SCOTCH REVIEW TM TM EDITION 12 AUTUMN 1999 VARIETY FOR LIFE The acquisitions, mergers and manoeu- vres continue in the trade as each egotist jockeys to produce an- other unwieldy brand-dominated mono- lith. Rumours and speculation make for interesting dramming but this column believes that the whisky enthusiast is going to suffer. The combined editorial might of the spe- cialist whisky press (!) is unlikely to in- fluence the strategies of the world’s great brand owners so perhaps we should try to educate the marketeers of the benefit of the . There are industry elders who are happy to tolerate the apparent conflict between their trademark distillery bottling and an ‘independent’ selling with the same precious name. This tolerance has a long historical precedent but is mince as the new breed of brand manager seeks to stamp out competition, especially those ‘parasites feeding off his marketing STANDING ON TABLES AND CHEERS budget!’ Highland Honours returns to Inveraray after a considerable absence during our The smug new-breed brand manager Season of celebrity tasting evenings thanks to Jim McEwan of Morrison Bowmore must learn that it is the independents Distillers (left). This traditional toast is described in full on page 9. who have created the highly profitable niche market of malt —profits that he is in danger of destroying. Once the profits go, so does the excitement GLEN SCOTIA—PROMISING Your Invitation to our and, eventually, the interest; all branded As reported in the last SWR, a trial dis- toilet paper is the same. tillation was conducted at Glen Scotia HEILAN’ BANQUET We accept that there have been some using a team on loan from Springbank The final part of our season of celebrity diabolical bottlings from independents, Distillery. The quality of the spirit was tasting evenings features Iain Stothard both respected and other and this col- so impressive that owners Glen Catrine of Highland Distillers who demonstrates umn hopes that these guys will learn the Bond expect to be producing whisky the pleasures of combining malt whisky importance of policing themselves. there on a regular basis. with superb food prepared by the George Only the independent bottler has the Between April and July 80,000 litres was Hotel’s new super-chef Bruce Mackie. flexibility to deliver single cask bottlings produced using lightly peated malt, in Tickets are £25 all inclusive and the for a cost that enables a novice connois- the Glen Scotia style. The final distilla- event is Thursday 9th December. Places seur (yucky word but none better) to tion involved 15 tonnes of heavily peated are limited so call now to reserve. develop the all important interest in the (30ppm) malt yielding 6,000 litres. Now By way of a taster here is the last menu: artistic output of the distiller. with four months’ maturation complete, • Chilled Ogen Melon with Scottish Berries & Fruit Coulis • accompanied by Glengoyne unpeated Producers, of which there are increas- the spirit is reported to be very encour- • Medley of West Coast Seafood with a white sauce • ingly few, should look upon the inde- aging, so much so that a further two accompanied by Bunnahabhain Malt Whisky pendent bottler as a new canvas, an al- months’ distillation is underway now, • Fillet of Beef with Haggis & Wild Mushrooms en Croute • with boats of tasty whisky sauce ter ego, and through them grant the in- using new employees as well as the and Scottish vegetables of the season formed consumer exceptional and ex- Springbank team. accompanied by The Macallan 18 year old traordinary drams for us all to enjoy It is unlikely that the distillery will go • Crème Brûlée • accompanied by more Macallan rather than to see them disappear into into full-time production but will almost • Orkney Cheeses & Oatcakes • another routine vatting. certainly be producing every year. accompanied by Highland Park Orkney Malt

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 1 so I was determined to broaden my ho- reflecting the prestige of Whyte & THE MASTER BLENDER rizons and I studied with the and Mackay and has been very successful. Spirits Education Trust for three years. LFW: Isn’t it an expensive whisky My first job as a blender was in 1970 to produce? here with Whyte & Mackay and I be- You bet! There are 35 to 38 malts which came their Master Blender when I was we ‘marry’ for four months. Highlands, twenty six, the youngest in Scotland, I Lowlands and are believe. brought together; the main baseline is Now Whyte & Mackay has been my life- from the highlands providing big blood for thirty years. heavier characters but I also let the My grandfather— the old sod—William, Islays play their part. We then bring the started W R Paterson in the thirties, married malts and grain together and (please don’t confuse with Pattison’s of finish it off with a further second mar- Leith). Originally grandfather supplied riage. coal to distilleries up north but when We handle our whiskies with the great- the coal trade started to decline he est respect, giving them plenty of ‘time’; thought whisky appeared to be making time to settle, time to marry before the more money so he moved into distilling, next step. blending and bottling. Eventually he The marrying takes place in our ‘sol- bought the Stockwell Bond which was diers’, over one thousand former oloroso a great old building, sadly now the site sherry butts, standing on end in regi- of the St Enoch shopping centre in Glas- mented fashion in situ at our Inver- gow. I remember vividly as a small boy gordon blending centre. visiting it for the first time, all dark with This is the key to our success. Not only a great smell and the noise of the bot- do the butts provide the final quality, There is no blender in the Scotch tling hall. It’s true, they were good old but more importantly they ensure the Whisky Industry more respected days! consistency of the blend, achieving the than Richard Paterson. quality objectives it has done now for many years. Successful in over 100 LFW: What is your job? Whiskies are countries, the character is acceptable I am the Master Blender for JBB everywhere. The blend is not bold or (Greater Europe), part of Jim Beam brash but smooth, mellow, elegant and Brands World-wide Inc., which incorpo- like people; refined, thanks to the marriage. Some- rates Whyte & Mackay and Inver- thing to be sipped without large lash- gordon Distillers. Our leading products ings of water or ice. include Whyte & Mackay Scotch you get to LFW: But Whyte & Mackay is often Whisky, Jim Beam Bourbon, Glayva cheaper than its main competitors. Liqueur, Vladivar and the single Listen! What more can you want? This malts Isle of Jura, Dalmore, understand is an extremely high quality whisky Bruichladdich, Old Fettercairn, Tam- which is one of the most expensive whis- navulin, Tomintoul and Tullibardine. kies to produce, including the double We also have the grain distillery at them better maturation and which we make avail- Invergordon. able to the consumer at an attractive My job as master blender is ensuring price! that all the products in our portfolio as you LFW: Is it always the same compo- achieve and surpass the quality crite- nents employed? ria that we set out to attain. I am also I always try and maintain the same rig- responsible for the development of new get older. orous formulation, but being realistic blends for clients which is the key part during the last thirty years there have of our group’s business. LFW: Are blenders born or created? been distillery closures, changes in trad- LFW: But you are not the first A bit of both, but what is required is ing arrangements and so, like any other Paterson blender. total and utter commitment; 100% dedi- whisky company, I have to adapt accord- My father and my grandfather were cation, passion, and pursuit of the high- ingly. But it takes years rather than both whisky blenders. I started with my est quality. And time. Whiskies are like months. Our bulk stock manager Nor- father when I was very young. I recall people; you get to understand them bet- man Matheson has built up stocks so that when I was about eight he would ter as you get older. that we can react well in advance when ask, what did I think of this whisky? I The greatest thrill I think is when I pro- we see that in the future there is going could smell it on his breath and I duce something that I think is right but to be a shortfall in certain stocks. Hav- wouldn’t think very much of it! So he is then endorsed by the customer or gets ing so many aged malts in the blend would whack me on the back of the head an award. means component changes can be made and say what do you mean, is it dry or LFW: Who ultimately controls the well in advance. The best part is the long sweet? So it built up from there and gave blend quality, you or the finance marrying period which is a great asset me a very good foundation, as well as a department? to attaining continuity and conformity sore head! My first job was with a small Me. Quality is as important to the com- with all the little edges being smoothed company called A. Gillies and Company pany as it is to me. I control the consist- out with time. (which had ) in ency of the blend in order to ensure that Good stock management and efficient Glasgow where I spent my first four the customer is consistently happy. planning enable you to respond to a years learning every aspect relating to We’ve just learned that Whyte & change in supplies without any discern- production, blending and bottling. Be- Mackay is number one in the whole of ible changes in the final quality. ing the son of the great ‘Gus’ Paterson Scotland off-trade, possibly helped by LFW: How many whiskies are you of WR Paterson Ltd and Stockwell Bond our new blue label launched in Janu- responsible for? caused considerable difficulties for me ary 1998. It was a very positive move I don’t know for sure; it is well over a

