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

EDITION 5 SPRING 1996

A CURE FOR WAMBLYING Blended —Spey Cast, Black Label and of course a wee Loch Fyne. This is the answer to one of our most frequent questions: Which is your favourite? After a long period of enjoying single malt I am ‘com- ing out.’ I prefer blends. Looking over the past year and the stocks at home I confess that the small collection of malts remains for very oc- casional use or to entertain house guests. It is the blends that go down at a rate of a dram each night. As Ronnie Martin says in this edition’s interview, ‘blends go down more easily’ and I ap- preciate the prevention of snafflying, impossible with a big cloying sherrywood malt. I also look forward to the reduced risk of whyrling and crumplying in later life. (Madness—maybe, but see page 8 for an explanation). These has never been a better time to buy malt whiskies, nor will there ever be again. For example just recently G&M’s stocks of became ex- hausted and it can no longer be assumed that malt from Kinclaith distillery will be available except as an occasional sin- gle cask bottling. Stocks of other ‘lost’ distilleries are diminishing fast. Fur- thermore producers are determined that prices are to go up after a long freeze and the increase in demand for malts makes this realistic in the near future. Buy now while stocks last... The Scotch Whisky Association must be “PERILOUSLY SMOOTH, MELLOW AND EASY TO DRINK” congratulated for leading the duty lobby on the Government and creating the first A SUPER-PREMIUM BLEND BALBLAIR SOLD drop in UK excise duty for 100 years— Easter 1996 sees the launch of our have acquired surely the Chancellor could have seen whisky. Blended for us by Ronnie Mar- from Allied Distillers. himself this was blindingly necessary. tin of Inverarity Vaults, The Loch Fyne This follows their acquisition of Pultney The SWA is now campaining for a fur- is a super-premium blend with a qual- Distillery from Allied last year. Allied ther drop of a few percent and here we ity and price position between the pre- suspended distilling at Balblair and differ; with the fortunes being made and mium whiskies (Bell’s, Grouse or Teach- Glendronach for two years in March. lost as a result of cross-border bootleg- er’s) and the Deluxe blends (Black La- Inver House Distillers is the result of a ging (and the slide into lawlessness) bel, ). UK directors buy-out in from Publicker there must be the best possible argu- The presentation reflects the high qual- Distillers, a subsidiary of a US Corset ment for a brave Chancellor to adopt ‘the ity of the whisky and will make an ex- manufacturer, in 1987. They now have Danish Solution’—a 50% cut in excise cellent souvenier of Argyll for visitors to four malt distilleries including Speyburn duty overnight, now. our shop. More on page 4. and An Cnoc.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 1 virtue of having no age on the label is designing a drier at Aultmore to convert THE PROFESSOR that you can put a wee bit of youth in to the waste to animal feed. I stayed in a ginger it up a bit rather than just caravan there. I remember the distill- having it all 12 years and over. ery when it had a water wheel, the tun Our whisky is a ‘standard’, as opposed was belt driven and barley came in 1 cwt to a secondary or deluxe. The youngest sacks, taken on backs up stairs to the is five years and the oldest is over ten malting floor, steeped & spread. It was with a spectrum of age, a good scatter called Aultmore-Glenlivet which I think across the range. I believe this range of was a bit of licence—it must be over 20 ages give us a top quality product, miles from the Livet! particularly when compared with other LFW: You must have experienced standard brands. the DCL take-over battle from the Finally we put much reliance on a good front line. dollop of top dressing; it brings the whole Yes I did, but it is all history now. thing up. I consider this critical and I’m You have to remember that the original very pleased with mine. The quality of proposal submitted to and recommended this top dressing is an important factor by the board to the shareholders was for in the creation of The Loch Fyne, giving an overall holding company based in you a unique whisky. Scotland whilst retaining the individual LFW: What are you doing now? boards of both I set up this company in 1991 after I Ltd and . For a number of rea- retired as Production Director from sons this never came to pass. United Distillers. Our company is called The result is United Distillers in its Inverarity Vaults and was created with present form which is proving very suc- Ronnie Martin is the creator of our my son Hamish who had been working cessful and I’m not saying this because new Loch Fyne blend of Scotch in the wine trade in London where he I’m a pensioner of theirs! Whisky. gained his wine & spirits diploma. He Their products are good. I had a tasting then joined me at Inverarity in 1992. the other day of the new LFW: How do you create a blend? Inverarity was my Grandmother’s name Gold 18yo. That and the Blue label are It’s not a science, it’s your own nose and and it struck me as a good name for our superb products. A lot of good effort has palate that decides what’s right in the venture. There are not many gone into the Classic Six. We were slow end. Inveraritys about. We’ve been market- into malts and had only Cardhu until A well known character in the industry ing a blend and a single malt under that Guinness came along. Malts are now says that to make up a blend there can name for the last four years. up to 10% of total Scotch Whisky sales. be no one single whisky predominating, When you’re starting off, it is an ex- and I agree, it’s a good starting-off point. tremely slow business so we’ve got other There’s an strong argument for having irons in the fire apart from whisky. We “I want a good spread of malts, it can’t be done are the sole agency in Scotland for with just a few. Ruinart Champagne, the oldest Cham- the best The rest is trial and error. The “Pope’s pagne house in the world and also some telephone number” — VAT 69 — was excellent wines including De Loach from created when William Sanderson made California. Champagne, wine and standard up 100 vattings and chose which one he whisky, our three balancing elements! and his chums liked best. I think he was Hamish is 28 now and has a further 40 quite right to do that. The blender for years to achieve our aims and ambitions. blend” VAT 69 used to halve hogsheads. He’d Brand building takes time. LFW: When did you become Director make up a 20,000 gallon vat and actu- LFW: What are those aims? of Production? ally split a hoggie of one malt to get the A return on the capital invested! To pro- I became Managing Director of Scottish ratio right. mote the quality image of our Scotch Malt Distillers in 1979 and Production To create a blend decide on your first Whisky. I was the chairman of the Scotch Director of SMD’s parent, DCL, in highlands, your second highlands, third Whisky definition committee and very 1982—a difficult time. When I took over highlands, then lowlands and Islays— much involved with the quality aspects as Production Director we had 45 malt but be careful with the Islays. We do a of the industry . I’m very keen that what distilleries and closed 21 of them. practical at the University in which we we put into the Inverarity bottles is a Carsebridge grain distillery was closed, give my students a vatted malt, a vatted good representation of quality. and many bonds. Every year we used grain and some Islay whiskies and it can I want the best ‘standard’ blend in blind to buy 200,000 shook bundles, that is be very quickly demonstrated that you tastings against any other standard dismantled casks, and we went from can kill a blend dead with too much Is- blend. Likewise our malt, a single manual to mechanical raising of barrels lay. There are a lot of blends without Speyside, which in my judgement can which unfortunately put a lot of coopers any Islay malt. Keep the Islays under stand comparison with any other malt. out of work. control. We’re very much concerned with quality. In the early 70s we were filling casks Next decide how much malt and how LFW: Why did you choose Aultmore for a projected 8% compound growth in much grain. as your malt? sales, up to 8 or 12 years ahead. We were Then wood selection, the type of cask— As managing director of 45 distilleries, building eight new warehouses a year, Sherry, bourbon, new, refilled, refilled you visit each one every two or three each of 66,000 hogsheads. wine treated, de-charred, re-charred, years and get to know them individu- LFW: What went wrong? there are many categories and the per- ally and Aultmore was my favourite. It With hindsight, I don’t think any prod- mutations are almost endless. is something of a co-incidence that my uct in the world can keep on growing at Then how old? There has been an argu- predecessor had the same favourite. the rate predicted. It wasn’t a drop in ment for some time between the non- I trained as a chemical engineer and my consumption that caused the whisky aged deluxe and the 12 year olds. The first whisky job, as long ago as 1958, was loch but the loss of growth.

