Wild Scotsman

Have you heard of The Wild Scotsman?

It's the name of a US-based independent bottler (that's right, another damned American breaking into the world of blending and independent bottling). It's also the pseudonym for the president of the company, a guy named Jeffrey Topping.

Jeff Topping is a big, affable guy with a passion for good whisky. I first had the pleasure of meeting Jeff and trying his stuff at the November 2005 Whisky Fest New York.

His first release is The Wild Scotsman 15 year old Vatted Malt Whisky - non-chill filtered, with no artificial coloring. 46% abv. The official tasting notes: Nose: Fragrant on the nose, with pleasant aromas of fresh-cut flowers, slight hints of smoke and a variety of sweet herbal sensations. Taste: It tastes velvety and composed. Finish: Full finish and a pleasant aftertaste.

My tasting notes: Clouds immediately with water - obviously not chill filtered. Smells of Fall: straw, grain, some heather? Mouth feel - very light, sweet. Nice. Taste - has a nice bite that gives way smoothly to more grains - along with a little smoke going down. The finish is medium long -  pleasant and trails off nicely with some grass notes. $79.99 at Sam's and Binny's.

If you are anywhere near Chicago on February 28th, you really should plan to attend the Sam's Wine & Spirits Night Grand Tasting Event. For $35 you'll get to try over 150 different spirits including Wild Scotsman AND you'll get to meet Jeff in the flesh.

I got a chance to talk with Jeff about his stuff, his company, and his views on the whisky industry:

KE: When did you start Wild Scotsman?

JT: The idea of Wild Scotsman started around 1997 when I was thinking about opening a Scottish-themed Pub, called the Wild Scotsman. At that time I used the name as the name for my restaurant/bar consulting company until such time I could make my dream a reality.

The actual idea for the Wild Scotsman whisky began to develop not long after my experience at the Bladnoch Distillery School. I had invited John McDougall over from Scotland in 2002 for his first US whisky tasting. John and I had discussed importing Scotch whisky, however there was the question of not being able to control the quality of other people's bottlings. If you represent a brand you must take the good with the bad. It was then that John and I discussed creating my own brand and my own label. In looking back I believe John sensed that I am the type of person who makes things happen no matter what the odds, which is the kind of man he is as well.

KE: What prompted you to become an Independent Bottler?

JT: A bit of insanity mixed in with some stubbornness - and a whole lot of patience. 

When I told people that I was going to create my own brand, quite frankly they all thought I had lost it.  But I saw being an independent bottler as my way of being able express myself through whisky. Some people put paint to canvas - but I put whisky in bottles.

But not just any whisky - whisky that, in my opinion is very different than what the average person gets to experience. I like to think that if one never goes to Scotland they could still share my experience through the whisky I bottle. I also believe the craft of whisky making is being pushed aside by large companies who are only concerned with profit! We need more work boots and blue jeans and less lab coats and clip boards. Let's face it, how many distilleries have been closed over the years?

KE: How has another American been received in the whisky community?

JT: It is hard to tell. I must admit with each show I get to know just one more person in the industry. I will say that the other independent distillers have made a point to chat when we are at the shows. In my opinion, they might have more respect for what I am trying to do than someone working for a huge corporate-owned distillery since they understand the passion to succeed. 

The guys at Bruichladdich are always great, as well as John Glaser of Compass Box. Raymond Armstrong at Bladnoch is always very kind. I have quite enjoyed spending time with Colin Ross at Ben Nevis when I have been to Scotland.  Like John McDougall, Colin has lived a very interesting life in Scotch whisky. I would like to see more articles written about Colin. 

I especially appreciate the kindness and kind words from Fred Noe of Jim Beam. I have a lot of respect for that man and I hope I can be as gracious and humble  - especially if I can achieve even 1/4 of what he and his family have in whiskey.  I got a good bear hug from him at the Philly Spirits show that past year as well as some words of support.  That meant a lot to me.

KE: All right, what's in the Wild Scotsman 15?

JT: That's what everyone wants to know! Unfortunately I will never allow the ingredients to be published. Not because I want to be deceptive or rude, but because what is in the bottle, the specific distilleries, is not what this whisky is about.

No one questions what is in a Single Malt, even though a single malt is a VATTING of Single casks from a single distillery.  Most of which comes from various cask types (bourbon and sherry), different ages (age statement is the youngest cask in the bottle), and sometimes different distillation methods or mash bill composite.

I will say that The Wild Scotsman is made up of 10 Single Malt Casks from 10 different distilleries in Scotland. There is at least one distillery per region of Scotland as well as from the Island sub-category. All the casks are ex-bourbon - there are no sherry casks used.

The casks were chosen to fit a certain nose, taste, and finish profile that I worked out with my mentor, John McDougall. As you already know I am an apprentice to John learning the ART and HISTORY of Scotch Whisky - which we here in the states might call the CRAFT (i.e. craft brewing).

