bow’, is targeted at Muslim consumers worldwide since it is Halal approved. The world’s largest collection of whiskies will go on view in April at The Scotch Malt Whisky Experience in Edinburgh. The record-breaking collection of almost 4,000 bottles of whisky was built up over 35 years by Brazilian Claive Vidiz. It has been purchased by Diageo and will go on display in a specially-designed vault at the venue. Musicals are increasingly popular these days (apparently Mamma Mia performed quite well at the box office) but, even so, it may come as something of a surprise to learn that an all-singing, all-dancing version of Whisky Galore is about to hit the stage. Compton Mackenzie’s tale of a ship carrying a cargo of whisky that ran aground off a Hebridean island was famously adapted for the silver screen – but this summer, it is being transformed into a musical (‘Whisky Galore – A Musical!’) at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre in Perth. The Glenmorangie Company was voted ‘Whisky Brand Innovator of the Year’ at Whisky Magazine’s ‘Icons of Whisky 2009’ awards – for the second year running.

APPOINTMENT ~

MOVING IN Members in London will notice a new face and some new exciting things going on at Greville Street, as Darren Rook takes on the role of Members’ Room manager. Darren joins the team from Queen Street in Edinburgh where he was a bar assistant and ambassador for the Society. He is already introducing some innovative ideas such as using Twitter to pass Society news to members. Meanwhile, Jennifer Hunter is leaving the London venue after four years. THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

SPECIAL LABELS ~

LOVING IT In February, we unleashed 125.18 ‘A Chocolate Valentine’, the first in a sporadic series of bottlings adorned with quirky labels to reflect the Tasting Note and release date. Look out for more releases in the coming months that shamelessly shun the Society’s bottling dress code. But be quick, these bottles will be extremely rare. Check the website at www.smws.co.uk or the next Outturn for details. International branch members should also look out for these unique bottlings. -7-

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a programme that is twice as big as before. The festival, which takes place in May, has been extended from 5 days to 10 days, with more than 250 events taking place around Speyside. The Glenturret distillery in Perthshire – home of the Famous Grouse Experience – is turning its waste carbon dioxide into biofuel. The distillery is to use a bioreactor that uses algae to strip carbon monoxide from its boiler exhaust and converts it into biofuels. The new technology also removes chemicals from the wastewater making the distilling process even more environmentally friendly.

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NETHERLANDS ~

BACK TO SCHOOL Members in the Netherlands and Germany will be flocking to a ‘whisky school’ and tasting event in Roosendaal in April. Hotel Central will be the venue for the event, which will include an introductory session on whisky and the Society hosted by Kenny Macdonald and a tasting from the latest Outturn. The event will be rounded off with a dinner. For more information, email smws@planet.nl SWITZERLAND ~

BREAKFAST FIT FOR A KING

FIRST FRIDAYS ~

LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY Question: What happens on the ‘First Friday’ of every month?

a) you take your dog to the dentist? b) the dog takes you to the dentist? c) the Society releases the latest Outturn which is crammed full of wonderful single cask, single malt whisky for you to enjoy? Send your answers on a (mental) postcard to: yourself! Correct entrants will win a pat on the back and a headstart on ordering the latest whisky when the new Outturn is released. To make sure you are first to find out about the latest Outturn, sign up for our email alert – visit www.smws.co.uk/our-unique-whisky and the ‘want more Society’ panel. The ‘First Fridays’ scheme is only applicable to members in the UK. Overseas members should check with their local branch for details on the latest bottlings.

It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and we’re sure the members of the Swiss branch will be very much in agreement with that sentiment on Sunday 17 May. The Members’ Room in Schönenwerd will be hosting a traditional Scottish brunch with everything from pancakes and porridge to eggs, sausages and fish, not to mention all kinds of baked cakes and treats.

AWARD-WINNER ~

WELL DONE! Unfiltered collected an award in February in the ‘Best Redesign’ category at the CiB (Communicators in Business) Scotland Awards 2008. The CiB judges said the magazine was “quirky and cool… the perfect blend of great writing and design”. We hope you agree – let us know your feedback on the magazine by sending us an electronic missive to unfiltered@smws.com

AUSTRALIA ~

FOOD FOR THOUGHT A bottle of Society malt (10.62 – ‘A Viking Warrior’) took pride of place on the table at an exclusive whisky dinner in Australia in February. The event, organised by local member Franz Scheurer, was a very exclusive night, with just 20 diners invited. It was held at the fashionable Glass Wine Bar & Brasserie in Sydney (pictured), with celebrated resident chef Luke Mangan matching various exceptional dishes to whisky. Our ‘Viking Warrior’ was paired with gougéres (French choux pastries) filled with foie gras and truffle, a combination that proved a real hit. -8-

WWW.SMWS.COM

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JUST A MINUTE WITH ~

NEELAKANTA RAO JAGDALE

Curios

SATISFYING YOUR THIRST FOR WHISKY KNOWLEDGE ~

In each issue of Unfiltered, we will be answering queries from our inquisitive members and addressing a variety of topics. This issue, we have opened up the floor to some questions from members on sourcing casks, tackling the ‘Angels’ Share’ and the ideal temperature for drinking whisky. Editor Kai Ivalo has the answers…

Julian Jones: Where does the Society get its casks from?

Our casks come from various sources, but the one constant is that the Tasting Panel must evaluate them all before any decision is made to bottle or buy them. The majority of casks are accessed from The Glenmorangie Company’s extensive stocks, which come from a wide range of different distilleries. Much of this stock might otherwise be used for blending or exchanging (or selling) for other stock with other whisky companies. The Society sometimes also sources casks direct from distilleries while our overseas branches also source non-Scotch casks for us – for example, we will be bottling some new Japanese casks later this year courtesy of our Japanese branch. PRIZE-WINNING TER

LETTER

Michael Coupar: Is there an ideal temperature for drinking whisky?

When it comes to temperature recommendations, it’s important to note that these THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

all relate to the water that you add to your whisky rather than the (starting) temperature of the whisky. In general, cold water (or ice) will suppress the flavours and aromas of the whisky but higher temperatures may accentuate some of the less appealing notes and, as a high alcohol drink itself, it may be rather unappealing to drink it warm in the first place. The advice that we offer at the Society is to use water that is at ‘room temperature’. However, that’s for a Scottish room so this may differ according to the climate of the region you live in. Research suggests the ideal temperature lies between 15 and 20°C. The bottom line is, of course, that you should always drink the whisky the way that you like it! Keith Benzie: Have distillers ever experimented in ways of reducing the ‘Angels’ Share’?

This issue is one of the biggest bugbears for whisky producers, especially for the bigger groups who ‘lose’ millions as a result of evaporation every year. But while the ‘Angels’ Share’ process may be seen as an

expensive part of whisky making, it is also an important one as the ability of the oak cask to ‘breathe’ is a key part in its maturation of the spirit inside. Various factors – such as the type, size, location and construction of the cask warehouse, to the levels of humidity, the air temperature and the air circulation – all have a part to play. Over the years, some experiments have been conducted to reduce the cask’s ability to breathe. For example, this has included methods of sleeving casks and even wrapping them in a type of plastic cling-film. Last year, it was reported that Diageo had carried out some trials using cling-film. However, Diageo was keen to make it clear that this was one option it was considering and that the technology involved remains not proven. It will be interesting to see the results of the various experiments and how they affect the maturation process and the flavours of the finished product. Pen your questions to unfiltered@smws.com The best, most curious, question each issue will win an equally curious Society bottle of single cask, single malt whisky -9-

Neelakanta Rao Jagdale (known as “Neel”) is the chairman and managing director of the Bangalore-based Indian drinks company Amrut Distilleries Ltd. In the 2009 edition of his Whisky Bible, Jim Murray called Amrut “…one of the great and most consistent distilleries in the world.”

