H FY C N SCOTCH O E whiskiesL I N L V L E Y R G A R R AY A REVIEW

EDITION 2 AUTUMN 1994 BIG BROTHERS AND OTHERS TOP OF THE TOTS H FY A cynic reviewing this journal C N Autumn 1994 price might conclude that Loch Fyne O E 1 Oban 14yo ...... £23.70 L is the poodle of United 2 Glen Moray 15yo Distillers. whiskies Presentation Tin ...... £22.20 I

N L In the last edition we featured their V L 3 Glen Moray 12yo* ...... £20.60 £2.00E OFF!Y and in this issue we R G 4 Inchmurrin 10yo* ...... £18.90 A R devote two pages to the Chairman your nextR ApurchaseY A of 5 Cragganmore 12yo ...... £22.20 responsible for all whisky production in 6 Port Ellen CC 1977 ...... £25.50 the group. The fact is that United whisky 7 Lagavulin ...... £24.60 Distillers have devoted a considerable 8 Springbank 15yo* ...... £26.90 amount of time to our fledgling business CHRISTMAS LAUNCH 9Talisker 10yo ...... £23.90 without making any demands in return. FOR LONG-TERM OFFER 10 Highland Park 12yo ...... £21.30 Surprised by this (it would be easy to This edition of SWR announces a long- * Features on the original tasting tray. throw money at us—time is far more term offer and gives you the opportunity Analysis of this summer’s Tasting Room precious) we enquired of one executive, to start sampling our huge cask strength league table produced some surprises. “Why devote so much time to a small selection, now with £2.00 off. Oban rose from ten to the number one outlet?” The reply gives us great heart: For the foreseeable future, all our slot. Co-incidence that this is Mark’s “We just thought that if we couldn’t look independent cask strength bottlings will preferred dram? The new reduced price after the small independent we might include a voucher worth £2.00 off a and great packaging of the Glen Moray as well pack up and go home.” future purchase of a similar bottling. 15yo has proved very successful—in Occasionally a customer pronounces: As a bonus to launch this offer, if you with a bullet, as they say. “I don’t want any whiskies from Big place an order for a cask strength bottle Distillers plc.” Generally they are un- before December 10th you can deduct EARLY CHRISTMAS SET aware of the degree of the big players’ £2.00 from the list price with our com- TO SHOCK THOUSANDS! ownership and ignorant of just how few pliments—and get your voucher as well! Our customers are reminded that this whiskies they are limiting themselves Offer applies to Cask, C, JM or S labels year Christmas falls earlier than many to. Four companies dominate the of over 46%Alc. Does not apply to MH would want—on December 25th! industry, producing 80% of all Scotch. bottlings or those 46% and under. Orders received on or before December They employ thousands of Scots in 10th will be guaranteed. We will do our rural distilleries or inner-city bottling very best up to December 17th, which is halls, places that need employers ICHAEL JACKSON S also our deadline for guaranteed desperately. Avoiding their products M ’ hogmanay orders. deprives both these industry employees ALT HISKY We wish all of our customers a very and also oneself of the many M W happy Christmas and as good a New magnificent whiskies they produce. Year as the one we hope for. We are very proud of this edition of SWR Companion and sincerely thank all contributors for lending their name, thoughts and time. INSIDE All elected to help our business because DIFINITIVE BOOK OFFER Mr Whisky they recognised our desire to promote If we ever produced a full, all-singing The top man in whisky production talks to a wide audience in a all-dancing catalogue of our whiskies it to us ...... Page 2 responsible manner reflecting the would look like Michael Jackson’s Malt Labels respect and heritage it has earned. Whisky Companion, now available in a An explanation of your bottle ...... 4 We hope to see more contribution from third fully revised and expanded edition, Casks, vatting and filtering ...... 5 other distiller groups in the future, many price £12.99. Michael Jackson of which have made little attempt to Order the Companion from us before Pros and cons of a score system ...... 6 recognise us yet (they’ve all had the December 10th for only £11.99 post free. WhiskEy anyone? opportunity), or have only given us an If we can despatch it with two or more Gavin Smith globe tots ...... 6 account in the last month after 18 bottles then the price is just ten quid! ¡Buenos Dias! Ted Thompson months intense lobbying. Perhaps they Nae-bad! Eh? Our new-age whisky baron ...... 7 are busy packing up and going home. Michael Jackson writes for SWR, page 6. Tasters & Snippets ...... 7, 8 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 1 pering is very important. Even as recently Glenkinchie as it has a more Scottish name as the late ‘70s an over estimating of whisky and the location in a very nice part of rolling Mr. WHISKY future sales caused the so-called “Whisky East Lothian countryside is far more attrac- Loch” and the subsequent down turn in pro- tive than a busy junction in Falkirk! Those duction that we see now. two reasons alone swung it. I’m not saying Up to that time we had experienced a growth Glenkinchie was inferior to Rosebank—both for twenty years of 6% each year which en- had their defenders—but a decision had to be couraged the production of an awfully large made and in this case marketing factors won amount of whisky—particularly when an al- the day. lowance for evaporation of 2% per year is LFW: Have you considered changing added in. Nowadays the industry is geared the rate of peating to create a differ- to avoiding such errors, there are fewer key ent style? players, information on stocks and production A Lowland distillery is capable of producing levels is shared through the Scotch Whisky a heavy, peaty whisky just as Jura can pro- Association and producers are much more in duce a light whisky. We once made some control. unpeated Caol Ila, owing to a surplus of The Whisky Loch is historically interesting, peated whisky at that time and to keep the but it will not happen again. We’ll never get distillery open. Very nice whisky it was too! it right—you can’t forecast twelve years Heritage and continuity of peating is impor- ahead—and we’ll always get a surplus but we tant and there is no reason to change. have ways of dealing with that, such as tweak- LFW: Couldn’t you keep more distill- ing our blends. eries open? The marketeers create well thought through Ideally we would keep them all going and just and developed marketing concepts for the wind them down a bit, which is what we do whiskies. For the malts there are The Clas- most of the time. sic Six—the regional malts, Cardhu—the af- In Scotland there have been 750 distilleries ter dinner malt, Royal Lochnagar—the exclu- since Ferrintosh was burned down in 1689 Dr. Alan Rutherford is Head of the sive ‘Royal’ malt, Glen Ord—our mainstream (that’s legitimate distilleries!). At the present production subsidiary of United Dis- malt for Europe and finally Royal Brackla— there are 95 malt and 7 grain distilleries. In tillers, the worlds biggest spirit and our price-positioned fighting brand. 