PAGE 2 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD LFW: Now the industry is looking separate definitions for grain, malt or of the industry. Both share some of the lean and fit. blend, be it 1% or 99% malt. The reason same directors, for example Alan A lot of changes had to take place over is that you are not saying that grain is a Rutherford of UD, is on both boards. the last twenty years. secondary product to malt. The defini- LFW: If you were allowed one On the sherry cask side we required tion, rightly or wrongly, and I think whisky on your desert island... 10,000 home-emptied sherry casks a rightly, is that there is no reference to One whisky? It would be a blend. year, travelling casks they were called, the amount of malt in a blend. LFW: Why a blend? tatty old bodega casks. When they The Act succeeded due very much to the It’s difficult to describe. Consider the stopped coming in we set up the DCL services of Bill Walker MP, and Bill congeners; there are many more in malt bodega at Carsebridge, bringing in thou- Brewsher, the then Director General of than grain. In a blend you’re cutting the sands of gallons of sherry. We’d do a the Scotch Whisky Association. There congener levels by the addition of grain. wood trial to identify between American were two angles to it; one was getting If you are a serious whisky drinker, then and European oak, fill it with sweet political support and eventually it got all you are a blend man. Talk to anyone in sherry and hold it for six months and party support. I was in charge of the the trade and I think you will find a pref- then disgorge it for re-use—which I have technical considerations; now that we erence for blends. A malt is fine but I to tell you made a fantastic product! had the chance, I had to make sure that enjoy a blend. It goes down easier! LFW: Is six months adequate? it was absolutely right. I’d take my own blend or Black Label. In this case yes. Very seldom do the LFW: For this work you were A lot is to do with what you’ve drunk in Spaniards use sweetened wine whereas awarded the OBE for services to the past and I know what goes into it the UK is very much a sweet market. Scotch Whisky. and how much care has gone into it. So the home emptied sherry casks are I was very fortunate, but in terms of I suppose I should say The Loch Fyne, not typical of the Spanish production. honours I like to think of the original that would do just fine! You are really talking of oloroso filled whisky barons—Dewar, Buchanan, LFW: Thank you Professor Martin, casks as opposed to fino. ‘Restless’ Peter Mackie, Walker and full marks! LFW: How did you get to be so con- ; it is they who created the industry. cerned about quality? THE DEFINITION OF I was Chairman of the Scotch Whisky SCOTCH WHISKY Definition Committee, which produced “now we had Professor Martin Chaired the Com- the Scotch Whisky Act. The 1990 Act mittee that created the current legal enlarged on the original definition of definition of what exactly is Scotch Scotch which was that it had to be pro- the chance, Whisky in the Scotch Whisky Act. duced in Scotland, matured in wood for “Scotch Whisky”, for the purposes of three years and contain malted barley. the Act means whisky— There were three things that I was very I had to make —which has been produced at a dis- keen to make sure were included. One tillery in Scotland from water and was the minimum strength of 40% alco- sure it was malted barley (to which only whole hol by volume, (there was a very strong grains of other cereals may be added) lobby from the marketing side at the all of which have been— time for 37.5% as other spirits were all absolutely —processed at that distillery to a 37.5%). With the help of the DCL/UD mash, research facility at Glenochil we were right” —converted to a fermentable able to show, (with easy to understand substrate only by endogenous coloured graphs!), the enormity of the I’m Visiting Professor of Distilling at the enzyme systems, and fall-off of the flavour giving congeners International Centre of Brewing and —fermented only by the addition of between 40% and 37.5%. A lot of flavor Distilling at Heriot-Watt University, yeast. congeners are flung out at 37.5%. It here in Edinburgh which I became —which has been distilled at an alco- really is quite extraordinary that our involved with in the late 1980s. The holic strength by volume of less than forefathers, without the aid of high pres- University wanted some financial input 94.8% so that the distillate has an sure liquid chromatographs and other and involvement from the brewing and aroma and taste derived from raw gadgetry, knew what was absolutely distilling industries. They wanted to put materials used in, and the method of, right, quite often as well. At levels of in a pilot plant brewery and we gave its production. below 40% you lose a lot of character. them the small stills from Glenochil. —which has been matured in an I was also very keen that the enzymes They’ve got a first-class lauter tun for excise warehouse in Scotland in oak for producing the sugars for fermenta- preparing mashes that they can play casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 tion should be purely and simply from every tune on you can imagine—depth, litres, the period of that maturation malted barley and not from any other rotation, everything! They now have the being not less than 3 years. source as can be done with other types definitive pilot production plant. —which retains the colour, aroma and of whiskey. Scotch Whisky is a noble With my opposite number at Scottish & taste derived from the raw materials spirit and it should be made purely. For Newcastle Brewers, we obtained support used in, and method of, its production the same reason we fought for the use from the brewing industry and the and maturation, and of whole grains only, otherwise a large Scotch Whisky Association to put up a —to which no substance other than proportion of Scotch Whisky could have direct injection of cash. I don’t want to water and spirit caramel has been been made from the by-products of a be immodest about it, but it really has added. cereal factory! There was considerable taken off. Demand well exceeds places The Act prohibits the production in opposition to that. and last year every graduate got a job. Scotland of whisky other than Scotch LFW: Who were you fighting? A great success. Whisky. Cost driven arguments! Now the Scottish Whisky Research All Scotch Whisky bottled and/or put We also decided that the definition of Institute is going to be set up next to the up for sale within or exported from the Scotch Whisky is all embracing. You can ICBD in the research park. The SWRI European Community must be of a have 100% grain whisky, 100% malt, is financed by the main Whisky compa- minimum alcoholic strength of 40 per that is Scotch Whisky. We do not have nies so it really will be the research arm cent by volume.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 3 The YOU LIKE IT! All despatches of full size bottles before Christmas included a complimentary H FY miniature of Ronnie Martin’s blend for C N The Loch Fyne with a request for your comments. O Blend of E Some of the first to go out ommitted to L ™ be described as a blend and many thought or assumed our mystery SCOTCH WHISKIES sample was a malt. This did not deter an Ipswich tasting club from enjoying A tasting note by Charles Maclean, Scotland’s foremost whisky writer. it, describing a recurring butterscotch “The deep amber colour of this whisky, (darker than many blends) implies age and character with other superlatives such this is supported by the (undilute) nose, which is rich and vinous, with no trace of as “toffee, velvet, ermine, smooth, almost grain. All the indications of mature fillings. chewey, unctious, caramel, vanilla, warm and lingering with a spirity vapour”. There is an interesting aroma of apple dumpling (suet crust), and this remains They finished with two questions: “What when water is added, enlivened by lighter citric notes (oranges and tangerines), is it?” and “When will you install a pipe- and by some oil-related aromas (walnuts, linseed oil). Phenolic notes are slight, line for this butterscotch malt?” and express themselves more as ‘roast meat’ than peat smoke. Medicinal phenols We realised that it was unfair not to are present in a very slight trace of oilskins. Overall the nose is subtle and relatively reveal that the whisky was a blend and closed. Not much water is needed for this whisky. the miniature labelling was amended. The mouth-feel is smooth and well balanced, engaging the whole palate with acidic, Our preferred tasting note comes from salty, sweet and dry flavours, and coming down ultimately on the side of sweet- Philip Irving, who was both succinct and ness. The overall impression is fresh and smooth—mellow without being flat. The commercially stimulating: “Very smooth finish is quick and clean, and surprisingly warming. It is extremely easy to drink. blend worthy of a price tag of Black Conclusion: A true premium blend which has clearly used well matured fillings. Label!” The suggestion of charging an There is no harshness in it, no cereal notes or feints, no artificial caramel notes. A extra £4 or £5 more than envisaged is a whisky which is appropriate for any time of the day. Perilously smooth, mellow very good idea! and easy to drink.” Chris Pascall brought us back to earth, when he described our blend:“a rich GLENDARROCH DISTILLERY distinctive flavour, a subtle after taste and almost the right price.” Perhaps Our new label depicts the Glendarroch around a courtyard to the kiln, tun room, we’ve got the price right after all. Distillery sited on the banks of the still house and warehouses. Whisky was John Campbell revealed considerable Crinan Canal at Ardrishaig. Also known then shipped to market via the canal. insight by guessing “water from the as Glenfyne, the distillery was built by Eight houses were available for the north-east, matured in sherry casks for Henry Hoey & Co in 1831. A sucession workers and two for the excisemen. 6 to 8 years. Taken neat—an excellent of owners held the distillery untill 1919 There was also Glengilp House and reviver and with a drop of water a good when it came under the ownership of the Glendarroch House for the manager and clean drink with a mellow, almost Glenfyne Dsitillery Co. the owner respectively. At the end of his smooth pear drop flavour.” Our water colour by Gail Gordon depicts day’s visit Barnard’s party “donned our The letter pulled first out of the hat to the distillery at the time of Alfred ‘war paint’ and proceeded to win the snazzy presentation bottling is Barnard’s visit in 1885. Barnard’s de- Glendarroch House to enjoy the hospi- Mr N. A. Bray: “Regarding the sample tailed description of the buildings ena- tality of the owner”. of your proposed new blend, this is some- bled us to recreate the floor plan and The distillery closed in 1937, unusually thing I could also get very used to.” Gail was able to complete her task from as there was a distilling boom at that this combined with etchings in his book. time, although the warehouses contin- Barnard was clearly taken by the set- ued to be used for storing whisky until THE TRADE MARK™ ting, the distillery and hospitality the mid seventies. A brief life as a join- The Loch Fyne Trade Mark afforded him. He devotes six ery followed until the eighties when a was first registered in 1884 pages to his visit, much taken up salmon hatchery made use of the build- to a company called J. M. with details of the buildings e.g. ings and water which was also the drink- Borthwick & Co. About the “a new kiln, one of the finest we ing water supply for Ardrishaig and middle of this century it was have seen in Scotland, it is 51 feet Lochgilphead. assigned to the Glenfyne Dis- square” but also with the loca- In 1990 the Regional Council acquired tillery Company, as testified tion: “It is built at the foot of the water rights and every last trace of by the bottle of Loch Fyne the Robber’s Glen which runs the distillery has been removed. which we bought at upwards from the banks of the Additional information: Christie’s Auction (right). canal into the heart of the hills Brian Townsend, SCOTCH MISSED. Last year we asked the in the background; this glen registered owners if they was once the haunt of smug- LAUNCH PRICES would be willing to sell glers, and no more romantic The Loch Fyne is presented in a tall the Trade Mark to us. spot could have been chosen for round bottle with a cork stopper, blue After some considerable the distillery.” and embossed gold front label and cap thought and discussion Glendarroch was complete and label seal (left). The gift presentation in- and to our immense de- well laid out. Barley was un- cludes a branded tube and Loch Fyne light, they agreed to sell loaded from the canal direct to Whiskies dram glass. the Trade Mark for what the malt barns then moved The Loch Fyne, bottle only ...... £13.90 is best described as a through the process clockwise Gift Bottle, tube & dram glass .. £15.90 ‘modest sum’.