If you were a whisky, how would you describe yourself?

Simple and straightforward to be judged by the character of the content. What was the last non-Amrut whisky you drank?

The last one I tried was a 15-year-old Glenlivet finished in Limousin oak. What is your ‘dream dram’?

A 16-year-old Lagavulin – for its perfect blend of complex malt and peat. Who – dead or alive – would you most like to share a dram with?

I would certainly like to have a dram with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II because I believe she has true appreciation of human character. If the world of whisky suddenly came to an end tomorrow, what would you do?

Get a meaningful position with the UN. What are your ambitions for Amrut in the coming years?

To make Amrut single malt available in every malt whisky drinking country in the world. How good can whisky from India become?

As great as the sub-continent is and as diverse as her culture.

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AIDE Mémoire

A snappy selection of the myriad events and adventures that underpin the Society’s raison d’être

LONDON, 21 MAY 2009

EDINBURGH, 21 MAY 2009

PICTURING THE PAST

Photographer Ian Macilwain has spent five years documenting the traditional equipment and methods of distilling that have gradually disappeared as processes have become more efficient and automated. The fruits of his labour can be seen in a luxurious hardback book, released in April, called ‘Bottled History: feints, fellows and photographs – vestiges of a disappearing era in Scottish malt whisky distilleries’ (see www.bottledhistory.com for more). Ian will be giving a talk about his work at the Queen Street Members’ Rooms. Five carefully chosen malts, designed to reflect the flavour of the era, will be served.

‘SVENGALI OF SPICE’

PREVIEW TASTINGS

“If there is a God, the canteen in heaven will be run by Cyrus Todiwala.” So said one particularly pleased restaurant critic after visiting Cafe Spice Namasté in London. The Bombay-born chef has been voted the best Indian chef in the UK, while, in 2000, he was awarded an MBE for his efforts. Society members can see what the fuss is all about when the self-styled ‘Svengali of spice’ hosts an evening of curry and whisky food matching and tasting in his restaurant. Cyrus will be matching his food to five Society malts and explaining the thinking behind each of the whisky and food flavour combinations. When asked what members can expect, Cyrus simply said: “Come with an open mind and expect a real adventure…”

In May and June, eager beavers across the UK can try out whiskies from the following month’s Outturns a week before the First Fridays swing into action. On 29 May, there are preview tastings in Aberdeen, York and Bristol to give members an exclusive first taste of highlighted malts from the June Outturn which is released the following Friday. On 26 June, there are preview tastings of the July Outturn in Wokingham, Winchester and Inverness.

EDINBURGH, 22 JUNE 2009

TALL TALES AND TREATS FRASER BALLANTYNE PHOTOGRAPHY

VARIOUS, MAY & JUNE 2009

A convivial evening of absorbing tales and palatepleasing tastings awaits members at this laid-back event. Society chairman Willie Phillips will be hosting the night at the Vaults, our Members’ Room in Leith, and selecting his favourite drams from the Society’s stocks. Willie was managing director at The Macallan for more than 20 years so do not be surprised if one or two sherried malts make an appearance on the night. He will also be selecting something from each of the whisky regions. -10-

EDINBURGH, 5 AND 7 JUNE 2009

GET THE SCOOP

Yorkshireman Ian Gibson will be hosting two nights at the Vaults to share the delights of his sublime home-made whisky ice-cream. Ian is a longtime member of the Society who has enjoyed a wonderfully varied career. Having started out as a maths lecturer, he then spent 20 years working in theatre as an audio engineer. In keeping with his diverse career trajectory, Ian now creates ice cream infused with whisky or beer. GERMANY, 25 AND 26 APRIL, 2009

LIMBURG WALTZ The Society will be represented at the annual Whisky Fair in Limburg in April, with Ansgar Eichler and his wife, Sabine, running a stand. In 2008, the Eichlers raised £500 for the Islay & Jura Sick Children’s Fund by selling drams from Society bottling 10.56. They are aiming for a similar charity campaign this year. WWW.SMWS.COM

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EDINBURGH, 18 MAY 2009

EDINBURGH, 28 MAY 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON IN MAY Society chef James Freeman will give food fans an in-depth insight into the intricacies of preparing and cooking fish at this Queen Street event. During the 90 minutes of tuition, James will prepare two fish dishes and a dessert, which will then be served to members in The Dining Room. The evening also includes two sessions on whisky and wine matching with your food.

VARIOUS, EDINBURGH, MAY 2009

AUSTRALIA, 22 APRIL 2009

May has been earmarked as Homecoming Scotland’s ‘whisky month’ and the Society will be hosting events at The Vaults and Queen Street Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh. On 9 May, The Vaults will host an event based on the theme of ‘whisky with a difference’. Five unusual whiskies will be tasted to highlight the Society’s unique single cask, single malt selection. Over at Queen Street, an event on 2 May will focus on tasting whisky in the ‘Society way’ with five whiskies sampled in five different ways, such as in or with food, or as part of a blind tasting.

We highlighted the merits of whisky and cheese pairings in the January issue of Unfiltered – so we’re pleased to report that the Australian branch of the Society will be teaming up with Alison Brien, an experienced ‘fromager’, to host a cheese and whisky tasting in April at the prestigious Royal Automobile Club in Sydney.

SCOTLAND’S SAY BIG PARTY CHEESE

For more, visit the website of the Australian branch at www.smws.com.au or email info@smws.com.au

VARIOUS, 21 JUNE 2009

DO IT FOR THE DADS! Did you know that in Thailand people celebrate Fathers’ Day by presenting their dads with a flower? It is a lovely gesture, but we’re inclined to think that, given the option, fathers in the UK might prefer some of the Society’s finest single cask, single malt whisky. The Society will host various Fathers’ Day events up and down the UK on 21 June. For example, both the Queens Street and the Vaults Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh will host a special Fathers’ Day lunch – with a free bottle of Society whisky for dad on offer for tables of more than four people.

So how do I book? The Society offers a programme of events across its Members’ Rooms and various other venues in the UK and overseas. Full details for each of the above events, including addresses, times and ticket prices, are published on our website at www.smws.co.uk You can also call the mail order team on 0131 555 2929, Mon-Fri, 9am-4.45pm. International members should refer to the website of their branches for details of events in their countries.

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

Our Queen Street venue will reach a major milestone in May when it celebrates its fifth anniversary. The evening will take a trip down memory lane with five of the most interesting drams from the last five years of bottlings. A threecourse supper will be matched with the whiskies while there will be a complimentary glass of Champagne and dram with coffee for everyone booked into the Dining Room. In the bar, a free dram will be served to all members after 6pm and cake will also be on offer throughout the day. If you can’t make it on the night, pop down during the week to sample the anniversary atmosphere, as there will be a special fifth anniversary menu in The Dining Room. Look out for coverage in the next issue.

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Spotlight

The ﬁxer WORDS: JIM BYERS PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE WILKINSON

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KNOWLED GE ~

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Spotlight

HURRY HURRY! Jim is inspecting Cask No. 24.103 ‘Burning Angels and Rubber Bands’ – but there are only a few left...

FROM PR EVI OUS PAGE

which completely removes this flavour selectively.” His work was so ground-breaking that it was patented and the patent is current in America, the EU, Chile and Australia. Throughout his career, Jim has also long had strong links with the Society, having sat on Tasting Panels for many years and given talks to members in Edinburgh and London. The extensive travelling began during Jim’s time with Tatlock and Thomson and the trips overseas have allowed Jim to witness first hand the emergence of new markets and new brands. Asked to pick a favourite location, he highlights Taiwan as being particularly promising. “India is exciting, there is a tremendous interest in America and the Japanese are so enthusiastic – but Taiwan only has a population of about 20 million and it is the sixth-biggest market in the world for Scotch. They are very enthusiastic about their Scotch and, in particular, single malts. Taiwan’s biggest trade export customer is China, so it is a great springboard into another potentially huge market.” Having witnessed the growth of whisky around the world, Jim warns that established Scottish companies need to be “on their toes” in order to protect their position as market leaders.

