The Scotch Blog

The Lazarus Syndrome

I recently had a chance to chat with Dr. David Thomson, who is the chairman of MMR Research, a professor at Reading University, and the new owner of the long silent Annandale distillery.

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A brief history of the Annandale Distillery

Originally established in 1830 by George Donald & Co., Annandale was run by the Donald family until 1882 when it was leased to John Gardner. Alfred Barnard visited the distillery while it was under the purview of Mr. Gardner, and his impressions are included below.

In 1893, the expanding John Walker & Sons acquired a distillery called Cardhu (which is still a primary single malt ingredient in their ubiquitous blends). In 1896, John Walker & Sons acquired their second distillery - Annandale. But they didn't hold onto it for very long in the grand scheme of things - mothballing the distillery in 1919 and closing it for good in 1921.

The site became a fram and the distillery itself has remained shuttered until this acquisition.

You can read more about Annandale in Brian Townsend's Scotch Missed and in Misako Udo's The Scottish Whisky Distilleries.

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Barnard's Take on Annandale (circa 1885-1886)

ANNANDALE DISTILLERY, ANNANDALE, DUMFRIESSHIRE.
PROPRIETORS, JOHN S. GARDNER & SON.

After resting and refreshing ourselves at Dumfries, we resumed our journey southwards, and made our next stoppage at Annan, the capital of Annandale. It stands on the high road from Dumfries to Carlisle, is a royal burgh, and one of the cleanest and pleasantest towns we have seen in the Lowlands.

Annandale, from whence the distillery takes its name, is really the valley of the river Annan, commonly called the How of Annandale, and one of the most garden-like districts in Scotland. The soft bright landscape of luxuriant green, of clustering foliage, of rich verdant pastures, gives to this valley the appearance of English scenery. The river Annan, which rises in the Hartfell mountains, runs a course of thirty miles through this valley into the Solway Firth. We drove 11 miles from the hotel to the Distillery, along a pretty country road, from which we diverged down a private carriage-way, crossing a bridge over the Annan Burn, and found ourselves at the gates of the works.

Excerpt from "The Business of Spirits" - America’s Confusing Three-Tier System

For the longest time, I've been meaning to do a story on the "3-Tier system" which affects the distribution of alcoholic beverages in the United States - and is the very reason that some tadty beverages are not available in your state - while they are available right across the state boundary.

Luckily enough, I was just sent a review copy of a new book by Noah Rothbaum called The Business of Spirits.  The book is a great introduction to the byzantine world of Spirits and how they are marketed in the U.S.

In the book, Noah talks to a number of notable folks in the industry and includes backgrounds on many of the personalities and iconic products.

In the first chapter, Noah has an excellent overview of the origin of our 3-tier system. This chapter immediately drew me in to the book. I thought: "Why not just get Noah to do an excerpt of the book for us?"

Below is the except from that first chapter of his book.

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America’s Confusing Three-Tier System and the Legacy of Prohibition.

An excerpt from the new book The Business of Spirits by Noah Rothbaum

To get to the storeroom of New York’s legendary ‘21’ Club, cross the dining room with its constellation of corporate and sports memorabilia,  slip through the bustling kitchen, and head down a flight of steep  stairs. There, in an unremarkable brick-lined hallway, is a  pencil-sized hole. Insert an 18-inch piece of wire into it, and like  something out of an Indiana Jones movie, a two-and-a-half-ton hidden  door swings open, revealing a fine spirits and wine collection. This  hidden storeroom was built during Prohibition and is actually below the  adjoining townhouse (19 West 52nd Street). It was constructed so the  owners could truthfully say that there wasn’t any alcohol on the  premises if the restaurant was raided.
 
But this quaint relic of Prohibition isn’t the only legacy of that era,  which still haunts the United States. Almost 75 years after Congress  overwhelmingly passed the 21st Amendment ending the 13-year period of  Prohibition, the U.S. is still trying to figure out how to regulate the  sale of alcohol. This is particularly troublesome given the fact that  the spirits industry is now booming and sales are increasing every year.
 
The problem stems from the fact that the 21st Amendment only repealed the 18th Amendment; it didn’t spell out exactly how alcohol sales would  be controlled. Congress left those decisions up to the individual  states. As a result, the United States has an almost incomprehensible  patchwork of alcohol-related laws that vary greatly from state to state  and sometimes county to county. No two states have exactly the same  laws regarding alcohol.

