Innholdsfortegnelse for May/Jun 2018 i Whisky Magazine

The story of Benromach Distillery is a tale of two parts, with its first chapter starting in 1898. It was an important year for whisky making in the small Morayshire town of Forres as it saw licences granted for Benromach and also its neighbour Dallas Dhu. This was no coincidence, as both had a link to the prolific Speyside distiller Alexander Edward who, among other exploits, also built the famous Craigellachie Hotel. Both of the Forres distilleries were constructed on land owned by Edward and Dallas Dhu, which was founded by him directly, would be producing spirit just a year later. Benromach, however, was something of a non-starter and took much longer to get going. It didn’t begin production until 1900 and, even then, the new distillery was almost immediately…

Awards are a dime a dozen and sometimes you just scratch your head and wonder how on earth… but when Hombo Shuzo was named Craft Distiller of the Year by our magazine last year, everyone who knew what they had been up to the past few years said, “well, of course!” Hombo Shuzo has a long history of whisky-making – long by Japanese standards – with lots of ups and downs. In 2011, they decided to give it another go and started making whisky at Mars Shinshu Distillery again after a 19-year hiatus. Towards the end of 2015, they surprised friend and foe by announcing they were opening a second whisky distillery in their home prefecture of Kagoshima. I was there when the site was being prepared, saw the copper…

Before 2014 very few people, beyond real enthusiasts, had heard of Tasmanian whisky, or even knew that Australia had a whisky industry. That all changed when a 16-years-old Sullivans Cove French Oak from cask HHH525 was named the world’s best single malt at the World Whisky Awards. In March this year, Sullivans Cove triumphed again – winning the prize for World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt, for its 16-years-old American Oak. Founder Patrick Maguire, who travelled more than 10,000 miles to attend the award ceremony in London, said, “It’s a big thing for us. I wish I’d been there in 2014 but back then we didn’t expect anything – but I’ve been every year since. This award is saying to people: 'This isn’t a one off. These people can produce…

It’s one of those iconic dining places in London that if someone asks you to dinner there, you ask what time and don’t hesitate. Sure there are some amazing restaurants in London but not all carry the iconic view of the city that Oblix does, being up on the 32nd floor of The Shard. The Shard is one of those buildings that totally dominate the London skyline. From the ground the top of this imposing building looks a long way off, some nights the cloud could be low enough it looks like it’s wearing a scarf, according to my daughter. But when you get in the fast lift up to the restaurant, your ears pop. It’s pretty high, and the views are breathtaking. To cap if off the event was…

Lizzie Stewart made waves in the Scotch Whisky industry when she broke the mould to become Scotland’s first female operator in malt distilling – a role that had been traditionally male-dominated. She first started her career at Dalwhinnie Distillery in 1987, following in the footsteps of both her mother and brother, and throughout her service worked in various capacities including in the warehouse filling casks, in the mash house overseeing mashing and fermentation, and in the still house creating Dalwhinnie’s famous spirit. Along with a spell showing visitors around the distillery as a tour guide. In March 2018, after 31 years with Diageo and since she made headlines as Scotland’s first female operator, she hung up her overalls for retirement. In recognition of her dedicated service and iconic role in…

The innovative distillery set an industry milestone in 2016 when it distilled Ireland’s first organic whisky. The new biodynamic distillation takes it to a whole new level, creating a significant first for the Irish drinks industry. Biodynamic agriculture, ultimate organics, is the controversial agricultural principal outlined in 1924 by Austrian philosopher Dr Rudolf Steiner, the codified manual, the culmination of 10,000 years of farming know-how. To others it’s just folklore. The biodynamic concept involves a farm becoming self-sufficient for all its needs, relying on home-made organic fertilisers and naturally occurring plant insecticides. Working closely with Minch Maltsters, the pioneering farmers that answered the call to grow the biodynamic barley were John McDonnell, Co. Meath; Alan Mooney, Kilcock, Co. Kildare; and Trevor Harris from Naas, Co. Kildare. The distillery received the…