“Whisky has tended to be made in cool climates – that’s why Scotland is ideal. But there are now ways round that – there are people making whisky in very hot countries and becoming good at it. Initially, they weren’t, due to lack of investment. But the investment and knowledge is now there. “There is a bit of complacency in Scotland – a lot of people think they’re made for life, but that is not the case. People overseas are developing the technology and perfecting what they’re making and there is no reason

why you can’t get top-quality whiskies from other countries now. We need to be on our guard and certainly not complacent or conservative.” Jim Swan certainly isn’t complacent. Reflecting on his career and reputation, he remains modest despite his achievements and enviable lifestyle. “It’s a privilege to travel round the world and learn about new things. I am always shocked to go to a country and find that I am known. But I have to admit I love what I do. I love the whisky and the travelling. I feel for all those people who have to go to an

Take a trip to our archive For more on jet-setter Jim Swan, visit the archive of articles on our website. Type ‘Jim Swan’ into the archive search box on www.smws.co.uk/your-societyadventure/article-archive

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WWW.SMWS.COM

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Indulge OUTTURN

IT’S AN EXHAUSTING PROCESS YOU KNOW... An outdoor dram from Islay, a decadent treat from the north, a brash rarity from Speyside, a gorgeous grain from Ayrshire and a smoky curveball from Japan… our quest to bring you the very best single cask single malt whisky is never-ending. Here are five to try from recent releases...

International branch members – please check your own branches for details of what is available in your country. Apologies, but the UK branch is unable to send whisky overseas. Please note, this is just a selection from the new Outturn – visit the website to see what else is available.

Cask No. G7.1 ‘Middle-aged Mutant Ninja Tortoise Dram’

The January issue of Unfiltered carried an article on grain whiskies and here’s yet BE QUICK another new one – the You’ll need to get your order in fast as this seems to have seventh grain distillery that been a leaky cask – the the Society outturn is just 48 bottles. has now Happy hunting! bottled from. Produced by an independently-owned distillery in Ayrshire, this is at the younger end of the scale for grain whiskies (yet it is still 18 years old!), so quite different to recent grains that we have offered.

Cask No. 53.128 ‘Islela-la’

Cask No. 48.15 ‘Shape-shifting Devil’

Cask No. 4.131 ‘An Artist’s Retreat’

Cask No. 116.14 ‘Lost in Translation’

Our columnist Tom Morton extols the virtues of outdoor dramming in his latest missive (see page 34) and this 19-year-old from that most famous of whisky islands would sit perfectly in your hip flask. The Tasting Panel were transported, first to France via a hint of French onion soup, and then to Islay through a sip of its rich combination of hog roast, sea breezes and peaty bonfire smoke. A splash of water added sea salt, mussels, goats’ cheese and smoky pork to the mix.

This cheeky 9-year-old had the Tasting Panel careering wildly all over their spectrum of descriptive references. When they throw in the word ‘sensation’, you know this is special. From Speyside, it is quite sharp and prickly to start with, but opens up to reveal wonderful aromas and flavours – the Panel picked up everything from sherbet and Jamaican ginger cake to spiced oranges and plum syrup. If you love seeking out rare gems, this is one for you .

Sometimes you simply have to indulge yourself and this rare sherry cask from a Highland Island distillery, which is much loved by members, is guaranteed to make your heart sing. A 20-year-old, it initially delivers a deliciously dry mix of sandalwood and vanilla that earned a very high score from the Tasting Panel. You will be rewarded by taking time over this, as exposing it to the air and water brings out some salt and smoke, and a long, warm finish. Go on, treat yourself.

If you have been inspired by our journey through the whisky bars of Tokyo (see pages 18-21), you might want to make friends with this Japanese offering. This is a great example of a peated Japanese whisky and, tasted blind, will fool many for being a classic Islay dram. The Tasting Panel was amazed at how smoky this sample was, from the menthol, heather and sea spray on the nose to barbequed shrimp on the taste. Water throws up eucalyptus, furniture polish, fudge – and a lot more smoke. If you have never tried a Japanese malt whisky before, then you really ought to do so – and this is a great place to start.

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

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As you would expect, it is light with lots of sweet aromas and flavours coming through – think toffee, vanilla, coconut and apricot jam. It does, however, deliver a notable spicy heat and a long-lasting after-glow. The panel preferred it with water and this might make a perfect summer weather dram – it could even work in a cocktail.

Curiosity piqued? To buy any of these bottles, visit the shop section of our website www.smws.co.uk or call 0131 555 2929. Lines are open 9am to 4.45pm, Monday to Friday. Remember – the Society is now releasing casks on the ‘first Fridays’ of every month

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Interview

Tom Kitchin

man on Unfiltered talks whisky, food matching and cooking tips with one of the hottest chefs in the UK

t’s 10.30am on a face-numbingly freezing February morning, but things are already hotting up in The Kitchin restaurant. The Michelin-starred eatery in Edinburgh’s gastronomic hotbed Leith exudes a calm buzz of activity as it is brought to life for lunch. An iron hisses intermittently across tablecloths, cutlery clinks into place after it is polished, while a window in the main dining area looks directly into the kitchen where a team of several chefs are busily stirring, chopping and tasting the day’s food. Through in the bar area, the eye is drawn to a large wooden cabinet. Closer inspection reveals a mouth-watering array of whiskies drawn from all corners of the single malt spectrum. Next to it on the wall, there is a framed photo of some whisky bottles and a quick scan of the drinks list reveals a separate whisky section with more than 30 high quality single malts, all split by region. This restaurant may have an impeccable reputation for its food, but someone here evidently has an appetite for a decent dram too. That person is Edinburgh-born head chef and owner Tom Kitchin, who opened the restaurant two-and-a-half years ago with his wife Michaela. The 31 year old, whose growing collection of awards is testament to his reputation as one of the most brilliant young chefs in the UK, explains that the cabinet is a relatively new addition to the restaurant, added last year to reflect his growing passion for whisky. “If you’d asked me about whisky two or three years ago, you wouldn’t have got much out of me,” he admits in an accent which is a curious blend of French, courtesy of his years training across the Channel, and his native Scottish. “But since opening the restaurant,

that has changed. I have been getting to know whisky better as part of my philosophy to use the best of Scottish produce.” Tom’s knowledge and passion for whisky was boosted last year following a trip to New York, where he was involved in the city’s annual ‘Tartan Week’ events. He worked with Glenfiddich, hosting cookery displays at gourmet cookware store Williams-Sonoma and renowned department store Macy’s. “That experience really opened my eyes to the world of whisky and I learned how to taste it properly.”

