Whisky is in a golden age

To paraphrase that old advert, ‘whiskies ain’t whiskies’. There was a time when pretty much your choice was limited to which Scottish whisky you preferred, with the possibility to try Irish. Discussion about the origins of the spirit were about as contentious as American politics or State of Origin selections and best left well alone.

WORDS KEN GARGETT

So, whisky or whiskey? Scotch or Irish, and suddenly there was Japanese, even local whiskies, Indian, Canadian, Taiwanese and more. Bourbon, Tennessee or rye? Vintage products. Single malt, blended, grain whiskies. Aged whiskies went from a curious niche product to wildly expensive and musthave drinks.

Whisky may have become complicated, but it also became infinitely more complex, interesting and exotic. Meanwhile, the great whiskies of Scotland just seemed to get better. Now, with some serious shortages of aged material imposing itself on many producers in many regions, there is yet more to consider.

First, and I say this as one who recently transgressed whisky etiquette by using the term, ‘bourbon’, more liberally than strict regulations would prefer, it is worth understanding where all the styles fit into the jigsaw that is whisky (or whiskey).

We are basically talking about variations on a theme – the theme being an alcoholic drink, usually at least 40 per cent, made by distillation, using a fermented grain mash. The grain can be malted and a number of varieties are used – rye, wheat, corn, barley, for example. There will be ageing in wooden casks, with charred white oak the usual receptacle. These can be second-use casks, which is why you might see references to sherry, port, Sauternes or other drinks on the label. Regulations abound, but of course, they vary from country to country, even region to region.

Needless to say, whisky’s origins are much debated – Ireland (where whisky apparently translates from Gaelic as ‘water of life’, and that alone should be enough to give the Emerald Isle the nod) has claims. Scotland. Even Arabia. The Old Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland can point to a licence to distill which was issued to it in 1608, making it the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. Innovation and experimentation went hand in hand with the developing spirits production of the time. Pot stills, the Coffey still, so much more. Thereafter follows a wonderful tale of bootleggers, illegal distilleries, unjust taxes, Prohibition, rebellions and more, eventually leading us to the heavily regulated industry we ‘enjoy’ today.

So, whisky or whiskey? Perhaps it was just something that grew over time, like color and colour. Others are adamant that whether or not there is that ‘e’ should assist in the definition of style, which seems like a lot of responsibility to dump on a poor single vowel. Common usage has the ‘e’ in products from the States and Ireland, while the rest of the world gets by without it. In the end, good luck finding a hard and fast rule for all. Stick to whatever the producer uses, is a rule that works.

COMMON USAGE HAS THE ‘E’ IN PRODUCTS FROM THE STATES AND IRELAND, WHILE THE REST OF THE WORLD GETS BY WITHOUT IT.

Malt or grain? If your whisky is made from malted barley, we have a malt whisky, which needs to be produced from pot stills. Otherwise, we have a grain whisky, which can be distilled in column stills, though these are considered to impart less flavour. Single malt whisky will come from a defined distillery using a particular malted grain. Single cask whisky obviously comes from one particular cask. A blended malt is a blend of various malts – it was formerly known as a vatted malt. Blended whisky is basically all in.

Cask strength (barrel proof) whiskies are becoming more popular among aficionados. They are, as the name suggests, bottled straight from the cask without any dilution. The ageing of the whiskies in barrel also add another dimension, with older bottlings usually preferred.

Whisk(e)y from the States also comes in a number of different guises. Bourbon will come from a mash that is at least 51 per cent corn and uses new charred oak barrels. It can be made anywhere within the United States, though Kentucky is its spiritual home, if you will forgive the pun. Corn whiskey uses 80 per cent corn; malt comes from a mash of at least 51 per cent malted barley; rye needs 51 per cent rye; rye malt whiskey requires 51 per cent of malted rye. The designation of “straight” can be added to these whiskies if they are aged for a minimum of two years. There are, inevitably, many more regulations demanding compliance. Tennessee whiskey – think Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel – must be filtered through sugar maple charcoal being ageing. This is known as the Lincoln County Process. The exception is Benjamin Prichard’s Tennessee Whiskey which does not require such filtration, as it was grandfathered in under the Act (no one said this would be simple). Under various international trade agreements, Tennessee whiskey is deemed to be bourbon – I’m sure your friendly bureaucrats could explain all this.