PAGE 4 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD RAISE YOUR GLASS TO THE BLENDER Until quite recently whisky An Appreciation by Charles Maclean was a subject that tended Donald Mackinlay, former Chairman of Its parts are many. to be monopolised by Scots, foreign- Charles Mackinlay & Sons, says accu- Typically, he will select between 15 and ers, and elderly gentlemen in rately “If the practice of blending whisky 50 malts and three or four grains— Clubs. This made the whole area had never begun, the whisky trade in although Ultima, a recent creation by fairley barren ground for bluffers Scotland might not have developed J&B, makes use of every malt and grain unless they were fortunate enough beyond a cottage industry”. whisky available, many from distiller- to find themselves in the company of His great-grandfather was one of the ies which have now disappeared—128 North Americans with remote Highland first whisky blenders—possibly the first, whiskies in all! Deluxe whiskies tend ancestry. Such people have a pleasing although this distinction is usually given to use fewer malts at greater age and habit of believing pretty well anything, to Andrew Usher, who created Old with a higher percentage of malt to grain up to and including the social benefits Vatted Glenlivet in 1853 (a mix of (say 60:40). of the clan system and the romantic joys Glenlivets of different ages) and a true A single bottling run may require hun- of kelp gathering. ‘blend’ of malt and grain whiskies soon dreds of casks. Each and every one of Things have changed. Whisky apprecia- after in 1860. these has different characteristics which tion is an idea whose time has come. It The importance of blended whisky can- must be taken account of by the blender: will bring you into contact with much not be overstated: even today, when sin- one dodgy barrel can destroy an entire nicer people. Real people. Good people. gle malt whiskies are enjoying greater bottling run. Just think of the cost! Caring people...People like us.” popularity than ever before in history, The whiskies will be of different ages, David Milstead 95% of the Scotch Whisky produced goes and will have matured at different rates. Bluffer’s Guide to Whisky into blends. They account for the huge The blender must assess the impact this success of Scotch around the world, one might make on his blend. Even a ‘stand- NEW CUSTOMERS of the UK’s top five export earners and ard’ 5 year old will have some whiskies the backbone of the food and drinks in it which are much older. If the bottle START HERE industry (without Scotch, the trade defi- bears an ‘age statement’ (the new Bell’s The busy summer season in the shop is cit in this sector would increase by 40%). 8 year old, for example), all of its the time when Loch Fyne Whiskies wel- How do we account for this success? constituents—malt and grain—must be comes new customers to our growing There are several reasons, historical and of at least that age. band of happy whisky fans. The follow- commercial, but at base, the success of The recipes—formulae—for some blends ing pages are for those who are develop- Scotch—by which the world under- are over 100 years old, but they are not ing an interest in the marvels of Scotch stands ‘blended Scotch’—comes down to sacrosanct. Distilleries close and their Whisky where we feature some expla- its universal appeal. It ‘touches the products are no longer available. Or a nation of the bottlings from our Stock spot’; satisfies where other drinks do not particular malt takes off as a single, and List—MH, G&M, C, S etc., but we’ll start (yes, and even malt whisky); finds mature spirit becomes difficult to obtain with by far the most often asked ques- favour with people of all races, it is (Glenmorangie is a case in point). tion: Scotland’s greatest gift to the world. Replacements must be sought which I can’t remember the name, but it The achievement of the Master blender lend the same character to the finished came in a dumpy green bottle, can is prodigious. It has been said that while blend. When he is creating a new blend, you help? “distilling is a science, blending is an the blender must take account of the cost Bunnahabhain! (Boo-na-ha-venn). art”: the blender’s task is to combine a and availability; he must know how one — Next! number of malt and grain whiskies in malt reacts with another, not only What is whisky? such a way that the resulting drink is immediately but over time—I have Literally the alcohol spirit produced by more than the sum of its parts. heard Islays described as ‘a rat in a bag’: distilling fermented cereals. Whisky is after a while they ‘eat their way out’ and produced in many countries, historically WORLD SALES, 1994 dominate the flavour of the blend. Some those that had climates more suited to Blended whisky accounted for 85% of all blenders compare their work to growing cereals rather than grape/wine Scotch sold in 1994; with malt 11% and conducting an orchestra: “The malts of production. pure grain 4%. Exports of malt had a Islay are heavy and sombre as cellos. Scotch Whisky is the world’s most popu- value of £236m (11% of total); blended Highland malts are violas; lowlands the lar spirit and must be (amongst other Scotch valued £1,898m (87%) and grain discursive violin and grains are like things) made and matured in an oak bar- £56m (2%). Malt whisky sales are pianos—sometimes fortissimo, some- rel for not less than three years and in becoming increasingly significant as a times pianissimo”. Scotland, otherwise it cannot be called factor of Scotch Whisky exports; sales And the master blender must take ac- Scotch. volumes have almost doubled in the two count of all these variables every time years 1992-4. stocks run low and a bottling is ordered. CADENHEAD (C) Source; SWA Statistics, 1994 He must monitor the stocks of whisky The oldest of the WORLD SALES BY VOLUME 1994 he has in bond, and the new make spirit independent bot- GRAIN coming out of the distilleries owned by tlers, Campbel- BULK MALT his company. Consistency of flavour is town in Argyll is BOTTLED MALT crucial to the success of blended whisky: home to Caden- if your favourite blend tastes different head’s who buy next time you buy a bottle you will be and mature

