The Scotch Blog

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.

Front

Back

Free Stuff - February: Compass Box

This month's give-a-way is something from Compass Box.

Whether you love his products or not; whether you deplore his non-tradional approach or admire it; you have to appreciate the chutzpah that John, an American living in the UK, exhibited by starting a Scotch company. Says John:

My approach is American as opposed to traditionalist. I say, "Why not? Why don't we?"

Cigar Aficionado had a great article about John (with interview)  (1-25-06):

In an atmosphere in which whisky connoisseurship has been defined by the single malts of Scotland, Glaser has championed not only vatted malts (marriages of pot-stilled single malts) and blends (malts blended with column-stilled grain whisky), but grain whisky itself -- the very ingredient that was thought to degrade blended whiskies. Despite his odd choice of direction, he has been consistently putting out whiskies that are not only interesting taste experiences for enthusiasts, but world-class spirits.

I hear that.

Over the past 7 months I've mentioned Compass Box quite a bit.  Below are links to the The Scotch Blog stories that mention Compass Box, John or one of his products, or have a comment from John:

Compass Box Monster
Compass Box Gets It
A rose by any other name
John Glaser's opinion on SWA nomenclature
Spice of Life
Orangerie
Art of the Blend
Hosting a tasting
Downfall of Civilization
Into the Wood

After reading these articles (and the Cigar Aficionado article) you won't look at Compass Box the same way.

Now on to the Free Stuff, But first a change in the way I do things:
As you know, I don't accept advertising on this site. Yes, there is an Amazon banner at the bottom of the page, but I view that as a public service (and promoting my own book) and I doubt anyone has ever used that link.

As a result, I don't make any money on The Scotch Blog - as a matter of fact I spend a lot. The postage alone for last month's Free Stuff (free copies of Whisky  & Scotland Magazines) cost me more than $40 to send those issues around the world.

So starting this month, the stuff is still free, but the winner will have to pay postage. Postage will vary depending on where it needs to be sent. Sorry about this, but unless and until I start accepting advertising or financial support from the Scotch industry, it will just have to be this way.

This Month's Free Stuff is an XL Peat Monster T-shirt. The shirt has the Peat Monster on the front and the Compass Box logo on the back. These shirts were a limited edition and are no longer available.

How do you win?

There are two ways to win this month.

1. Be the first to email a picture of a bottle of Compass Box you own, preferably with you in the picture enjoying Compass Box, or
2. Send me an email which lists the names of all of Compass Box's products.

Remember to include your postal code so I can let you know how much the postage will be.

I will respond to you with the postage cost, which you can then pay via Paypal. The first person who agrees to the postage will be the proud owner of this awesome collectible.

What's coming up for Compass Box?

• SF Whisky Expo
• Chicago Whisky Fest
• Whisky Live London
• Whisky Live Belgium

And this bit of lucky news for Londoners and attendees of Whisky Live London:

Just back from Whisky Festival in Munich, which was great. Oh, and we're having a part the night before Whisky Live London at our office.  The whole world is invited! Thursday, March 2nd from 4pm to late.

Where's the Compass Box office? Go check out their web site...

Huh????

Johnnie Walker Honored as Wine Enthusiast's 2005 Distiller of the Year!!!

That is GREAT news! My favorite distillery in the entire world is the little-known Johnnie Walker Distillery. Since you may not be familiar with it, the distillery is nestled in a beautiful, pristine valley on Tiree, one of the most lovely Hebridean Islands you'll ever visit.

The distillery has been owned and run by the same family for over 15 generations. Johnnie Walker (the 12th) is the Master Distiller for this wonderful non-peated Islay-inspired, Lowlandish, Speysider. He grows all of his own barley on his one-acre farm, which he malts, mashes and ferments by himself in a very large machine of his own design. He uses only Evian water, imported from France, for the production process and dilution.

He only produces one cask at a time, and ages each of these precious containers individually for 10 years by perching atop the cask like a mother hen. His wife of 43 years, Marybeth, fills and hand labels each bottle (she also runs the small visitor center).

The bottles are then gently swaddled in rare Cambodian silk, and then lovingly placed in a custom-made gold-hinged box constructed of petrified wood. His aged grandfather "Chuck" Walker then swims to the mainland and walks to Edinburgh where he hand-delivers each bottle to Royal Mile Whiskies - the sole purveyor of the line.

Said Johnnie Walker when informed of the distillery's award as "Distiller of the Year":

I am absolutely ecstatic that someone has finally recognized this small family-owned  distillery.

We are even more excited that it is that well-known whisky-oriented periodical "Wine Enthusiast."

For some unknown reason, the rest of the world believes that Johnnie Walker is a blended product. Which is simply NOT true.

Our line of Single Malts - which we refer to as "Red", "Black", "Gold" & our brand new, "Blue" (for the budget conscious), are all produced here at the distillery by me, my wife, and our man-servant, Hamish.

We also recently introduced a raspberry-infused cream bourbon, the first legally produced outside of the US, which we call "Green" because of it's chartreuse color.

I'd like to thank our public relations agency, the small London-based boutique firm Diageo which is helping us more firmly establish ourselves as an up and comer in the Single Malt world.