PAGE 2 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD hundred. various positions throughout the ware- Bear in mind we have done a small pro- At JBB we produce whiskies for many house, which I believe has some consid- duction at Bruichladdich and the same different clients such as major stores, erable effect on the whisky character. To may happen either at Tamnavulin or supermarkets down to small prestige overcome this and to bring uniformity Tullibardine. We ran Bruichladdich for outlets all over the world. The Japanese we do large vattings which will encom- two months last year which produced say ‘the customer is king’ and we take pass all these subtle variations and give sufficient for many years supply as a great efforts to make sure that we re- us the desired style we seek. single malt. Bruichladdich is a great main the best at our business, supply- In the case of Dalmore 12yo, 30% is malt with a great potential. ing a whisky which meets the custom- oloroso sherry wood and the rest is ex LFW: You have a fine collection of er’s price level coupled with individual American bourbon. The Cigar malt W&M bottles dating back 150 years; style objectives and quality of delivery which we produce for America is what changes could we identify and service. Dalmore with a 60% oloroso. That was over the years? LFW: If I gave you a sample of our released two or three years ago as a com- During the early years, especially the Loch Fyne, could you replicate it? plement for those who want a cigar with 1890s, Whyte & Mackay were using a We are constantly being asked to do a malt. America is where Dalmore’s high proportion of Campbeltown malts, things like that and given enough time great success lies. (not surprising with there being so then I would like to think I could get Jura has a style of its own and it per- many)— and even the age was about 8 close. However to really crack it I would forms better with ex bourbon. We have years—with the result you can expect ask you to come back in one year. done tests with sherries which have the overtones to be big and heavy in Making up a blend in the sample room worked relatively well but we still find body compared with today’s more mel- and then sending it to a customer only that good old American white oak suits low flavour. gives a rough indication and is just the it. We are also looking at peating levels; It is a shame that in 1887 Barnard wrote first step in the process. The rest is we are in no hurry to change the present about 129 Scotch Whisky distilleries but down to careful selection, ageing and style in any way, but we are always re- he never referred to the taste of the giving the individual malts and grains viewing options. whisky! It wasn’t until Wallace Milroy’s time to ‘bed down’ with each other—it Almanac in 1984 that consumers have must be a lasting union. I would come had the chance to acquire a taste and up with a good match. When do you If you have love of malts, yet we have produced it want me to start? since 1494. I wonder why we kept this I love creating new whiskies. Denis so quiet? Charpentier, a Frenchman specialising something LFW: Will the character have in , came to me after I won the changed in the bottle? 500th anniversary award in 1994 and If you open a bottle that is fifty or sixty asked that I produce an award-winning good then years old, you find that the whisky is blend for him. I asked what kind of style stuffed, numb and closed—it needs air. he wanted and we discussed it at great Swirl it in the glass for five minutes and length; he wanted something soft, el- for goodness it will recover. If it has been lying on its egant and distinguished and I told him side against the cork, sadly that will this was going to take at least a year have an unwanted effect as years ago and a half. Having waited, he entered sake drink it! corks were very heavy and can give it in the International Wine and Spirit quite a flavour. Competition in 1997 and 1998. Each When it comes to the Stillman’s Drams, Once any bottle is opened, please finish time it got the trophy for the best the 25 to 30yos, it is entirely different. it! Keep it at an even temperature—not blended whisky which gave me great These are personally selected at rare in the sun or an illuminated cabinet— personal satisfaction. ages that reflect the true character of and a good strong seal is important for Let me tell your readers that once such each malt. Just recently I selected a 30 keeping the character. But if you have a blend has been produced it must be yo Dalmore which is unbelievable. If you something good then for goodness sake drunk properly. I believe that to get the compare that with the one from 18 drink it! Once I get to a quarter full, I best out of it, a little splash of good still months ago there is a significant differ- think that is an awful lot of air and this water like Highland Spring to bring the ence. This one is superb; for the last nine bottle should be finished soon. Certainly alcohol down to 38% is ideal—too much years I had transferred it to an oloroso I think it should be within a year. water (or any bloody ice!) masks and butt that previously had held some 50 LFW: There are a lot of changes in upsets the flavour. Hold the whisky in year old Dalmore, which made it excep- the industry, including within your the mouth and allow the warmth of your tionally rich and very complex. I try not own company. tongue to reveal the whisky’s attractive to worry about variations in limited It’s not just the drinks industry. The flavours. The wait is well worth it. products; the style and character pace of change is increasing dramati- LFW: And Coke? changes are subtle and depend on ac- cally and the need to remain alert is es- As long as they are drinking the amber tual wood use. sential if we are to continue being one nectar that’s fine by me. Hopefully as With these fine, big whiskies I recom- of the leaders in our trade. palates become better educated there mend that you savour it; sip it and com- I would like to see much more long term will be a move to a single malt or a bine it with Colombian coffee and high thinking, less short term injections, less deluxe blend which will not need such cocoa fat chocolate, the combination will gloom and doom and more passion. Pro- a mixer—but listen, no matter what I highlight the taste. And remember if it ducing a good Scotch Whisky is not just say, it’s for the consumer to decide how is matured for thirty years then give it the achievement of the blender, but eve- to drink it. as many seconds in the mouth. ryone in a great team working at dis- LFW: What is your policy on your LFW: Out of seven distilleries you tilling, blending and bottling. Slainté to single malt bottlings? have three which are closed. them all. For the standard bottlings where con- These are not closed, they are simply not LFW: Your desert island dram? sistency is essential such as with Jura in production at present. Production at A Whyte & Mackay at lunch time, 10 or Dalmore 12 years, I like to allo- our distilleries is geared to meet the Bruichladdich 27yo with my afternoon cate as many casks as possible, up to market place and is constantly under tea and any Dalmore as a night-cap. 150 to 200 at one time, drawing from review. LFW: Thank you.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 3 THE ARMCHAIR CONNOISSEUR—ESSENTIAL READING If Richard Paterson wonders why it has taken 490 years for a dedicated malt whisky taster’s guide to be written it is an even greater mystery why it has taken a further thirteen years to pub- lish a proper guide to blended Scotch.

