The small illegal stills of Speyside have been romanticised time and time again. But what was distilling really like way back when? Jim Cryle of Chivas Brothers decided to find out, and Dave Broom joined him
The thin trail of smoke was the giveaway. No matter how well the bothy was hidden, there was always the smoke. He’d heard of some who had built chimneys to draw it some distance from the bothy, others led it through peat stacks, or, like him, filtered it with the smoke from the farm itself.
Smith w...
By Dave Broom
from Issue 57 published on 21/07/2006
The smells of Islay reflect on some of its wonderful whiskies. Martine Nouet takes you on a sensory journey across the island and introduces its flora and fauna
Westering home and a song in the air”, says the song about Islay. It could as well be: “Westering home and whisky in the air”.
Not only because the ‘island of whisky’ shelters seven distilleries (and maybe eight in the near future). But also because all the fragrances carried by summer breeze or wi...
By Martine Nouet
from Issue 41 published on 16/7/2004