I’ve seen some horrific things on menus such as something very delicate like scallops with a strong whisky. TOM KITCHIN

Tom says working with whisky – with its strength of alcohol and flavour – is a real challenge. It is something he has dabbled with in the past, but is now keen to explore more, with a view to exploring ‘food matching’ in a similar fashion to the way wine is paired with food. “Cooking with whisky really tests your skills as a chef – it is exceedingly strong so you have to be very careful what you serve it with. But you can ‘let it down’ in different ways to take away that potency. When you are tasting whisky, it’s great how a little drop of water can open up -16-

the whisky. It’s the same cooking it – you can add a little bit of sugar, or a little squeeze of lemon or a touch of honey, and you are immediately creating and exploring new flavours. “It’s fascinating using the different strengths of whiskies and seeing how they can complement the dishes, and we will be looking into this more soon with food matching. We do a lot of food matching with wine and the idea of matching whisky to a dish is very much part of our philosophy to challenge people to try new experiences.” At the time of writing, game featured prominently on Tom’s menu and he suggests readers looking for food matching combinations try out things such as hare, venison, and woodcock with whisky. “I sometimes use whisky as a substitute for Cognac when making a sauce. It works well with the strong, musky flavours of venison.” But he cautions against trying whisky with everything, no matter how much you love it. “There are limits. For example, if you are cooking a dessert, you don’t want something too strong or peaty which will overpower the sweetness of a dessert. I’ve seen some horrific things on menus such as something very delicate like scallops with a strong whisky – it’s just never going to work.” Before Unfiltered steps back into the cold, Tom is keen to reinforce his passion for whisky. “Food in this country has come a long way in the last 10 years – it’s the same with people’s understanding of whisky. Our whisky list is increasingly popular. There is certainly a wider range of people ordering it these days and they are interested in where it is from and how they should drink it. People increasingly want to know where the food is from and the same goes for drinking whisky.” WWW.SMWS.COM

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KNOWLED GE ~

From start to Michelin stardom

ﬁre

Tom started his career at the esteemed Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire before working in London alongside pioneering French chef Pierre Koffmann at La Tante Claire, a restaurant which boasted three Michelin stars. He then

WORDS: JIM BYERS PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE WILKINSON

PHOTO: MARTIN PETTINGER

spent several years honing his skills in France working at Guy Savoy in Paris – another restaurant with a trio of Michelin stars – and Alain Ducasse’s Le Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo. He opened The Kitchin in June 2006 and, just six months after opening, it was awarded a coveted Michelin star. A constant stream of awards has followed.

Pigs flying off the menu Tom’s signature dish at the time of writing was boned and rolled pig’s head with roasted langoustines and crispy pig’s ear salad. “Some people might think pigs’ ears are unusual, but they’re delicious,” he said. “It sounds gruesome but is exceedingly good.” Turn to page 32 for a whisky-inspired recipe from Tom and some more of his cooking tips

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

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Section Discover

TOKYO N Locals say it is the best city to drink whisky in – join us for a whistlestop tour of its best bars WORDS: STEPHEN PHELAN PHOTOGRAPHY: JEREMY SUTTON-HIBBERT

t is raining hard in Tokyo this afternoon, but we are far enough underground to forget about the weather for the moment, like those deep-sea fish that don’t know or care what’s happening at the surface. The Japanese capital is effectively a splitlevel city, where you could probably walk for days without emerging from its endless basement of metro tunnels, shopping arcades and streets beneath the streets. Somewhere down here, below Tokyo station, is a 40-year-old specialist whisky shop called Liquors Hasegawa. Yoichi Motoki guides us there, along crowded corridors at rush hour. Yoichi is a former professional barman who got a job with the importer and distributor Whisk-e Ltd, and -18-

went to work on Arran for a couple of years, during which time he had a spell at Springbank and served Society members at the Vaults, our Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh. Yoichi knows the CalMac ferry timetables at least as well as the Tokyo trains, and shares his first name with the Japanese single malt that was voted best in its class at last year’s World Whiskies Awards, although he laughs this off as a happy coincidence. His employer David Croll has also come along – David, who runs the Society’s branch in Tokyo, will be my interpreter by default. A very tall man, who only seems more so in Japan, David agrees with the local aficionados who believe this is now the greatest city in the world for drinking WWW.SMWS.COM

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The characters (known as ‘kanji’ in Japanese) above and on the front cover mean ‘first class’ or ‘the greatest’. Many Tokyoites believe their city is the best place in the world to drink whisky in

NIGHTS malts and blends, foreign and domestic. “I don’t think even the people who live here quite realise how much is going on,” he said. Though generally distilled to Scottish specifications, roughly 80 per cent of whisky sold in this country is Japanese, produced by the drinks giants Nikka and Suntory, or the smaller operations owned by their rivals Kirin and a few independents, such as the relative newcomers Venture. At Liquors Hasegawa, that rule is basically reversed – almost all of their stock is original Scotch, and it rises to the roof in the pleasing antiquarian way of books in classical libraries, so that staff need stepladders to reach the remotest bottles. THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

Manager Shusaku Osawa has worked here for 25 years, long enough to watch McDonald’s and Starbucks move in at either side of him, and to see Scottish single malt become affordable, if not exactly cheap. “Some of the customers are getting quite old,” said Shusaku, relying on David to translate and paraphrase. “And a lot of those tend to be traditional blend drinkers, who stick with the same label they’ve always bought.” Many such loyalist tastes were formed in the brief golden age of the 1980s, when Japan’s world-beating brand of capitalism and high protectionist prices ensured that only captains of industry could pay for higher-end Scotch, which then became a badge of wealth. Tax -19-

and trade changes in the following lean decade eventually let the minimum cost of a bottle drop under 10,000 yen (£60, more or less, at least until the recent collapse of the pound), damaging the lucrative luxury gift market while falling within range of the average buyer. Now younger customers want, and get, the single malts that their elders were largely denied. According to Shusaku, they are “promiscuous” in their purchases. For the last couple of years, he has offered tasting samples from his everwider range, starting at a bargain 100 yen per dram – although two is your limit. Already predisposed to trust a man who wears CONTINUED OVER LE AF

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Who’s who and where... 1. Shusaku Osawa, the manager at Liquors Hasegawa, the specialist whisky store beneath Tokyo station 2. No prizes for guessing what kind of whisky Masaki Murasawa, the manager at Helmsdale, likes 3. The streets of the Yurakucho district – home to Bar Campbelltoun Loch and the Manpuku Shokudo restaurant

4. Atsushi Horigami, the manager at Zoetrope, where you can watch silent movies while sampling rare Japanese whisky 5. Drinkers congregate at the tiny basement bar of Campbelltoun Loch 6. The Manpuko Shokudo restaurant in Yurakucho 7. Yoshi drinks a dram of 40y/o Highland Park, costing 5,000 Yen, at Helmsdale

Owner Atsushi Horigami screens silent comedies through a projector while serving the finest and rarest products of Japanese distilleries.

FROM PR EVI OUS PAGE

the black apron of a true shopkeeper, and the esoteric beard of an artisan, I try his recommended 1996 Clynelish with the Lion Rampant on the label, specially bottled for Liquors Hasegawa by a visiting importer. And I might even buy it, if not for the pitiless current exchange rate. “Banzai!” shouts Shusaku, albeit discreetly, when asked if his regulars have been similarly intimidated by the global financial crisis. He is the first Japanese person I have ever heard use that word outside of war films or TV game shows, and with David away for one last browse, I can only guess that he means their love of whisky is recession-proof, perhaps to the point of outright defiance. Yoichi leads us back out into heavy foot-traffic, and we take a packed train to Shinjuku. Out at street level, it looks like a digital construct, especially in the rain, with sliding blocks of neon diffused through a canopy of translucent commuter umbrellas. The sight of it famously

inspired the set designers for Ridley Scott’s movie Blade Runner. Zoetrope, a small whisky bar on the third floor of a nearby high-rise, is cinematic in its own way, but wilfully unfuturistic. Owner Atsushi Horigami screens silent comedies through a projector while serving the finest and rarest products of Japanese distilleries. The black-and-white antics of Keaton and Chaplin don’t usually run in sync with Atsushi’s musical loop of random soundtracks from very different films, like the Vietnam drama Born On The Fourth Of July. Atsushi used to work in film production himself, and later in videogames, before quitting to open a place that would combine his two passions. (“Passion,” David tells me more than once tonight, “is the big thing these days.” He suggests that Japan is even now in the midst of a second “whisky boom”.)