1886 there were 150 distilleries who collec- Scotch Whisky producer. After a life We came late into malts. The Distillers Com- tively produced just over 3 million cases that time in the industry he is now Chair- pany as was thought that malts would detract year—a figure now possible in two months at man and Managing Director of from the image of the blends and that people Cameronbridge. In those days they were tiny United Malt and Grain Distillers Ltd would become confused in their minds that distilleries, with additional limitations. Cus- and one of the most influential men blends are inferior, which of course they are toms & Excise would only allow either mash- in the world of Scotch Whisky. not, they are a different sector. Now we’ve ing or distillation under the supervision of the Loch Fyne Whiskies met with Dr. Rutherford got going with malts we’re extremely pleased, officer, never both at the same time. in his office in Edinburgh just after his com- particularly with the Classic Six and Cardhu. It’s not big business that is closing distiller- pany had announced the sale of Bladnoch dis- LFW: Do you ever fear running out ies, it’s an industrial Darwinism. tillery for purposes other than distilling. of a whisky? We recently closed four distilleries after we LFW: What is your job? If I had taken the growth of Lagavulin sales looked at the output that we needed in the I run the process of Scotch Whisky produc- in the early nineties and extrapolated that years ahead and we realised we had exces- tion for —everything from for sixteen years, (the age at which it is bot- sive capacity. We looked at our portfolio and cereals procurement to the warehousing of tled,) in order to achieve the “forecasted” ca- divided them into groups. The ten whiskies new make whisky for maturation. pacity I should be doubling the distillery im- with investment in the brands as single malts I’m responsible for 5 maltings, 27 active malt mediately, now, and planning to quadruple it (including the Classic Six) were safe. The distilleries and 2 grain distilleries. in the future. What I think will happen is second group are the modern or recently re- I set the strategy for those parts of the busi- that Lagavulin sales will grow less bullishly furbished distilleries; these are efficient, cost- ness involved in producing the volume and as time goes on as it starts to fill the market. effective ones such as Glendullan, Caol Ila, quality necessary for future requirements and Of the Classic Six, Lagavulin is the greatest Mannochmore or Clynelish, all re-built in the ensuring stocks are available for the demand seller,—50,000 cases in 1993. last thirty years. Next are the distilleries that for various ages—5, 8, 12 years or more. is only 4% of the total whisky are desirable because of the quality and high I work very closely with our commercial de- market and almost all distilleries in Scotland demand of the product such as Mortlach or partment who trade with the industry, ex- are for blending; single malt sales are the ic- Benrinnes—whiskies demanded by blenders changing whisky for blenders and buying and ing on the cake. For instance Cardhu, which throughout the industry and important to our selling whisky and casks. is number six in volume sales worldwide sells own blends. What remains are the distiller- I see that we have well maintained distiller- 100,000 cases a year. A small distillery, like ies that we can do without—either a distill- ies and am responsible for environmental and Lagavulin, is capable of producing five times ery that requires a lot of capital spend on it, health and safety issues. that amount. or one that no longer fits the blender’s require- I am also Chairman of the Malt Distillers LFW: Of the Classic Six, why was ments. Association of Scotland (a management asso- Glenkinchie chosen? It’s hardly a Since our change of ownership in 1986 we ciation representing all the distilleries in Scot- typical Lowland malt. have re-opened Teanininch and Royal land and considering practical and technical Glenkinchie has a bit of body to it and is more Brackla; we have sold to Allied Distillers who aspects of whisky distillation). robust than a typical Lowland malt—in fact have re-opened Glentauchers and Imperial LFW: Who makes the decisions, you some consider the Highland Dalwhinnie to be and we have sold (to Inver House Distillers) as the producer or the Marketing de- a lighter malt than our Lowland! The con- Speyburn and Knockdhu, which has also been partment? tenders for the Lowland malt were Rosebank re-opened. So in that time we have facilitated We do. We always ask the Marketing people and Glenkinchie; Bladnoch was not a con- the re-opening of more distilleries than we for their forecasts of demand for the future tender at that time for a number of reasons. have closed! and over the years we have learned to inter- In quality terms Rosebank and Glenkinchie Of the distilleries we have closed, Bladnoch, pret these “forecasts” which will often be over- were very close and there was no easy deci- Rosebank and Balmenach are unlikely to op- optimistic and require tempering. This tem- sion. Our marketing people favoured erate again. I have hopes for Balmenach but PAGE 2 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD sadly not for the other two. Pittyvaich will be high strength and bottled outside Scotland of that distillery, and keep it consistent from distilling this year on an experimental basis but we have enough science to ensure the wa- year to year. That involves everything, from to evaluate different types of barley and dis- ter is de-mineralised to our specification so the buying of barley, the mix of casks, to the tilling techniques under our research depart- that the result in Australia is the same as in age of maturation. ment with Dufftown-Glenlivet employees Scotland. Where the whisky is diluted to 40% LFW: What is the thinking behind working there. Of the long closed, Glenury, is irrelevant. In fact almost all of our brands