Father of our country; Whiskey peddler

I was invited to the opening ceremony for the George Washington Distillery on Friday March 30th in Mount Vernon, Virginia.

It was a very nice event - yet a little too politically focused for my tastes. There were way too many speeches - the Director of Historic Mount Vernon; the head of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association; The President of the Distilled Spirits Council; the chairman of the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Council; a  Virginia State Senator; John Manfreda from the Alcohol Tax & Trade Bureau; and more. Yet somehow Virginia Governor Tim Kaine didn't deem it important enough to attend.

F'ing politicians.

Best of: The Big Fellow

Background

Developed by Sidney Frank with the partnership and whiskey production expertise of the Cooley Distillery, Michael Collins has been released in two versions, a Blend and a Single Malt. Michael Collins was developed for the U.S. market, but will be available at select upscale retailers as well as Duty Free in Ireland.

The whiskey is named in honor of "The Big Fellow" who spearheaded the fight for Irish independence and who was assassinated in 1922 at the age of 31. Both are bottled at 40% and aged in small oak casks to accelerate the maturation process.

Coffee. But better...

Today's story comes from guest writer L. Borger.

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Before there were double frappacinos and caramel macchiato, there was Irish Coffee, perhaps the first popular flavored coffee drink.  Each year since this creamy concoction was invented new consumers discover it as a delicious way to warm up a cold winter day.  In fact the drink was invented back in the  1930’s to welcome-and to warm up the first transatlantic travelers.

It was the dawn of transatlantic plane travel, when a trip from America across the Atlantic was only possible on an 18-hour flight by “flying boat.” On landing, passengers were ferried from these early seaplanes, arriving chilled and damp at Foynes Airport in County Limerick, Ireland.  By 1942, a restaurant had been established at the airport to welcome the travelers, which by then included such VIP’s as Humphrey Bogart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Edward G. Robinson, Ernest Hemmingway and Douglas Fairbanks.

My bottle is bigger than yours

At the Park Grill dinner I attended during the New York Whisky Fest, Michael Urquhart of Gordon and MacPhail was discussing the range of G&M available in the US:

The challenge we have is that 700 ml is not a permitted size, so we have to bottle at 750. Here we have about 155 different expressions so it's quite a wide range - whiskies from all different areas of Scotland. But if you were able to have the laws changed to have a 700 ml bottle permitted, your choices would increase by three-fold overnight.

He was referring to was the fact that the "standard" bottle in the US is a 750 milliliter (ml) bottle while in Europe the standard is 700 ml.

I wondered..."Why do we use 750 ml bottles here in the US and why don't we simply import the 700 ml bottles." After all, 50 ml, isn't a large amount of liquid - in fact, it is equivalent to the contents of a standard "airplane" or mini bottle and equates to just a single (good-sized) dram or 1.69070113 ounces. So what's the issue?

St. Andrew's Day

Happy St. Andrew's Day!

Laphroaig is recycling their St.Andrew's site again, so I thought I'd recycle last year's story.

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Laphroaig seems to be developing quite a sense of humor. Is it new owner Fortune/Jim Beam, or was it always there bubbling just below the surface? Maybe Bruichladdich's quirky sense of humor is coming cross island.

Who knows, but they make some damn fine whisky. Heck, there's nothing from Islay that I don't like (nice double negative, huh?), but Laphroaig just holds a special place in my heart.

Screw (Cap) This [Pt. 2]

Continuing our look at the cork and its place in Scotch...

I also got in touch with a representative from Amorim one of the largest manufacturers in the world, based in Portugal. Deborah Guimaraens is the sales manager for Bar Top Corks also called "T-Corks."

My job is to sell a particular type of cork called bar top corks. These corks have a cork body/shank attached to some type of top that can be made of plastic, wood, metal and other materials.

What I can say, is that the main reason corks are used in whisky or spirits is because, in theory, no-one drinks a whole bottle at once. Hence, you need a special cork that can be easily reinserted into the bottle. Bar top corks are not compressed during bottling as in wine corks. Their diameter should be 1 to 1.5 mm wider than the bottle neck in order to fulfill it's purpose as a closure, to ensure a good fit. This means that the consumer can easily open and close the bottle using the same cork, without having to use a cork screw and without running the risk of falling particles into the spirit. Cork as a raw material also has the wonderful ability to deal with small bottle irregularities, very common in spirits - particularly in small producers who buy small bottle runs. For an irregular bottle a cork closure is by far the most efficient.