Their unending dedication to the simple idea that confusion in the Scotch whisky industry is the single biggest blight on the planet - their never-ending fight to make sure consumers are not confused between what is a Single Malt Scotch and what is a blend.

It is through their work alone that the world now knows that we are, in fact a distiller, and not a producer of something so pedestrian as a "blend."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Of course, the article above is a work of sarcasm. Nothing in the story is true EXCEPT that Wine Enthusiast DID in fact, name Johnnie Walker the "Distiller of the Year." Here are some facts to reduce potential confusion:

• A blended whisky is created when the single malt whisky of a distillery (and usually multiple distilleries) is mixed with grain whisky.
• Johnnie Walker is the brand name of a line of blended Scotches owned by Diageo.
• Johnnie Walker Red purportedly includes 35 different single malts, while Johnnie Walker Black contains 40 different single malts.
• Unlike Red, Black, Gold & Blue, Johnnie Walker Green is a vatted (or blended) malt and contains no grain whisky. In my estimation, it is a pretty good dram.
• 150 million bottles of Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch whiskies are sold each year.
• Johnnie Walker does NOT have a distillery. And if they did it would likely NOT be on Tiree.
• Diageo is NOT a small London-based Public Relations firm, but is the largest producer of alcoholic beverages in the world with a market capitalization of $44.4 billion and revenues of $12 billion which generates $3.25 billion in profit per year.

Boos and hisses to:

Wine Enthusiast - for either doing zero research, or allowing advertising dollars to sway their votes.

Had they named Johnnie Walker BRAND of the year, or marketer of the year, I'd have had no issues with the award. Had they named Johnnie Walker (any of the labels) the best tasting blend, I may have had issues with their sense of taste.

F. Paul Pacult - who is the Spirits Tasting Director at Wine Enthusiast, and should know better - however I'm starting to wonder if he isn't also an employee of Diageo. He wrote the original article selecting Johnnie Walker as "Distiller of the Year." He has a long history of writing what I consider to be Diageo "fluff" pieces. (One example of this is discussed in Integrity)

Diageo - Instead of CLARIFYING Wine Enthusiast's misinformed (easily-swayed?) award granters, and simply turning down this "award" to avoid confusion, Diageo accepts the award and issues a Press Release to tout it. Not only do the attempts to confuse Scotch drinkers continue, now they want to confuse wine drinkers.

Shame on you all.

Read the press release here: Johnnie Walker Honored as Wine Enthusiast's 2005 Distiller of the Year
Read the Wine Enthusiast article here: Distiller of the Year - Johnnie Walker Dieageo (sic) Ltd.
Here is a snippet from that article:

Innovative marketing successes and institutional pedigree duly noted, the editors of Wine Enthusiast Magazine have named Johnnie Walker Distiller of the Year primarily because of the continued, unwavering quality of the Johnnie Walker portfolio of blended Scotch whiskies. This is true, in particular, with the company’s two “core” offerings, Johnnie Walker Red Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label 12-Year-Old. These two sibling whiskies represent remarkable value, while embodying quality and sophistication. They epitomize why blended Scotch whisky is the world’s most popular kind of whisky.

The company’s triumphant foray into the superpremium and ultrapremium blended Scotch whisky categories, with Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18 Year Old and Johnnie Walker Blue Label (the latter priced at $190), has bolstered its ranking as the world’s foremost blended Scotch whisky source. The Gold Label has been lauded as one of the top blended Scotch whiskies in the world, while the Blue Label enjoys a reputation of mythic proportions among connoisseurs.

PLEASE NOTE: I want to point out QUITE CLEARLY that I include many of Diageo's products among my absolute favorites. It's the Marketing department and their duplicitous tactics which I clearly have issues with.

I'm imploring Diageo to use their leadership position to help clarify, and not confuse the general public about Scotch. I also hereby offer myself to act as their "marketing conscience."

I will only charge them a case of each of the Classic Malts and 2 cases of Guinness per calendar year. Oh, and profit sharing.

-------------------------------------------
Whisky101
I wanted to remind you all of Whisky 101. The base is growing slowly but surely - Registered users include Misako Udo, Author of The Scottish Whisky Distilleries; Ulf Buxrud, a Keeper of the Quaich & Malt Maniac; The Liquor Snob; and we've even had a Mark Reynier siting.

Stop by and share your wisdom.

Still looking for moderators, Resident Experts, and of course, people who just want to have a friendly place to discuss Scotch (and maybe even some other adult beverages).

The Irish Blog?

I love it when care packages show up from my distillery friends in Scotland. I rip into them like a kid on Christmas. But when one showed up with a return address of Dublin, Ireland I was curious.

Opening up the large envelope revealed a packet from Jack Teeling at Cooley Distilleries - producers of Connemara and Tyrconnell, both single malts from Ireland.

Yes, I know this is the SCOTCH Blog, but let’s examine the facts:

1. Cooley Distillers is independent. I love independent.
2. They produce a line of Single Malts. I love Single Malts.
3. They are from Ireland. My sweet Grandma Madden was from Ireland. Done deal.

After all…what separates Ireland from Scotland, but a few miles of water?