Royal Brackla, no age statement and North Port, Banff and Coleburn are shells or are bottled in Scotland. selling at about £15? dismantled and will never work again. Brora At the time of bottling, all our whiskies are Brackla is at least a ten year old and will re- at Clynelish and Port Ellen are intact but will filtered at a temperature of plus 4°C. Our main so. We have a gap in Brackla produc- not be required—unless the business really research shows that this removes the bulk of tion as the distillery was closed between 1983 took off and justified re-building. However the undesirable, cloud producing oils without and 1991 so the whisky being bottled now has in that event I think we would enlarge what discernibly removing flavour for the experi- to be at least twelve years old. We were wor- we’ve got. enced whisky drinker. Some of our competi- ried because supermarkets and the like were LFW: What is the biggest influence tors’ brands are filtered at considerably lower bringing out their own label malts with aw- on taste in a malt? temperatures removing many more flavour ful descriptions like ‘Speyside’ or ‘Islay single Peat; not in the supply water, but in the kiln elements. Some of the pale blends from other malt’ and whilst we haven’t dropped to the for malting you should consider the degree of companies are filtered at minus 10°! sort of prices that they have, we decided to peating versus non-peating. Fermentation is put in a fighting brand with very little mar- quite important; the type of yeast, the length keting behind it. We deliberately gave it no of fermentation and the gravity at which you “It’s arrogant age to give us the flexibility to choose what- ferment. Very important is the still house; ever casks we need, bearing in mind we’ve the size and shape of stills and how fast you got this eight year gap to jump in the near run them. A short squat still, driven hard for people to future. with a lot of heat will send a lot of heavies We’ve shown quite categorically that what over. Alternatively with a long tall still, driven determines maturity in taste and smell terms gently, only the lights will get over the top say that the is average age. Legally, the stated age is that and you’ll have a lot more reflux. Cut point is of the youngest whisky, and quite rightly so, very important; where a still man chooses but you can mix older and younger. For in- where to come on to spirit and go off spirit to way they like stance a malt of all ten year old whisky will feints, how much you re-cycle and how much taste similar, in terms of maturity, to a mix of you collect. The last big influence is the cask their whisky eight and twelve year olds. Immaturity can type; sherry cask, new cask, re-fill or bour- be counteracted with maturity—within lim- bon, and of course the years spent in the cask. its! More subtle influences are water supply (in is correct” LFW: Loch Fyne Whiskies stock The fact a very small influence) and location of Distillery Malts, those of your other maturation. A Macallan matured on Islay distilleries apart from the core ten. would not be significantly different from the LFW: It must be difficult producing The distillery malts do not interest our mar- norm, nor a Lagavulin matured on the main- a consistent product. keters at present; they did consider them to land. Altitude and humidity and the relative There are seven hundred components in be a possible distraction from their strategy position of a cask within a warehouse do have Scotch whisky. Some have a low flavour for the core brands. Employees at all the other some influence. At the top of a modern ware- threshold but the interplay amongst those distilleries said to me “We’d like to drink our house summer/winter temperatures will cy- that have flavour is tremendous. Producing own whisky—if I work in Glenlossie I want cle more than at the bottom of an earth floor a consistent single malt is very difficult. to give my neighbours and family a bottle of warehouse. A half empty warehouse will vary We can achieve consistency by vatting about Glenlossie for Christmas.” Having worked in more than a full one because of thermal iner- 100 casks prior to bottling. These will all be distilleries, I totally agreed with them. I gave tia in a full warehouse—it’s best to keep them pre-selected; those that are not selected go for the go ahead for every distillery to bottle its filled. blending. We also have a cask type mix recipe, own, primarily for employees and visitors and This is the beauty of Scotch Whisky; 100 dis- specifying the proportion of various types of only to be sold at the distillery, but of course tilleries, a host of ways of running those dis- cask. Throughout the company we have about it generated interest, as you might imagine. tilleries, half a dozen types of cask and then a 10% sherry casks but the usage varies from This was not supposed to be a commercial plan whole range of ages from 3 to 33 years—the brand to brand. We don’t bottle a 100% at all. Gordon & MacPhail wanted to distrib- number of variations available is almost infi- sherrywood whisky as we feel that the sherry ute them so we got talking and now they are nite. masks the flavour of the whisky itself. When available through specialists like yourselves LFW: Could a Still Man be replaced? we select a style, Lagavulin or Dalwhinnie for but without any marketing or promotion. In Yes, the technology is there, but we must con- example, we will also select a cask recipe. fact bottling runs of these malts are very small sider if it is financially worthwhile or if it is Having played with it we will decide that, say, and you will see some variation there. We’re something we want to do. I’m told you can do one in five casks should be sherry wood—20% not talking about a vatting of 100 casks—it’s without the pilot of an aeroplane but no air- is quite high for us. We will also specify refill just two or three at a time, so there will be line will consider it because of passenger ex- and Bourbon casks. some variation in character. pectations! Individual cask strength whiskies will never LFW: Is Scotch Whisky production Malt whisky is about heritage and craft. give consistency, they are fine and different safe in the ownership of ? There is automation in many malt distiller- but not necessarily the best. I’m worried that Certainly. I can’t really speak for future gen- ies but we’re in the hand crafting business there are those who consider single cask whis- erations but all the people involved at the and we believe that the mash-man and the kies to