‘Scotch’, obviously from Scotland, needs to be distilled at least twice, though can be many more times, and to have spent a minimum of three years in oak. There are defined regions in Scotland for the

production of whisky and connoisseurs will have their favourites. Perhaps the most divisive are the malts from Islay, with their amazing peaty, smoky notes. This is lovethem-or-hate-them stuff (I am definitely in the ‘love-them’ camp).

‘Scotch’, obviously from Scotland, needs to be distilled at least twice, though can be many more times, and to have spent a minimum of three years in oak.

Canadian whisky also has its own raft of regulations, not least that it must be produced in Canada. It has long been especially popular in the States, which is attributed to so much of it being illegally imported during Prohibition. Australia has been steadily establishing a whisky industry which may be small, but is firmly aimed at the highest possible quality.

These days, it is rare to find a country that does not have at least a couple of distilleries producing whisky. India, for example, is the world’s largest producer of whisky. Japan, where it was once considered little more than a curiosity, is now recognised as making some of the very best whiskies on the planet. Demand has seriously depleted stocks of aged material, which in turn has sent prices into the stratosphere. The Rugby World Cup this year and the Olympics in 2020 will surely put massive strain on whatever is left.

Given all of the variations in production and location of these whiskies, it must come as no surprise that there are such variations in style and flavour. The days of your dad’s old whisky decanter sitting pride of place on the liquor cabinet is long gone. Today, there is a whisky for everyone. Johnnie Walker even has a Game of Thrones series of whiskies

As mentioned, the whisky industry in Australia is small but very much aimed at high quality. Over the last three years, sales of Australian craft whisky have grown 3.5 times faster than single malts from Scotland, showing just how much interest there is here.

Tasmania has dominated quality Aussie whisky, especially Sullivans Cove (SC), with its amazing international success in various tastings, including the first Aussie whisky to receive the coveted ‘Liquid Gold’ status from Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, back in 2007. It is perhaps the best known, but there are numerous others. Sullivans Cove was founded in 1994, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Winning the ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ in 2014 brought it to the attention of the world’s whisky aficionados. Winning ‘World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt’ in 2018 and 2019 is an achievement no other distillery on the planet has achieved. Last year, head distiller, Patrick Maguire, was inducted into the ‘Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame’, only the second Australian to be so honoured (the first was Bill Lark).

Look for various SC whiskies to celebrate all of these milestones, but be quick – they sell out faster than Springsteen tickets. While all of this is especially thrilling for Sullivans Cove, it has helped the entire industry here. Interest has skyrocketed and producers feel confident to put in the time and effort (and money) to follow in these illustrious footsteps.

Whisky fever has spread to the mainland. Renowned Gin producer, Archie Rose Distilling Co.,, is releasing two new whiskies (I have a theory that most gin producers really would prefer to make great rum or whisky but don’t have the patience, or possibly resources). The first is the limited-edition Chocolate Rye Malt Whisky that was released in June and sold out within two hours. The second their core range Rye Malt Whisky. The Chocolate

‘SCOTCH’, OBVIOUSLY FROM SCOTLAND, NEEDS TO BE DISTILLED AT LEAST TWICE, THOUGH CAN BE MANY MORE TIMES, AND TO HAVE SPENT A MINIMUM OF THREE YEARS IN OAK.

Rye Malt uses roasted chocolate rye, also favoured by some brewers for dark beers. The Rye Malt has already picked up the gong for Best Australian Whisky at the IWSC Awards in London 2018. You can safely assume that this is only the beginning for Archie Rose whiskies.

Another mainland producer making waves is Starward from Melbourne, founded in 2007, and considered the leader in Aussie craft whiskies, with a 46 per cent value share of the category. This share has doubled in the last three years.