An astonishing book. Or more correctly, an astonishing collection. Rino Zagatti is known in international whisky collecting circles as ‘the blind man’ having lost his eyesight at the age While Wallace Milroy’s Almanac is the of eleven. However such a handicap has original dissertation on single malts and, not reduced his enjoyment of assembling now in its seventh edition, remains a Jim Murray’s third contribution to one of the most complete collections of handy pocket guide, it is Michael Prion’s Classic Drinks series is a whisky Scotch malt whisky bottles in the world. Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion, now publishing landmark both for being a This book is a catalogue of that collec- in its tenth year, that remains the es- first and worthwhile. A lesser writer tion presented, without comment or ap- sential resource for tasting information. may have produced on the subject but praisal, in the fashion of an auctioneer’s Jackson wins on a variety of counts: the will not have done such a service for the listing. The text is in Italian and Eng- book has good weight to it, it is properly sector. Murray’s passion for all things lish recording facets of each bottle but bound reflecting the prestige of the sub- whisky is evident as in all his musings is secondary to the pictures. Many of the ject matter; the layout, in classic Dorling but there is clearly a great appreciation bottles are presented full size, others Kindersley style, is comfortable and for the blenders here and if you are one make available all the necessary infor- unfussy; tasting notes are clear and it of the idiots who thinks blends are infe- mation for a collector to drool over the is easy to identify which particular bot- rior to malts this book should set you range and depth portrayed. tling is being considered (it should be ob- straight. It is a large format book, just short of vious that the LFW Stock List must be The material starts with a consideration 300 pages, and the print and paper qual- used in conjunction with the Compan- of the history of blends and the impor- ity is faultless. ion and no other book). The style of the tance of grain, with some fascinating re- Loch Fyne Whiskies is importing the tasting notes is that of rapid, quick fire, views on the variety of grain whiskies book on behalf of the publisher and dur- suggestions and usually an appetising produced and the individual contribu- ing the few weeks that the book has been description. tion each makes to a blend. ‘A question in the shop, every serious collector of The real point of difference is the scores. of balance’ considers how a blend is whiskies who has seen it has bought a It is essential to remind oneself on a made and the bulk of the book, nearly copy on the spot. We immediately found regular basis of the logic behind the 200 pages, covers the history and flavour it an essential reference work when dis- scores (page 30 and SWR 2); a score of of Murray’s Classic brands (about 75 in cussing matters with our customers— 75 is not poor but ‘especially worth tast- all, including our Loch Fyne—thus en- particularly when identifying a bottle ing’. More important, be aware that suring a favourable review here!). found in dad’s cabinet. these are his scores not yours and, thank You don’t know about whisky until you For less than the price of a Macallan heavens, we all have different tastes. It have read this book. £12.99 25yo, this book gives you 2,400 bottles— is clear that Michael likes the big drams; a complete collection for just £80.00. of 39 bottlings scoring 90 or more only Another whisky publish- nine distilleries are represented, the ing first is Worts, Worms bulk of his approval going to stonkers and Washbacks, an enjoy- like Ardbeg, Bowmore, Highland Park, able biography of the ca- Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Macallan. It reer of John MacDougal follows that Michael likes a good strong as a distillery manager vindaloo. both on the mainland and Even if you already have the third edi- Islay. tion number four is essential for your Written with great wit and easy style, library. This edition is fully revised, here is a unique insight into whisky thicker by 64 pages, with 500 new making over the last 35 years that is bottlings and 120 revisions. unputdownable for the beach or yuletide £12.99; order before December 15th, £10.99 digestive. £7.99 One of 8 spreads devoted to 256 Macallans

PAGE 4 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD H FY C N O E whiskiesL

B O 1999 R T A T E L OF Y E ING TH

Of all the bottles we stock, and there are GOING GOLD AND GONE plenty of them, we elect just one as our In the last SWR we reported that we had bottling of the year. How do we decide? secured all remaining stock of Inverarity THE INVERARITY RANGE There are a variety of factors that come Ancestral. This was because Bacardi, under consideration but by far the big- (the new owners of Aultmore, the source adopted as our house malts gest is the response from our custom- distillery), were refusing to sell any stock The Inverarity range is now complete ers. With a very positive, active sampling for bottling as a single malt (ignorant and we have adopted all three as our policy in the shop, we can test malt whis- bums!). As Inverarity Vaults were un- house malts because of their extremely kies and decide by virtue of democratic able to source adequate supplies of this high quality and good value. vote which is a goodie worthy of our rec- unique sherry cask matured malt else- Not to be outdone, the new Scottish Par- ommendation. where, they have had to select a differ- liament has also adopted the range as This year we and our customers approve ent source malt for their Ancestral which the only official whiskies to the parlia- of the OB bottling of Knockdhu 21yo. is now Balmenach (see right). ment, an outstanding achievement both is in Huntly, on the IWSC GOLD for Inverarity and the government and easternmost edge of the Speyside clas- Since that report we learned that we can only hope they continue to make sification. Its usual product is sold as ‘An Inverarity Vaults had entered the such wise decisions! Cnoc’ 12yo (this recent handle to avoid Aultmore-Ancestral in the International Our first house malt, The Inverarity10yo confusion with the unrelated Wine and Spirit Competition (the world’s is an all-day every-day dram which our Knockando), but the distillery’s real most influential) and won the gold customers have been enjoying for many name is Knockdhu meaning ‘black hill’ award as the best Speyside whisky—a years. It remains for the moment a bour- (as opposed to Knockando—‘little black very prestigious recognition by a very bon cask matured Aultmore. £ 19.90 hill’). distinguished panel of judges. Further NEW ANCESTRAL FROM BALMENACH Knockdhu 21yo, 57.5% is a limited edi- proof that our appraisal of a good dram Ancestral is a sherry cask matured 14yo. tion bottling of 6,400, in a very attrac- can be relied upon! With the loss of Aultmore, Inverarity tive presentation of black bottle and We have enjoyed selling Aultmore-An- Vaults’ Hamish Martin has selected a black box. The whisky is not a novice’s cestral in the shop over the last six 14yo sherry cask matured Balmenach as drink; the aroma is of whisky sweetness, months but sadly now we have come to successor. The whisky remains as enjoy- on tasting there are mixed and strong the last 250 bottles, ahhhh! able as before, extremely smooth with a characters with the mouthfeel changing In recognition of this unique whisky’s great strength and complexity, very from soft to hot/prickly back and forth. achievement we have had the red cap- slightly sherry-cloying in the mouth. A The whisky thickens on the tongue to a sule replaced with a gold, added the gold wonderful after dinner dram. The price gingery oilyness and the finish is par- award sticker and relabelled the bottles of the new Ancestral remains at £ 27.90. ticularly long and gingery. as the ‘last 250 from Aultmore.’ Each la- NEW INVERARITY ISLAY A 21yo for £46.90 is good bel is endorsed with a stamp and indi- The Inverarity range is now completed value; at the deal price of £39.99 it’s a vidually initialled and dated by Inver- with the addition of Inverarity Islay, a must! arity’s MD, Hamish Martin. ten year old all-Islay vatted malt made These final few award winners are fur- up of four components. ther differentiated from the new Launched at the end of this summer, Balmenach-Ancestral by their price of sales to Islay fans have been fantastic. £32.90. At that price we hope that col- There is a very emphatic phenolic and lectors will be persuaded to hoard one medicinal character–peat and iodine— and open another—it is after all a dram which is classic Islay; a good oiliness, recognised for its superb quality. powerful flavours yet also a breeze of Don’t delay, order your stock of the last fresh air. This is an excellent variation remaining 250 bottles of sherry cask on Islay malts which will provoke much matured 14yo Aultmore-Ancestral. debate among Islay fans as to where the Ancestral, last 250 from Aultmore £32.90 four components come from. The normal price of Inverarity Islay 10 years old is £23.90 but we have an intro- ductory offer price for orders placed before De- cember 13th of £5 off—just £18.99.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 ONE FROM THE TOP SHELF We have talked to the producers and Order before Dec. 13th to qualify for If you ever needed an excuse to asked for some exceptional incentives to these prices. Every order of one bot- open a decent bottle of whisky then pursuade you to enjoy some extraordi- tle or more gets a 5cl Balblair, cour- surely the forthcoming New Year nary malts. Open them now—this is the tesy of . Over celebrations is such an opportunity. chance of a lifetime! £200 gets a Cellar Book from LFW.