be better. It’s arrogant for people to moment, from the Chairman down, are all still-man have a role to play and are very say that the way they like their whisky is cor- very devoted to the industry. Being the big- important. rect and the way you like yours is not; it’s a gest in the industry and the market leader in LFW: What about diluting water? matter of personal taste just as is how you so many countries, we’ve really got to take Dilution at the distillery is done with natu- drink it. Single cask whiskies are bound to that very seriously. ral, untreated water off the hill. At the bot- be a niche in the market compared to main- LFW: Thank you for talking with tling hall de-mineralised mains water is used stream products. us—I’m sorry we’ve gone over time. which has no character at all. We have a few We’re trying to produce a malt that tells you Not at all, I could talk about whisky for weeks! minor blends that are shipped overseas at about a distillery and reflects the character SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 3 LABELS DEMYSTIFIED Market House bottlings, do show some present to the consumers the largest and Our stock policy regarding single malts imagination and design flair, each label most diverse range of whiskies from any is to carry a representative of every having its own distinctive design e.g. organisation. Gordon & MacPhail are distillery available and, where possible, Scapa. All these bottles are of a round warehousemen and marketeers. Two a range of independent options from that traditional spirit shape, have screw caps years ago they bought the shell and distillery. At the time of writing we hold and come in a uniform G&M cardboard licence of Benromach distillery; in time in excess of 450 different bottlings presentation box with perspex window they will be distillers. in stock. revealing the label. Recent bottlings All Gordon & MacPhail product is Our Stock List describes the different have seen embellishment of foil caps colour corrected and chill filtered to a bottlings that we hold. These are and ribbons. temperature that they decline to reveal. described (where available) by vintage The style of age descriptions differs; (the year of distillation)/age, alcoholic occasionally the age is specified but CC=Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail) strength and, in the first column — often only the year of distillation is The Connoisseurs Choice range of whis- LABEL, for which there is a brief key proclaimed, leaving the customer kies is one of Scotland’s best kept secrets. at the top of the list. This description wondering when the whisky was bottled. Within this excellent range are some of gives the buyer an insight to the All these bottlings are at 40% alcohol; a the last remaining product of many long presentation of each bottle. degree of consistency is assured by gone distilleries and lesser known malts. What do these label definitions mean? vatting about ten casks for each bottling The range also provides an opportunity run. This compares with a major brand to try some favourites at increased ages. OFFICIAL BOTTLINGS which will vat as many as 100 casks. A uniform label is employed and occa- MH=Market House (distillery owner’s bottling) Colour correction is employed. sionally retailers are dismayed by the Market House bottlings are those that request for “A bottle of Connoisseurs you may see in an off-licence, bar or INDEPENDENT BOTTLINGS Choice Whisky, please.” supermarket. The lavish presentations Whisky is produced by distilleries and All CC bottlings are coloured, chill and marketing are examples of the best is usually immediately for sale to filtered, at 40% alcohol and presented in packaging and promotion. You are anyone with the money and inclination, in a round traditional spirit bottle with assured a quality whisky that will be the just as apples, coffee or steel. You or I a cream and orange label. A small map same as the last time you bought it, in- could buy some bulk whisky. showing the contents’ region of origin so-much-as the producer will be trying adds to the confusion. Screw caps, G&M to achieve consistency by selecting and window carton, no fuss. Great mind and mixing (in a vat, vatting) a large number body, shame about the clothes. of barrels so that a homogenisation is The range totals some 60 different achieved. MH bottlings are usually at distilleries, from a 9yo Bladnoch to a about the legal minimum of 40% and the 30yo Ardbeg. In response to criticism of whisky will have been treated to achieve the glaring omission of an age statement consistency of colour and quality. on these whiskies, G&M have recently We stock all the principal Market House started adding a small sticker to the bottlings; some age variations are not shoulder of the bottle stating that the in stock due to space constraints but are whisky was “Bottled 1993” for example. quickly available on demand. Unfortunately this simple solution was Apart from Market House bottlings we too simple to be perfect—the sticker is attempt to offer at least one alternative concealed when the bottle is in its box! which will be, by definition, from an The Connoisseurs Choice label is under- . going a re-think at present. Hopefully We favour those of the long established the vintage and the age will be given Gordon & MacPhail, Wm. Cadenhead equal prominence, as will the distillery and of the recently formed Signatory source rather than the name of the Vintage Scotch Whisky. range. The Independent Bottlers G&M=Gordon & MacPhail on behalf of the owner Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin Although G&M labelled whisky is G&M will be celebrating its 100th bottled by an independent bottler, it is Anniversary next year and are one of sanctioned by the distillery owner. A only two surviving long-established long established agreement remains independent merchants and bottlers, between Gordon & MacPhail and some (the other being Wm. Cadenhead). In distillery owners to mature, bottle and days gone by, most single malt whiskies sell single malt whiskies at differing were sold and (hardly) marketed by ages. The presentation of these independent merchants. Producers bottlings, whilst not as lavish as the concentrated on the demand for blended whiskies. Gordon & MacPhail are exceptional within the independent sector because of their long-term filling and laying down of whiskies for future presentation Cask=Gordon & MacPhail’s undiluted series and this policy must be applauded. G&M are introducing cask strength Casks are bought at time of