Zoetrope was named after the mechanical device that made the earliest movies possible – Atsushi keeps one behind the bar – which, in turn, comes from a Greek word meaning “wheel of life”. He doesn’t speak English, let alone Gaelic, but does know that uisge beatha translates to “water of life”, and imagines a connection between water and wheel that he finds difficult to explain. Even so, you won’t find any Scotch in here. “Scotch, Scotch, Scotch,” said Atsushi of most other whisky bars in Tokyo, having dedicated himself to sourcing and pouring the best of his own country. He drives out to family liquor stores in distant rural towns, buys up from the dustiest shelves what the owners consider “dead stock”, and returns with long-forgotten Japanese bottlings that his most informed and obsessive patrons have never seen or heard of.

TOKYO ~ TAKE YOUR OWN TRIP TO WHISKY HE AVEN 1. Liquors Hasegawa

3. Yurakucho district

Yaesu underground mall (north exit), Tokyo Station www.liquorshasegawa.com

For more on this area, which is close to Ginza, go to the Japanese national tourism site at www.jnto.go.jp/eng

2. Helmsdale

4. Zoetrope

Minami Aoyama 6pm-6am www.helmsdalefc.com

Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku station (west exit) 7pm-4am

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5. Bar Campbelltoun Loch Yurakucho +81-3-3501-5305 6pm-4:30am

6. Manpuku Shokudo Restaurant the Yurakucho +81-03-3211-6001 11am-1am

7. Ginza-S Ginza or Shimbashi station +81-3-35735074 www.ginza-s.com

Getting about : All-day travel tickets in Tokyo, covering buses, subway and trains, can be purchased from around 700 yen www.tourism. metro.tokyo.jp

WWW.SMWS.COM

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Discover 4

Since Atsushi’s rivals caught on to this trick, there have been fewer buried treasures to find, but even his better-known stuff is brand new to me. I ask for a glass of Suntory’s Special Mysterious Whisky purely because of the name. It’s a 12-year-old malt made for a Japanese crime writers’ association. “Not particularly mysterious,” as David puts it after a sip, but not at all bad. Nikka’s Peaty And Salty lives up to its title more aggressively. That language has become an issue, David tells me, in the taxi across town to Minami Aoyama. Until recently, the English whisky vocabulary has been imposed on the Japanese, but standard terms like “smoky” or “sweet” don’t mean quite the same things here – especially, inevitably, references to distinctly British/Scottish foods, sweets and childhood experiences. Local distilleries and writers are developing new frames of reference for Japan’s own tastes and palates that native drinkers will recognise more naturally. In the Helmsdale, however, the menu is strongly Scottish-inflected: fish and chips, chips and cheese, haggis in Talisker, whiskyflavoured pasta with salmon, cream and Johnnie Walker. Yoichi orders several plates to share, which is customary in Japanese pubs, and a round of real ales from the Yona Yona brewery in Nagano. The manager, Masaki Murasawa, serves us wearing an I ‘heart’ Islay t-shirt. Masaki has visited more than 50 distilleries in Scotland, and concluded that the two nations share the same “kindly, friendly spirit”. It is not entirely possible to forget which country his THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

KNOWLED GE ~THE SO CIETY IN JAPAN The Japanese branch of the Society opened in 1993 and holds regular events in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. There are now more than 3000

establishment is in, but there is a peculiar dislocation that comes of half-watching a Celtic FC match on telly, while drinking a nine-year-old single cask Caol Ila in a public space decorated with saltires and stag antlers. A computer programmer named Yoshi helps bring me back to reality, having just spent 5,000 yen (£40 and rising) on a single dram of 40-year-old Highland Park. Yoshi comes to the Helmsdale twice a week, but only once a month, on payday, does he ask Masaki for a special recommendation, no expense spared. -21-

local members, and recent excursions have included a tour of Scottish distilleries and a tasting on Mount Fuji. The Society has established links with the major Japanese whisky companies to source special single casks for bottling from Nikka and Suntory. A bar called High Society (left) now serves as a base for the Society at the

Park Hotel Tokyo, with members and guests afforded special rates. For more, email enquiries@smws japan.com

Tonight is that night. “I can’t fight the attraction,” he said. “White Bowmore, Black Bowmore… I try but I always lose.” Might this worldwide recession not persuade him to budget? “It’s getting more difficult for me,” he admitted. “But still not impossible.” Over at Campbelltoun Loch, a tiny basement bar which seats no more than nine people at a time, another customer tells me in excellent English that he “cannot finish a CONTINUED OVER LE AF

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Discover

FROM PR EVI OUS PAGE

day without a Scotch malt”. Tsuyoshi Komori keeps 500 bottles at home for that purpose. Judging by his business card, Tsuyoshi is some kind of financier. “But if you have 500 bottles, it means you don’t have much to deposit in the bank,” he said. “I translate my money into memories instead.” I ask if his wife shares his passion. “No. But she understands.” And how does he decide which of his many malts to drink each night? “Instinct.” Tsuyoshi and his friends represent the avantgarde of the Tokyo whisky scene. They are “wataku” – geeks, or purists if you prefer – who always order it neat, never “mizuwari” (mixed with water). They are also nomadic, explains David, and Campbelltoun Loch is currently their favourite precisely because the owner, Nakamura-San, does not have enough room for anything superfluous, generic, or sub-standard. I can see why they trust him. Enquiring into my tastes, Nakamura chooses for me. If he hadn’t, I might never have heard of the 30-year-old from the long-defunct Port Ellen distillery, or realised how badly my life has been lacking it. Just for the sake of contrast, Yoichi insists that I take a shot of “denki bran” when we make a brief stop at Manpuku Shokudo, a noisy izakaya restaurant under the Ginza railway tracks. Neither he nor David are sure what it’s made of – could be grape, or grain, or both – only that it dates back to the post-war period, when little else was available to citizens of the ruined city. Modern Tokyoites must still drink it so as not to forget, because even now it tastes like utter despair to me. At the other end of the scale, in a dark and beautiful cocktail bar called Ginza-S, we order our last round of the night. Mixed with fresh fruit and Lochranza by an expert known as CJ (his real name is Seiji, but the Arran islanders couldn’t pronounce it when he too worked in the

ABOVE: the stylish Ginza-S cocktail bar LEFT: the train ticket used during our tour of Tokyo

KNOWLED GE ~ OTHER TIPPLE S IN TOKYO Sake Increasingly fashionable around the world, most of the

best sake remains in Japan for consumption by the domestic market.

Try some premiumgrade Daiginjo. Shochu Even as it becomes more sophisticated, the Japanese whisky market has been shrinking for a decade or more, while shochu has been the focus of a consumer boom.

Distilled from barley, rice or potatoes to be sweeter and stronger than sake (usually 25% ABV), it’s now extremely popular with younger drinkers. The most coveted brands, such as Moriizu, come from the southern island of Kyushu.

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whisky trade there), they might be the best cocktails I will ever have, and they’re certainly the most expensive. The bill for three comes to more than £150. Knowing that I can’t afford another, but in no hurry to head back out into the rain, I find myself wishing for an earthquake. This is probably not good karma while sitting underneath a tall building in such a seismically-unstable city, but I’m thinking of a mild one, not powerful enough to hurt anybody, or even break a single one of the bottles down here. Just strong enough to block exits, seal us in for a while, suspend all financial transactions, and let us sustain ourselves with some elegance. We could say we’d been saved by the water of life. WWW.SMWS.COM

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Interview JEWEL IN THE WHISKY CROWN

BRIGHT YOUNG THING New York-based Scot Maeve Gillies is a shining star in the luxury jewellery business. She spreads the single malt gospel by hosting whisky tastings at her events – and her dad was one of the original Society ‘gang’

How did you get started in the jewellery business?

