Contents
p5
Of all the events that this job involves, the Best of the Best tasting is among my favourites.
Of all the events that this job involves, the Best of the Best tasting is among my favourites.
This is whisky at the coalface: an ambitious and logistically impressive affair that unites the world of...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
From the Editor
p11
Michael Jackson continues the saga of his appointment with Prince Charles
Our anti-hero has been instructed to meet the Prince of Wales on the roof of the former Fiat car factory in Turin, but things have gone badly wrong. Jackson seems to have been kidnapped on arriving at...
By Michael Jackson in the section
Musings with Michael Jackson
p12
Is the globalisation of drinks causing a rejection of regionalised products?
At least George Dubouef had managed to do what Napoleon so famously failed to do – get through to St Petersburg. A Beaujolais Nouveau party? In Russia? Are you mad? I might be. It was hard to tell. I ...
By Dave Broom in the section
A dram with Dave Broom
p20
For this debate we ask a group of non whisky industry people for their view on the subject
Q. If someone mentions the word whisky to you, what thoughts immediately come to mind?
JT: As someone who enjoys a fair amount in his spare time, my first thought would be one of delight. I can’t thi...
By in the section
Whisky Debate
p22
Whisky has long helped provide the inspiration for some artists. Glenfiddich even provides a home for artists each year. Robin Laing looks at the connection
Over the last three years visitors to Glenfiddich have had the usual distillery tour experience enhanced by being exposed to various art forms.
There is a gallery in the former distilleryshop where t...
By Robin Laing in the section
Whisky and Art
p30
Say the word ‘Cardhu’ and it stirs up images of underhand dealings. But the distillery intrinsically linked to last year’s scandal is charming and impressive, and its staff outstanding. Ian Buxton reports
Cardhu may have been around for the best part of 200 years, but it’s a fair bet that more has been written and broadcast about this Speyside distillery in the past 12 months than in all of the rest of...
By Ian Buxton in the section
Distillery Focus
p34
Tullibardine shut its doors in the 1990s. Now, as part of a retail complex, it is back. Charles MacLean went to the triumphant reopening
Although it only opened in 1949, Tullibardine was the first distillery to be commissioned in the 20th century. Its creator was William Delme-Evans, a Welshman with a dream. Within four years he sold h...
By Charles MacLean in the section
Whisky Trends
p38
New technology is being adopted by whisky companies. Richard Jones goes surfing
Here are a few facts I bet you didn’t know from the world of whisky: there are five washbacks at Springbank distillery, each made from boatskin larch and with a capacity of 21,000 litres; the grist mi...
By Richard Jones in the section
Whisky Trends
p41
Jefferson Chase gets in to frontier territory with hard-boiled crime writer James Crumley
Think hard-boiled crime fiction, and probably one of the last settings you’d imagine is Montana. Big Sky Country is usually more of a place for logging boots than gumshoes, but wherever there’s a fron...
By James Crumley in the section
Whisky Literature
p42
Albannach is an exciting new Scottish restaurant in the very heart of London. Dominic Roskrow reports
There are very few of us who manage to live out our dreams. But in the very heart of London that’s what young Scottish entrepreneur Niall Barnes and his business partner Dan Sullam are doing.
After m...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
Whisky and Food
p44
The Cluny Bank Hotel is working within the community of Forres to give whisky fans the perfect Scottish break. Dominic Roskrow stayed there
They say that Inverness is now the fastest expanding town in Europe. Whether that’s true or not, there can be absolutely no doubt that the development of its airport has helped drive tourist trade in
...
By Dominic Roskrow in the section
Whisky Spotlight
p46
Pip Hills has compiled a directory comparing the taste profile of some leading malts and blends – and has reached some startling conclusions. Here he explains
If your only source of information was the pages of this magazine, you might think that most folk who drink whisky drink malts, not blended whiskies. If your source was overheard conversations, you wo...
By Pip Hills in the section
Whisky Trends
p52
Louisville’s Heaven Hill have taken visitor centres in to a new dimension. Charles K. Cowdery went to the opening
Long a staple of the Scottish travel experience, distillery visitor centres have finally begun to catch on in America’s whiskey heartland.
The latest such venture to open its doors may also be the gr...
By Charles K. Cowdery in the section
Whisky Spotlight
p54
In the first of a new series on great whisky cocktails, Ian Wisniewski looks at The Manhattan
Unlike so many ornate, fruity cocktails that are mere fashion accessories for the cocktail brigade, no one toys with a Manhattan. It's way beyond that, being a quintessential whisky cocktail with genu...
By Ian Wisniewski in the section
Whisky Cocktails
p55
In the latest in his series Richard Jones talks to Bob Pass marketing and technical manager, animal feeds for Diageo
There’s not really a pattern to my job,” begins Bob Pass, marketing and technical manager for animal feeds at Diageo. One day I might have a meeting with government representatives on legal
matters, t...
By Richard Jones in the section
A day in the life
p56
It’s a fallacy to state that the older the whisky, the better it is. Young malts can have their own attractions. Ian Wisniewski reports
With so many styles of malt to choose from, including cask strength, special finishes and vintages, age statements have become a common denominator that consumers use to finalise choice.
But with the...
By Ian Wisniewski in the section
Whisky Production
p74
‘Ritchie Blackmore’ steps up to the mark at the last minute and gives his view of the world
It’s Christmas here and I’m not happy. Yes, I’m well aware that by the time you read this the festive season will be a long forgotten memory and if you happen to be reading this in America, you’re
wel...
By Ritchie Blackmore in the section
The Last Word