distillation bottlings to replace what was their 100° and matured either at the distillery or (57%) range. Careful study of the label at G&M’s warehouse complex at Elgin is required to determine if this is a under their supervision. Each year they single cask of a vatting of two or three. reconsider their 50 year stocking plan. These whiskies are chill filtered but They bottle at the optimum age and G&M declined to tell us at what PAGE 4 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD temperature. An attractive and in- THE STORY OF formative label reveals much, even the age, to anyone with a magnifying glass STRATHAGGIS and calculator; straight round bottle, As a retailer, we need to be assured that screw cap, G&M box. the bottle of Strathaggis Whisky we sell you will be the Wm. Cadenhead, Campbeltown same as the one you bought at the C=Cadenhead Strathaggis distillery visitor centre or at Cadenhead’s were established in the duty-free shop. Aberdeen over 150 years ago and 35 In order to achieve this, the owner of the years ago were acquired by J & A brand Strathaggis, Biggish Distillers plc Mitchell, owners of Springbank will gather around 100 casks of Distillery. The Authentic Collection Strathaggis Malt of appropiate age and, features the most comprehensive range ensuring that there are no duff barrels, of distilleries available as single cask vat them together so that no one cask whiskies. No , no dominates the outcome. BD will then colorant—straight from one selected filter out any bits of wood, charing from cask. Maturation is completed at the the barrel etc., and then chill-filter the distillery; bottling at Campbeltown, whisky at a temperature of between Argyll. minus 5°C to plus 5°C. Chill filtering removes those oils that would otherwise They aquire casks of exceptional age and emulsify in cold climates producing a quality and bottle either diluted to 40%, cloudiness in the whisky. The bottler 43% or 46%, or at cask strength. No will then dilute with some tasteless, colorant is employed in their bottlings de-ionised water to take the alcoholic and the diluted range is chill filtered strength to 40% (the legal minimum and “where desirable” at temperatures of incurring the least duty) and finally, for between 0°C and +2°C to remove any visual consistency, add some spirit oiliness. The cask strength whiskies are caramel (or burnt sugar) to deepen the not chill filtered because, they say, at colour to a determined degree. The high alcohol levels there is less cloudi- addition of water or spirit caramel ness produced at low temperatures. contributes nothing to the whisky except There will be variation from bottling to their desired effects. The chill filtering bottling as the number of casks vatted will affect the taste depending on the varies; a clue is available in the number degree of cooling employed; the greater of bottles in the series, as described on the chilling the more flavour removal. the label. There has been a significant growth in Diluted whiskies are presented in a tall what is termed cask strength whiskies round bottle with tube and carry string. in the last ten years, instigated by Cask strength whiskies are in a dumpy The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of round bottle with a black leatherette box Edinburgh who bottle single casks for with perspex window. The whole range their members. The independent is corked and there is small variation in bottlers have been quick to appreciate the appearance of the labels. this niche market. Generally Cask Strength whiskies are James MacArthur, Edinburgh expected not to have been diluted, chill- JM=James MacArthur filtered or coloured. There is a danger Actually based in High Wycombe, James that an independent bottling of ‘whisky MacArthur & Co market their own from Strathaggis distillery’ will differ The last year has seen the latest of many range of selected unfiltered, undiluted, re-packaging exercises and this time from BD’s branded Strathaggis but single cask whiskies from an interest- persistence will create familiarity they have got it spot-on. The new ing, small selection of distilleries. A presentation features a green bottle with between whisky and drinker. green, round bottle is employed with BD are considering placing on the title and description of the bottler in gold cork stopper and a uniform but not un- lettering on the bottle. A small unfussed market in selected outlets a limited pleasant label describing the age and Cask Strength version called Rare paper label describes the contents in source of the whisky within. terms of region, distillery, age, date of Strathaggis. This will not be a single distillation, date of bottling and alcoholic cask bottling but a vatting of 12 casks strength. The stout cardboard box is which are then bottled without dilution black with gold lettering and the same or chill-filtering at just under 60% label. We understand that since the re- alcohol. If the market response is good package, sales have risen dramatically then BD will market Strathaggis Full and it is easy to understand why. A few Proof, this will be diluted to 57%, and of the Cadenhead bottlings stocked by very slightly coloured for consistency. Loch Fyne Whiskies are not in the new Sales of Strathaggis Full Proof are presentation; please ’phone if concerned. expected to be in the region of 25,000 cases per year worldwide. The Signatory, Edinburgh Strathaggis Full Proof that you may S=Signatory buy in the duty free shop will be the A small hands-on company with a great same as that from the distillery visitor reputation in front of them. Signatory centre two years later. Neither Rare is a young (5 years) company bottling at Strathaggis or Strathaggis Full Proof their own premises in Edinburgh. is a single cask whisky. SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 5 THE WORLD OF WHISKIES 51% corn, usually in column stills, MICHAEL JACKSON’S Gavin D Smith and matured in charred barrels. This I forget who wrote ‘There is no such maturation gives the whiskey its distinc- MALT WHISKY thing as a bad whisky’, but we can all tive flavours of vanilla and caramel. recall examples of what we would Names such as Jim Beam, Wild Turkey Companion consider ‘less good’ whiskies, even if and particularly Jack Daniel’s have we cannot bring ourselves to use the become familiar to British drinkers in word ‘bad’ in relation to the greatest recent years and are excellent examples POINTS? — OU NIL POINTS? of all drinks. of the Bourbon style. Michael Jackson I do remember, however, who wrote To be