It was fitting that my first whisky encompass all of Scotland and not just a single region. People are too caught up in "regions" and not enough into what they like about their whisky. There is a rich history to Scotland and to Scotch whisky, which is why I coined and trademarked the term, "history of a nation in just one dram". 

When I close my eyes and nose the Wild Scotsman Vatted Malt I think of my first dram of real Scotch whisky - which I drank directly from the cask at Bladnoch. The amazing complexity of aromas and flavors was just unbelievable.  Whisky was no longer this sometimes sterile and antiseptic drink which I had come to know but something totally different. I want to capture that first experience in a bottle for all to enjoy.

KE: Let's talk about the new SWA terminology and how it affects you...

With boutique bottlings like my Vatted Malt consumers may be somewhat hesitant to give it a try. Not because it is not a great whisky, but because they have not been given a proper explanation of what a vatted malt is and that ALL SINGLE MALTS ARE VATTED (with the exception of a SINGLE CASK Malt whisky).  The Wild Scotsman Single Cask Selection will allow the consumer to have a snap shot of what goes on inside the mind of the Wild Scotsman. Basically, the tastes that I find appealing in a whisky.

Let's face it, being the smallest bottler in the industry means I cannot take chances with shoddy casks - and at the same time, I only want to bottle whiskies that I am passionate about.

KE: Tell me about the new bottling?

JT: The new bottling is the "Wild Scotsman Single Cask Selection Series".  It will not be that wordy on the shelf, however, it will be the first of many single cask bottlings from some of different distilleries that I enjoy. I am releasing a beautiful Ben Nevis single cask which I will show at both Whisky Fest Chicago and Whisky Live NY. The product will not be in the country or available at that time due to the time it has taken to produce and print the new label, however, it will make a statement. There is nothing conventional about my presentation except the bottle.

KE: Any other bottlings on the horizon?

JT: I do plan on making another vatted malt, but, I want to get the single cask line moving a bit. I also have some ideas for a blend, but I need a bit more time. 

KE: Where is The Wild Scotsman sold?

JT:  Wild Scotsman is available right now in Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Massachusetts. We will be available in New York and New Jersey in the next 3 months.  We will open up South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida in the next year. You can also mail order Wild Scotsman through Binny's or Sam's.  

The brand has just been picked up by Indigo Wine Group for US Distribution. Up until now Indigo has strictly sold wine. We are the very first spirit they will represent, which is a perfect match for both of us.

KE: Are you sold overseas?

JT: Yes, I have a few bottles floating around the UK, Europe, and I believe a few have even gone to Japan. I know I have some happy drinkers in the North of Sweden - in fact the Burea Whisky Club were the very first people to taste the Whisky in Europe.

All orders can be filled at our bottling facility in Glasgow, the Cumbrae Supply Company, also known as the House of MacDuff. Jane MacDuff can fill any order if contacted: +44 (0) 1505 322793. I even have a miniature available of the Wild Scotsman Vatted malt at Just Miniatures in the UK.

KE: What's up with the "Whisky Chix"?

Whisky Chix was originally the idea of Wild Scotsman Whisky. We first used the "Whisky Chix" nationally at the WOW show in 2005 and then at Whisky Fest Chicago 2005. This idea was later copied by a whiskey company as well as trademarked by them or an associate company under the spelling Whiskey Chicks for a bourbon book. It was interesting that their booth was right next to mine at the WOW show.

The official Whisky Chix are my fiancee Tina and her friend Amy. Unlike a lot of women working the booths at the shows these two know a lot about Scotch whisky and about Wild Scotsman, so the crowd got a treat. Pretty smiles and a brain. I have a new female oriented marketing blitz tag line which I will release next year and after all trademarks are filed.

And of course there is Free Stuff. This is March's free stuff, a little early.

Jeff was kind enough to send a number of shirts for readers of The Scotch Blog - which I will ration out for a few give-a-ways.

This month I have three (3) t-shirts, but they are ALL for my female readers out there. That's right the first three women to email me can claim their shirt.

Please remember, you'll have to pay postage, so include your postal code. Include the the shirt and size you want in descending order (for example, if I get your email second and your preferred shirt has been taken, you'll get the next one on the list.)

Don't worry guys, I have more Wild Scotsman shirts which will be give-a-ways in the future.

I have:

One white spaghetti strap shirt (ladies small)

One black spaghetti strap shirt (ladies medium)

One black t-shirt (ladies small)

Jeff says:

These shirts are collector items of sorts since I have no plans to produce any more of them.

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Comments

[The Wild Scotsman]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have posted the Wild Scotchmen Distillery information on my web site. We only have 14 spots for each of the two schools in October.

Slainte,

The Wild Scotsman