BULK BLEND disappointed, and may even move to casks of whisky another brand. and bottle each So—you malt purists out there—never cask individu- underestimate the skill, experience and ally at natural BOTTLED BLEND effort that goes into creating a blended cask strength, whisky. The introduction of a new blend occasionally as — The Loch Fyne, for example— is a high as 67% al- matter for celebration. cohol.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 5 NEW CUSTOMERS — Page 2 How is whisky made? Easy, mix some processed grain with water, add yeast and let it ferment in the same way that beer is produced. Boil up your beer and collect the steam which will be mostly alcohol. Voilà, whisky! Throw this away as it is probably poison, your hair will fall out—and apart from that it’s illegal. Scotch whisky must contain barley and Malt Whisky be made exclusively from water, malted barley and yeast only. What is the difference between a single malt and a double malt? A single malt is the product of one malt whisky distillery and that one distillery only. There is no such thing as a double malt unless you are with your rich father-in-law at the bar (technically—‘a large one’). Malt whisky is one of four types of GORDON & MACPHAIL (G&M, CC, Cask) Scotch. The most common is blended The leading and most respected independent bottler, G&M bottle a bewilder- whisky, a mix of many different single ing range of single, vatted and blended whiskies from their Elgin home. G&M malts and grain whiskies prepared by a are unique in that they mature all their whiskies from new. blender using his sense of smell and Shown above are examples of the Connoisseurs Choice, Cask and G&M range. years of experience. 92% of all bottled whisky sold is blended whisky and it is Occasionally you may come across a sin- How many Scotch Whiskies are there? appreciated the world over for its gle grain whisky but its use is mainly The Scotch Whisky Association draws satisfying subtlety and complexity. as a carrier for malts in blends. attention to the Claive Vidiz collection in Grain whisky is industrially produced A fourth category of whisky is a vatted Brazil of over 4,000 bottles of Scotch. Not from a variety of cereals including malt which is a blend of several malts all of these will be available today and malted barley. The spirit is not fully dis- but no grain. Malt bottles lacking the Campbell Evans of the SWA reckons that tilled—a degree of impurity is required word ‘single’ may well be vatted; other there are about 200 in the UK (201 now!) to add character. It is also stored in Scot- clues are descriptions such as ‘Pure and 2,000 around the world. land in oak barrels for at least three Malt’ or ‘100% malt’. Loch Fyne Whiskies has the most years before being used for blending. A single malt is a happy accident of sci- comprehensive range of UK available ence, nature and circumstance. Blended malts with examples from about 120 SIGNATORY and vatted whiskies are one man’s opin- distilleries. There are currently about ion of what he thinks you think a good 95 open and working. (S) whisky should taste like. Many mem- How am I supposed to drink my A range of malts bers of the industry claim to appreciate malt whisky? bottled at both blended Scotch the most. How you like! Although it does seem a 43% and at cask Why don’t you stock a certain brand shame to mix a £25 malt with a sweet, strength. I had once? fizzy mixer. Addition of water (anything Edinburgh Whisky brands tend to fade away faster from a drop to 50:50, depends on the based, Signatory than get created as the industry changes bottling) often reveals more character Vintage Scotch from hundreds of brand owners to just because your nose is happier at lower Whisky Com- a few. As big companies expand by the alcoholic strengths, so experiment with pany has been acquisition of small they find that they a new bottling. Bear in mind you have enjoying great have two brands on the same shop shelf four senses of taste and these are in your success with at the same price so one has to go. Some mouth, not in the back of your throat. some excellent brands are only available overseas be- Plus you have some 30 or more senses of rare bottlings. cause they are better established there smell so use the schnoz. Ice in malts is than in the UK. also a no-no; you put ice on bruises and

HOW MANY DISTILL J&B have released Ultima — a blend containing the largest possible number of malt and grain components. Ultima contains 116 malts Nevis, Ben Wyvis, Benriach, Benrinnes, Benromach, Bladnoch, Blair Athol, Bowmore, Braes of Glenlivet, Brechin, Brora, Bruichladdi Dhu, Dalmore, Dalwhinnie, Deanston, Dufftown, Edradour, Fettercairn, Glen Albyn, Glenallachie, Glenburgie, Glencadam, Glen Craig Grant, , Glenkinchie, Glenlivet, Glen Lochy, Glenlossie, Glen Mhor, Glenmorangie, Glen Moray, Glen , Glen Scotia, G Knockdhu, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Ledaig, Linkwood, Linlithgow (St Magdalene), Littlemill, Lochside, Longmorn, Macallan, Macduff Brackla, Royal Lochnagar, Scapa, Speyburn, Springbank, Strathisla, , Talisker, Tamnavulin, Teaninch, Tamdhu, Tomatin, T Girvan, Invergordon, North British, North of Scotland, Port Dundas, Strathclyde. The only distilleries that could not be represented