First, let me familiarize you with Cooley
The first new Irish distillery in over 100 years, Cooley Distillery PLC was formed in 1987 - and their first Malt Whisky Whiskey was distilled in 1989 – but it wasn’t until 1991 that Cooley’s distilled a peated single malt. Yes, that's right. I said peated.

Cooley’s whiskies are all distilled at the Cooley distillery (named for the Cooley peninsula on which the distillery sits) and matured at the warehouses at Locke’s Distillery (also owned by Cooley Distillery PLC) in Kilbeggan - the oldest licensed distillery site in the world (1757). There are plans to begin production again in Kilbeggan, though for now the distillery is used only for warehousing and the Cooley cooperage. Cooley Distillery is not only independent, it’s the ONLY independent in Ireland AND the only Irish owned distillery.

Wait a second - there are dozens of distilleries in Ireland
Actually that's not true at all. There are only three distilleries in all of Ireland. Bushmills in Northern Ireland; Midleton in the County Cork (Republic of Ireland) and Cooley, also in the Republic of Ireland.

No, I didn't forget the famous Jameson - Jameson is produced at Midleton - along with Powers, Tullamore Dew, Murphy’s, Redbreast, Midleton, and a number of other brands.

It also surprises people that despite the "Bushmills is for Protestants" and "Jameson is for Catholics" schism, Bushmills and Midleton (and thus Jameson) were, until very recently, owned by the same company...Irish Distillers Limited, which has, in turn, been owned by France-based Pernod-Ricard since 1988. It was only this past June (2005) that Pernod sold off Bushmills to UK-based Diageo for €298 million in a move to gain support for the Pernod acquisition of Allied Domecq.

Now on to the whiskey
Connemara is a single malt, which is rare in Ireland, but the addition of peat makes Connemara unique. Connemara is distilled twice, in copper pot stills – while other Irish whiskeys which are distilled three times. Cooley uses 100% Irish grown barley.

Cooley currently produces three expressions of Connemara:

• Connemara (no age statement) is very light – You get hit with the peat quickly, but it fades just as quickly. Tasty and sweet. 40% abv. Way back in Issue 3 of Whisky Magazine, the Connemara got VERY respectable 8 ½ and 9 ratings from Michael Jackson & Jim Murray.  $40 at Binny’s.
• Connemara Cask Strength (no age statement) Strong. Not an Irish version of  an Islay  which is what one might expect - more pear; spicy sweet at the start; peat and malt dominate the middle; with a long chocolatey finish. Alcohol content varies, the one I tried was 57.9%. $56 at Park Avenue Liquor.
• Connemara 12 – Spicy, sweet and very malty. Great Vanilla/almond after-tones. A good complex malt, Irish or otherwise. Spice is predominant in the finish – which is medium long and pleasant. 40% abv. Only 5,000 bottles are produced each year – Malt Advocate gave the 12 year-old  a “90” in the 4Q2005 issue, while Whisky Magazine’s reviewers Peter Mulryan and Dave Broom gave it a 8 ¾ and 7 ¾ respectively in issue 43. $89 at Binny’s.

Cooley also produces another single malt (not peated) called Tyrconnell, which is something different altogether. The nose reminds me of Isle of Jura - citrus, pine & sea salt. It is sweet and tastes of vanilla and honeyed caramel - this is not your standard Irish Whiskey. A pleasant dram with a long malty finish...$40 at Binny’s.

Jack and I had a chance to chat, and I thought I'd share that discussion.

KE - Why a peated Irish?

JT - Why not? The traditional method of distillation in Ireland utilised the abundant natural resource of peat, especially in the west of Ireland. One of our aims in creating a traditional Irish whiskey, one that encapsulated the heritage and beauty of West of Ireland, required that we were true to our roots.

As a small independent distiller we also needed to create a niche for ourselves and stand out from the multi-national marketing machine that is Pernod Ricard. So, by focusing on developing Single Malts and even more so, a Peated Single Malt - while Irish Distillers, prides itself on the non-Peated nature of its whiskies - allowed us to develop a whole segment of the Irish whiskey market that we could call our own.

KE - Why did peating fall out of favor in Ireland?

JT - Peat fell out of favour once coal was introduced as a cheaper form of fuel. Prior to that all malting in Ireland was done by peat - but as boats began bringing large amounts of coal on their inward journey and barrels of whiskey on their way out, it made economic sense to utilise coal. Also, with the demise of unlicensed distillers (a result of increased British regulation during the 1800's) many of the smaller peat-using distilleries in the West of Ireland were shut down.

KE - Why don't more Irish Whiskies utilize the abundant peat in Ireland?

JT - The majority of Irish whiskey sold is Jameson, a blend, and their apparent aim is to make this accessible to as many people as possible. Their big drive is for Irish Whiskey to be seen as a drink which can be utilised in cocktails, or as a long drink. For example, a recent Christmas tasting campaign at the Dublin airport involved getting people to try Jameson and Cranberry juice.

Good luck to them, but we are aiming on increasing peoples' appreciation for quality Irish whiskey rather then diluting the experience for them. One of Irish Distillers' unique selling points is that their whiskies are non-Peated - probably to differentiate them from Scottish whisky. I would be interested to see how Diageo approaches the notion of a Peated Single Malt given their success with such Scottish brands.