Their aim was to recreate the ‘four seasons in one day’, so often encountered in Melbourne (apparently, locals think this is cute; the rest of the world just finds it thoroughly annoying), while ensuring affordable products (which is much less annoying). They use their connections with the local wine industry to source local barrels. Their ‘Two-Fold’ is a double grain – malted barley and wheat – whisky aged in barrels previously used for local reds.

At the risk of deeply offending half the nations on the planet, there can be no question that the spiritual home for whisky is Scotland. Its history, progress, innovation and methods have been thoroughly chronicled.

While the mass-produced product remains important for many distilleries, the bottom line being crucial for any business, here too, the focus is on quality, or rather “premiumisation” as brand manager, Tanya Mah, for local importer, Proximo (responsible for the single malt, Bunnahabhain, as well as the Irish distillery, Bushmills), explains. “Premiumisation continues to be an overarching driver in the whisky category, driven by consumers who are seeking out emphasis on true authenticity from the brands they buy and consume. Consumers are more educated about the origins of the products they are drinking; they know about the raw ingredients and the production process and they want brands that have stayed true to their original roots and values… It’s no longer about the lowest price, but rather about quality and superior taste. People are willing to pay more for what they believe is value to them and as a result, craft and premium brands have benefitted.”

Part of the glory of the whiskies of Scotland are their stories, many of which date back into the mists of time, as thick as any mist which descended from Scottish Highlands. The history of many distilleries sounds more like novels to rival the Poldarks.

Take Glenfarclas. 1836 saw a licence issued for a distillery on the Recherlich Farm at Ballindalloch, for Robert Hay, the tenant farmer. After his passing, the Grant family, local cattle breeders, took over. The distillery cost £511.19sd, but whisky was not their focus at this time. For the next five years, John Smith, later to establish the Cragganmore distillery, ran things. The Grant family then had the misfortune to see a number of family members fall off the perch and it fell to two descendants, John and George (one can’t help but wonder if there was a Paul and a Ringo as well), to take over. In the 1890’s, they took a 50% interest in the Glenfarclas-Glenlivet distillery company, which produced fine Highland whisky. It later became J.& G. Grant.

It was far from plain sailing after that, but the family prevailed and now makes some thrilling whiskies, with an amazing array of older bottlings often available. In more recent times, George S. Grant served as Chairman of Glenfarclas for a remarkable 52 years, succeeded by his son, John, in 2002.

But to think of all Scottish whisky producers as ancient, grizzled, kilt wearing, ginger-

bearded Highlanders who have making the stuff for generations is not accurate, of course. New producers continue to spring up.

GlenAllachie has only been established in recent years. When highly respected distiller, Billy Walker, sold the BenRiach Distillery Company to Brown-Forman in 2015, it was time for a new challenge. Doors opened in 2017, at a distillery which was originally in operation from the 1960s. Boosted by a long relationship with Pernod Ricard, that allowed for the transfer of certain brands and trademarks and more importantly, extensive stocks of aged whiskey, enabling GlenAllachie to release some seriously older whiskies.

One category which has seen a transformation here is American whiskies. Not that many years ago, any American whisky (usually just dubbed bourbon, in the same manner in which the world labelled any sparkling wine ‘champagne’ for so long) was considered little more than a means to ingest alcohol. Quality/flavour were immaterial (the rum category has experienced similar issues in the past). Now, we see some wonderful bourbons, rye and American whiskies.

It was Blanton’s – great bourbon, but I always think that the little horse on the stopper looks a bit like a kid’s toy from a cereal packet – who started the single cask craze back in the 1980s. since then, we have seen unimaginable things, such as the Pappy phenomenon where bottles of Pappy van Winkle bourbon now go for Midas-like sums with demand so out of control that some stores run lotteries for the bottle or two they are allocated. These days, you are as likely to find quality bourbon on lists in top restaurants and on bottleshop shelves as you are quality Scotch.

This trend has not escaped the big boys. Wild Turkey, normally seen as a popular but mass-produced bourbon, has established a program of aged and very special releases. Australia is Wild Turkey’s biggest export market.