PAGE 6 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD MARKET HOUSE (MH) Where’s Cadenhead’s/Connoisseurs Choice/Gordon & MacPhail’s Distillery? When bottled by the These bottles are from Independent bot- owner of the distillery, tlers who buy the malt whisky from a we call such bottlings distillery and bottle it with their name market house. These foremost as their badge of quality. With ‘official’ presentations all independent bottlings look for the are examples of the best distillery name which will be in smaller in quality, packaging print. and design. Here are What are ‘Cask Strength’ Whiskies? ‘The Classic Six’, Whisky matures in the barrel at about owned, bottled and sold 65%. Prior to bottling it is diluted to by the industry leader, 40% so as to incur the least alcohol duty United Distillers. (originally a wartime measure). Cask strength whiskies are at natural, barrel in blended Scotch in hot climates. gentle; mild, almost wine-like. The strength which provides more impact — Page 3 NEW CUSTOMERS The advice of Aeneas MacDonald: Highlands can be further divided; those and immediate flavour. These whiskies Take a small wine-glass, preferably one from the south are akin to the lowlands, should be diluted in the glass after with a generous belly and a narrow rim, those from the north are fuller flavoured. exploratory sips otherwise anaesthesia let him [the taster] warm it slightly with Speyside is a category of its own within will numb the pleasure. Because of the his hand and then pour in a little of the the Highlands. These whiskies are com- whisky. Having assisted the process of plex and half of Scotland’s distilleries are evaporation with a gentle rocking found here. The most fully flavoured motion of the glass, let him sniff the whisky is produced on the island of vapour at the rim. It should be mild and Islay (pronounced eye-la). Islay yet potent, round and ‘warm’, with no whiskies are unguided missiles in the trace of the objectionable acridity of raw wrong hands—you will either love them spirit. Then he should take a sip only a or wonder what the attraction is in drop or two and allow it to remain in his smelling hospitals. mouth for a few moments. There ought Books are useful sources of information to be no harshness in the liquor’s assault and we recommend in particular: on his palate: ‘kick’ only indicates a Value for money—Collins Gem Whisky £3.50 young or badly mannered spirit. It Most informed—Pocket Whisky Book £7.99 should be gentle, with nothing of that Taster’s bible—Michael Jackson’s Malt The right glass for malt whisky. ‘mineral’ taste about it which causes all Whisky Companion £12.99 (alterna- A traditional whisky tumbler is fine for but hardened and careless drinkers to tively The Malt Whisky File £9.99) a blended whisky with a mixer but for shudder a little and contract the facial How come they taste so different? malt whisky appreciation a tulip or muscles; and it ought to have a smooth, Malted barley has to be dried before balloon glass is preferred. elusive and varied flavour in which it is milling and fermentation and tradition- A classic nosing glass has a generous very difficult to distinguish a dominant ally this has been done over an open fire. belly to accumulate aromas, a narrow constituent. Having performed this op- In Scotland a variety of fuels is found rim to focus those delights for consid- eration, the experimenter should add locally including peat (decomposing eration and a watch glass lid to keep some water to the remainder of the spirit heather) and coal. The amount of peat them for you rather than the fairies. and drink thoughtfully; it will be found that is used to dry the barley has a big Engraved graduations allow accurate better to use soft water for diluting, but influence (on Islay it is the only source dilution. it is a refinement which the beginner can of fuel). Other influences are the style For relaxed whisky drinking we spare himself. of apparatus employed in the produc- reccomend a port glass. A wider rim How do I know which malts I will like? tion, particularly the still and how that and better balance aids contemplative Most single malts will have the region still is operated by the stillman. The enjoyment. We also enjoy using the of origin on the label, either Lowland, final big influence is the type of oak simple water carafe, far less fuss than Highland, Speyside or Islay and these barrel employed to mature the spirit; a lipped jug. give a clue to the character of the con- it could be one of many categories from Classic Nosing Glass ...... £7.50(a) tents—but there are many exceptions to a brand new barrel to a well-used sec- Port Glass ...... £3.50(a) the rule. The Lowlands are the most ond-hand sherry or bourbon cask. Carafe ...... £3.50(a)

LERIES ARE THERE? s: Aberfeldy, Aberlour, Allt A Bhaine, Ardbeg, Ardmore, Auchentoshan, Auchroisk, Aultmore, Balblair, Balmenach, Balvenie, Banff, Ben ich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Caperdonich, Cardhu, Clynelish, Coleburn, Convalmore, Cragganmore, Craigellachie, Dailuaine, Dallas g, Glendronach, Glendullan, Glen Elgin, Glenesk, Glenfarclas, , Glenflagler, Glen Gairoch, Glenglassaugh, Glengoyne, Glen Glen Spey, Glentauchers, Glenturret, Glenury-Royal, Highland Park, Imperial, Inchgower, Inchmurrin, Inverleven, Jura, Knockando, ff, Mannochmore, Millburn, Miltonduff, Mortlach, Mosstowie, Oban, Ord, Pittyvaich, Port Ellen, Pultney, Rhosdhu, Rosebank, Royal Tomintoul, Tormore, Tullibardine, and 12 grain whiskies: Caledonian, Cambus, Cameronbridge, Carsebridge, Dumbarton, , that we can think of are , Kininvie, Ladyburn and Speyside (although someone will know probably better).

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 7 NEW CUSTOMERS — Page 4 THE CLAIVE VIDIZ SCOTCH WHISKY MUSEUM IN BRAZIL

Martin Whittome If you find yourself in Sao Paulo for reasons of business or pleasure (most probably business as Sao Paulo is firmly off the tourist track) I sincerely recom- mend you try to wangle, through one of the local offices of the leading Scotch whisky companies, an invitation to visit this private museum. The owner, Claive Vidiz, is now retired

Photo; Eddy Posthuma de Boer from a successful international business Who or what is Loch Fyne Whiskies? career. His Anglophile mother wanted to A shop. We sell only whisky and whisky related products. We also provide a give him the English Christian name mail order service. We are not part of a chain nor do we have any other branches. Clive, he explains, but since Portuguese It is owned by Richard Joynson (above) and Lyndsay Shearer. We are devoted speakers would have pronounced this to our customers’ enjoyment of our service. Cleeve she was forced to adopt the variety of casks employed in the indus- value added tax is applied to the total expedient of inventing a new spelling so try each single cask, cask strength price (including the duty—a tax on a as to get people to pronounce it at least bottling will have the character of the tax). The tax on a £40 cask strength bot- fairly correctly. barrel variety as well as that of the tle is £15! Claive had for a long time been passion- distillery so there is great variation. I heard that Scotch is good for you. ately interested in anything concerned Why are some whiskies so expensive? The benefits of Scotch have been known with Scotch whisky and he started out The first thing to check is the age of the for over 400 years: by buying up individual collections from whisky. If it is say 21 years old (the time Beying moderatelie taken, it sloweth age; other people, selling off duplicates, and spent in the cask—once bottled it does it strenghened youthe; it helpeth buying more bottles. During his world- not ‘age’), it will be dearer because of the disgestion; it cutteth fleume; it wide travels he himself always bought additional storage required. Also whisky abandoneth melancholie; it relisheth the whatever he could find in the way of old evaporates in the barrel by about 2% harte; it lighteneth the mynde; it or new rarities, and before long he had each year so after 21 years only two quickeneth the spirites; it cureth the built up an impressive collection of thirds remain. The other thing to look hydropsis; it healeth the stranguary; it bottles. out for is the degree of alcohol strength preserveth the heart from whyrling—the To house them he has carried out a as duty is applied according to percent- eyes from dazelying—the tongue from remodelling of a wing of his house in the age alcohol. Most whiskies are bottled lispying—the mouth from snafflying—the hills overlooking the city where he at 40% alcohol by volume (abv), some at teeth from chatterying— the throate from designed and created a museum. On 43% or 46%—15% stronger and so ratlying—the weasan from stieflying—the shelves round the walls, in a tempera- dearer than the 40%. We stock many stomach from wamblying —the heart from ture and humidity controlled atmos- whiskies with strengths of up to 65% so swelling—the bellie from wirthchying— phere, he now displays over 4000 differ- these are the equivalent of over a bottle the guts from rumblying—the hands from ent presentations, all of full bottle sizes, and a half! shiverying—the sinwoes from shrinking— with an additional section for special What’s the fuss about tax? the veynes from crumplying—the bones presentations, jugs, decanters, etc. The Government has applied a tax to from soakying—trulie it is a soverainge Some of these bottles are almost as old sales of alcohol and now by successive liqour if it be orderlie taken. as the century and many date from the increases the duty on a bottle of Scotch Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland fifties and sixties, so for those of my (at 40% abv) is nearly £6. Added to this, 1578. generation a stroll around the shelves is a real journey into the past, a re- acquaintance with old friends one had long since forgotten. The most recent edition of the Guinness Book of Records included an entry on Claive Vidiz and a photograph of a part of the collection. I am proud to have been able to help Claive convince the publish- ers of his Bona Fides. Attached to the museum is a delightful little private bar to which one repairs after the visit to take a celebratory dram, or even two! Scotch whisky is there to be drunk as well as admired in a glass case, and Brazil imports impressive quantities. If only the average purchas- ing power of Brazilians were higher, then the consumption would be quite What does Lyndsay look like? phenomenal. It’s unfortunate that Lyndsay has not been in the shop when a photographer has chanced by. In response to demand for a face to put to the name we modestly Martin Whittome is an independent print this picture of Tosh and Hope waiting for supper (23 hours to go). Consultant of Scotch Whisky.