The other big reason for using a cork in a spirit is for consumer differentiation. If you look at the whisky market as a whole, the premium whiskies are all in cork, and the standard blends are all in screw cap. It's an image thing. I am sure the marketing experts from any large whisky company can give you precise reasons, they probably have market studies to prove this I am sure.

TCA does affect whisky of course the same way it affects all beverages. The difference in whisky is that the TCA level has to be a lot higher - in it's 20's at least - before it's detected by the human nose.

This is because the fumes of the whisky overpower the TCA on the nose, it is more easily detectable on the palate. The TCA threshold varies enormously with the flavour profile of the whisky, for example you would probably detect it more readily in a Dewar's than you would in a Talisker.

We don't have specific studies concerning the affect of TCA on whisky as our corks go into many many types of spirits and fortifieds and, as you know, the variety in enormous.

At Whisky Live New York, I talked about corks in some detail with Ian Millar, Distillery Manager and Chief Ambassador for Glenfiddich.

KE - Let's talk corks. The Glenfiddich 12 uses a screw top while the rest of your expressions use cork.

IM - The perception of the consumer is that cork is quality...so we've been thinking about moving the 12 year old to cork as well. But cork brings with it some issues.

If you look at the wine trade right now a lot of the new world wines are actually going away from corks to synthetics - the seal is good and you don't get so many returns or consumer issues in relation to a spoiled cork.

The Balvenie 10 year old, which is our biggest seller with a cork, gets a lot of complaints about spoiled corks.

KE - IS this a real problem, or just baseless complaints?

IM - No, We take the whisky back, and you can smell it. So we've been looking at bottling with a synthetic cork. But the problem with synthetic cork is that they haven't been through a trial. You'd have to test the product in the bottle and how do you simulate that for 40 years?

So, though we'd like to move the 12 to cork, keep in mind - Glenfiddich 12 outsells Balvenie 10, eight bottles to one. And we are already having lots issues with the corks in the 10, so we want to be sure, before we make such a move. Remember, we are a big company and we bottle a lot of product. The Glenfiddich 12 is a high speed line, and we'd have to make massive changes to the line to incorporate cork.

But we are getting a lot of mixed messages - the wine trade and a few others are looking at moving away from cork to synthetics and screw tops. At the same time we know we can't move away from cork to synthetic because of a lack of data showing how well they'll work long-term. So we'd be taking a big chance. So for now, we will wait and see how things settle, before we make our next move.

If synthetics are proven, or screw caps become more socially acceptable, and it blows any quality perception issues out of the water, we could more more products to screw caps.

KE - Well tell me, how long have you been with a screw cap on the 12?

IM - Forever.

KE - Exactly. So a screw top is obviously not cutting into your sales, so why even think about going to a cork on the 12?

IM - It's easy to settle for what you've got, but we want more. And the only way to get more, is to keep on improving. And to show the consumer that you're making every effort to improve the quality of what you produce, both inside the bottle and how attractive it looks, and how it is packaged are all factors in the perception.

KE - But do you think there is a problem with the perception of the quality of the 12? And if there IS a problem with the perception, will a cork change that?

IM - If I look at a wine bottle, and I see it has a screw top on it, it almost puts me off buying it.

KE - I agree with you.

IM - So that perception is already there. Two products sitting on a shelf, one with a screw-top, one with a cork, that might push a consumer to buy one over the other. And that affects their perception of quality. The packaging is all about selling that first bottle. That taste is what sells the second, the third bottle. So you've got to get that first impression right. It's all in the packaging.

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I must admit, I like pulling out a cork, it really is quite satisfying...but apparently, aside from my own satisfaction, the cork isn't bringing anything to the party.

I must also admit, that recently I was served an Australian wine that, while pretty damn good, I was irked to pay $60 for something with a screw cap.

Obviously, there are cost savings to the industry. I wonder, though, if moving to screw tops would result in any discernible reduction in the price to my favorite malts. I wonder if the cost differential is big enough to pass on, or this would be pure profit to the distillers?

We will see where the industry goes - and how consumers respond to the (inevitable??) move.

Hope that answers your question Jody...

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Thanks to Jimmy Robertson (Morrison-Bowmore), Jim McEwan & Mark Reynier (Bruichladdich), John Glaser (Compass Box), Marty Duffy (Diageo), Dave Robertson (JMR), Graham Eunson, (Glenmorangie), Ian Millar (Glenfiddich), Deborah Guimaraens (Amorim) and Neil Macdonald (Chivas Brothers) for their input.