Ten years ago at a leading Boston bar, I ordered a specific whisky brand for my work colleagues. The bar manager announced they no longer served America’s most popular whisky. Why I asked. I never forgot the answer. They wanted to be different. Wanting to be different was a mantra I would also hear repeated as craft distilleries grew from humble beginnings. Why not, everybody wants to be different. So it stands to reason, bars too. After all, in marketing jargon, aren’t they street hospitality brands seeking to attract and retain customers to their experiential destination. The same principles apply to whisky brands. They also need to be recognised and want to be celebrated as different. If the differences make you famous, all the better. Finding those differences is one…

Bourbon and blues, these famous American icons, have a distinctive duality in common: on the one hand the Devil music and demon alcohol. On the other hand the sad music that makes you feel better and the dram a day keeping the doctor away. The early songsters in the Delta not only sang secular numbers but also religious ones. Some older bluesmen turned to religion in the 1930s and 40s not wanting to play the blues anymore, and then suddenly returned on the scene during the 1960s blues and folk revival. The same goes for distillers, of whom several were lay ministers. Elijah Craig preached the gospel in Kentucky, happily distilling whiskey throughout his life. Dan Call did similar things in Tennessee until his congregation forced him to choose between…

The craft spirits revolution that has taken the US by storm during the past decade is finally having an impact on the shopping at the country’s many airports. Craft brews have been available at US airport bars and restaurants for many years, but it’s taken a long time for locally distilled craft spirits to feature in airport shops’ spirits assortments, which are still dominated by multinational-owned brands. There are signs of a change, however, and it’s the smaller, regional airports that are leading the charge. Consider, the example of South Carolina’s Greenville-Spartenburg international airport, for instance, which handles around two million passengers a year; flies to 15 major city destinations, and is undergoing a $125 million renovation programme. As part of that revamp, an award-winning, local micro-distiller Palmetto Distillery, famous…

Whisky Live Sydney 11 – 13 May 2018 Whisky Live is Sydney’s whisky sampling event of the year and this year will introduce other spirits, making it the Whisky Live and Fine Spirits tasting event. There will be vodkas, gins, rums and cognacs in addition to a great line up of whisky. Whisky Live and Fine Spirts showcases a large selection of high-quality whiskies and spirits, all open for sampling. This event will suit the whisky lover as well as the gin, vodka, rum or other spirit lover. The event presents whiskies and spirits by brand, with an expert present to inform and educate as you taste. A quality spirits glass is supplied to keep, plus a tasting guide is supplied both at the event and available digitally a week…

WHISKY MAGAZINE CRYPTIC CROSSWORD Complete the crossword correctly and then rearrange the letters in the shaded squares to spell out something whisky-related (12). For WM150answers see page no.74 ACROSS 1 Abandon pig amid noise (6) 4 Go back, without starting, to exit (6) 8 Expected call for moisture (3) 9 Hatches a scheme with prisoners outside part of the church (9) 11 Quote view in speech (4) 12 Game to tease bachelor in coop (8) 15 Put up the visor – rockets are partially like acid (9) 18 I cut up outhouse having used a shammy (8) 19 Small case kept in perpetuity (4) 21 Where you learned to change captured mother (4,5) 23 Initially unearth foreign object in saucer (inits)(3) 24 Insignificant person without organisation (6) 25 Soldier returned…

It was an evening of glitz, glamour, polished wood panelled rooms, ermine trimmed robes and a little bit of pomp and ceremony that, as someone put it, “London does well.” The event, the Worshipful Company of Distillers’ charity auction. A chance for the great and good of the drinks industry to come together and raise money for some very worthy causes. The Worshipful Company was founded in 1638 by Royal Charter of Charles I with powers to regulate the distilling trade within 21 miles of the cities of London and Westminster. Today it is a thriving company with more than 300 Liverymen (members). The vast majority are in the spirits or wine trade or in some way connected with the drinks industry. The stars of the show, more than 70…