PAGE 8 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD LEAVE SCOTCH WHISKY LETTERS PAGE SENSE OR NON-SENSE OF TO THE SCOTTISH At last! Some letters to publish! We were GEOGRAPHICAL Dear Sirs, surprised that even the promise of a CLASSIFICATION Your interview with George Urquhart 1974 bottle of Longrow failed to produce Dear Sirs, DITO E R made very interesting reading. I would a really stimulating letter. Eastern Highlands, West- CHOICE like to say how much I agree with his Letters until now were much appreci- ern Highlands, Northern ' S concern about whiskies being bottled by ated but excessively of the “I think Loch Highlands, Midlands, L some companies at very young ages. Fyne Whiskies is great and Springbank Lowlands, Campbeltown, E T Young bottling may I suspect be linked brilliant—can I have my bottle of Islay, Perthshire, Orkney, T with Mr. Urquhart’s other concern, i.e. Longrow now, please?” We’re not that Islands, Speyside, Lossie, E R companies outside Scotland exercising easily bought, (cash yes, flattery, no). Findhorn etc. etc. control. We couldn’t allow a letter expressing Every Association, Society or book seems The Italians I believe like their whisky thanks for our service be the winner but to have its own classification of malt young and fiery. I have tasted malt for a year those were all we had. Bill whiskies. Besides this being very con- whisky purchased in Italy which is Urwin’s letter (below) expresses the fusing for the consumer, one should ask clearly bottled too young and is, amongst sentiment of all of your nice ‘thank you’ oneself whether it is significant anyhow. other things, indeed fiery and not to me letters. Helen MacNab’s letter (below, Some of the ‘classic’ districts now only a good example of malt whisky. This left) gives us the chance to come up with consist of two or even fewer distilleries may suit the Italian taste but what the goods, a request for information not (e.g. Campbeltown, Lowlands, Irish about the visitors to Italy buying malt found in books that is here fulfilled by Bushmills), while others are so huge (e.g. whisky for the first time. Would such the manager of Glen Esk maltings on Speyside, mainly due to its usefulness buyers be put off buying malt whisky page 10. in blends) that possibly further subdivi- again because they were not impressed? Charles Hutcheon raises the question of sions could be useful. Differences within Is a similar risk being taken with cheap under-age-Scotch (and other whiskies) certain regions can be bigger than those malts and blends which are bottled too and challenges those who are in charge between distinctive areas: Talisker young and sold in this country? to consider their responsibilities to what probably has more so-called ‘Islay- I have another concern; in recent months is in Ronnie Martin’s words a ‘noble character’ than Bunnahabhain. I have been provided with two “whis- spirit’ (left). Taste is what this is all about, or should kies” from abroad. One made in Japan In the last six months two major super- be. So why not suggest a classification which seems to be a poor attempt to markets have introduced taste bands; based on taste rather than on geogra- mimic certain Islay malts. The other I one like the Collins Gem Whisky Book phy. But how? A ‘taste-intensity score’ do not know what it was meant to be scale of 1 to 5 (as we have adopted) the for instance: see the Loch Fyne Stocklist, but it was to me an insult to call it Scotch other a more complex 10 point A to J. Is with its handy and surveyable 5-point whisky. the consumer getting more confused? scale. But what’s in a number ? “I’d like Do these foreign attempts at imitations How about standardisation? The prize a number-4 dram” doesn’t sound as pas- do more harm to the Scottish whisky of a bottle of 1974 Longrow goes to sionate as “I’m looking for a round, com- industry? Maarten Willems who launches ‘the plex, subtle-sherried Speyside, Richard”. Whilst foreign investment in the malt quest for classification’. I should stress however the convenience whisky industry is of obvious benefit, Feeling inspired? Next edition’s best let- of the aforementioned rating-scale for would it not help the industry more if ter wins a bottle of 21yo Springbank. use in short-lists. But numbers in the companies and investors in the indus- first place are for indicating age. try from outside Scotland would only act DEAR SWR So we go on as we did before, with all its on the advice and considerable experi- Having an interest in Malt Whisky and shortcomings. In that case; would it be ence of Scottish influence alone, advice living in the English Midlands means necessary, or at least desirable, to come from people like George Urquhart and it’s just a tad difficult to stay in touch to an agreement about how many and other family run distilleries such as with events, so each edition of the SWR which appellations will become ‘stand- Springbank? is read avidly and the Stock List ardised’ in general use. To be honest, Charles Hutcheon explored to discover something to tempt only Speyside seems to be inevitable. All Chairman, W.E.W.I the palate or even to drool over before the others are too small, too vague or (Worthing Enthusiastic Whisky Imbibers) compiling a purchase justification to my too various. Even Highlands is insecure. P. S. I shall return without the wife but better half (well, she is the cook). Those who-know-a-lot-about-whisky with a trailer! Your Review gives them that think they agree that the typical highland whisky MALTINGS MEANINGS know about Scotch Whisky a tremen- doesn’t exist anymore. Glen Albyn, Glen Dear Sirs, dous link with those that do know. The Mhor, aye, those were real highland Having recently read several books balance of interviews, articles and whiskies, but nowadays ? Dalmore, about malt whisky I found several jottings suits me and makes it very read- Balblair ? mentions of different types of maltings— able. It helps me to understand a little So my suggestion for the classification floor maltings, Saladin box maltings of what the experts are saying when we is as simple as it is absurd: Speysides and drum maltings. However, none of have our annual ‘distillery week’ at and Non-Speysides, the latter sub- the books gave any explanation of how Cullen. Yes, I’m the guy who asks every- divided into Heavy and Light. the maltings operated and what the one in each distillery to sign my Whisky Such a dreadful conclusion and the differences are. You may wish to Trails book. I’d like to thank all who have number of question marks in this letter, consider an article on this for a future signed ‘the book’ for their hospitality can only lead to a truckload of really issue of the Scotch Whisky and to those who haven’t had the oppor- serious suggestions concerning Review as I think your read- tunity yet—I’ll get there one day. The Quest for Classification. ers may find interesting. Keep up the good work in publishing the Let the debate continue... I find the SWR very interest- SWR—it is appreciated, honest. Maarten Willems ing and informative—keep up Bill Urwin Schijndel the good work. Leicestershire The Netherlands Fiona MacNab P. S. Notice I didn’t mention the Spring- Awards for the letters page are by Isle of Skye bank car park once! generosity of Springbank Distillers.