Master distiller, Eddie Russell, who took over from his legendary father, Jimmy, is behind the ‘Master’s Keep’ bourbons. The ‘1894’, named for their oldest warehouse (and the place where Eddie decided that he really did want to join the family business), is the third in the series, following on from ‘Decades’ and the ’17-Year-Old’ before it. Limited to 10,000 bottles, it is only available

in Australia (not that long ago, the mere thought of a top Bourbon producer releasing a special, limited edition bourbon in Australia only, would have been ‘box of frogs in party hats’ stuff).

Bourbon devotees have changed enormously in recent years and these are the spirits that many seek – to collect and drink. The bourbon crowd is now a much younger (dare we say, cooler, group) and an emphasis on cocktails has also allowed the spirit to find new fans, who then gravitate to the good stuff.

‘1894’ saw Russell travel to Jerez in Spain to source old oloroso barrels for further ageing, after 12 to 15 years in new charred American oak.

Fourth in the Master’s Keep series is Revival. Again, with this and ‘1894’, the drive to ‘premiumisation’ is more than apparent.

We see this with the Buffalo Trace (BT) Antique Collection whiskies. BT is one of America’s most famous distilleries, their story starting in 1771, when Daniel Boone rode through the town, as they say, ‘on the buffalo trace’, more than twenty years before Kentucky even became a State (‘buffalo trace’ is the name given to a crossing made annually by the herds of buffalo, across the Kentucky River).

This distillery makes many of the most famous names in American whisky – Eagle Rare, Pappy van Winkle, Blanton’s and Buffalo Trace itself. The annual collection is in huge demand, even with prices around the grand per bottle. This year, they included the Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old (Australia’s allocation a mere fifteen bottles), George T Stagg, Sazerac 18-Year-Old (an allocation of 45 bottles), Thomas Handy Rye and the wonderful W. L. Weller.

Of course, not all bourbon/whisky makers are slow-talking, coon-skin cap wearing, buffalo-slaughtering southerners (not sure any are). The emergence of Michter’s puts paid to any such suggestion. Its genesis goes back to 1753, and a distillery known as Shenk’s in Pennsylvania. Doors closed thanks to Prohibition, but later reopened, to a succession of owners, then closed again, till Joseph Magliocco, a New York businessman educated at both Yale and Harvard, decided to get into the spirits industry. He revived the operation, with his own unique spin. They aim to make small batch or single barrel products. ‘Small Batch’ has no legal specifications in the States, hence a product can be “stretched” to umpteen thousand cases and still claim to be ‘small batch’. Michter’s have restricted themselves to a maximum of twenty barrels for any of their Small Batch releases.

Sadly, space prevented any examination of the fascinating emergence of whisky in Japan and the wonderful things they are doing, but as supply is massively overwhelmed by the demand for their best, perhaps it would just be a tease.

Whisky, wherever it is from, is enjoying a golden era. Finally, a collection of brief tasting notes.

THE BOURBON CROWD IS NOW A MUCH YOUNGER (DARE WE SAY, COOLER, GROUP) AND AN EMPHASIS ON COCKTAILS HAS ALSO ALLOWED THE SPIRIT TO FIND NEW FANS, WHO THEN GRAVITATE TO THE GOOD STUFF.

SULLIVANS COVE DOUBLE CASK TASMANIAN SINGLE MALT

This was like sticking one’s nose into a cloud of spice, honey and smoke. Very complex with a supple palate. Great length. A class act.

STARWARD TWO-FOLD DOUBLE GRAIN

Nuts, oak and touches of mustard seeds here. Some honey and nougat, especially in the finish. Decent length. A solid performer.

BUNNAHABHAIN STIUIREADAIR

ISLAY SINGLE MALT

They came up with the name when someone dropped the Scrabble box. Although from Islay, not overly peaty. Would be ideal for anyone who like their smoke/peat in moderation. Orange rinds and cinnamon. Some fire on a mid-length finish.

GLENALLACHIE 12-YEAR-OLD SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT

An aroma not unlike the wooden furniture in a sunlit room at your great aunt’s house – comfortable and comforting. Slight oatmeal note. Flick of honey. A finely crafted whisky, which is very well balanced.