KE - Why single malt Irish?

JT - There was no history of Single Malts in Ireland as Irish whiskey was traditionally Pot still blends. The Cooley distillery was set-up to produce whiskies that were going to expand the narrow category Irish whiskey found itself in during the 80's - and I think we have succeeded in doing this.

We wanted to create our own distinctive whiskies, thus the choice of what barrels we used, the fact we distill our whiskies only twice rather then three times, the choice of pots, etc. were all chosen to produce something different in the Irish category. We want to compete more with the Scots who ran the roost at the time, then the stuttering Irish.  We saw the trend emerging in Scottish Single Malts and developed Tyrconnell in particular to compete against the likes of Glenfiddich.

KE - What makes you different from other single malt Irish - Clontarf, Knappogue, Bushmills, etc.

JT - Clontarf and Knappogue both have their roots in Cooley. We worked with both Roaring Water in developing Clontarf and Mark Andrews of Castle Brands in developing Knappogue. Our whiskey was used in the first three impressions of Knappogue Castle (1990 1992 & 1992) until we had supply constraints and they switched to Irish Distillers. We had been the sole supplier of whiskey for the Clontarf Brands until last year when they were taken over by Castle Brands - who secured a long term supply contract with Irish Distillers for both Clontarf and Knappogue.

Bushmills, even though it is a malt distillery, uses the majority of their whiskey for blending (Bushmills & Black Bush are both high malt blends) - and prior to our development of Tyrconnell, they had put little or no effort into developing their own range of malts. Still, to this day, the main use of the pot stills in Bushmills is to produce malt for the Bushmills Blend, which will be in more demand then ever as a result of the might of Diageo.

KE- What makes Cooley's expressions different than the big blended boys - Bushmills & Jameson.

JT - I think I covered that earlier in some of the other questions. We never saw ourselves as competing against only the Irish - thus our whiskies were created with the very notion that they could stand on their two feet against the best Scotland could offer.

Prior to Cooley's creation, the Irish whiskey market was a monopoly - with little innovation and bad marketing . Thus, we felt that if we could create whiskies that could compete against Scotch, we would be in a good position to compete against the lethargic Irish. Of course things changed with Pernod entering the market, and again with Diageo's entry in 2005.

KE - Tell me a little about your Blends - Kilbeggan and Lockes.

JT - Part of the strategy back in the 1980's was to resurrect old brands that had died out during those dark days for Irish whiskey. As part of this, the Old John Lockes Distillery in Kilbeggan and its old warehouse as well as the Kilbeggan and John Lockes brands were acquired. To this day our whiskies our matured in the old 250 year old granite warehouses in the Centre of Ireland.

Kilbeggan is our main blended brand. It is a sweet, delicate and smooth whiskey with a good malty nose. It has taken a decent share of the Irish whiskey market in some European markets. It is by far our highest selling brand.

Lockes has a higher malt content, giving it a full malty and spicy middle - as well as a delightful, honeyed sweetness. The Lockes family is very hard to find outside of Ireland as we have not actively search for distribution partners for this yet.

KE - Tell me about distribution in the States and Canada.

JT - We are going through a lot of changes at the moment in the US. Heaven Hill was one of our first customers and through whom we had sourced the used bourbon casks we use in maturation. They had been our importers and national distributors for Kilbeggan and Tyrconnell until the end of 2005. Connemara had been distributed through a boutique importer/distributor called Preiss Imports, in Romana California, until the end of last year as well.

While we have enjoyed good relationships with the two we felt that we needed a change. The US is our priority market and we wanted to consolidate our distribution with one partner. That's why from the start of 2006, Sazerac has been appointed our Importers, and their subsidiary Monsieur Henry, run by Jon Mowry, will be our National Distribution Managers for Kilbeggan, Tyrconnell and the Connemara Family.

We have been very impressed with what Sazerac have been doing in the premium/super premium end of the Bourbon market in the US, along with the staff they have. The relationship is at the beginning - but I hope it will be a long beautiful marriage.

In conjunction with this, Preiss Imports will be taking on a new brand for the US in 2006 - Greenore 8 Year Old Single Grain Irish Whiskey. This is a small batch bottling that will be bottled over the next 4 years with the age profile changing every year. The bottlings we are going to have are 8,10,14 and 16 Year Old. We are very interested to see how the wood effects the whiskey over the different ages.

KE - How does being independent make a difference?

JT - It provides the flexibility to try different things. Irish Distillers/Pernod's focus is solely on Jameson, while Diageo's will no doubt be Bushmills. We are there to provide choice, and an opportunity to educate and expand people's palates. We are a very flat organisation - thus things can happen quickly. The Chairman can pick up the phone and talk to anyone in the organisation - everyone is on first name basis. At this stage there are only two generations of my family involved but I hope there will be many more.

KE - What are the plans to start distilling at Locke's Distillery.

JT - They are on ice at the moment. Unfortunately, we have too many coals in the fires and this is not a priority.