Screw (Cap) This [Pt. 1]

Over at Whisky101 (the reader participation wing of The Scotch Blog) Jody Cairns asks:

How about an article behind the usefulness (or lack thereof) of corks? Do they serve any practical purpose? Are they only a marketing gimmick? I suspect it's all about perception, but then you'd think why don't the bottlers of blends adopt using corks, too? Is there a marketing agreement between single-malts and blend bottlers to permit only single-malts the use of corks?
I look forward to reading any insight you can bring about the subject.

Ah, the age old question of the cork. Corks have a long history with Scotch - before the screw cap was invented, all bottles were sealed with cork. Plus, there's an undeniable, emotionally satisfying aspect to pulling out a cork - as opposed to screwing off a cap.

But don't whisky producers face some of the same issues faced by wine makers?

What about TCA taint?
If you are not also a wine drinker, you may not be familiar with the concept of "cork taint" which is a very real bacterial issue affecting as much as 2-5% of bottled wines. A bottle of wine that has cork taint is generally referred to as being "corked."

The following explanation of cork taint in wine comes paraphrased from The Wine Steward:

All natural cork contains traces of a bacterial compound known as Trichloroanisole, or “TCA” for short. When it occurs at a certain level (literally just a few parts per trillion) it imparts a “taint” to the wine.

In the early stages of TCA spoilage, only those especially sensitive to the taint can detect it. Rather than an aroma or flavor, there is initially only a “dumbing” of the wine’s original fruit character; it is simply not all that it should be. With more time, the spoilage develops to something almost anyone can sense: A “wet newspaper” mustiness that has completely replaced the wine’s original aromas and flavors. This is not damage you can actually see; other structural flaws are to blame for leaky or brittle corks.

We might assume that cork taint also presents a problem for any whisky which uses a cork - but this is apparently not an issue that concerns some in the industry:

In 43 years of distilling, blending, coopering, cask warehousing, countless tastings with IWSC [International Wine & Spirit Competition] and ISC [International Spirits Challenge], and thousands of bottles sold, I have only ever found a handful of bottles that were corked.

Did you know that from the seventeenth century until the mid 1970s all maturing casks had cork bungs - it was only when racked warehouses were introduced that oak bungs were used to seal the casks.

So, if cork was a problem surely, over the course of 300 years, someone would have spotted the problem. Or could it simply be that the distillers and blenders of yester-year were not nearly as clever as today's “experts”?

The reason cork was used was to enable the cask to breath - which helped to stop the build-up of pressure within the cask. Such a build-up could cause leakage where a weak spot may have been in the cask.

Corked whisky is now the latest blog baby . How did we ever make it this far without such experts? Whats next? Plastic bottles ?

Sorry, I could go on but I need a strong dram from a bottle with a cork.
Jim McEwan

There are some dissenting opinions about this:

Whiskies can be corked (have "cork taint"), just like wine. This is a fact. I can show you examples.
John Glaser

Cork cause problems. TCA and dissolved cork are a reality if the liquid lies against the cork for any length of time.

We have 100 year old bottles of Cognac at Berry's but they have been standing all that time. No rest for great Spirits.
Ronnie Cox

Perhaps the cork allows the whisky to breathe?
Nope. In case you didn't know, whisky ceases to mature once removed from the cask - unlike wine which continues to mature and evolve (and eventually devolve), helped along by the oxidation effects of air that is allowed in through the cork:

The cork in a bottle of Scotch does not act as it does in wine and permit further breathing. The moment that the spirit is decanted from the cask and filled to glass the breathing and ageing process ceases.
Jimmy Robertson

As Jim McEwan stated above, cork bungs were used in casks at one time, and the purpose was to allow the cask to breathe. At Glenmorangie, they are still using them:

I think cork, as you suggest, does have a perception of quality rather than any actual benefit when used in bottling.  - we do however still use it for our cask bungs (although not exclusively anymore as it's very hard to get -so now only when refilling a cask already "soft" bunged ie 2nd fill) -  we believe it allows the cask to breath easier and reduces any pressure that may build up on warmer days.
Graham Eunson

Let's talk about Blends
To clarify things - there is no agreement between single malts and blended whiskies concerning corks. Glenfiddich 12 and Grant's use screw caps, while many of the higher end blends (JW Gold, JW Blue, Chivas Royal Salute) use corks.