pedantic, Jack Daniel’s is in fact It was controversial from the first. Can ‘There is no such thing as a large part of a sub-category of Bourbons any personal experience be given scores? whisky’. It was Oliver St John Gogarty, known as Tennessee whiskeys, which Would it be fair to rate the pleasure and few of us have much difficulty employ a pre-barrelling process of given by a rugby match, a jazz concert, swallowing that declaration. charcoal filtering. This is said to remove a symphony, a love affair, or a bowl of With whiskies, as with almost every- undesirable congenerics and fusel oils cherries (especially in comparison with thing else in life, one man’s meat is and also imparts a slight smokiness to raspberries) by awarding points out of another man’s supermarket own-brand the character of the finished product. ten or out of a hundred? loss leader, and one of the greatest Tennessee whiskies tend to be drier It depends, I would argue, on how fascinations of ‘the cratur’ is its than most Bourbons which are now seriously one takes the scores. Every- sheer diversity. principally produced in Kentucky. one has engaged in, or been subjected Within Scotland, there is, of course, a To a significant extent, Bourbons have to, such ratings at one time or another, vast range of whisky types, from the upstaged America’s older whisky style even if it was only as a pupil having an single malt extremes of Laphroaig to of Rye, which legally has to have a essay marked. Lowlands like Glenkinchie, but even the minimum 51% rye content mixed with The American wine-writer Robert most dedicated and patriotic supporter some barley and corn. Ryes tend to Parker is the critic most associated in of the Scotch whisky industry ought to possess a slight bitterness, with an oily the drinks trade with such scores. extend his or her sampling beyond the and somewhat spicy flavour, and this “Creeping Parkerism!” snarled one of my home product from time to time to rather characterful nature may account contemporaries when I introduced the gain a truly rounded picture of the for why their popularity decreased in an 100-score to single malt whiskies. ‘world of whisky’. era when blandness in whiskeys (or It was, I confess, my publisher’s idea. The first port of call should be Ireland, whiskies) became, sadly, an important He already published Parker and almost all of whose whiskeys—we must purchasing criteria. wanted to treat my Malt Whisky be careful with variations of spelling For a taste of something close to ‘moon- Companion as a similar volume. here—are produced by Irish Distillers shine’ try an American , I resisted, but hopelessly. My Pocket in the vast modern complex at Midleton distilled from at least 80% corn in Beer Book already had a star system in County Cork, though their range of uncharred barrels. In a business where (from one to four). My publisher knew Bushmills whiskeys are distilled in what euphemisms tend to be the order of the that scores would help sell the book and is claimed to be the world’s oldest day, the words ‘unsophisticated’ and I know from my readers he was right. licensed distillery on the Antrim coast even ‘fiery’ have been applied to corn Ratings out of 100 give much more room of Northern Ireland. whiskeys. for manoeuvre than four stars. In terms of flavour, the likes of Jameson, Renowned North Carolina corn whiskey Does a lightweight like Auchentoshan 10 Paddy, Bushmills and Powers tend to be moonshiner, Quill Rose, was supposedly year old really deserve 85 points? oilier than most Scotch whiskies, and asked by a judge before whom she Should Macallan 25 score more than a their undoubted ‘refinement’ owes much appeared whether ageing improved her less woody and sherryish Speysider? Do to the process of triple distillation. product. “Your honour has been mis- 95 points for Lagavulin suggest a bias All the major Irish whiskies are blends informed”, replied Rose, “I have kept toward island malts? I have been asked of pot still malts, made with both malted some for a week one time and I couldn’t all of these questions and more. and unmalted barley, and grain spirit, tell it was a bit better than when it was The answer is that these are my and there is a deliberate absence of any new and fresh” ! judgements. They are not carved in peat influence during kilning. Gavin Smith is author of Whisky, A book stone: they are printed in a book that Bushmills Malt is, however, made from of Words. A dictionary of whisky terms clearly bears my name. You are not one hundred percent malted barley, and and phrases that provides the quickest, obliged to agree with my scores, but they harks back to an earlier age of more most concise solution to your unanswered are the result of extensive tasting and assertively styled Irish whiskeys. questions. 213 pp, hardback, £14.95. considerable thought. I wish them to be Bourbons are the principal whiskeys of Gavin is currently a Whisky nothing more than a useful guide for the the USA, distilled from not less than audio cassette. (Ideal for blind tastings?) buyer. Judging from the numbers of companies in the industry that ask me DAMN YANKEE HOOTCH THE SCOTCH WHISKY to sample products and offer opinions, Whilst on the subject of whiskies from INDUSTRY RECORD it seems that I may be succeeding. The Rest of the World we have in stock Book by H. Charles Craig Other writers have resisted the some very rare bottlings of Old Rip Van Charles Craig retired after fifty years temptation to score the whiskies they Winkle Bourbon. This is a unique in the Scotch Whisky Industry having describe, and that is their judgement, product, hardly ever seen—even in the achieved chairmanship of Invergordon which I respect. While I am prepared to States. A mellow bourbon with a strong Distillers. In three years and with the accept reviews good and bad, I especially caramel and soft fruit character. absolute support of the industry he has favoured the one that said: Out any day now is Jim Murray’s Irish compiled this magnificent tome, record- “Jackson’s book is best because he puts Whisky Almanac—A Tasters Guide. A ing industry events and statistics from his opinions on the line. He tells us what companion volume to Wallace Milroy’s. 1494 to 1993. Only 1,500 copies have he thinks.” Murray considers a wide range of known been printed, 200 of which remain Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky and little known samples of the original unsold. Hardback, two bookmarks and Companion 3rd Edition is now available. stuff. In stock this week, price £7.99(a). 658 pages—£85(c).