KE - Can people visit any of the Cooley facilities

JT - At the moment the only place open to visitors is the Old John Lockes Distillery in Kilbeggan where the old distillery is actually in near-working order - even encompassing the water wheel. It is like steeping back in time as we have left it as rustic as we possible can. You will not experience the glam of visiting somewhere like the Jameson corner in Dublin - but rather, a real insight into what was involved in the old days of whiskey distillation. We have our coopers on site, who can be seen in operation, and the opportunity to visit our maturation warehouses.

KE - Who do you view as competition? Scotch Single Malts, Irish Blends, Vodka?

JT - Our malts are positioned to compete with Scotch Single Malts while our Blends compete with the other Irish Blends.

KE -  Who is the perfect audience for Cooley?

JT - People who like to experiment. Be it someone who has never had a whiskey before, to an experienced Malt drinker who tastes Connemara for the first time and can't believe it is an Irish whiskey.

KE - Tell me about Single Malts Scotches -  Some you like, or those which are comparable to Connemara & Tyrconnell.

JT - We would see Tyrconnell being similar to many Speysides, while Connemara compares to a mid-level Islay. I personally have a tinkering for Macallan 18 Yr Old and Gran Reserva along with some Glenfarclas bottlings.

KE - Any finishes in your future?

JT - We are experimenting with some sherry, port and rum finishes for both Tyrconnell and Connemara which should see the light of day in 2006/2007. We are launching a Single Barrel Offering for Connemara in 2006 in selected markets as well.

KE - How do you suggest people enjoy Cooley whiskey?

JT - With an open mind and good company.

Diageo wastes more money

I was recently given a copy of something called "The Blue Label Book" by an acquaintance of mine who is apparently on the Johnnie Walker "hit list"  - the book is being distributed to high-level executives, including Fortune 500 CEOs.

He wasn't much interested in the book, but I'm lucky enough that when he thinks "Scotch" he thinks "Kevin" and forwarded it on to me.

It is a beautiful piece of work with a tri-fold blue linen cover and gold-edged pages. It has one of those built-in ribbon bookmarks generally reserved for bibles and great master-works. Yet, it is singularly uninteresting - whether to a Scotch aficionado like myself, or to a busy CIO of a Fortune 50 company, like the original recipient.

Let me quote from the Introduction:

You are holding something rare. It's called the Blue Label Book and it's brought to you (personally) by the ultimate luxury Scotch, Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Rare because, like the whisky itself, we feel only a select group of individuals worldwide are capable of appreciating what the pages of this strictly limited-edition Blue Label Book have to offer.

The book goes on to show the "best seat in the house" for a number of worldwide venues - various theaters, opera houses, restaurants and the like, interspersed with paintings of well-dressed, beautiful people enjoying (presumably) Johnnie Walker Blue.

There are only four paragraphs in the entire book (all on a single page) that refer to Scotch.

But to be honest, I may well be wrong about that - as I quickly became bored with the book and put it aside; while the high-powered exec that this book was originally meant for (presumably to mesmerize him into buying a $200+ bottle of Blue) didn't even give it a second glance.

So really, what is the purpose of this book -- which very likely cost more to produce per unit, than a bottle of JW Blue? Apparently, according to this recent article in AdWeek, it's for marketing people to impress other marketing people.

Booking It for Johnnie Walker
December 27, 2005
By Mae Anderson

NEW YORK In an effort to reach luxury consumers who can afford a $200 bottle of whisky, Bartle Bogle Hegarty has created the Blue Label Book for Johnnie Walker.
 
The London shop created the blue, hardbound 96-page book around “The best seats in the house“ theme to promote Johnnie Walker's high-end Blue Label. It profiles 12 cities around the world, each with a seating-plan illustration of a luxury venue and commentary by a different writer for each locale. For example, one chapter shows the seating plan of Vu's Bar in the Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai. An essay by Stephen Armstrong, a contributing editor to the Sunday Times in the U.K., discusses Dubai's residences and fine dining.
The branded-content piece starts with a chapter about the history of Johnnie Walker's Blue Label. The book is being distributed to high-level executives, including Fortune 500 CEOs.
 
A print campaign with the seating plans, which were created by illustrator John See, is appearing in publications including Forbes, Fortune and Business Week. The ads include layouts for venues such as the Grand Theater in Shanghai, Le Palais Garnier in Paris and Madison Square Garden in New York.
 
John Hegarty served as creative director on the campaign, and Dave Masterman and Ed Edwards were the creative team. Sharon Chong oversaw art direction and typography.

I received the book about a month ago and hadn't really thought about mentioning, until I read this article yesterday (12/27/05). It reminded me about how silly marketers can be.

I can just picture the meeting where this idea was pitched to the JW marketing people.

Johnnie Walker: OK, we need an idea to promote this stuff. We hear that Blue is really good (from people who actually drink whisky, which of course we don't) but we aren't getting a lot of takers at 200 bucks a pop.

Bartle Bogle Hegarty: Well, we've come up with an idea I think you'll like.

JW: We are all a twitter.

BBH: OK - picture this. It's a very large, very expensive book.

JW: I like it already. And we sell it on Amazon?

BBH: No. We give it away!

JW: And it tells the story of how we make Johnnie Walker Blue?

BBH: No.