Blended scotches used corks as well back in the day, but they were selling faster than single malts and being consumed faster than single malts - so when the much cheaper twist offs were invented in the early 1900's, they were adopted for blends.

It was thought that a cork provided better long term protection for a whisky, so the single malts kept them - since most consumers, even now, parcel it out. 

Most bars today will go through more Johnnie Walker Black Label in a week than most single malts in a year, so long term storage is not an issue with blends.
Marty Duffy

Economics plays its part
Screw tops are much cheaper to make - a fraction of the cost of corks. And since most blends require highly specific cost targets to meet the price points for different tiers - that equals no corks in the mass market blends.

Security, as well

These are parts of the world where fraudulent use and counterfeiting mean it is preferable to use bottles with a non refillable closure - this helps stop the bottle being refilled with cheaper whisky.
Neil Macdonald

So why not use screw caps on Single Malts - don't they face the same issues?

Corks have traditionally been used on Scotch whiskies and I guess the idea of moving away from them, like with wine, would be considered a down market move.    
Mark Reynier

Interesting question and it seems to be a covention that quality whiskies use corks - mainly because they are seen as a strong indicator of quality. Also there is a definite tactile pleasure when you hear the gentle "thwock" of a cork being drawn out of the bottle - something a screwcap just does not emulate.
Neil Macdonald

$30 + for a bottle of malt so most maketers/brands/companies believe that cork is king for this. Personally we use them in JMR bottles 'cause we love the popping sound they make when you open and close the bottle!
Dave Robertson

It's very straightforward in my view. It's all about another of our senses SOUND. Sound is an important part of the ritual. The wondeful pop each time - rather than the one time metallic "crack".
Ronnie Cox

John Glaser is passionate about cork - or actually, the need to move away from cork. Is John trying to cut costs? I doubt it, John is also quite passionate about using the finest woods to age his whisky, so I know cost isn't a factor in his decisions...

There is no doubt:  the Scotch whisky industry continues to use cork on super premium whiskies ONLY because of consumer perception.  The common consumer perception is that cork is superior closure suitable for better, more expensive products.

Why do we use cork?  It's a traditional and historically effective closure for bottles, especially wine bottles that require small amounts of oxidation over many years.

There is no economic and certainly no product quality-driven reason for Scotch whisky bottlers to use cork anymore.

Synthetic corks can work, but have two problems: 1) after repeated opening and closing, the silicon wears off and the corks get stuck; and 2) biodegradability.

The Scotch whisky industry should be moving away from cork, if they care about the quality of their products, just like winemakers around the world are increasingly moving away from cork.

Now, you'll be wondering why we (Compass Box) still use cork.  First, I'll say that our long term plan is to move to screw cap (unless a better option comes along).  Secondly, I should say I used synthetic cork when I first started the company, but was faced with the two issues above. 

So, why still use cork?  The economics of being a small company.  To move to screw cap, we would have to pay many tens of thousands of pounds to design and create molds for a custom screw cap, given the bottle we use.  We simply cannot afford that.  So, we will move to a screw cap or better alternative in the future, when we can afford it.

For a big company brand, the switch would be considered cheap and no big deal.  And here's the kicker:  screw caps (after amortising the cost of design and molds and bottling line change parts...no biggy for a big brand) are CHEAPER than corks!  (Assuming you haven't designed a screwcap out of marble or some such thing!). 

The problem for big brands, is what I stated at top: consumer perception.  They're scared.  And so far there is no super premium malt brand willing to take this chance.  We will, one day...

Marty Duffy concurs:

A screw top would, I believe, take some of the romance out of it, which is why they have stayed with it for so long in the first place. But the use of cork may change in the future.  Like wines, they are finding that screw tops may actually work better than cork - plus cork is getting rare & expensive.

I had so much good input, I've split this into a two-part story. Stay tuned for next week's installment when we talk to Ian Millar about Glenfiddich's plans for the future, as well as the Sales Manager from Amorim...a provider of corks to the Scotch industry...

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Thanks to Jimmy Robertson (Morrison-Bowmore), Jim McEwan & Mark Reynier (Bruichladdich), John Glaser (Compass Box), Marty Duffy (Diageo), Dave Robertson (JMR), Graham Eunson, (Glenmorangie), Ian Millar (Glenfiddich), Deborah Guimaraens (Amorim) and Neil Macdonald (Chivas Brothers) for their input.

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.

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* 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.