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 9 MALTING METHODS As distilling became industrialised how- limited to say the least. At the start of Mike Jappy, Manager ever, the quality and quantity of locally germination the grain would have been United Malt and Grain Distillers Ltd grown barley in the Highlands and “couched”—basically piled in a heap. This Glen Esk Maltings Islands would have been insufficient to would rapidly heat up as germination The process of malting is essentially a meet demand, and much barley was started then the grain would be spread natural one. When a barley corn falls imported from the south of Scotland and evenly over the floor. Keeping the to the ground it will, after a time, England. This was largely assisted by temperature under control during the absorb moisture and start to germinate. the expansion of the rail network in the summer however was difficult and most The maltster really only replicates this late nineteenth century, which in many maltings used to shut down during the under controlled conditions, starting the cases could deliver barley directly into height of the summer. Of course as the germination by steeping the barley then distilleries and return south loaded with grain starts to grow it sprouts rootlets, and controlling the germination until the casks of spirit. if these are not to tangle and mat together corn reaches a certain point, when the The problem with Scottish barley was one the grain must be turned. This was maltster stops the growth by drying the of climate; late harvests meant that the achieved in the floor maltings by manu- germinated barley in a kiln. barley was often cut wet, and the tech- ally turning, throughout the day, the grain A barley corn is basically made up of two nology to dry the barley without killing with shovels, an image which has become parts; an embryo, which will develop into the embryo, was not readily available. traditionally associated with malting. the new plant and the endosperm which English barley on the other hand was Once germination on the floor was com- contains the starchy foodstore needed to usually harvested earlier, in drier condi- plete, the grain was manually loaded onto sustain the shoot of the new plant until tions, and did not require further drying the malt kiln. Traditional distillery malt it can photosynthesise. It is this starch prior to storage and transport to the kilns are easily identifiable by the Pagoda which is important maltings. (Wet barley cannot be stored style roofs, and although few distilleries to the distiller for any length of time before turning still have working maltings attached most since it provides mouldy which in turn kills the embryo). have retained the Pagodas. These kilns

EMBRYO STARCH RESERVE the sugars which This situation remained largely in the simplest form would have been (ENDOSPERM) are fermented and unchanged up until the 1960s, because natural draught kilns fired by peat.

SKIN distilled. although the technology to dry the barley Drying time would have taken 2 or 3 days (HUSK) However the starch was now commonplace, the barley varie- and the resultant malt very heavily in the endosperm is held in cells made of ties commercially available to the maltster peated but fairly inconsistent. protein, and these cells must be broken did not grow well north of the Highland The basic problems with floor maltings down before the starch can be utilised by line. Then two very important develop- were that the amount of malt which could the plant. Therefore when a barley corn ments took place. One was an explosive be made was limited to a few tonnes at a starts to germinate it firstly produces growth in demand for Scotch Whisky; the time and the whole process was very enzymes which degrade this protein and other was the introduction of a barley va- labour intensive. Although the quality of then it produces different enzymes to riety called Golden Promise. This was the the malt could be excellent it was very utilise the starch as energy. The art of first barley which could be grown commer- variable and the final peatiness, very im- the maltster is to allow the germination cially for malting in the North of Scotland. portant for spirit character, varied greatly. to progress to a point where the cell walls The expansion within the industry also In order to achieve a consistent quality of have been broken down, but before the resulted in the floor maltings attached malt it is essential to control the tempera- starch is used up by the growing plant. to each distillery being unable to meet ture of the grain at all stages. This is why At this point the maltster kilns the the increased demand. Malt production floor maltings gradually gave way to pneu- germinated barley or “green malt” and the moved to centralised malthouses which matic maltings. The term pneumatic growth is stopped. It’s a common mis- could supply the malt requirement for means that air is passed through the grain conception that the maltster converts the many distilleries. Maltings of this type to control temperature. By controlling the starch in the barley to sugar—this is done were not new by any means and had temperature, the batch size can be dra- by the distiller at the mashing stage. The been supplying malt to breweries in this matically increased (the largest batch size maltster must make the starch available way for decades, however this did mark currently in use is over 500 tonnes at for conversion, like removing the wrapper a shift in direction for distilling. Buckie Maltings, but this is unusual). from a sweet. The enzymes which con- Floor Maltings AIR AIR CONDITIONING AIR vert the starch to sugar are not destroyed The traditional floor maltings in a distill- IN OUT HELICAL CHAMBER by kilning, only deactivated and they ery was, and in some cases still is, a very TURNER resume their activity during mashing. simple way of making malt. The barley W A Traditionally the highland crofter would was steeped in small rectangular steep L ditches or cisterns, and at the end of steep- K have kept back a little of his barley crop, W GRAIN BED A carefully steeped and germinated it ing the barley would be shovelled out into Y before drying it over a peat fire. This barrows. The grain would then be spread FAN would subsequently have been distilled out on a floor to germinate (hence the term “floor maltings”). The rate at which WATER SPRAYS WATER RETURN into a rough, fiery liquid which would Saladin Maltings bear little resemblance to today’s whisky. germination (or modification) proceeds is largely governed by temperature and in a The two most common pneumatic systems floor maltings temperature control is introduced were Saladin and drum sys- tems. Effectively they perform the same function—they provide a perforated floor on which the germinated grain is loaded to a much greater depth (1m) than could be done on a traditional floor. These sys- tems then deliver large volumes of humidi- fied attemperated air which is blown up through the grain. The main difference between the systems is in the manner in which the grain is turned. In a Saladin THE OLD AND THE NEW, PORT ELLEN box, mechanical screw turners traverse the PAGE 10 SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD length of the Saladin gently lifting and OUR HOLS or comfort. Hamish Procter dragged turning the grain. In the very earliest days Like most people, we thought our days himself away from his Sunday lunch (or of these systems some brewers were con- of writing the ‘what I did in my holidays’ was it the washing up?) to show us how cerned about the damage these mechani- essay were over. That was before a trip this most delicate of the Islay malts is cal screws might do to the germinating to Islay too good to keep to ourselves. made. By this time, with two distiller- grain, and so the drum system was devel- At the end of January, with much of ies under our ever-expanding belts, we oped as an alternative. To turn the ger- Britain snowbound, we decided to get were experts but Hamish still managed minating grain in a drum the entire ves- away from it all. We set off on our bus- to give us a fresh insight. sel is turned very slowly thus avoiding any man’s holiday—a whisky weekend at the To make sure our cultural sides were not mechanical damage. In both Saladin and Lochside Hotel, Bowmore. The owners, neglected, Alistair organised a tour of drum maltings the grain is turned three Alistair and Anne Birse, are friends and the Kildalton peninsula (complete with times a day and drums are turned through had been our hosts before, but so many wildlife sightings of roe deer and golden three revolutions each time. A typical of our customers had enthused about eagle) to Kildalton chapel with its high Saladin system will process 200 tonnes per their special whisky breaks that we just cross dating from 800 a.d. The archaeo- batch, a drum malting 50 tonnes. Other had to experience one for ourselves. logical site at Finlaggan, ancient systems have been developed for germi- There’s nothing like a sea trip to make powerbase of the Lords of the Isles, was nating including circular vessels which are you feel you’re really travelling—even if fascinating but freezing on that day, now very common (similar in operation to it is only a two-hour ‘Cal-Mac Cruise’! As making a sample bottle of The Loch Fyne the Saladin system), but they all perform we disembarked, Alistair was waiting much appreciated by all! the same basic function of providing a very with our first whisky sampling—dripping A light hearted quiz completed the week- accurately controlled temperature envi- from a lorry on the quayside was some- end—we had to try to identify 6 Islay ronment with some method of turning the thing suspiciously like the cratur (if you whiskies and answer 20 questions on grain to stop matting. ignored the traces of rust and machine what we’d seen and heard during our LOADING CHUTES AIR CONDITIONING UNIT stay. Interesting to note, and not for the FROM STEEPS oil!) and later identified as Jura. Oh to be such a connoisseur. first time according to Alistair, a non The more conventional part of the break whisky drinker did best! began that evening with a visit to Bow- A measure of the break’s success was more Distillery. Our group was mixed that although about half the guests in our knowledge and appreciation of (partners) claimed not to like whisky on whisky but all benefited from the first arrival, by Sunday everyone had not only enjoyed the break but the spirit as DRIVE class tours throughout the weekend. MECHANISM Bowmore’s Jim McEwan soon had us all well! This had a lot to do with Alistair— familiar with the end product and then a great ambassador for whisky and for Drum PERFORATED DECK Islay and an extremely generous host. Maltings proceeded to turn us into production Kilning moved away from natural experts too, starting in the floor A busman’s holiday? Perhaps, but to draught kilns at quite an early stage, maltings, where some of us tried our paraphrase a certain whisky ad, you fans being added to consistently provide hand at turning the malt in the time don’t have to be a busman to enjoy it. LFW a large volume of air which dries the honoured manner they make look so recommended. malt quicker. easy in the videos. Lochside Hotel, Bowmore, PA43 7LB 01496 810244 The main source of heat became coal or After a practical demonstration this time oil with the peat being burned in a sepa- of the benefits of maturation, it was back WHISKY SCHOOL rate burner to provide the reek to fla- to the hotel for dinner—the first of many We also attended the Scotch Malt vour the malt. Today kilns bristle with wonderful meals featuring local produce. Whisky Society’s inauguralWhisky all manner of energy saving technology The hardest part of the weekend was School at their sumptous members’ and, in order to conserve peat bogs, new what to choose—Islay: beef, oysters, rooms at Leith. efficient peat burning systems are scallops, lamb, cheeses and then the hun- The intensive twelve-hour, one day being introduced that inject the ‘reek’ dreds of Islay malts behind the bar..... course involves a marathon programme at the start of the kilning process. Counterpointing the malt shovels at of practicals, lectures and tastings. Dr The kiln does the same job as before, dry- Bowmore, our tour of hi-tech Port Ellen Jim Swan, analytical chemist to the in- ing and flavouring the malt, only today maltings and its industrial scale brought dustry, and Master Blender Trevor it is much more efficient and consistent. home the size, technology and impor- Cowan gave a fascinating insight into Some modern systems combine steeping, tance of the industry. We learned how the deeper complexities of production germinating and kilning in one unit, the island’s distilleries formed a and the social history of Scotch Whisky. others two of the three. Older systems concordat buying their malt from Port The long day was not rushed, and plenty (Port Ellen) have steeps feeding maltings Ellen thereby ensuring its survival, of time was made available for chat dur- by gravity and elevators filling kilns with local employment and the supply of malt ing coffee breaks, a superb buffet lunch mechanical spreaders and gatherers. peated to their different and exacting and magnificent evening meal. As with