JW: It tells the story of how old Johnnie Walker single-handedly created the blended whisky industry?

BBH: No. That's so "yesterday."

JW: So it talks about expensive Scotch in general?

BBH: No. It doesn't really mention Scotch.

JW: (Silence)

BBH: Well, we facilitated some focus groups and found that at the end of the day the only appropriate market segment to target who may buy this product are a pinpoint demographic that 1.) has VERY disposable incomes,  2.) knows nothing about Scotch, and 3.) basically will buy JW Blue simply to impress other people with VERY disposable incomes, who know nothing about Scotch.

JW: Keep talking...

BBH: And to leverage the core competencies here at BBH, we syndicated the idea with our "very large, very expensive book making division" - who came up with the idea for a very large, very expensive book.

JW: So, you think that a very large, very expensive book will sell Johnnie Walker Blue?

BBH: Our focus group findings point to "NO."

JW: Oh.

BBH: However, we are pretty sure we'll be able to win a Clio in the "Large, Expensive Book" category.

JW: Brilliant!

The thing I love about Diageo is that they continue to do stupid things - allowing me an almost unending supply of entertaining fodder; all while the stock price continues to rise. Brilliant!

I wonder how much I can get for this thing on eBay?

The Glenrothes

The packaging for The Glenrothes is simply beautiful.

From the minimalist shape of the bottle, to the hand-written label (reminiscent of a sample bottle), to the simple, yet functional "frame" presentation case - when you see The Glenrothes, you know you are in for something special.

A little background
The founders of the distillery in 1878 included James Stuart who was at that time the owner of the Macallan-Glenlivet distillery; Unfortunately the company went bankrupt in the midst of  construction, but was rescued and completed with a £600.00 loan from the United Presbyterian Church at neighboring Knockando.

The distillery was acquired by Highland Distillers in 1887, and changed hands again in 1999 when the Highland Distillers group was purchased by the Edrington Group for £601 million.

About the expressions
Launched as a Vintage Single Malt in 1994, following five years as a 12 year old, this single malt is currently available only in several vintage editions*:

• 1992 [$65]
• 1987 [$85]
• 1984 [$100]
• 1972 [$220]

Other vintages that have run out, but which you may be able to find, are 1989, 1979, and 1973, as well as a limited supply of Single Cask Special Editions from 1966 & 1967. In all, only five single casks have ever been released: 2-1966, 2-1967 and 1-1980.

Three more single casks of 1979 will be released in 2006 to celebrate the centenary of the founding of the distillery.

Ronnie Cox, Director for the Glenrothes, says that there's no such thing as explaining the selection of a vintage edition "in a nut-shell." He is absolutely correct - the only way to understand The Glenrothes vintage concept is to try The Glenrothes vintages. But later on, I talk with Ronnie, and he does a great job of explaining the Glenrothes vintage approach.

In the Blend
A good portion of the Glenrothes production is used for blends -- only about 2% of total production makes it into that distinctive bottle. Traditionally, Glenrothes was only available as part of a blend - the Glenrothes is the principal malt in Cutty Sark as well as The Famous Grouse and also makes it into a number of non-Edrington blends.

Adventures in Distribution in Scotch-land
Here's a little insight into the complexity of the Scotch whisky industry and the various partnerships:

In 1997, Edrington and Berry Brothers & Rudd created ‘Cutty Sark International’ (CSI), a 50:50 combined venture: Edrington doing the distilling and bottling and Berry Bros the brand owner of Cutty Sark. No cross-shareholding - just an excellent partnership between these two fiercely independent private companies who compete in a world of multi-nationals.

CSI is responsible for the marketing of the Cutty Sark range as well as the development and marketing of the Glenrothes Vintage single malt, while Edrington remains responsible for the production.

The Glenrothes brand name is owned by Edrington, marketed world-wide by CSI and imported into the US by Skyy Spirits and NOT RemyUSA (which distributes three of the four primary Edrington products: Highland Park, The Famous Grouse, and The Macallan, as well as JMR Easy Drinking Whisky. Edrington also owns Glenturret and Tamdhu).

The connections are complicated, but it's all part of why I find this industry so fascinating.

Tell me more
The Glenrothes is a working distillery that is not open to the public, meaning no gift shops or tours (except for (ahem) special individuals) - they focus on production.

You just don't hear a lot about the Distillery or the product, except among people who know some damn fine Scotch when they taste it. I wondered why this is, so I sat down with the Director for the Glenrothes, Ronnie Cox, and Alexis Pagis, Brand Manager:

KE - Why did you move to vintage bottlings?

RC- In 1993, we were looking for a unique approach and our 300 year association with the fine wine business set us thinking. Why should flavour consistency in Scotch Whisky be rule No 1? Doesn't each Wine Vintage have a different personality?  By its very nature, matured malt whisky is always inconsistent because oak wood has a maverick nature.  Wouldn't it be fun to make a virtue out of this fact? As some of our friends like the big, rich style and others the lighter, refreshing flavour, the idea was born. All would share the same heritage in the form of its character but each with a differing personality. Complicated, perhaps, but interesting and fun. So we changed from the solid, safe, good and consistent Glenrothes 12 years old to the "best of the best" concept, unashamedly luxurious.