My maternal grandparents had an art gallery in the Borders and I used to spend hours admiring the intricate work of a jeweller they represented. One day I got a chance to do work experience with that jeweller – I was immediately addicted. How did you end up in New York?

I had lived and worked here for two years after my first degree in jewellery from Edinburgh College of Art – I moved to New York to launch MaeVona in 2005 with my American business partner. Whisky and jewellery is an unusual combination…

My creations are all named after Scottish islands and rivers, and our ad campaigns are all shot in Scotland. Our customers are sophisticated clientele who really appreciate the Scottish heritage. This makes whisky the perfect partner for our promotional events. Where did you learn about whisky?

Whisky is a personal passion – this might be somewhat genetic in my family! I climbed many Munros with my father where a sniff of his hipflask was reward at the top – a mountain top is still my favourite place to drink whisky. Tell us about your dad and his links to the Society?

My father [William Gillies, Professor of Celtic and Scottish Studies at Edinburgh University] is an old friend of Society founder Pip Hills. He recalls when Pip bought the first cask and drove it down to Edinburgh to test out on his friends. My father encouraged Pip, recognising the viability of a Society with access to these magical casks. How do the whisky tastings at your events work?

I do tastings on an informal basis in our HQ on Madison Avenue and more formal tastings at events such as our annual invite-only luxury jewellery shows in Las Vegas. I give a brief overview of what a THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

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single malt is and how it differs to the whiskies that most Americans are familiar with. As many attendees have tried Scotch before (but often with ice or soda water), I show how to taste a whisky. What kind of whiskies do you use?

I give various examples of aging/ finishing/bottling variants. For example, I add one vintage, special edition, single cask or different finish next to a classic. I’ll also add in something sweet, fruity or with a caramel note to appeal to women, as many of our customers are female, and often have a preconceived idea that Scotch is a maleonly drink – which I love to change! What kind of reaction do you get from customers?

It is very popular – the earliest recorded request for a dram is 9.05am in the morning..! If you could design jewellery for anyone, who would it be?

Angelina Jolie. She is forceful, challenging and unpredictable, with true grace and mystery. Also, she is the only other girl I know who rides the same Italian motorcycle as I do – an MV Agusta Brutale – so, she rocks! What is the most luxurious item you have ever produced?

We have created engagement rings for diamonds the size of small pebbles, so we often handle tiny items with big tickets. Looking into them has a miraculous, hypnotic quality – like gazing into a crystalclear lake in the sunshine. Ever had any strange requests for jewellery?

Yes would be an understatement. I absolutely can’t go into details. Well, at least until after the seventh dram..! Who would you most like to share a dram with and why?

My dad, at the top of a mountain – nothing beats it. For more information, see www.maevona.com

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Spotlight

Setting up your own distillery is a rollercoaster ride of risks and rewards, says David Baker of Bakery Hill in Australia

When

worlds collide

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WORDS: ANDREW DERBIDGE PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREW ASHTON

WWW.SMWS.COM

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It was exciting but nervewracking during that start-up phase – I was tasting and evaluating my ﬁrst maturing spirit on a daily, then weekly, then monthly basis. DAVID BAKER

ost of us adopt a career that is often far removed from our interests – but a lucky few manage to make a career out of their passion. David Baker was formerly a biochemist with a multi-national food manufacturing company before becoming a high school chemistry teacher. But in the mid-1990s, his background and passion for whisky paved the way for a career in distilling. While still balancing teaching, he spent five painstaking years establishing his distillery. Located in the south-eastern corner of Australia on the outskirts of Melbourne, Bakery Hill’s first spirit flowed off the still in 1999. Here, in his own words, he reveals the emotional ups and downs that he encountered along the way…

“T

he coffee table books and magazines insisted that, due to the climatic conditions and water in Scotland, anyone foolish enough to try and duplicate its whisky elsewhere was doomed to fail. Why would you even bother trying? I took this as a challenge… Australia produces world-class wines and beers, but what about malt whisky? When speaking to others about my venture, it was ‘a given’ that my ideas were ridiculous and destined to failure. But the more I researched the topic, the more determined I was to show them that it was indeed possible; not to make a Scotch whisky look-alike, but a single malt whisky that showed all the classic features and character that production in my country could impart. When we started to design our distillery, t h e o n l y government regulations

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

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that were available was the Distilling Act 1901 – a very old and quaint document that was almost impossible to implement as it was written. The greatest hurdle for us to overcome was the regulation which mandated the minimum capacity of the wash still to be 2700 litres. A regulation such as this would immediately stop many individuals or groups from setting up trial or experimental distilleries before having to invest in a more commercial set-up. Fortunately, this regulation was changed by the dedication and hard work of Bill Lark from the Lark Distillery in Tasmania (see panel on next page). The regulation was changed, sanity prevailed and we were all now in a perfect position to set up experimental distilleries throughout Australia. Other regulations insisted that the spirit store must be constructed of stone, brick or concrete with all windows covered with solid iron bars not less than 25mm in diameter with the spaces between bars not less than 155mm. These windows must be covered with close fitting wire netting and all doors strongly constructed and sheeted on the inside with iron. Obviously burglar alarms or security systems had not made their appearance at that time. Working hours were also carefully laid out as being 8am to 5pm on each day from Monday CONTINUED OVER LE AF

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Spotlight

FROM PR EVI OUS PAGE

DISTILLING IN AUSTR ALIA

to Friday, and 8am to 12 noon on Saturdays. Woe betide any distiller wishing to squeeze in a little more distilling or bottling to cover some additional orders!

A love affair with whisky

ut the engineering and technical problems were by far the most difficult to come to grips with. Being a new technology in Australia, there was hardly anyone with the appropriate engineering experience to turn to for equipment selection, design, installation and commissioning. Days, weeks and months were wasted getting the technical problems sorted out and getting the system operating the way we required it. Even sourcing the raw materials was troublesome – I had constant supply problems. My biggest regret from those days was that I did not produce more spirit. Demand today is greatly outstripping supply and there is very little that can be done to rectify the situation quickly. It was exciting but nerve-wracking during that start-up phase – I was tasting and evaluating my ﬁrst maturing spirit on a daily, then weekly, then monthly basis. I couldn’t walk into the spirit store without giving myself a ‘tester’ to see how it was performing. I wanted to know as soon as possible if I was going to be pouring the spirit down the drain and admitting defeat. But our climate in Melbourne turned out to be a real plus – warm ambient temperatures with quite large differences between the day’s maximum and minimum temperatures were perfect for maturation. It’s a wonderful experience to see the gradual development of a harsh new-makespirit turn into a wonderful, full, complex, smooth single malt whisky before your eyes. But it’s bloody hard – like a juggler keeping half

The Society Down Under The Australian branch of the Society launched at the end of 2002 with a series of introductory tastings in Sydney, quickly spreading across the rest of the country by mid-2003. Today, the Society has more than 800 members and conducts extremely popular and well-attended tasting nights in the capital cities of each state, as well as satellite tastings in regional areas.