PAGE 6 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD ¡BUENOS DIAS! READERS included Johnny Walker Black Label, tasters tasters tasters tasters tasters Ted Thompson — MacDuff International Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Old Parr and What’s new in the shop, Richard? Ted, co-founder of the whisky company Grand Macnish. The Latin American with ownership of such classic brands prefers aged whiskies, gift boxed with The Heritage Selection is the name given as Islay Mist and Grand Macnish, non-refillable fitments to ensure the to four speyside whiskies selected by describes for SWR the experiences of a integrity of the product. They eagerly Seagrams; a re-packaging of Longmorn modern day or Tommy look for free gifts and will accept and Strathisla and the introduction of the Dewar. anything with the same enthusiasm, first MH bottlings of Benriach and Glen Having travelled throughout North from a small key-ring to a quality ice- Keith—all very attractive. Springbank America for many years, I always nursed bucket, just as long as it is free. Pricing have re-packaged, 15 and 21yo’s come an ambition to visit South America. My is also a key element in the selection of in tall round bottles with stiff card carton. previous corporate positions prevented brands and I saw new brands on display To celebrate this we have been able to this opportunity due to a lack of which recognised the importance of this reduce the price on Springbank. linguistic expertise, but circumstances business. Glen Moray are circulating a new regi- differ since we started our own company The same situation also applies in ment on their 15yo tins—now it’s The and I am responsible for the whole of Uruguay, south of Brazil and I was Black Watch, and Glen Moray 12yo has the Americas. fascinated by the lack of border control an on-pack offer of free 4oz Smoked Scot- Latin America has always been a good between the two countries. tish Salmon, Highland Park will return a market for Scotch Whisky but in the South again to Buenos Aires in Argen- video of the Orkneys and Macallan a wa- past was viewed extremely cautiously tina—a sophisticated city of over ter jug when you return proof of purchase. either for political or economic reasons. 7 million people, where the distribution We have two of this year’s Black However, most Latin American coun- of brands is very similar to other Bowmore 30yo remaining and, a real tries are now more politically secure, and western countries. This city is also rarity, Scottish Island produced 200 many have aligned their currencies “served” by Paraguay and Uruguay, but ceramic decanters comemorating the against the US dollar. the in-transit trade is somewhat smaller annual Gaelic festival, this year held in The main markets are Brazil, Venezuela, than that which is smuggled into Dunoon, Argyll. The Scottish Island Colombia, Chile and Argentina. The Brazil! However this is an important MOD’94 decanter is £42.50—we major whisky companies have set up market and sales of Scotch whisky have have three left. Dalmore 12yo has their own distribution network in those been growing over the past few years. changed shape and label—for the better. countries, but opportunities still exist for In 10 days touring these three countries Glenmorangie Portwood-finish has been smaller companies to operate in the I gained a greater understanding of the very popular and its tasting notes are area. My first visit was in March 1994 requirements of the South American sufficently eloquent to make Jackson and it was fascinating to see how market and its people. The distributors blush. Also in is Glenmorangie 1971 business is conducted in these markets. and agents are acutely aware of the £75.00. Glen Rothes is now available as I arrived in Asuncion, the capital of importance of market visits and seize a 15yo limited edition in what apears to Paraguay, after an exhausting 22 hour every opportunity during these visits to be a sample bottle (of what?)—we like it journey to a welcome reception which present one to key customers. Their anyway. Two bottlings celebrating the went on until the next day! Despite my entertaining and hospitality were 500th aniversary of Scotch in stock, language limitations, I was made to feel somewhat overwhelming but genuine Tomatin 1964, £43.00—only 84 bottles completely at ease. and one is expected to be available until produced, and an Ardbeg 1974, £32.00— Paraguay is at the centre of South the early hours of the morning. 496 produced. The 1994 Bells Christ- America and along its western border Since my return I have arranged to mas Decanter (£32.50) depicts SWR lies Brazil. Six border towns depend on attend a language school to learn Span- correspondent Ian Grieve; this journal is “visitors” who twice weekly make a ish, and due to the success of the first now a must on the ladder to success! On 3-day return trip to buy liquor, tobacco, visit have organised my next trip to the blend side, Bailie Nicol Jarvie looks electronics and perfumes for resale in South America in the beginning of even more authentic and Wm. Grants Brazil. I visited one of these towns next year. In addition to re-visiting Gordon Highlander issue is superb. We accompanied by our local agent and was Argentine, Paraguay and Uraguay, I will are now carrying Avonside 57% in case intrigued to see the myriad of buses, be including Brazil, Columbia, Peru, you feel your flask is a wee bit too small vans, lorries and cars crossing the bridge Bolivia and Venezuela in my itinerary. or the fairways too cold. to make their purchases. It was just like I only hope my constitution will stand MINIATURE COLLECTORS Aladdin’s Cave with hundreds of stores, up to all the long nights and early (sorry, couldn’t resist it!) shops and street stalls laden with mornings! It’s a tough job but somebody The entire re-package of Springbank is goodies which crowds were keenly has to do it! worthwhile as are the 4 Heritage bottlings negotiating to buy. Next issue, Ted describes why he goes to mentioned above plus an unaged Glen The most popular Scotch Whisky brands Cannes every year—purely business! Grant. We also have some MH Glen Elgin with a Japanese label on the back, MY MEMORABLE DRAM Alec Neish, Still-man, Bruichladdich Distillery (big bottles too). A few of the new presentation, very limited Cadenhead It was one Spring day 1963 when I drams but no, I felt fine, so I had an- miniatures remain. worked in my spare time for a farmer other and missed the bar completely as Time for a quick review of Jackson’s clearing scrub. On this particular day I I went for the water that I was advised Companion; 3rd Edition; as good as ever was asked to creosote the byre. I worked to take as I was going so strong. After a with many additional new bottlings all day and in the evening when I