It is important to explain the Vintage concept - Each expression represents the personality from one particular year's distillation but demonstrating the true character of The Glenrothes distillery - the four flavour cornerstones of The Glenrothes being fruits, citrus, spices, vanillas with the four characteristics of depth, creamy texture, delivery (of aroma promise) and balance.

Each Vintage would be different from all others using the two dimensions of cask types and age. Whiskies would be chosen only when deemed to be exceptional and good enough to represent the distillery. Each Vintage would be, of course, finite. Most, and particularly the older ones, are low volume and as a consequence, very rare.

KE - How would you describe the flavors of The Glenrothes?

RC - The four flavour pillars of The Glenrothes are: black fruits, citrus, spices and vanilla. These, added to the five general characteristics of depth, creamy texture, delivery (of aroma promise), balance and elegance will give the general idea. But each of The Glenrothes expressions will be very different and designed to be. It's this interesting difference that seems to attract "those in the know". Let's explore and show you why!

KE - What was the idea behind the packaging?

RC- We went to the distillery itself for inspiration. The old pint sample bottles and labels in our Sample Room Library provided the answer.  The "frame" box was created out of materials present at the distillery and a concerted effort to "show" the bottle.  Minimalist, understated and perhaps a touch of the rebel.

KE - Was there a specific decision to keep the distillery closed (not open to the public)?

RC -Yes. We love to invite visitors who have a special interest, enjoy the expressions and who take the trouble to contact us. Like the product itself we want to keep distillery visits "special" and personal. For those who want to see a distillery producing whisky there are plenty nearby open to the general public.

KE - What is the next vintage to be released?

RC - A victim of our own success the Vintages laid down will not last nearly as long as originally intended. We do have 1991 and 1985 Vintages being launched right now, and these should take us through 2006 with others maturing for release thereafter.

KE - What makes The Glenrothes different?

RC - For many years Glenrothes was the blender's delight, not just for our own and Edrington blends, but at the heart of many competitor blends -- giving them primarily flavour, but body and structure as well. If you ask the blenders, Glenrothes is always one of their top favourites.  It was a natural for Single Malt bottling.

There are a couple of big differences.

The first is that we have turned the concept of age on its head. Everyone knows that age alone is insufficient to produce excellence, yet it is still used as a yardstick.  No, to make excellent whisky we require not only top Spirit but an extraordinary wood understanding. It is knowing when the whisky is in its prime. Wood maketh Whisky. We always promote flavour over age. You don't see bold age statements on The Glenrothes but you will, if you need to know the age, see the year of distillation and underneath the year of bottling. You do the math.

The second is that we have but one consistent expression: Select Reserve - all the others are Vintages, like Premier Cru Wines or Krug Champagne. Each Vintage represents a chosen personality from one particular year whilst sharing the same distillery character. The fun of this is made all the more interesting when you look at the fact that the industry has been able to analyse only 60% of the maturation process.  The other 40% remains a mystery.  Unlock, through research, some of this 40% and apply it to future Vintages and you have our raison d'etre and difference of the Vintages versus the consistent recipes of other brands with their 12, 15 and 18 year old offerings.

KE - You mentioned Select Reserve...

AP - Because of the growing popularity of the Glenrothes, the vintages run out quicker than ever before and that is unfair for Single Malt and Glenrothes enthusiasts. So we wanted to create an expression that would typify the Glenrothes flavors (citrus, vanilla, spice) but one that would be available on an on-going basis.

Select Reserve, crafted by John Ramsay, is a vatting of casks from different years, all reserved for this expression. The emphasis is on quality and consistency. This year, the youngest malt whisky was filled in 98 but the remainder is older. The make-up and age profile will vary depending on what casks are available at the right quality to produce the complexity and balance so characteristic of the Glenrothes.

Select Reserve is the essence of all that is The Glenrothes in its early prime. It's an exceptional whisky of freshness and vibrancy. The tasting notes on the label, written by John Ramsay are: Ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla, hints of spice... It is really really good.

RC - This concept has been two years in the making. Lots and lots of trial and error before we came up with this vatting. Some including, many distillers, were skeptical of a non-Vintage and whether you could mix maturity with younger characteristics. But again we looked at the top-end of the wine sector, Krug. They are best known for their outstanding Vintages but equally proud of their more accessible non-Vintage expression.  When we developed Select Reserve we were looking at flavour, not age, and this expression captures the very essence of the distillery. A vatting of casks - many of which are in their early Prime. That's what we wanted and what we believed that others wanted too.  It's our first-ever and very recent entry into the non-Vintage arena. It is hugely exciting and already very rewarding.

KE - When will Special Reserve be available in the US?

AP - Special Reserve will be appearing in 15 US markets (major metropolitan areas) starting in the first quarter of 2006.

------------------------------------------
* These are average retail prices. Binny's Beverage Depot has, by far, the best prices on the Glenrothes. Check 'em out.

Oh, and Happy ChrismaKwanzukah.

Pssst...Wanna buy Glen Grant?

Whyte & Mackay pulls out

You may recall that when approval was given to Pernod-Ricard to complete the purchase of Allied Domecq, it was based on the condition that they divest themselves of Glen Grant.