ABOVE: sourcing materials proved difficult at first

a dozen balls in the air at once and trying to tap dance at the same time. You’re balancing planning, financing, production, marketing, and distribution, all while trying to keep the family happy as we go through the stages one by one. Without a history of manufacture, the whole venture was a series of tiny steps. Only now, nine years on, do I feel confident to operate the distillery at capacity but even then I still have to wait seven, eight or nine years for my malts to be in a position to bottle. But it’s heartening to get positive feedback. The most rewarding moment was seeing the flow of the first new-make spirit. Seeing the distillery get its first feature in an Australian magazine was also wonderful, as was ﬂipping through Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible and ﬁnding Bakery Hill tasting notes. And no, it won’t make me rich. Although the demand for my malts is great, all the cash that comes in the front door goes out the back to pay for malt, casks, bottles, services, packaging, wages and so on.

ould I do it all again? Absolutely. Despite the enormous barriers to the initial establishment of the distillery, both technical and financial, to be able to put a label on a bottle of malt that you are really happy with and see people enjoying it is enormously rewarding. How can one have regrets when at the end of the day you can walk around the spirit store and breathe in the wonderful vapours of the product that you have made? Sometimes I think I must be crazy to continue, but most of the time I just love my involvement in creating a malt whisky that I can be really proud of. I enjoy walking through the distillery and breathing in the wonderful aromas and thinking what the next batch we release is going to be like. I’ve put my blood, sweet and tears into that batch, so it better be bloody good!” -26-

Whisky-making in Australia is experiencing such a surge at present that the current love affair with distilling could almost be described as a craze. In the last 16 years, the number of whisky distilleries around Australia has gone from zero to 11. Cameron Syme, Chairman of the Australian Distillers Association, puts this in perspective: “Right now, there are twice as many licensed and operating distilleries in Australia than there are in Ireland!” This renaissance owes much to Bill Lark, who founded the Lark Distillery in 1992 and re-established Australia’s tradition of whisky distilling after a

Bill Lark

drought that spanned four decades. With Lark Distillery continuing to produce in Tasmania, Bill has since acted as consultant to many of the distilleries who have followed in his footsteps. Even though it is early days, many of the distilleries have already caught the attention of the world, with numerous releases being awarded trophies and medals at international spirits competitions around the globe.

Right now, there are twice as many licensed and operating distilleries in Australia than there are in Ireland! CAMERON SYME, CHAIRMAN, AUSTRALIAN DISTILLERS ASSOCIATION

WWW.SMWS.COM

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Discover YOU HAVE TO SEE…

IMAGE COURTESY OF GLENMORANGIE

OAK IN ALL ITS GLORY Contemplate the wonder of oak. The rings tell us many trees harvested are over a hundred years old. They have already done their work – providing habitat and food and quietly breathing as the planet’s lungs. Spanish and American oaks embrace Scottish spirit; they are felled, cleverly sectioned and only after two years’ slow seasoning, the unimaginable art of the cooper is applied (who could believe a tree could become a watertight vessel, without nails or screws?). The cooper also knows the secrets of fire – toasting or charring the oak. Wood holds the spirit in and gives flavours such as coconut and vanilla from its oils and resins. The harsh spirit, born in fire and rage, sleeps in its oak cradle WANT MORE? becoming soft and mellow. Once the trees breathed for the planet Type ‘Lumsden’ into the search – now they breathe for the whisky; box of our article archive to find articles on wood by Bill air comes in – the ‘Angels’ Share’ Lumsden from Glenmorangie seeps out. Distillers who care about whisky www.smws.co.uk care about casks. The Druids worshipped oak for their own reasons; perhaps we should do the same. THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

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The young ones

The marketing mantras have always implied that younger whisky is inferior to its older cousins – but is the tide turning?

WORDS: ANDREW BEACH

MEET THE PANEL ~

Put a face to a name for the participants in this issue’s debate piece

JACKIE THOMSON From the Ardbeg Committee

DEREK SINCLAIR Distilleries general manager, Inver House

INA KRAAN Runs the Society’s branch in Switzerland

EUAN MITCHELL Managing director, Isle Of Arran Distillery

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ROBIN LAING Chairman of the Society’s Tasting Panel

RICHARD JOYNSON Proprietor of Loch Fyne Whiskies

WWW.SMWS.COM

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Debate

There were all these preconceptions out there around whiskies having to be of a certain age, and we stepped outside of those parameters . JACKIE THOMSON, ARDBEG

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FROM PR EVI OUS PAGE

market and get people to taste what we were making. “Young whisky, to me, equals young consumer, particularly in northern Europe, where people are very discerning in their taste and want something challenging. Ten or 12 years ago, whisky was perhaps an older man’s domain, there was a bit of snobbishness surrounding it. For such a long time people were hung up on age statements, but we are allowing the whisky to speak for itself.” But others are keen to show support for older whiskies. Derek

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Sinclair, Distilleries general manager at Inver House – which produces a number of 20 to 30-year-old malts – is in no doubt about the enduring quality of older drams. “If they are aged in a good quality cask, the flavours do get more complex with age.” Of course, they are also more expensive. “Older whiskies are more

People were hung up on age statements, but we are allowing the whisky to speak for itself. JACKIE THOMSON, ARDBEG COMMITTEE

of a limited edition product. We have a sampling regime, and only keep ageing whisky if it is clearly special. Others will be bottled earlier, so by the time you get to 30 or 40 years old, you have a very limited number of casks, so there is that appeal of a limited edition.” But he is quick to agree that some younger whiskies have lots of character and flavour, with lighter, fruity and floral flavours that appeal to a younger market. Inver itself is moving to relaunch its 10-year-old Speyburn as a non-aged whisky, helping it to be marketed as an “entry level” single malt, targeting people who are currently drinking

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b l e n d e d w h i s k i e s . “ We a r e considering bringing in more nonage statement whiskies, there is definitely a market for it.” Attitudes towards younger whiskies differ around the world. Ina Kraan, from the Society’s branch in Switzerland, says recent Society bottlings of younger whiskies – such as the five-year-old 121.24 – have proved less popular in Switzerland, but are going down a treat in Austria. “I suppose this shows how tastes and purchasing habits differ from one country to another,” she said. “The Swiss are very much into old whiskies and don’t mind paying the price.” WWW.SMWS.COM

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Debate KNOWLED GE ~ “THIS TOPIC IS MUSIC TO MY E AR S ...”

Jim Swan, leading whisky analyst, on the merits of young whisky…

“The fact that you are covering this topic is music to my ears. There are some very old whiskies that are gorgeous, but let’s face it, if you have a great 40-year-old, nobody ever planned it that way – it just wasn’t ready earlier. “But now the technology exists to avoid that. You can

Ina says that, while the quality of younger whiskies has improved a lot over the last few years, many people are not aware of it. “In the past, young whiskies tended to be harsh and aggressive, but that is no longer necessarily true. If they have a high alcohol content they will still be quite feisty, but a bit of water easily fixes that.” She adds that the “water question” does present a bit of a problem for young whiskies in Switzerland. “Despite our best efforts over the past 15 years, we still have a considerable number of members who never water their whiskies, and they then often find the young whiskies too fierce to drink.” Isle of Arran is another new distillery that has had a lot of success with young whiskies. Managing

Even from five years of age some of our casks were of exceptional quality. EUAN MITCHELL, ISLE OF ARRAN

director Euan Mitchell says that although the decision to release young whiskies was dictated by the fact it was a brand new distillery, “it was clear even from five years of age that some of our casks were of exceptional quality”. He says there’s no great secret to producing a good young whisky – you put very good quality spirit into very good quality casks. “Arran is a fresh, fruity spirit which does mature quickly so it is very acceptable to the palate at a young age.” He says that people have been led to believe that older whiskies are better and, as a result, are very surprised by the quality of Arran’s THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

get flavours in whisky that you don’t want – feinty flavours usually and they usually take a long time to go away. But you can now make whisky that doesn’t have those feinty flavours so it’s going to mature faster. “Through selection of wood and the way in which it is matured, you can now