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 2

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 GOSH! — END OF YEAR DEALS — SAVE £££££S!! Picture # DEAL PRICE SAVE Picture # DEAL PRICE SAVE 7 ARDBEG — 5∆ 17 40% £ 24.80 £4 GLEN ORD 12 40% £ 16.90 £3 8 ARDBEG — ∆ ’75/23 43% £ 34.90 £6 21 HIGHLAND PARK — 3∆ 12 40% £ 19.90 £3 6 ARDBEG — Provenance WB — ∆ ’74/23 56% £ 215.00 £30 4 HIGHLAND PARK—LFW bottling,1998 18 43% £ 35.90 £2 5 ARDBEG — N.B. no WB — ∆ 30 40% £ 70.90 £29 24 INVERARITY — ISLAY — 5 10 40% £ 18.90 £5 9 AUCHENTOSHAN ’65/31 46% £ 59.90 £25 ISLE OF JURA 10 40% £ 18.90 £3 10 BOWMORE — ∆ 17 43% £ 28.60 £7 KNOCKDHU — LFW bottling for 1999 21 58% £ 39.90 £7 11 BOWMORE — Darkest — ∆ 43% £ 26.60 £7 25 LONGMORN — 3∆ 15 45% £ 21.90 £3 3 BOWMORE — Dragon Ceramic D — ∆ 30 43% £ 124.00 £30 22 MACALLAN — 3 10 40% £ 19.90 £3 12 BRUICHLADDICH — ∆ 15 43% £ 27.90 £6 26 STRATHISLA— 3 12 43% £ 19.90 £2 1 BRUICHLADDICH — ∆ 27 45% £ 53.50 £10 CHIVAS CENTURY OF MALTS 43% £ 24.90 £5 21 BUNNAHABHAIN — 4 12 40% £ 19.40 £4 27 MALT WHISKY COMPANION — New Michael Jackson £ 10.99 £2 2 BUNNAHABHAIN — ∆ 1968 40% £ 50.90 £25 MULTI-BUY 1; Buy two bottles of the following and save £10 13 DALMORE — 3 12 40% £ 17.80 £6 — Cask Strength 15 51% £ 26.90 Buy GLENFIDDICH 40% £ 16.90 £3 28 GLENFIDDICH — Solera — 3 15 40% £ 28.90 any 14 GLEN GARIOCH ’68/29 56% £ 50.90 £25 29 GLENFIDDICH 18 40% £ 39.90 two GLENGLASSAUGH 1973 40% £ 66.60 £27 30 BALVENIE — Founder’s Reserve 10 40% £ 22.90 bottles GLENLIVET (The) — ∆ 18 43% £ 24.90 £5 31 BALVENIE — Double Wood — 2 12 40% £ 25.90 & save 15 GLENMORANGIE 10 40% £ 18.90 £3 32 BALVENIE — Single Cask 15 50% £ 37.90 £10 16 GLENMORANGIE — Port Finish— ∆ 12+ 43% £ 25.90 £4 MULTI-BUY 2; Buy two bottles and receive a miniature pack worth £ 22.90 18 GLENMORANGIE — Madeira 12+ 43% £ 25.90 £4 35 CRAGGANMORE — 3∆ 12 40% £ 23.50 Buy two 17 GLENMORANGIE — Sherry Finish 12+ 43% £ 25.90 £4 33 DALWHINNIE — 2 15 43% £ 23.50 & get a 19 GLENMORANGIE — Millennium 12 40% £ 22.90 £3 38 GLENKINCHIE 10 40% £ 23.50 six 5cl 20 GLENMORANGIE — WB ’77/21 43% £ 44.90 £15 36 OBAN — 4 14 43% £ 23.50 pack of GLEN MORAY — Wine mellowed 12 40% £ 16.70 £4 34 TALISKER — 5∆ 10 45% £ 25.50 ‘Distillers GLEN MORAY — Wine mellowed 16 40% £ 20.60 £5 37 LAGAVULIN— 5∆ 16 43% £ 28.50 Editions’ PAGE 6 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD Contrary to expectations there have not Gordon & Macphail have produced a Glenfarclas’s affordable 22yo Spirit of been many bottlings celebrating the 2,000cl ceramic whisky jar of malts from the Millennium is £ 49.90. Old Pultney forthcoming Millennium. A few produc- the 1930s to the present day. If you add 15yo Millennium at £ 46.70 is reason- ers have made an effort, or capitilised, all the ages of the whiskies it is said able and the Loch Fyne First Foot™2000 depending on your point of view. that they total 2,000 years. unmissable at £14.60!