Glen Grant, while not a major brand here in the States, is the number one Scotch in Italy and the number two best selling malt whisky in the world (by volume). FYI, Italy tends to hover just under the top ten Scotch markets based on consumption.

Pernod already has a rock-star single malt in their line-up with The Glenlivet, one of the world’s best known Scotch brands. The Glenlivet is the number three best selling malt whisky in the world (by volume) and number one malt whisky in the US market (by sales).

Whyte & Mackay, which was ready to take Glen Grant off of Pernod's hands, has had a change of mind. The bottom line is that Whyte thinks the asking price for Glen Grant, at £75 million, is simply too high.

According to Whyte & Mackay Managing Director, Bob Brannan:

Glen Grant is not for us. The multiples being paid are very high and we have good brands of our own. It would strengthen us in  Italy, but it is not a priority market for us.

Despite the breakdown in the Glen Grant acquisition, Whyte is continuing to negotiate with Pernod on the acquisition of other brands - though neither side is specifying what those brands are, OR if they are even talking about Scotch whisky brands. Says Brannan:

There are certain brands likely to fall out of the Allied deal. They are on the disposals roster and we have conversations going on. We will look at brands that might not have been developed as much as they might have been or operate in certain key markets.

Potential Targets

If Pernod's Scotch brands are on the block, there are a few potential targets.

Pernod owned single malts: Aberlour, Benriach, GlenDronach, Glen Grant, Glen Keith, The Glenlivet, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla, and Tormore.

Pernod owned blends: Ballantine's (Worldwide) Chivas Regal (Worldwide), Clan Campbell (France, Spain, Italy), Passport (Spain, Brazil, South Korea, and the US),Royal Salute (UK), Something Special (South America, South Korea), and 100 Pipers (Spain, Thailand).

As far as Pernod’s structure is concerned, at this point, it appears that the Allied Domecq name will continue, if only as an operating unit, but how the brands themselves are divvied up in the Pernod portfolio has not been clarified as of yet.

The Glenlivet, Chivas Regal, and Ballantine’s are likely not for sale as Pernod identifies these three among its 14 key brands.

Laphroaig finds a new home

I was surprised that Pernod let Laphroaig go, as this still  leaves them without ownership of an Islay-based distillery, while competitor Diageo has two (Lagavulin & Caol Ila).

Laphroaig was instead acquired by US based Fortune Brands as part of the Allied buyout. (Teacher's, a well-known blended Scotch, was also acquired by Fortune.)

Laphroaig, despite its phenomenal growth and hardcore fan base, was something of a step-child under Allied. Now that it's moved to Fortune, I’ve been told that they view Laphroaig as a “tremendous brand.” We'll see if they will take steps to elevate the Islay distillery to its rightful place of honor as one of the "key brands."

The Whyte & Mackay line

Whyte & Mackay currently owns Isle of Jura, Dalmore, Tamnavulin, and Fettercairn single malts, as well as a number of regional blended  Scotch whiskies (most of whose names will not ring a bell to the US consumer).

They've been doing a great job trying to get mind-share amongst Scotch drinkers with Isle of Jura and The Dalmore (with such innovations as The Dalmore Cigar Malt and Jura Superstition), but the brands certainly are not top of mind to most consumers. Fortune Brands, which currently has US distribution rights to The Dalmore, seems to be doing an admirable job pushing the Dalmore line here in the US.

What now?

I think Whyte made the right choice by passing on Glen Grant. In my humble opinion, they'd be better off using the money to grab an A-list single malt or continuing to market their existing line. 

But this begs the question - Glen Grant has to go - who will step up to the plate with that big, big check?

Diageo is always waiting in the wings to pick up some bargains and grow their list of brands, but fair competition rules in UK and EU may limit the chances that Diageo would be able to acquire (or be interested in) Glen Grant. And there's always the question of Is Diageo Too Big?

Stay tuned, it is likely to get interesting.

Compass Box Gets It

In my last post I wrote about the imperative for introducing scotch to new drinkers.

And the way to do it is NOT to sell scotch as a great cocktail ingredient. It's to do new things.

John Glaser at Compass Box gets it. And as the company celebrates their fifth birthday, I think they'll continue to get it.

According to John, the company's real specialty is "the creation of a style of whiskies that a whole new generation of people are saying they really enjoy. Our whiskies are softer, slightly sweeter and richer -- a style more in line with the tastes of a generation brought up on California Chardonnay and Coca-Cola."

Wow. That's some more pretty heretical stuff. Make whiskies that people will try and like. Who would have thunk it? And from a vatter nonetheless!

Listen, I love peat. But if I want someone to try scotch, I'm not going to give them a Laphroaig their first time. (Except maybe the Cask Strength - damn that stuff is good!)

Will whisky made for the Pepsi generation damage the industry? I doubt it.
Is John producing "starter" scotch? By his own admission, yes.
Will this lead a Compass Box drinker to the "hard stuff?" Hopefully.

Keep up the great work, John! Oh, yeah. Happy Birthday.

By the way, if you've had any Compass Box, then you know it's not just for newbies.