Jim Beverage, Johnnie Walker

WHISKY ROYALTY JIM BEVERIDGE

Jim Beveridge joined Johnnie Walker in 1979 as an analytical chemist and has gone on to be one of the most influential master blenders in the whisky world. His expertise is widely recognised and just part of the reason he is entrusted with the world’s most famous whisky – Johnnie Walker.

explore WHISKY: What is one of your earliest whisky memories that propelled you into your illustrious career?

JIM BEVERAGE: Growing up, you were always aware of Scotch whisky. It was part of the fabric of Scotland, something you knew was uniquely Scottish and that people were very proud of.

When I joined Johnnie Walker in as a flavour chemist in 1979, working with the malt and grain to understand how they mature in the wood, those early memories of just how important Scotch was to people started to come together in a more coherent way. That’s when my passion for Scotch was fired, and that’s when it became more than just a job to me.

eW: Is there a philosophy that guides you when it comes to blending Scotch whiskies?

JB: My philosophy and, indeed, that of Johnnie Walker, has always been about the pursuit of quality.

When John Walker started blending whisky, most single malts were terribly inconsistent. He started blending them together so that his whisky tasted just as good every time. John was pursuing and delivering quality, and we do the same today. Bringing that philosophy to whisky is something which proved to be extremely popular then, just as it is today. What drives the pursuit of quality is flavour, experimentation and a lot of patience. Leading our small team of 12 whisky experts, we put these three pillars at the heart of everything we do.

All the team are natural experimenters. We’re always questioning things and challenging ourselves to find new flavours by using our expertise and our intuition to explore what’s possible. In this way, we continue the legacy of those six generations of Master Blender who have stood in my shoes.

All of this requires a lot of patience. The nature of whisky means that things can take a long time. If you want to experiment with flavour to discover something new, then you have to expect to wait a long time to see the fruits of your labour.

eW: How has your background in analytical chemistry been put into practice when it comes to blending whisky?

JB: An understanding of the chemistry involved in making whisky is the bedrock of my work. During the first years of my career with Johnnie Walker as a flavour chemist, it became obvious to me how science could be applied to whisky production.

There is no doubt that an analytical mind and a scientific background is extremely useful when it comes to making whisky, but before any of that you need a passion for flavour.

eW: How has the heritage of the Johnnie Walker blends influenced your approach to making whisky today?

JB: I feel a great duty to all our wonderful whiskies and to ensuring the continued consistency and quality of our Scotch. There is an amazing heritage behind Johnnie Walker. We all, if you like, stand on the shoulders of giants - all the men and women who made Johnnie Walker the iconic Scotch whisky that it is today. That tradition of skilled whisky making and innovation is in the DNA of Johnnie Walker.

What we are doing in the 21st century is expressing our version of that heritage. In my job, I am effectively trying to foresee the future. With something like Johnnie Walker Black Label, I’m making decisions that will have to hold for 12 or 18 years. You’re leaving a legacy for those who come later, which is as daunting as fulfilling the legacy of those who’ve gone before.

It’s my job to take our experiments and the passion of our diverse small team of whisky experts and focus our ideas into something which honours the unbroken blending heritage of Johnnie Walker.

eW: Can you mention about the role of single malt and grain whisky when it comes to assembling a blend for Johnnie Walker?

JB: Of course. To craft a blend means using single malt and grain whiskies and, therefore, understanding these whiskies is critical to my work as Master Blender. It’s very important for me to understand the range of flavours that come from each distillery and the whiskies they produce.

While a good single malt or grain whisky can be wonderful on its own, what really excites me is thinking about how each of these great whiskies can also be building blocks of flavour to produce something that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Often, it’s in bringing together the range of flavours, characters and textures in different single malts and grains that you begin to unlock the hidden depths of the individual whiskies. What we do is not just about combining different expressions. With every whisky playing its own, individual role, it’s about how each of the whiskies can bring out a particular aspect or note in another whisky. For me, that means understanding a single malt is not just about comprehending its own flavours and layers but really understanding how those things might work as part of a bigger picture - and that’s pretty exciting!

eW: Do you believe that distilling is a science and blending is an art? Please explain.

JB: For me, distilling and blending are both science and art. The technicalities of malting, distilling, maturing and blending Scotch means that you make decisions at the right moments that are defined by science - chemistry, physics and maths. Yet, there are so many moments where imagination and flair are the ingredients that make this liquid so special. The real skill is bringing these worlds together in harmony.

eW: Can you mention some of your favourite single malts when it comes to using them in a blended Scotch? What do they bring to the flavour profile of the finished whisky?

JB: The four main whisky producing regions and the single malts that come from these corners of Scotland all have their own distinct flavour characteristics, and it’s that variety of flavour that’s of most interest to me as a Master Blender.

For example, iconic distilleries, such as Clynelish in the north with its rich, vibrant flavours; the peatiness of the whiskies produced on the islands to the west of the mainland, such as Lagavulin or Talisker; the sweet and fruity single malts, such as Cardhu from Speyside; and the Lowland whiskies, such as the delicate fresh fruit character of Glenkinchie, when brought together can create a wonderful roundness in flavour, a richness and a balance. It’s the combination of these characteristics that brings such quality to Johnnie Walker.

eW: At the end of a hard days’ work what do you find yourself pouring a glass of?

JB: Right now, I am enjoying a Johnnie Walker highball - Johnnie Walker Red Label or Johnnie Walker Black Label and soda (or ginger - if you prefer). It’s a very refreshing tasting drink, but what I like about it most is that it showcases the whisky. It’s a brilliant way to taste the richness of Johnnie Walker.