had good evening I stood to go home. All was alongside the old, plus commendable new finished he took me to the Bridgend well till I went outside. I missed the car house style for each distillery that cuts Hotel. He called for drinks and what by ten feet and it took three others to through the prose to understandable would I have? A Whyte & Mackay, I round me up as I had sailed in good phrases like ‘smokey’ or ‘sweet’. One replied. I duly downed the dram, smooth steam across the road and ended up near concern is that availability is not revealed, as silk as it slipped over the throat. the petrol pumps. It was a good dram so you should always have your Loch I had another; the same effect. Now by that night but now I go easy on the Fyne Whiskies Stock List to hand—the this time I would be feeling the two creosote. most comprehensive range there is! SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 7 FEATURED DISTILLERY LETTERS YOUR MEMORABLE DRAM Thanks to all who wrote in response to A one-off label such as that shown the last issue and for those unsolicited below adds only £2.50 to your bottle PORT ELLEN comments and letters which continue to price and turns a present into a very arrive from the round the world. The special and memorable gift. interest in whisky is reassuring! We can prepare a special label with your Space prevents our intended spread details and apply it to the back of a MH on Port Ellen Distillery but in a Such is the rapport with some custom- bottle or else prepare a specific one-off comparison of the bottlings listed we ers when ringing for advice on their ‘bottling’—substituting the original decided that the CC bottling was our dram that they respond to our “come up label for yours. Labels can be tailored favourite by a very narrow margin. and see us sometime”, thereby discover- to include your business logo for a Equal runners up were the Cask and ing the delights of our emporium first well-noticed and much appreciated C. bottlings. hand. Our first pilgrim was Wilf Grove corporate gift. Now permanently closed, Port Ellen was of Streatham who documented his HIGHLAND regarded by many islanders as the best. Boswell & Johnson-esque trip thus... SINGLE MALT It is the most honest of the heavy Islay “The trip was taken over 3 days—a very SCOTCH WHISKY whiskies being pure peat and smoke; the tight trip but worthwhile. The Amazing CC bottling is very slightly sweet and Columns of bottles all together! (Not to Carefully Selected citrusey. mention the free dram or two.) This was by during the winter so a nice warming Liz & Phil To the best of our knowledge all of the to Islay fans who’ve been in the shop have feeling all through with the added Celebrate been delighted with their CC bottle of attraction of an open fire within the shop made this a luxury against the London EDDIE'S Port Ellen. SPECIAL DAY Concrete lifestyle. The weather was freezing but the whisky I drank and A BOTTLE OF H FY purchased made up for everything. I took C N O E SPRINGBANK FOR £2.83? home a bottle of 28yo Clynelish 50.7%. L Where’s the catch? Well several really. Having tried the golden nectar I now whiskies I

N L Buy a cask of new make whisky from have some more words to add to V L E Y R G A R for £850 and you the Dictionary: RAY A can collect, or sell, 30 cases in ten years’ DRINKABLE—goes down like a dream time—after paying the duty. MORISH—where is the Clynelish?” If interested get in touch with us; we are now brokers for Springbank. What a concept! Loch Fyne Whiskies appeals, particularly here where the ANNIVERSARY MALTS nearest most people get to whisky is that Our stock list now gives information poor Canadian imitation called Rye. The about the year of distillation of many LONGROW UPDATE best my friends can do is give me bottles bottlings. Why not consider a vintage We get many requests for information of duty-free Glenlivet for Christmas. We tied into a particular anniversary or regarding the availability of Longrow. pass them on, the same bottles no doubt occasion, such as a 25yo malt for a Production ceased between 1974 and being recycled as presents amongst our silver wedding or a 1955 vintage for a 1987 but the stocks maturing that were small group—unopened. 40th birthday. Or even a vintage distilled in 1987 will, it is hoped, be Oh for a Talisker! That would not pass whisky with a personalised label? Other suitable for drinking in 1997. In the beyond my doors. vintages available if you cannot find the meantime we do have a few 1974 mini- Ted Needham, exiled in Canada. year you require. atures left. ’Phone us to discuss your requirements. Thanks to the prolific Paul Butler, THE WOODEN BOX IS DEAD, University of Auckland, for the follow- THE LAST DROP LONG LIVE THE ing suggestions for Ted Thomson’s AFFORDABLE MALT! blends. (Does your boss realise you’re Again lack of space means some items under-worked, Paul?) have to wait till next time. Charlie United Distillers have discontinued the Speycats, Pad Loch (think about it) Ben MacLean (Pocket Whisky Book) and packaging of the Distillery (Fauna & There-donne That, Famous Mouse Malt Carol Shaw (Collins Gem) have volun- Flora) Malts and substituted an elegant (Disney) Windy Kilt, R&R Babe (apolo- teered pieces and we hope to have news card carton. Whilst the loss of the very gies to J&B Rare), VAT 17.5 (likewise to of Gordon & MacPhail’s 100th anniver- attractive box is lamented, we applaud VAT 69) and Pipe Dream (or was that sary in 1995. the consequent reduction in price across Piper’s Dram—sound familiar?). If you have any questions, ideas for the range of between £4 and £6. articles or contributions of your own We still have some wooden boxes in stock SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW is please let us know. The more we can —’phone immediately if you seek some. free to all bona fide mail order get others to contribute, the more time customers. If you have not bought we can devote to you the customer. At Christies recent auction we were by mail order from the last (Spring) We particularly want to hear from any successful in our bid for a rare, original catalogue and do not buy from the distillery workers and others in the in- bottle of Loch Fyne Whisky... accompanying (Autumn) list then we dustry; be it for your memorable dram will not be troubling you again. or your thoughts on the recent receiver- AND TALKING ship of the owners of Glen Scotia and TELEPHONE NUMBERS... Littlemill Distilleries, or whatever. PLEASE TELL YOUR These are interesting times for the SWR, Please note our new telephone numbers. FRIENDS ABOUT US! without your input it may end up under Our ’phone is now 01 499 302219, the control of one school of thought! our fax 01 499 302238. ©1994 LOCH FYNE WHISKIES Richard & Lyndsay PAGE 8 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD