Innholdsfortegnelse for Apr 2021 i Whisky Magazine

When we think of science in the whiskey industry, often we are imagining the quality control lab which ensures all the grains are free from foreign materials and the pH of the mash is just right. Few people realise that there’s a whole area of scientific research exploring how we interpret the many flavours of whiskey when we taste it, and even fewer people realise that there’s strong evidence indicating womens’ biology makes us better whiskey tasters. A study called Sexual Dimorphism in the Human Olfactory Bulb: Females Have More Neurons and Glial Cells than Males (Oliveira-Pinto et al, PLoS One, Nov 2014) sent to me by Susan Reigler, former lecturer and research associate in biology at Indiana University Southeast, and founding member of The Bourbon Women Association, states right…

For every Talisker and Lagavulin in Diageo’s inventory of distilleries, there are many more lower-profile plants making spirit that rarely sees the light of day away from the blending vats. Think Glenlossie, Glen Spey and Inchgower. Think Inchgower in particular as this distillery, located on the far north-eastern fringes of the Speyside region, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Celebrations are likely to be suitably low key, but the style of malt created at Inchgower is an important component of many Diageo blends and the role of Scotland’s lesser-known distilleries should never be underestimated. Inchgower distillery was founded in 1871 by Alexander Wilson & Co, beside what is now the A98 Fochabers to Fraserburgh road, half a mile south of Buckie, in an area once renowned for illicit distilling.…

Billy Walker, master distiller at the GlenAllachie Distillery, is one of most famous names in the Scotch whisky business and has had a glittering career stretching back nearly half a century. After a stint as a research chemist, he moved into whisky production and blending at various big-name whisky companies. In 2004, Billy led the acquisition of BenRiach Distillery, establishing the BenRiach Distillery Company and later redeveloping the offerings from GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh distilleries. In April 2016, it was announced that Brown-Forman would purchase the company. In October 2017, Billy Walker acquired The GlenAllachie Distillery along with Trisha Savage and Graham Stevenson, and the first core range from The GlenAllachie was launched in July 2018. Throughout his career, Billy has travelled the globe to spread the good word of Scotch.…

Another year has passed and that means we have come to the end of our latest Icons journey. Whether it be a breathtaking advertising campaign, an awe-inspiring distillery visitor experience, jaw-dropping bartending prowess or pure distilling excellence, these awards seek to highlight the very best people and places in the world of whisky. It is our great pleasure to bestow these individuals, businesses and, in some instances, the work they’ve created with the honour of being named as our Global Icons of Whisky for 2021. All that follow on these pages have already been successful in their respective local round of Icons awards, and it was with great difficulty that our panel had to choose between the best and brightest from America, Australia, Ireland, India, Scotland and our Rest of…

Though the past year hasn't played out quite like any of us imagined, the global whisky industry has responded with strength. In spite of the human and logistical challenges presented by the global pandemic, after some interruptions, most distillers continued with both spirit production and the release of new expressions. Of course, special events to celebrate releases were mostly unable to go ahead in person, but virtual events picked up the slack and ensured that these special occasions didn't go by unmarked or unremembered. Similarly, the World Whiskies Awards team, headed by awards director Anita Ujszaszi, rose to the challenge and this year all of our judging was conducted remotely, with samples of each and every spirit entered sent to the judges for blind assessment. Roundtable discussions via video call…

With restrictions still making it challenging to hold live events, some of our Whisky Live organisers have begun to look at alternative options and the UK show, Whisky Live London, will run once again in 2021 as Whisky Live At Home. Following the resounding success of the 2020 ‘at home’ show, the UK team have been delighted by ticket holders’ excellent engagement with the online content, which was composed of more than 15 hours of video interviews, and the outpouring of positive feedback on social media. The team will continue to work with our partners around the world and explore whether it may be possible to deliver a similar experience outside of the UK. Furthermore, with restrictions easing in some countries and a path to post-pandemic life beginning to become…

When, in the early 2000s, Italian pioneer brewer Teo Musso and beer guru Kuaska teamed up to design a glass specifically devoted to beer, the Italian craft brewing industry swiftly adopted it as its unofficial drinking vessel. Named Teku, after the inventors’ initials, the glass gifted the category with a crucial sense of self-awareness and with the necessary confidence to thrive in a nation of wine drinkers. Such was its success that the Teku glass was eventually embraced well beyond Italy’s national borders; today, it’s even endorsed by the often controversial yet iconic Scottish craft brewer BrewDog. Up until the late 1990s Scotch whisky was, coincidentally, in a pretty similar boat. A range of different glasses, none of which were specifically designed for the enjoyment of whisky, would find their…