0 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Spend over £200 - free Cellar Book! DEALS DEADLINE GLENFARCLAS Please note our deadline for all Some very special millennium bottlings deals and second deadline for deliv- have been prepared, the most imagina- eries during the forthcoming special tive being the Glenfarclas 40yo which celebration season, (see back page). features a series of 30 different labels; FREEBIES gathering the lot would set you All orders for one bottle or more will re- back £45,000! ceive a miniature of Balblair and all The series cel- those over £200 a copy of Neil Wilson’s ebrates three Malt Whisky Cellar Book; with an in- Scottish writers, formative introduction, the book allows Sir Walter Scott, you to record for posterity your impres- Robert Louis sions of you preferred drams. Stevenson and LASTLY Robert Burns with the assist- Last year we offered this Glenlivet set ance of three con- of 5 x 20cl vintage bottles. Limited in temporary Scot- release we sold out very quickly, BUT tish artists. Each we have managed to secure a few more artist commemo- unsold elsewhere, a wonderful second rating two works, MACALLAN chance at £169, open them! making a total of The Macallan Millennium Decanter, 30 different la- filled with 50yo Macallan is (in our view) bels, part of a to- the most elegant presentation. A unique tal limited re- shape of Caithness crystal glass de- lease of 600 bot- canter in a refreshingly simple wooden tles. box, handsomely engraved and with cop- Single bottles are per trimmings recycled from number available, price nine still at Macallan. £1,500 each, call A release of considerably less that 1,000 us to discuss the decanters ensure this is a sought after options! bottling of Macallan. £1,750.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 7 FIRST FOOT™ FORWARD

THE FIRST FOOT MUGSHOTS ANDY BURNS (Literally) For those not familiar with the In response to a request from a gentle- term, the first visitor to enter a man customer who wanted a picture of home on New Year’s morning is com- ‘the lady’ we publish one here amongst monly known in Scotland as the mugshots of the three main protagonists First Foot. This person of great impor- in the shop. (Our summer assistant tance is known by different names in Darren Pirie pretended he had to go to different regions or indeed in different university to avoid getting his taken.) countries. Further we thought that we should ask While in Scotland he is the First Foot, each which bottle, of all those in the shop, Yorkshire has the Lucky Bird, the Isle they would like to take home for inside of Man Quaaltagh and elsewhere in their mugs to welcome the New Year. Europe he goes by various other names. Initially put as ‘what would you like for Irrespective of the title, they are tradi- the New Year?’ the question was re- tionally supposed to influence the for- phrased after responses of ‘world peace tunes of their host in the following and an end to all suffering’ and ‘a new twelve months, both by the gifts they tie and a universal socket set’. bring and by their own character and appearance. Traditionally nothing should be removed from the house nor should anyone leave until the First Foot has been. Visiting as early as possible on January 1st, he or she should be admitted by the front THE LOCH FYNE entrance and, since they are the luck bringer, the host is required to entertain FIRST FOOT™ 2000 the First Foot with food and a plentiful For the forthcoming celebrations we supply of uisge beatha (water of life). have created a label variation of our The First Foot brings with them sym- Loch Fyne blend for you to enjoy as part Laura Simpson: “The Macallan Millen- bolic gifts of food, fuel and drink. In the of your New Year festivities. nium Decanter; it’s beautiful and I can distant past the latter would have been The whisky remains its superb self, only imagine a wonderful aroma. That’s all I the first water drawn from the well, the label is changed. Every 70cl and 5cl need to keep me quiet and content.” pond or stream as soon after midnight bottle is individually numbered (on the Andy Burns: “Well that’s an interest- as possible; this water was known as the back of the label) and there is a total ing question and one that requires a cream of the well or flower of the well, (topical) release of just 2,000 bottles. great deal of thought. I feel that person- today more commonly known as uisge BOTTLE ONLY: ally, and I mean speaking for myself, beatha or whisky. FIRST FOOT™ 2000 70cl £ 14.60 rather than, that is, for anyone else, that As well as water from the well or whisky, FIRST FOOT™ 2000 5cl £ 3.50 after due consideration and given the the First Foot usually brings a piece of HOGMANAY PARTY PACK: (picture above) benefit of the fullness of time, I feel— bread, a lump of fuel and a coin or a lit- A 70cl bottle, pack of Walkers Millennium that is, my inclination is—that I would tle salt, the latter symbolic of wealth for Malt Whisky Shortbread, a symbolic piece have to go for, and this may, or indeed the coming year. of peat, and a millennium or silver carrier may not, suit anyone else’s personal pref- These symbolic gifts vary from region to (specify)—you add the salt! £ 17.90 erence and does not in any way consti- region, from a herring in some Scottish tute a recommendation but is merely an fishing communities like Loch Fyne, as indication of a personal preference of my a promise of good fishing own rather than anyone else’s (what was to come, to a sheaf of the question?) I’m going to go for the wheat in the case of some Family Silver bottling of Bunnahabhain, English rural areas for a not necessarily my all time favourite good harvest in the coming whisky but I think the ideal one for this year. particular occasion”. The origin of the custom is Darren Pirie: “All those in the shop.” unclear but perhaps it has Richard Joynson: “What do you mean its roots in the pagan be- ‘apart from the Loch Fyne award win- lief that he who was born 20cl GIFT PACK: (picture above) ning blend, First Foot™ 2000 version’? feet first was perceived to 20cl bottle, twin pack of Walkers short- In that case, this time I’m taking home be an omen of good luck bread, LFW dram glass and symbolic piece the 5 x 20cl vintage Glenlivets, very rare and possessed healing of peat in a satin-lined box £ 13.90 but very tempting!” . Donald R. Greeter: “Cheers! (Can I get Wherever you are out of the rain tonight, please?)” and whatever your beliefs may be for welcoming the New Year, may prosperity, good health and good luck accompany you Dalvey stainless steel sporran flask with throughout First Foot™ miniature £ 35.00 2000. Quaich with First Foot™ miniature £ 19.90

PAGE 8 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD 1999 SEASON OF CELEBRITY TASTING EVENINGS Our four whisky tasting evenings over the summer enabled participants to en- joy a varied program of differing facets of the world of whisky. Richard Paterson of Whyte & Mackay treated us to an updated version of his history of Scotch followed by his blend- ing competition. The zeal with which Richard tells us about his passion for Scotch coupled with his highly amusing delivery always make his presentations THE HIGHLAND informative and memorable. Bill Lumsden, the man who seems to sign most bottles of Glenmorangie these HONOURS TOAST days, fascinated us with an assortment If you’ve wondered what was going on of goodies from his company’s ware- in our poster for the tasting season it is houses. Starting with Glenmorangie’s the toasting of the Duke of Rothsay with new spirit, (thus ensuring the best Highland Honours. hangover of the season), Bill treated us Jim McEwan’s research has unearthed to samples of Glenmorangie from a the procedure and it was performed at standard cask at six years and from a Inveraray at the end of Jim’s presenta- ‘designer cask’ also at six years. The lat- tion during the summer. ter was a slow grown oak from the Ozark Jim tells us, “Toasting with Highland mountains, air (rather than kiln)-dried Honours is now a thing of the past, and Richard and his ‘no-parrot’ sketch. and used at Heaven Hill’s unheated to pledge anyone with these is a great On