Contents
p5
The fires of summer have been extinguished, the clocks have gone back and the winter solstice approaches. The season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’ it may be, but today a chill, damp wind cuts to ...
By Charles MacLean in the section
From the Editor
p7
Michael Jackson makes an exception for the Emperor of Japan.
Royalty continues to attach itself to me. I discovered that the organiser of my annual malt-tasting in
Minneapolis is announcing in his posters that I once performed for the Emperor of Japan. This co...
By Michael Jackson in the section
The Gospel According to Michael Jackson
p8
Jim Murray fears for the Japanese whisky industry which he believes could implode before whisky lovers sample all that it has to offer.
It is the land of the Rising Sun, home to sumo wrestling, Geisha girls, tremors, trains boasting extraordinary speed and punctuality, raw fish and, contrary to popular myth, some of the very best whis...
By Jim Murray in the section
The Gospel According to Jim Murray
p19
Dave Broom catches up with Jim Mcewan, the country-hopping Brand Ambassador whose life is dedicated to whisky and telling the world about the people who spent their working lives making it.
It all began in 1990 on the back of a banana. There was an altogether weird malt whisky seminar at Bowmore in which retailers, writers and producers attempted to thrash out a workable plan for communi...
By Dave Broom in the section
Whisky Interview
p24
Marcin Miller catches up with some of the key figures in the world of bourbon during the Gala Dinner of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Once again, Bardstown took centre staged for this year's Festival as whiskey enthusiasts poured into Kentucky from all around the world. A highlight of this year's Festival was the Bourbon Heritage Pa...
By Marcin Miller in the section
Kentucky
p26
Stewart Mcbain praises the contribution of Charles Cree Doig an unsung hero of the Scotch whisky industry
The Scotch whisky distilling industry has a romantic history stretching back 1,000 years. Throughout that time many people have contributed much technical ingenuity, as well as serendipity, leading to...
By Stewart Mcbain in the section
Architecture
p28
John Lamond visits one of the most charming and laid-back of the Scottish islands, Jura-home to one of the country's most remote disitlleries.
Distillery management talk about their staff going island crazy when they have spent too long on Islay or Jura. I suppose the same is true of any island or remote distillery – there’s a risk that priz...
By John Lamond in the section
Isle of Jura
p32
The keepers of the Quaich are a clan shrouded with mystery. Tom Bruce Gardyne reveals what it's like to experience one of their twice yearly gatherings.
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great Chieftain o' the Puddin-race ..." declares the booming voice of a small, kilted man, caught in the spotlight. And with these opening lines from Robert Burns' i...
By Tom Bruce-Gardyne in the section
Keepers of the Quaich
p36
Dave Broom visits Aberlour Distillery, built in a magical location that's home to some of the most knowledgable whisky folk in the world.
Aberlour Distillery’s colourful history began in 1826 when it was built by the laird of Aberlour. He was the very man who gave John Smith, Glenlivet’s founder, the pair of pistols used to great effect...
By Dave Broom in the section
Distillery Focus
p40
The distinctly 'non-horsey' Marcin Miller dons his wellies in Pitlochry for a spot of whisky fuelled equestrianism.
The showcase for the best of Scottish equestrianism is the Bowmore Blair Castle International Horse Trials. Nothing prepares you for it. To the non-horsey of us, the idea of equestrianism, and particu...
By Marcin Miller in the section
Whisky Days Out
p42
With Burns Night fast approaching Martin Betts examines the short, but eventful, life of Robert Burns and the role whisky played within it.
An cut you up wi’ ready slight,” recites the chairman as his knife slices through the haggis with all the precision of a surgical scalpel. There is much applause before the guests toast the Burns Nigh...
By Martin Betts in the section
Whisky Interview
p48
Charles Maclean visits inverarity Vaults a family company which has already earnt quite a reputation for the quality of its whiskies
I first met Hamish Martin five years ago on a remote trout loch in south Ayrshire. I tell a lie: actually I met him the night before in the lodge. He arrived late for dinner with a friend after having...
By Charles MacLean in the section
Independent Bottlers
p52
the final instalment of Philip Hills' abridged extract from his fascinatin new book Appreciating Whisky.
The chemistry of maturation is a pretty tough subject which, if you don’t already know a lot of chemistry, will require a good many years of study. However, there are certain basic things which happen...
By Pip Hills in the section
Whisky Tasting
p58
Jane Slade ecamines how people drink their whisky around the globe and discovers how versatile the water of life can be.
The master distiller of Jack Daniel's was in London recently to host a dinner celebrating the whiskey's 150th birthday. No sooner had he sat down Geoffrey Moore, owner of the restaurant and son of the...
By Jane Slade in the section
Whisky Mixers
p63
Uncut, unfiltered and straight from the barrel Stuart Maclean Ramsay visits the house that Jim Beam built and has dinner with boubon legen, Booker Noe.
Mighty fine,” seems an apt description for Booker Noe, the Kentucky bourbon making legend, and for his namesake whiskey, Booker’s. It also happens to be an expression that peppers his conversation on ...
By Stuart MacLean Ramsay in the section
Whisky Interview
p66
Martine Nouet challenges the stereotypical Christmas dinner with the help of single malt whisky in an attempt to create the perfect family gathering
Would it be considered sacrilege if, instead of conforming to the sacrosanct roast turkey (“roastit bubblyjock” as they call it in Scotland) and Christmas pudding weighed down with high-caloried brand...
By Martine Nouet in the section
Whisky and Food
p70
A mystery flavour, a grand tasting and French chemists- all involved in Gary Regan's whisky adventure.
Sitting in an upmarket restaurant drinking single malt scotch that retails, in the USA, for $7,000 a bottle is how adventures should begin – exactly how my rancio odyssey started.
In 1997 a group of ...
By Gary Regan in the section
Whisky Tasting
p74
Martin Betts visits a veritable whisky paradise well hidden in the extreme north-west of England.
Nestled in between the seaside kitsch of Blackpool and the historic industrial town of Preston, St Annes on Sea is found in the eminently northern county of Lancashire. This quaint little seaside town...
By Martin Betts in the section
Great whisky retailers
p94
Charles Maclean talks to Andrew Symington of Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky
CM How did you get into the whisky trade?
AS There was a family connection, my grandfather worked for VAT 69 for forty-odd years, but I discovered the pleasure of single malt and single cask singl...
By Charles MacLean in the section
Whisky Interview
