Alive and kicking
Whisky enthusiasts came from far and wide to this year’s sell-out Whisky Live, helping to make it the biggest and best yet. Dominic Roskrow looks back at the event, and over the page, Brigid James reviews some of the Masterclasses
Itâs Friday night in London, getting dark, and a queue snakes out from the venue, relaxed, happy and expectant. All thatâs missing is a tout wandering along the line saying âMacallan Fine and Rare tickets; buy or sell.â
Okay, itâs not quite the Rolling Stones, but right now, in this part of town, itâs the best show going. Whisky Live 2003 is alive and truly kicking.
In the event, I donât get in to The Macallan. The huge demand for one of the top Masterclasses of the two day whisky mega-fest means that on this occasion the press pass does not guarantee a fast-track to the front, and I make way for a couple of whisky-lovers who have travelled here
from northern Europe.
But not before chatting to an overseas visitor who has spent his entire first day at Masterclasses and is planning his second dayâs tastings. Today he has tasted virtually nothing in the main hall, he reveals, because he wants to make sure he has worked out the best route round for the following day.
He brings out a hand-drawn floor-plan and points out the path he will trek. He will visit his favourite and third favourite together first of all, he reveals, because his second favourite is further down the room. If all goes to plan, he will have covered the lot by tea time on Saturday, and have time to return to his first loves. Or, he says conspiratorially, to slot in a visit to something he hadnât planned for, but discovered during the day.
With that, the doors open, the Macallan stampede s.....
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By Dominic Roskrow
Section : Whisky Live
Page number : 20