Julieann Fernandez took an what may be described as an unconventional route into the whisky industry, coming from a background in forensics. It started with a passion for whisky that was sparked while she was studying at university. She spent her university placement year with Chivas Brothers, which was really where her interest started: undertaking a combination of analytic chemistry and organoleptic work, it became clear she had a good nose for whisky as well as the practical, scientific understanding needed to support it. After graduating, Julieann was drawn back to whisky and joined the Scotch Whisky Research Institute, working in its labs before returning to Chivas Brothers. After gaining experience in everything from working with raw materials to the art of maturation, she moved to Distell Group in 2007,…

Distiller of the year Sponsored by Amorim Top Series RADICO KHAITAN Brand Innovator of the year Sponsored by Wade Ceramics BEAM SUNTORY Visitor Attraction of the year PAUL JOHN DISTILLERY CENTRE Master Distiller/Blender of the year Sponsored by Wade Ceramics MR. MEYYAPPAN – AMRUT DISTILLERIES American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the year SIDHARTHA WADIA – BROWN-FORMAN Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador of the year IPSITA DAS – MOËT HENNESSY World Whisky Brand Ambassador of the year NEERAJ KUMAR – BEAM SUNTORY Communicator of the year SUNILA DUGGAL – ST. REGIS Highly Commended Sagar Malviya, The Economic Times Personality of the year Sponsored by NVL Davidoff NIKITA RAMCHANDANI – MARRIOTT HOTELS Bar of the year Sponsored by Bowmore Art of Time ATRIUM – THE TAJ LANDSEND Highly Commended Peacock Bar, ITC Kohenur…

Long ago and far away, when distillery tours and live whisky tastings were common, a question could often be heard at events where peated whisky was served: “What’s the PPM of this one?” Curious whisky fans asking this question were searching for the fixed number of phenolic ‘parts per million’ (PPM) that’s often quoted by brand reps and industry figures which, in theory, determines on a sliding scale the level of peat in a whisky. These fans have made the assumption – encouraged by the whisky industry – that the higher the PPM number, the more ‘peaty’ aromas and flavours will be found in the spirit. By this logic, more peat equals more phenols which therefore equals more smoky aromas and flavours in the glass. The light peat of Benromach,…

There are many levels of appreciation to be explored when discussing whisky; at a surface level we have the packaging that draws our attention, or the style that we recognise, then there’s the process of creation and the science behind it that we could delve into for hours on end. However, one thing that, in my experience, has gone under-explored and under-discussed is the path well-travelled by whisky makers in their formative years. To all intents and purposes whisky is a science and an intricate one at that, but for many budding STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students, the idea of forging a career in the whisky industry is non-existent. This particularly applies to women entering the industry, who have lacked a visible powerhouse that they can not only…

Multiple Outlets Retailer of the year BINNY’S BEVERAGE DEPOT America Binny’s Beverage Depot has been a Chicago family-owned business since 1948, providing the Midwest’s most prominent wine, spirits, and beer superstore. Across Illinois the retailer has 44 locations, in which you are provided with a selection of whiskies that has been carefully crafted to ensure consumers are enjoying the best array of whiskies from around the world. Shortlist Australia – Dan Murphy’s India – Tonique, Hyderabad Ireland – Carry Out Off Licence Rest of World – The Whisky Exchange Scotland – Good Spirits Company Single Outlet Retailer of the year Sponsored by The Glenturret CELTIC WHISKEY SHOP Ireland The Celtic Whiskey Shop is located in the heart of Dublin’s city centre and is Ireland’s premier whiskey shop. It first opened…

So far in 2021 we have inducted Fred Noe, master distiller at Jim Beam; Andy Watts, head of whisky intrinsic excellence at Distell Group; Billy Walker, master distiller at The GlenAllachie; and Andrew Symington, managing director of Signatory Vintage and Edradour Distillery. Like them, our latest inductee has made a lasting contribution to the world of whisky and without him the Irish category would not be the same. The Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame is sponsored by Inductee No. 73 Brendan Buckley International marketing director, Irish Distillers With a career spanning 20 years in marketing and innovation for the Irish Distillers’ portfolio of Irish whiskeys, Brendan Buckley’s approach to brand building has played a central role in the renaissance of Irish whiskey. Having worked in a number of marketing roles…