youngsters. “Over the years, people have spent a lot of money buying older whiskies which, quite frankly, are just malts that have lain in a cask for too long. Any real distillery character has disappeared under a tidal wave of sherry or just oak – after 30 years in some instances it could be rum, it could be cognac... they all start to merge in character. “At the same time, the market has started to see that good, wellmade spirit, well matured at a young age is full of distillery character, full of freshness and extremely good. It’s not just ourselves – what’s happened at Ardbeg as well has also grabbed people’s attention. “Our plan at the moment is to bring in older expressions to the range as the whisky matures, with a core range of ten, 14 and 18-year-olds.” As chairman of the Society’s Tasting Panel, Robin Laing has sampled more whiskies than most, and he believes that young whiskies are benefiting from a greater understanding of maturation, and from increased experimentation, with new wood, unusual wine and spirit casks and the use of smaller casks, which tend to accelerate the process. “The obvious advantage of younger whiskies is that they are cheaper,” he said. “There are good and rational reasons why old whisky is more expensive – the ‘Angels’ Share’, the cost of warehousing etc – but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is better. “Are young whiskies now better than they used to be? I think people are more careful about maturation nowadays, and they are experimenting in ways that can improve the results. Generally, I

mature faster. You can get a very good young whisky which doesn’t lose its freshness – some famous names at, say, 15-years-old can get a bit tired, whereas at maybe at eight to 10, it was more fresh and zesty. “I often compare it to people – you are a lot more zesty in your 20s than in

would say that between 12 and 18 years is where you would expect to get an integrated whisky, with the right balance between wood and spirit. After that, you start to see the wood dominating the spirit, although it varies a lot – with some whiskies, the wood can dominate the spirit but it remains a fantastic whisky at 40, others at 30-plus might well be drinkable, but they are just not good enough for the price you would have to ask. “The reality is, of course, that the rash of new and reopened distilleries that have come on stream in recent years need to get their whisky on the market as soon as possible, and so being able to produce high-quality, young whiskies is very important for them.” Another veteran of many whisky tastings is Richard Joynson, proprietor of Loch Fyne Whiskies. “What we have been doing in the last few years is getting people to appreciate that young doesn’t necessarily mean bad, and there are some cracking whiskies coming

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your 70s and you can apply that to whisky. There are some people in their 70s who are very active, but it’s rare. I’m glad we’re getting rid of this age thing – I hate the idea of people buying a whisky just because they think the oldest number must be the best, because that is just not true.”

through, with better cask use and understanding of maturation. Now, very few people would say, ‘Oh, it’s only eight years old’, and we have no trouble selling good quality five or six year olds. “I don’t think that people believe

Young doesn’t necessarily mean bad and there are some cracking whiskies coming through. RICHARD JOYNSON, LOCH FYNE WHISKIES

a 30-year-old is necessarily better than a 12-year-old.” He adds, however, that younger whiskies can be a hit-or-miss affair, sometimes – in ‘finishes’, for example – representing a ‘mark one’ version of the final product. “If you see a bottle on the shelf and it doesn’t have an age statement, you can infer it’s youthful, and you should be aware of that, though there are exceptions – you pays your money and you takes your choice.”

Some of the best younger Society bottlings… 121.24 ‘Full of Adolescent Energy’ – a 5yo from the Highland Island region. 36.40 ‘Wellies and Wasabi’ – an 8yo from Speyside. 3.146 ‘Rock Pools and Pheasant’ a 9yo from Islay.

48.15 ‘Shape-shifting dDvil’ – an 8yo from Speyside. www.smws.co.uk/shop

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Indulge FOOD

RECIPE ~

Tom Kitchin’s whisky baba (serves 4)

THE WHISKY SYRUP 50g caster sugar 50 ml water Your whisky

MAKE YOUR MENU A CUT ABOVE

You’ve read about Tom Kitchin’s passion for single malts, now you can try one of his own recipes – whisky baba

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE WILKINSON

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WWW.SMWS.COM

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Indulge COLUMN NAME CHALLENGE BLIND-TASTING

THE CONTESTANTS

Steven and Caro line

with noses ready

SWEET LITTLE MYSTERY SOCIETY TASTING NOTES

SOCIETY TASTING NOTES

Cask No. 44.37

“Succulent Speyside Dram” 8y/o Speyside

Cask No. 66.27

“A Foodie Dram”

23y/o Speyside

VERDICT: THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

CAROLINE

STEVEN

CAROLINE

STEVEN

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Indulge TIPPLING OVER THE EDGE

TAKE A (HILL) WALK ON THE WILD SIDE There are times when whisky and ice works well together – such as on top of a mountain, says Tom Morton ILLUSTRATION: SAM KERR

ichard Paterson, Whyte & Mackay’s chief of fireworks, head of explosions, master blender and generally – of 39 years standing – flamboyant demonstrator of whisky’s delights, is fond of pointing out that whisky is essentially an outdoor drink. It was originally, he says, a spirit produced by sma’ still alchemy involving wind, water, peat, barley and the genius of human beings, often in the wildest of places, and in severe climatic conditions. Enjoying it in the soporific comfort of a centrally-heated bungalow is in some ways a betrayal of its origins. In the teeth of a howling gale, in the pitch and roll of a stormbound boat, amid the ice and snow of a mountain summit... these are the places to truly appreciate a dram. Hence Richard’s habit of throwing open a tasting venue’s doors and windows to allow in the breath of nature... or sometimes the nasty niff of diesel fumes. But his point is well made. While it can be a lovely thing to gaze through a glass filled with amber at the dancing flames of a fire, knowing that the weather is safely locked outside, al fresco drinking can reveal a whole new side to any dram. The exertion of climbing even a smallish hill can render the senses keen, the palate cleansed, so that the heart-pounding ascent capped with the tiniest tincture of, say, Dalwhinnie – product of Scotland’s highest distillery – becomes a merging of physical effort with aesthetic appreciation at its highest pitch. And what a waste it would be to take notes on such an occasion. Gazing out, for example, from the top of Ben Nevis or Ben Lomond,

two of Scotland most-climbed Munros (peaks over 3000 feet) on a crisp winter’s day, the unalloyed (and, I would prefer, unwatered) nip of a nip on the tongue, the warming in your throat... it is a fusion of location and libation, a visual and olfactory feast, inflamed by the ache in your legs and the tightness of that near-heart attack in your chest. My last angina attack provoked an instant prescription of whisky and aspirin; not a great combination. At least it was a blend. I will not suggest that whisky can be used as a tool in reviving victims of cold or accident in the hills. Or brandy. What a St Bernard carries in its barrel these days is probably a spaceblanket, wrapped up tight. Alcohol will lower your temperature, despite its illusion of doing the opposite. On boats, however, heaving and pitching through the worst of conditions, I would prefer a sober captain and for myself, to have handy, either a sedative anti-histamine or a selection of seafaring malts, from Pulteney to Talisker and back again. Not both drugs and whisky, though. I have proven the combination not a good one. But on my many, too many trips aboard Scotland’s various ferries, in conditions ranging from near-hurricane to the mildest wobble, I have found that a dram administered at the right time can calm the most troubled breast. Thought, not, alas, the sea. Perhaps Richard should conduct some of his future tastings at sea, or in a swimming pool. A de-chlorinated one, to avoid palate pollution, but with a wave machine. A canoe-borne whisky appreciation class! It works for me. As long as there’s a roaring fire in the bar next to the changing room. -34-

In the teeth of a howling gale and amid the ice and snow of a mountain summit ... these are the places to truly appreciate a dram.

WWW.SMWS.COM

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Tales of the unexpected The date is sometime shortly after the 1823 Excise Act is passed. The scene is a farm just outside Cromdale, in the Scottish Highlands. And our two players are a local farmer, James McGregor, and an unknown (to us) excise officer. They are sharing a fine dram or three. Surveying the farm from over the rim of his glass, the exciseman asks McGregor what a particular outbuilding on the steading is being used for. “A simple peat shed,” comes the quick retort. Having quenched his thirst, the officer departs the farm with the parting words: “If that’s a peat shed McGregor, then you’ll be needing a licence for it!” Later that century, the distillery was almost destroyed when Scotland was battered by the storms that were to claim the Tay Bridge.

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

-No. 48-

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