GLENFARCLAS 15-YEAR-OLD HIGHLAND MALT

In truth, Glenfarclas have an amazing array of aged whiskies and I could have added many more. This is a snapshot across the range. Walnuts, florals, a hint of toffee and oranges. Supple and fresh.

GLENFARCLAS 21-YEAR-OLD HIGHLAND MALT

More depth and complexity. Nuts and oak, finely balanced, this is a class whisky.

GLENFARCLAS 40-YEAR-OLD HIGHLAND MALT

Incredibly complex. Balanced and intense. Caramel, honey, nuts, spices, glacéd fruit. Power and finesse. A privilege to drink

BUSHMILLS 10-YEAR-OLD SINGLE MALT

Florals, spices, citrus and cinnamon. A fresh, gentle and more elegant style than many. Lovely baked biscuit notes emerged. Spirity finish.

CHICHIBU ‘ICHIRO’S MALT’ MWR

Stands for Mizunara Wood Reserve. Offers freshly baked bread notes and a whiff of coconut, with spices. A touch more elegant than some. A fabulous experience for whisky lovers. Even though we did not look into the Japanese industry, worth mentioning these, even though they are extremely limited and very rare.

CHICHIBU ‘ICHIRO’S MALT’ WINE WOOD RESERVE

A blended malt with red fruit notes, toffee, nuts, honey, cinnamon, that touch of coconut and a hint of nougat. Bright, fresh and yet with complexity, there is excellent length here, decent power and balance.

MICHTER’S SMALL BATCH US-1 BOURBON

Lovely caramel notes with hazelnut and honeycomb. Florals and a hint of vanillin oak. Reasonable length, good complexity.

MICHTER’S STRAIGHT RYE US-1

A single barrel release, offering cinnamon, teak, orange rind, nectarines, spices and a little caramel. Supple texture, mid-length and again good complexity.

MICHTER’S SINGLE BARREL 10-YEAR-OLD KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

Lovely burnished orange. Honey, garden spices, cinnamon and florals. Good complexity and finishes with that appealing honey.

BUFFALO TRACE KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

A terrific bourbon, great value. Around 8 to 10 years of age, there are nutty, vanillin and caramel notes, lovely supple texture and a little fire on the finish. A delicious and impressive bourbon, with good length.

EAGLE RARE ‘17-YEAR-OLD’ KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

Very special. Florals, cinnamon, spices, tobacco leaf, orange rind notes. Underlying power, but an elegant spirit to the fore. A hint of smoke. Wonderfully complex and simply delicious.

‘GEORGE T STAGG’ KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

64.6% with 15 years under its belt. Hazelnuts, old teak, vanilla, florals, petals, honeycomb, toffee. A barrel selection from 240 barrels. Great length.

‘SAZERAC 18-YEAR-OLD’ STRAIGHT RYE

Dry herbs, iodine, oystershell notes, but not the length on the palate of the very best of these.

‘THOMAS HANDY SAZERAC STRAIGHT RYE’

Bottled directly from the barrel. Aged for over six years, at cask strength of 64.4%. Glacéd orange, milk chocolate, honeycomb and nuts. A lovely complex spirit with some fire on the finish.

‘W. L. WELLER’ KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

Aged over 12 years, complex with great length. Dark oranges and an Armagnac-like note. Hints of chocolate, almonds and old teak.

WILD TURKEY MASTER’S KEEP ‘1894’

Bread and butter pudding notes. White chocolate. Honey, toffee, nectarines and a fine slippery texture. Some pepper on the finish.

WILD TURKEY MASTER’S KEEP ‘REVIVAL’

Take me now. The bees’ knees, the ants’ pants, the be-all-and-end-all. Cracking bourbon. Seriously complex. Perfectly balanced. Notes of stonefruit, honey and nougat. An orange and chocolate finish. Amazingly long. Wow! As soon as I have finished these notes, the rest of the bottle and I are finding a couch, a great cigar and a good book.