Malting, therefore, is a very simple proc- peating levels. all good parties we each received a jam-

ess but it has come an awful long way since Having seen the warehouses lashed with boree bag of goodies to take home. distilling was little more than an illegal sea spray at Laphroaig, it is easier to Any one who lists whisky as one of their cottage industry. Developments in breed- appreciate the iodine elements in the main interests will find the Whisky ing new barley varieties now mean that whisky. Ian Henderson’s tour further School a superb day, extremely worth- distillers can achieve higher spirit yields explained how the magic is worked while and at £150 it is great value for by making more starch available for con- (while leaving us no wiser as to how they money. version. Until a few years ago such yields really do it!) His hospitality extended LFW recommended. were unimaginable. Malting plant tech- to having our picnic lunch in the warmth Details of membership of the SMWS can nology has advanced so that today thou- of the visitor centre. Alistair pointed out be obtained from: sands of tonnes of malt can be made with this was the first whisky weekend ever The Scotch Malt Whisky Society very little manpower, and be very energy to picnic indoors, but it was almost snow- The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, efficient. However turning barley into ing and the bar was open! Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6BZ malt is exactly the same as it ever was. Bunnahabhain offered no less interest 0131 554 3451

SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW — LOCH FYNE WHISKIES, INVERARAY, ARGYLL, PA32 8UD PAGE 11 H FY C N O E whiskiesL £2.00 OFF! your next purchase of cask strength whisky LFW DEAL All our independent cask strength bottlings include a voucher for £2.00 off a future purchase of a similar bottling. Offer applies to Cask, C, JM, S or A la- bels of over 46%Alc, all marked * in our list. Does not apply to MH bottlings or those 46% and under. DEAL: FREE GLENLIVET BOTTLE Buy four from the ‘Heritage’ malts and AND WE THOUGHT WE HAD PROBLEMS... get a free 70cl bottle of Glenlivet 12yo. Designing a new presentation is not easy. This remarkable picture shows “a Benriach 10yo 43% £23.40 small selection” of the prototypes created in the development of the new packag- Glen Keith 10yo 43% £23.40 ing of the range from Balvenie. We know the feeling! Longmorn 15yo 45% £26.90 Strathisla 12yo 43% £26.80 THE ULTIMATE BLEND Alternatively buy any two and get £5 off. (No question) J&B’s Master Blender has fulfilled a MATTHEW GLOAG DEAL: dream that preoccupied him for eight FREE DELIVERY years. Jim Milne has blended together Buy any three whiskies from the follow- 128 whiskies to produce Ultima (£51). ing list of Gloag-distributed products and This remarkable product is unlikely to they will pick up the post and packing tab. be repeated and is a worthwhile addi- Bunnahabhain 12yo 40% £21.90 tion to every whisky collection. Glengoyne 10yo 40% £20.90 We have a handful of posters, 800mm Highland Park 12yo 40% £21.90 wide, featuring the display of barrels Macallan 10yo 40% £21.50 printed on our centre pages (we’ve framed ours). Order a bottle of Ultima UNITED DISTILLERS by mail order and you will receive one— CLASSIC SIX DEAL: but be quick! FREE MINIATURES & VIDEO CASK SALES Buy any two from the Classic Six range “I have bought malt and get two free miniatures of Oban Loch Fyne Whiskies are agents on be- 14yo and the Jackson Tasting Video free. whisky from several half of Springbank and Isle of Arran Dis- Cragganmore 12yo 40% £22.90 other UK mail order tillers for sales of full casks of new make Dalwhinnie 15yo 43% £24.90 malt whisky—ask for further details. Glenkinchie 10yo 40% £24.40 outlets...I am pleased to Lagavulin 16yo 43% £25.50 A WORLD FIRST Oban 14yo 43% £23.90 report that not only is Customer Bryce Baird has compiled a fas- Talisker 10yo 45% £24.50 your list the most cinating and detailed whisky quiz book containing 480 whisky teasers, The Inter- The Gloag, Classic Six and Seagram of- extensive, but your prices national Whisky Connoisseurs Quiz Book. fers are for UK mail order business only “My local Rotary Club is hooked”, en- and while stocks last (plenty at the mo- the most reasonable.” thused Bryce, “We always have a quick ment). In all cases two or more bottles Harvey Siegel game of 40 questions every time we meet; of the same qualifies for the offer but March, 1996 it’s really stimulated their interest in the three deals are not inter-changable. whisky.” £ 5.50. SCOTCH WHISKY REVIEW is free to WHISKY AUCTIONS all bona fide mail order customers. If MAILING LIST RULES you have not bought by mail order Christie’s have announced the dates for from the last (Autumn) catalogue We are no longer sending out Stock Lists this year’s sales in Glasgow. These are and do not buy from the accompa- and SWR’s to prospective customers Thursday 9th May and Wednesday 13th nying (Spring) list then we will not more than once. If you or a friend would November. Further details, catalogues be troubling you again. like a current stock list please ask and (£12) and closing dates for entries from you will be sent one with a back-issue Martin Green, 0141 332 8134. PLEASE TELL YOUR SWR. Your name will not be placed on If you are going to the auctions, find some our mailing list for current SWR’s until time to drive over the hills to Inveraray; FRIENDS ABOUT US! you have bought by mail order. we’re less than 90 minutes from Glas- © COPYRIGHT RESERVED Your name will remain on the list as long gow city centre and it’s a great drive. LOCH FYNE WHISKIES 1996 as you buy from us once a year.

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