this occasion the evening concluded Bourbon warehouses before shipping to compliment. This toast was generally with an open tasting of many of Scotland. The result was a far more ad- given from the chair and the procedure Richard’s company’s products including vanced degree of maturation, well be- was on these lines. The chairman rises his treasured sample of 50 year old yond the normal ten year old style , but and places his left foot on his chair and Dalmore which he omitted to recover mixing the two six year olds produced a his right on the table and says, “Let us and hide after showing it earlier. Not superb dram. drink to ______with Highland Honours.” much more where that came from! We then sampled the Glenmorangie Port The company then stand up, each gen- Wood finish, Ardbeg 17yo and, most tleman placing one foot on his chair and Jim McEwan (far right) of Morrison spectacularly, the very rare Ardbeg the other on the table. The chairman Bowmore was kept in check by a sur- ‘Manager’s Choice’, a selected single then calls: prise guest and old friend, Etta Shaw, a sherry cask matured Ardbeg, chosen and “Suas e Suas e Suas e” (up with it), the former Islay resident who has known bottled by distillery manager Stuart whole of the company raising their Jim since he was a small boy! Williamson—a fantastic whisky! glasses above their heads three times (as Jim took us on an intimate tour of Scot- with Jim pictured below). land through the distilleries under his “Sios e Sios e Sios e” (down with it), the control: Auchentoshan from the Low- company lowering glasses to the chest. lands, the characterful Highlander Glen “Null e Null e Null e” (thither with it), Garioch and, Jim’s real love, Bowmore the company stretching their glasses in which produced the evening’s favourites front of them to the full extent of the arm. 15yo and ‘Darkest’. “Nall e Nall e Nall e” (hither with it), His easy-going style coupled with the the company bringing their glasses to- excellent timing of his stories and jokes wards themselves. made this a very enjoyable evening The glasses are then emptied (no which concluded with the Highland heeltaps) followed by three ringing Honours toast (see right). Murray McDavid was unable to attend cheers. Then “A ris! A ris!” (again, again) our fourth evening for ‘technical reasons’ as a finale to the toast with final cheers. but Gordon Wright (above) filled his When toasting royalty or anyone deserv- shoes, wide-brimmed hat and cape with ing of special honour, the empty glasses suspicious ease, adding further fuel to are flung over the left shoulder and the rumour that they are the same man, smashed. never having been seen in the same room at the same time! If the secret of a great tasting evening is great whiskies then Gordon knows his stuff! All of the eight drams sampled (for just seven quid, mind) were distilled in Argyll. In sequence they were; Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Spring- bank, Caol Ila, Longrow, Leapfrog, Ardbeg and finally a 34 year old Springbank! Gordon explained the role of the independent bottler with reference to why he was serving ‘Leapfrog’ rather than the Lappy-doo-da Islay malt after an unhappy legal argument. A great evening with some great whiskies.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 9 1644 1823 TWELVE DATES OF WHISKY The first tax on spirits was imposed by The Wash Act and a number of subse- Gavin D. Smith the Scottish parliament. This was in- quent pieces of legislation failed to curb The recorded history of Scotch whisky tended to raise revenue for the Royalist illicit distilling to any significant degree stretches back more than half a millen- army during the Civil War. The level of and in 1822 the Illicit Distillation (Scot- nium. Here we explore the heritage of duty was set at 2s. 8d. Scots per Scots land) Act was passed, imposing more the world’s greatest drink by focusing on pint, a measure of just less than half a severe penalties for illegal whisky-mak- a dozen key dates in its development. gallon. In 1707, the Act of Union between ing. The Highland distillers had an in- 1494 England and Scotland led to the forma- fluential supporter in the Duke of The first written reference to Scotch tion of the Board of Excise, which began Gordon, a substantial landowner in whisky occurs in the Exchequer Rolls of to enforce the laws relating to excise north-east Scotland, where the problem Scotland: ‘...eight bolls of malt to Friar duty quite rigorously. Thus, the battle of illicit distillation was particularly se- John Cor wherewith to make aqua vitae’. lines were drawn up, with the excise of- rious. Gordon and some of his fellow Eight bolls is 1,120lbs or 50kgs—a suf- ficers or ‘gaugers’ versus the native landlords promised to help stamp out ficiently large quantity of malt to sug- whisky-makers or ‘smugglers’. the illegal trade if the government pro- gest that whisky-making was already The opposition between law-enforcer vided an incentive for the smugglers to well-established by this time. Aqua vitae and law-beaker has provided some of the distil on the right side of the law. The is the Latin for ‘water of life’, in the most fascinating factual stories and less result was the Excise Act of 1823, which Gaelic uisge beatha, from which the verifiable anecdotes connected with cut duty dramatically to 2s. 3d. per gal- modern word ‘whisky’ is derived. Scotch whisky, and the ingenuity of the lon, while a distilling licence cost just The Arabs are usually credited with dis- smugglers could be quite extraordinary. £10 per annum. The first new distillery covering the art of distillation, or, at the They had the great advantage over their to be licensed under the Act was built very least, perfecting it and it is believed adversaries of intimate knowledge of the by George Smith of Glenlivet, one of the to have been brought to Europe in the physical terrain in which they operated Duke of Gordon’s tenants. tenth century, principally for medicinal and they enjoyed the —at least tacit— As a consequence of the 1823 Act, the purposes and it is thought that the se- support of most of their neighbours. number of licensed distilleries in Scot- crets of distillation travelled from Ire- Nonetheless, no fewer than 14,000 illicit land doubled in two years and produc- land to the west of Scotland. stills were detected during the year of tion of duty-paid whisky rose from 2 1505 1823 and this must have been the tiny million to 6 million gallons per annum. The Guild of Surgeon Barbers in Edin- tip of a massive alcoholic iceberg. Illicit distillation fell dramatically, with burgh was granted a monopoly on the The levels of duty levied on whisky have the 14,000 detections of 1823 falling to manufacture of whisky. This action re- remained a matter of controversy ever 692 in 1834 and to just 6 in 1874. The flected whisky’s traditional role as a since their initial imposition. The Scotch 1823 Excise Act was a major stepping medicine, though by this time it was al- Whisky Association wrote in 1997 ‘Taxa- stone on the way to the multi-million most certainly being consumed for pleas- tion in the UK is extremely high, account- pound Scotch whisky industry which ure as well as to relieve pain. Writing in ing for as much as 70% of the retail price exists today. 1564 Raphael Holinshed made such of a typical bottle of standard blended 1826 elaborate claims for the curative effects Scotch Whisky.’ In 1826 leading Lowland distiller Robert of whisky as to make even a modern day 1784 Stein of Kilbagie distillery in advertising copywriter blush: ‘Beying The Wash Act of 1784 reduced the level Clackmananshire patented a revolution- modrately taken it cutteth fleume, it of duty and simplified regulations, as ary type of still, one which would change lighteneth the mynd, it quickeneth the well as establishing a precise, geographi- the whisky industry forever. Stein had spirits, it cureth the hydropsie, it cal ‘Highland Line’ which separated the invented a method of continuous distil- pounceth the stone, it repelleth the gravel, Lowlands from the Highlands for pur- lation, which meant that spirit could be it puffeth away ventositie, it kepyth and poses of differential excise levels. The produced much faster and in appreciably preserveth the eyes from dazelyng, the Act aimed to stimulate legal distilling greater quantities than had previously tongue from lispyng, the teethe from in the Highlands and to reduce smug- been the case in pot stills, which had to chatteryng, the throte from rattlyng, the gling. Accordingly, lower rates of excise be cleaned and re-charged between weasan from stieflyng, the stomach from duty were applied to small-scale distill- batches. Stein’s pioneering work was womblyng... and truly it is a sovereign eries north of the line which used locally- perfected by former senior Irish Excise liquor if it be orderlie taken.’ produced barley. official turned distiller Aeneas Coffey, Whisky once again assumed the status The Wash Act also led to a great expan- who produced a twin-column version of of medicine during the period of Prohi- sion of legal Lowland distilling, as it en- Stein’s still in 1830. Two years later he bition in the USA (1920—1933) when it couraged distillers to produce more spirit patented the new design, which could was theoretically only available with a from each batch of ‘wash’, with the li- distil 3,000 gallons of wash per hour. Not doctor’s prescription. ‘Medicinal” whis- cence fee being based on each distillery’s only was the Coffey still ultra-efficient kies such as the Islay malt Laphroaig capacity. Lowland whisky consequently compared with the pot variety, but it also were particularly popular. Judging by gained a poor reputation as a result of utilised a variety of cheap grains rather the amount of spirit consumed during being distilled very rapidly in extremely than malted barley. Vast quantities of Prohibition, America must have been a shallow stills. Writing in 1788, the poet comparatively inexpensive but quite very sick country indeed. The larger- Robert Burns described Lowland whisky characterless spirit could now be pro- than-life whisky figure Tommy Dewar, as ‘a most rascally liquor.’ duced and initially much of it was ex- of John Dewar & Sons of Perth, wrote of Single malt whiskies are still categorised ported to England for redistillation into travelling through a dry state of Canada geographically, with the ‘Highland Line’ of . By the middle of the nineteenth cen- during the 1920s and being advised to 1784—running between Greenock on the tury was also being ex- try a pharmacy if he wanted to buy Firth of Clyde in the west and Dundee on ported to Australia, South Africa, India, whisky. This he duly did, only to be re- the Firth of Tay in the east—continuing to Canada and the USA. buffed, and offered instead a bottle divide Highland from Lowland malts. 1853 which announced its contents as being Other geographical categories now in gen- As grain whisky was comparatively ‘Cholera Mixture’. On the reverse of the eral use include Islay, Speyside and characterless and pot still single malt bottle was the familiar label of his own Campbeltown, though many writers and in- whisky was considered too charcterful family blend! dustry experts sub-divide within categories. and variable for polite society, it was

PAGE 10 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD inevitable that someone would decide to named United Distillers. sion was set up to investigate the ‘What try mixing the two. 1899 is Whisky?’ case. Not surprisingly, the Until 1853 it was not lawful to vat or mix As blended Scotch whisky took the world Distillers Company Ltd was at the fore- whiskies of different ages, even when by storm, so there was an accompany- front of those lobbying on behalf of they came from the same distillery, ing rush to increase whisky-making ca- blended whisky. though the blending of different batches pacity and many new distilleries were After eighteen months of deliberation, of malts had been taking place for many built. The Speyside area of north-east the Commission came up with a defini- years in order to achieve a level of con- Scotland was at the centre of this boom tion of whisky, which stated that it was sistency. Some legal whisky-makers had in construction, with no fewer than 21 ‘...a spirit obtained by distillation from even added illicit whisky to their own of the 33 new distilleries that opened a mash of cereal grains saccharified by coarse spirit to improve its flavour and it during the 1890s located on Speyside. the diastase of malt.’ The blenders had was also not unknown for merchants and Whisky came to be seen as a sound fi- carried the day. publicans to mix malt whisky with cheap nancial investment, with potentially 1930 grain to increase their profit margins. high returns on capital invested and, In 1930 the Canadian company Hiram The prominent Edinburgh spirits mer- inevitably, there was to come a time Walker bought Glenburgie distillery chant Andrew Usher is credited with when boom turned to bust due to over- near Forres, followed by Miltonduff six being the first person to blend whiskies capacity within the industry. years later. In 1936 the company also commercially, creating Usher’s Old The crash came early in 1899, when the acquired the blending firm of George Vatted Glenlivet in 1853. The Spirit Act Leith-based blending and whisky whole- Ballantine & Son and began to create a of 1860 paved the way for whiskies from sale company of Pattison’s Ltd went into vast, integrated distilling, blending and different distilleries to be blended with- liquidation, at which time the firm’s li- bottling complex at Dumbarton. The out payment of duty. Usher used his abilities were found to amount to more arrival of Hiram Walker in Scotland sig- vatting experience to mix malts and than £500,000, while its assets were nalled the start of ‘globalisation’ of the grains and create a palatable, compara- worth less than half that figure. This Scotch whisky industry, which continued tively inexpensive product which was was major bankruptcy and the collapse apace after World War Two when fellow likely to have a very wide appeal. of Pattison’s sent shock-waves through Canadian distillers bought Blended whisky had been created. the industry. A considerable number of in Keith and pro- The global growth in sales of blended individual investors were ruined and ceeded to create distillery whisky during the last three decades of many companies were financially af- from a derelict flour mill nearby. the nineteenth century owed much to fected due to the complex network of Both companies pursued energetic ac- the audacious marketing and salesman- credit arrangements within the indus- quisitions policies in Scotland, building ship of men like Tommy Dewar, James try. Several distilleries were also forced up impressive portfolios of distilleries Buchanan and Peter Mackie. Of great to close down. and brands, with Seagram now owning assistance in the battle to make blended Pattison’s had approached the market- such prestigious distilleries as The whisky a drink for the world was the ing of blended whisky in an energetic Glenlivet and Glen Grant, along with absence of from the drinks cabi- and brash manner, but behind the rapid the deluxe blend . In 1990 nets of the great and the good. This was rise to prominence of the company was Whyte & Mackay was taken over by the due to the fortuitous havoc wreaked on serious financial mismanagement and US company American Brands. French vineyards by the insect fraud on the part of the Pattison broth- The Japanese had began to develop a Phylloxera. Blended whisky now ac- ers, Robert and Walter, both of whom domestic whisky-making industry in the counts for some 95% of all Scotch sold. served prison sentences for fraud as a 1920s and in the 1980s they began to take 1877 result of the firm’s collapse. a significant interest in Scottish distill- In 1877 the Distillers Company Ltd was As depression set in, several of the re- ing. Suntory bought into and, ultimately formed by six of the foremost Lowland cently-opened Speyside distilleries acquired control of, Morrison Bowmore grain distilleries, namely Cameron- closed almost as soon as production be- Distillers, while in In- bridge, Kirkliston, Glenochil, Cambus, gan and after Glen Elgin was completed verness-shire and at Port Dundas and Carsebridge. The aim in 1900 it was to be more than half a Fort William are both now in Japanese of this amalgamation was to create a century before another malt distillery, ownership. Today, few Scottish distiller- powerful and influential grouping in the Tormore, was constructed in the High- ies remain in the hands of private indi- booming world of Scotch whisky. In 1919 lands. Prohibition in the USA, a world- viduals or domestic companies. John & Co Ltd joined DCL and the wide economic slump and two world 1997 Dewar, Buchanan and Johnnie Walker wars all conspired to keep the Scotch A new company—United Distillers and companies were enticed into the DCL whisky industry in the doldrums. Vintners—emerged from the £27 billion fold in 1925, being joined two years later 1906 merger between Guinness and rival by White Horse Distillers Ltd. In 1906 a court case in the unlikely set- GrandMet. UDV is the largest spirits By 1930, DCL was the largest player by ting of Islington, London, turned out to company in the world. far in the Scotch whisky industry, con- have great significance for the Scotch Scotch whisky is unquestionably the trolling one-third of all operational dis- whisky industry. Malt distillers had been world’s leading spirit, with a global con- tilleries in Scotland and owning virtu- concerned for some time that the repu- sumption of 84 million cases (1,008 mil- ally all the major blended whisky tation of their product was suffering due lion bottles) in 1998. The industry em- brands, as well as having a number of to the high level of poor quality, blended ploys more than 12,000 people directly, other significant commercial interests. whisky being passed off as ‘malt’ and the and around 60,000 indirectly. Some 90% The Distillers Company Ltd continued Islington case concerned a publican and of whisky produced is exported, and to dominate the industry, through good off-licence trader who was charged with Scotch whisky is one of Britain’s top five times and lean, though it closed more selling as malt a product which turned export earners, selling in over 200 coun- than twenty of its distilleries during the out to contain 90% grain spirit. tries. Fascination with the process of over-production crisis of the 1980s. In Islington Borough Council won their how whisky is made leads more than one 1987 DCL was acquired in acrimonious case against the publican, but the judge’s million people to tour Scotland’s distill- and highly controversial circumstances conclusion implied that a blend of malt eries each year. by Guinness, who had fought a bitter spirit made in a pot still and grain spirit Gavin D. Smith’s new book Scotch Whisky is battle for control of the company with from a Patent still could not be sold as a fascinating pictorial history of the Scotch the Argyll Group. The new venture was whisky and ultimately a Royal Commis- Whisky industry price £9.99

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 11 VISITING DISTILLERIES As the holiday pre- paration season is due soon, we thought that some useful contacts No edition of the Scotch Whisky Review throughout whisky would be complete without some form country may be of use. of derogatory remark about the indus- Over one million peo- try big boys but this time we only repro- ple visit Scotch whisky duce part of a label of a bottle of Bell’s PAY ATTENTION distilleries each year purchased by customer Alan George at and, according to a his local offie in Cheshire. We leave the —THIS BIT IS IMPORTANT! SWA handbook, there are 40 that wel- wondering of the explanation to you. Christmas Day is December 25th and come visitors, albeit by varying degrees. New Year’s Eve is December 31st. We Some have restricted open periods and only mention this because it always require you to book ahead (e.g Tormore) seems to come as a bit of a shock to many. while others have all-singing / dancing Collections from the shop in person as visitor experiences, with a range of ca- pictured above (or smaller) may be made tering options, shops and audio visual right up to either Christmas Eve or New extravaganza (Glenturret). Year’s Eve. We have copies of the 1999 version of The last day for orders expecting deals, Distilleries which welcome visitors which as described on pages 6 & 7 and in the lists all the options with opening times stock list, is Monday, December 13th. etc. When the new one is available next The last day for orders to be delivered Spring it is not expected to be signifi- SWR BINDERS in time for Christmas or the New Year cantly different. If you would like a copy A few of our customers have asked if we is Monday, December 20th, but no either send us a stamped, addressed en- can supply binders to keep your SWRs deals. After that no undertakings can velope or ask for one with your delivery. nice and fresh. We put the problem to be offered in case we all get wiped out Here is some additional information not our stationers and they have come up by the MM bug. (LFW has been assessed in the book we thought useful: with a very natty system that we now and is immune, so we are told). Islay & Argyll use and recommend. However, this be- However, the suppliers are warning that Bowmore, Islay Tourist Information ing Sunday evening and we’re off to print they expect (or hope for?) delivery prob- Centre (TIC) 01496 810254 tomorrow, I can’t remember the price— lems as a result of the weight of busi- Campbeltown TIC 01586 552056 ask if interested. They are in stock. (You ness, so there is a very real possibility Inveraray TIC 01499 302063 want professionalism as well?....) that we may not be able to replenish our Oban TIC 01631 563122 stocks between now and the New Year. Islay and Western Isles Ferries: INTO THE 20th CENTURY The best advice we have is, if you Caledonian Macbrayne 01475 650100 want to order with confidence, then Islay Car Hire (on a short (one or two do so immediately. night) stay it can be cheaper to leave your car on the mainland and hire): D&N MacKenzie 01496 850200 : not listed in the SWA book; tours are possible from April to end September, but you must phone ahead01586 552085 Speyside Elgin TIC 01343 542666 Islands Kirkwall, Orkney TIC 01856 872856 Portree, Skye TIC 01478 612137 www.lfw.co.uk Orkney Ferry, P&O 01224 572615 After a long period of neglect our website Other has been revised and we promise it will Edinburgh be updated on a frequent basis from now (main Scotland) TIC; 0131473 3800 on. If you are hooked up to the ’net, you Stirling TIC will find all the essential information to DALMORE 50yo (Perth to Argyll) TIC; 01786 475019 deal with LFW on our refreshingly sim- We spotted this wonderful presentation Travel ple and elegant site, plus a new news on display outside Richard Paterson’s Bus, Citylink 08705 505050 section devoted to new products as they sampling room and just had to stock this Railways 0345 484950 arrive in the shop—exciting stuff! magnificent Dalmore 50yo. British Airways 0345 222111 email Only 26 have been produced (but more Highlands & Islands Airports at Islay, Because of its time consuming nature, can be bottled if necessary). This is a Orkney & Inverness 01667 462445. we cannot cater for email correspond- truly great whisky, as many at Richard’s British Airports Authority at ence. Therefore please telephone, fax or tasting evening can verify. £ 4,500. Glasgow International 0141 887 1111 write with any requests for information.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW is free to all bona fide mail order customers. If you have not bought by mail order from the last (Spring) catalogue and do not buy from the accompanying (Autumn) list then we will not be troubling you again. We are no longer sending out Stock Lists and SWRs to prospective customers more than once. If you or a friend would like a current stock list please ask and you will be sent one with a back-issue SWR. Your name will not be placed on our mailing list for further mailings until you have bought by mail order from us. Your name will not be passed to any other organisation. © COPYRIGHT RESERVED 1999 LOCH FYNE WHISKIES Tel. 01499 302219 www.lfw.co.uk

PAGE 12 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD