Andrew Derbidge

Whisky, just like any

other interest, hobby, or passion, can take you many places, depending on how deeply you choose to immerse yourself. The mere fact that you’re a member of the Society tells me that your interest in whisky extends beyond merely sipping the base whiskies available from your local liquor outlet. Rather, you’ve already graduated beyond “mixer whiskies” to single malts, and then cask-strength, single cask whiskies at that! And yet, in the grand scheme of things, such a graduation is still only just the beginning. If you’re willing to chase the rabbit down the hole, you discover that whisky’s hole gets bigger and deeper, the more you chase.

Something that has been fascinating to observe over the last decade or so has been the growth in new businesses, services, and – for want of a better term – peripheral paraphernalia that feeds the thousands and thousands of whisky enthusiasts who want to chase the rabbit and ramp up their association with the drink.

For many, whisky goes beyond just being “a drink”: It can foster or influence your culture (tightly interwoven with Scottish/gaelic/celtic history and culture); it can influence your fashion (tweed and flat caps seem de rigueur in some circles); it can determine your travel plans (why else would you head for a small, otherwise insignificant island off the west coast of Scotland); and there is – literally – an endless supply of books, websites, blogs, podcasts, social media accounts, and videos you can engage with to quench your thirst for knowledge and to become more acquainted with the drink. New products and services pop up all through the year to cash in on this thirst. For example, 20 years ago, distilleries with visitor centres simply offered the tour. Today, most offer a range of tours, catering for every visitor from the disinterested “plus one” to the most connoisseured anorak. Similarly, new knik-knaks and gimmicks abound: Fancy glassware, whisky stones, whisky trivia / board games, whisky soap, whisky-infused foods, artwork (including, now, even NFT art!), pourers, aerators, whisky place mats, goods make from casks, and other similarly peripheral things that I suspect many of us received last Christmas or birthday.

It’s all wonderful, and – as cynical as I am about much of it – I don’t begrudge the parallel excitement that travels hand-in-hand with the spirit itself. Just so long as the narrative doesn’t deviate too far from what it should really be about: Pouring yourself a dram, sitting down in a moment of indulgent relaxation, and physically enjoying the water of life. We sometimes forget that the drink should come first, and the paraphernalia second. May you find a suitable dram within these pages to delight your tastebuds this winter, and may you find the time and place to enjoy it.

Slainte

Andrew Derbidge ~ Director, Cellarmaster & NSW Manager