Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2021 i Whisky Magazine

Within the whisky world, Spain is often thought of in somewhat mythical terms. It’s a kind of tannic paradise, thanks to the casks produced in the so-called ‘sherry triangle’ around Jerez. Made-to-order, seasoned sherry casks and their almost-extinct, ex-export butt brethren are the sources of flavours and aromas ranging from dark fruits and spices to leather and nuts, with velvety or even syrupy mouthfeel and more besides imparted to the spirits, traditionally Scotch and Irish whiskey, matured within. However, in recent years the country has become host to many new distilleries and brands representing a swelling Spanish whisky wave. As new distillers have started releasing tiny quantities of bottles, the number of Spanish whisky fans has been growing and they are now connecting online to form a thriving community. It…

We can’t help ourselves. Assessing and passing judgement is what we do, as whisky drinkers, which means not all drams are considered equal. Senior spirits, for instance, are typically placed higher in the hierarchy than junior counterparts. But one type of whisky which can transcend any prejudice – whether that be based on age, distillery or cask type – is a single-cask bottling: when a tiny batch of spirit from a single barrel has a solo, starring role, rather than being blended into a chorus line, as is the usual practice. A single-cask bottling embodies far more meaning than the literal definition. “I describe these as snapshots in whisky history. There will never be an exact repeat of the experience. These are products at the pinnacle of whisky exploration. They…

Joe Bates (JB): Our theme this issue is whiskies that are made in countries not traditionally associated with whisky production, like Australia. What do the regional Melbourne conditions contribute to the final character of your whiskies? David Vitale (DV): Our distillery is in Melbourne, which plays an important variable in maturation. We age our whiskies for ‘Melbourne years’, which refers to the region’s highly reactive climate and the interaction our whisky has with the elements over a year. Our climate stimulates the interaction between spirit and wood, with frequently large changes in temperature helping to create a richly flavoured, smooth, balanced and easy-to-drink whisky in just three to four years. The temperature in Melbourne can fluctuate up to 12.5oC within a day in summer months, and even during the winter…

After a two-year hiatus, Whisky Live, the world’s premier whisky experience, is back in the USA and Canada. Whisky Live brand owner Paragraph has partnered with Bevridge LLC to deliver new events across the two countries, aligned with Paragraph’s global portfolio of drinks publications, awards and websites. Founded by influencer Nate Ganapathi of @SingleMaltDaily and Chris Nelson of Nelson Investments Inc., Bevridge LLC is a marketing company that connects spirits brands with enthusiasts through exceptionally produced educational events and content. Nate and Chris have also announced that Liz Brusca, formerly the marketing director at Hotaling & Co., has signed on as president and cofounder of Bevridge LLC and will lead business operations. Combined with Nate’s incredible social media influence, the partnership will provide unrivalled access for the drinks industry to…

If there is one thing that French people know how to produce, it is spirits. Renowned for their Armagnac and Cognac, they are now moving into the whisky market, which should bring little surprise when you know that the French are some of the world’s leading consumers of Scotch whisky and a key litmus test for the success of any whisky brand. Scotland remains the global reference point for most whisky drinkers, but new categories are appearing that are taking root, such as French whiskies, which are also part of the trend that is seeing drinkers look more favourably on local products. With more than 80 distilleries making whisky, the French are definitely imposing a style and are most probably on their way to taking a leading role in whisky…

King Edward VII loved his wire fox terrier. So much so, he inscribed the dog’s collar with: ‘I am Caesar. I belong to the King.’ When Edward died in 1910, a grieving Caesar marched in the funeral procession behind the King’s casket. Forty Creek’s master blender Bill Ashburn didn’t mourn when his winemaking career came to its end. Instead, he set off down a new path following no one. He devoted those early years to helping a tiny Canadian fruit spirits distillery grow from a marginally profitable operation into the juggernaut Forty Creek Distillery that Italy’s Campari Group acquired in 2014 for CAD$186 million (£109 million). It all goes back to the summer of 1954 when Swiss mechanical engineer Otto Rieder barked up the right tree while visiting Canada’s number…

“…we just wanted to go about our business, get our heads down…” The team have a fascinating story to tell. The distillery is housed on Lochlea Farm, which was once owned by Robert Burns’ family, and on which Burns himself actually lived and worked from 1777-1784. Current owner Neil McGeoch gained planning permission in 2014 and the last six years have seen the farm’s existing buildings converted to make way for a state-of-the-art distillery. Now, it can produce around 200,000 litres of pure alcohol a year. The man behind that liquid is Rennie; having worked for some of the Scotch category’s biggest names, including Bruichladdich, Ardbeg and Kilchoman, he brings with him more than 30 years of whisky-making nous. “I first had contact with Neil on a consultancy basis,” he…

Like so many whisky makers, Helen Mulholland didn’t set out to work in the whisky industry. A food technologist by education, it was only during a placement with Bushmills while studying at university that her interest was kindled. Starting out as a lab technician, she worked throughout the site and, as she learned the distillery’s grain-to-glass production process, she became part of what she describes as the ‘Bushmills family’. Around 15 years ago, Helen took on the role of master blender, becoming the first woman in Irish whiskey history to achieve this. Since then, she has been recognised for her work a number of times by various publications and awards bodies, and in 2018 she became the first woman to be inducted into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame. WHISKY…

The story about Mexican whisky that you’re about to read would have turned out very differently if Iván Saldaña wasn’t infatuated with agave. For Iván, distiller of Abasolo Ancestral Corn Whisky, making whisky in Mexico is just another chapter in his epic exploration of how to bring an agricultural soul to spirits. For him, distilling is not just about honing technical skills and making great-tasting spirits. It’s about taming wild natural elements and displaying their flavours and workaday glories on an alternative stage. Sound whimsical? Absolutely, but this is no overwrought sales pitch. It’s the work of a committed, if not obsessive, scientist whose laboratory is Mexico’s vast landscape. “My love for agave is love for understanding how it works, the chemistry of how plants bring flavour to spirit. I…

Despite being relatively new, Nordic distilleries such as Mackmyra, Stauning and Kyrö are well sewn into the fabric of world whisky, and spirit from the Nordics has become some of the most consistently interesting in recent years. While it’s clear to see what distinguishes them from one another, what’s more difficult to pin down is whether there are particular characteristics that unite their whiskies and if these commonalities might indicate the emergence of some kind of Nordic regional style. With different countries, landscapes and consumer preferences to consider, a debate now rages as to whether there can be a unified ‘Scandi’ approach, or if each distillery’s spirit style is fiercely unique in its own right. The Nordics, or what in the UK is generally thought of as Scandinavia, comprises Sweden,…

If heavily detailed restaurant menus and the rise of single-origin coffee are any indication of what we’re looking for when we consume food and drinks today, it is that we crave authenticity. Drinkers demand transparency on ingredients and production techniques, an issue that segments of the rum industry have long been advocating to tackle. The whisky world is susceptible to the trend, too. In February 2021, the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association responded to such criticism by releasing a protocol to regulate the production of spirits labeled as Japanese whisky. Simultaneously, Distilled Spirits Aotearoa (DSA), the association that represents New Zealand’s distilled spirits manufacturers, released a set of guidelines for the labelling of New Zealand whisky. “It was an absolute coincidence,” says strategist, broadcaster, writer and DSA chairwoman Tash…

Founding Whisky Magazine, in 1998, and then Whisky Live, in 2000, I have spent almost a quarter of a century bringing the pleasures of whisky into other people’s homes and countries. I have, however, always been harbouring the desire to create the ultimate home for the whisky connoisseur. To achieve this would require the right property in the right place. The right place to start meant Scotland and, more specifically, Speyside. And the right property meant an iconic building, well known and accessible, with great history, large enough to cater for big parties of guests, and stunning to behold. One such building between Rothes and Elgin had been twinkling at me from the glen-side for decades. Through the trees, tucked away in the lee of the steep hillside, I had…