Story by Cara Devine. Cara is our Melbourne-based drinks author. She is the supervisor of Bomba in Melbourne and the face and expertise behind the cocktailing YouTube channel Behind the Bar. You’ll be able to e mail her at behindthebarchannel@gmail.com
Images by Fred Siggins
With my Scottish heritage, individuals usually assume that I used to be raised sipping on single malts the identical approach French kids are launched to watered-down wine with dinner. It’s true that my Granny deployed the whisky on the gum’s approach for teething (and likewise in an try to boost my goldfish from the lifeless, however that’s a narrative for one more time) however the reality is that I’m sufficiently old that whisky was simply not trendy in my youth. It was my Grandpa’s era, who would nurse ‘hauf and haufs’ (a nip of blended whisky and a half pint of lager) in pubs named issues like Chicken within the Hand whereas perusing the newspaper. Fortunately, I’ve discovered the sunshine later in life; the identical can’t be mentioned for my father, who has to politely push drams in my route when poured by bartenders excited by his accent on his journeys to Australia – he a lot prefers a G&T, for anybody taking notes.
My journey is mirrored within the whisky world on the whole. After a couple of many years within the wilderness, whereas vodka and dry white wine reigned supreme, whisky is again, child. And, after all, this renewed curiosity has been welcomed with open arms by its non secular dwelling – Scotland. On a latest journey dwelling, it was clear the vacationer trade was booming with whisky tourism specifically enjoying a key half. In fact all the large gamers are current and proper – the brand new Johnnie Walker expertise in Edinburgh is a mecca to malt – however there’s additionally a brand new era bringing innovation each to the spirit itself and the way in which it’s introduced, making it clear that the Land of the Courageous doesn’t need to relaxation on its laurels with the rise of worldwide opponents.
The primary written reference to the manufacturing of Scotch is available in tax data in 1494: “Eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor wherewith to make aqua vitae.” In fact, us naughty Scots had undoubtedly been making aqua vitae beforehand, so this extra marks the top of…shall we embrace, our self-appointed tax exemption. The location this was in reference to is Lindor’s Abbey, and the abbey ruins nonetheless stay however at the moment are adorned by a shiny new distillery and customer’s centre by the identical title. Whereas nonetheless younger, the spirit is nice and they’re enjoying with attention-grabbing cask finishes (throughout the strict guidelines that govern Scotch whisky – they must be oak casks, as an illustration). I even spied some Australian wine casks which had made the lengthy trek over. In addition they have an aqua vitae, a recreation of the kind of spiced whisky (‘botanical spirit’, as they characterise it) as would have been in vogue once they first entered the historical past books, utilizing spices, dried fruit and regionally grown inexperienced herbs similar to Douglas fir and candy cicely, a enjoyable and fashionable interpretation of an historical model.
As customers have turn into extra discerning, continually looking for one thing ‘completely different’, we have now seen an increase of unbiased bottlers. ‘Indies’, as they’re affectionately identified, select a cask that they like from a distillery and purchase it. They may then bottle it immediately, or they age it longer themselves, very often in numerous casks than the distillery itself normally makes use of.
In Edinburgh, I ran into a well-recognized face – Conor O’Keeffe spent a while in Melbourne at gold customary whisky bars similar to The Kilburn and Whisky & Alement earlier than heading again North and taking on distilling. He’s at Holyrood distillery, a metropolis distillery with a large deal with innovation, particularly in relation to yeast strains, a variable which is commonly little mentioned and performed with within the whisky world. “Our mission from day one has been to create advanced and engaging whisky at any age. To do that we use specialty and heritage malts alongside diversified yeast strains from the worlds of brewing, wine, spirits and even baking.” I attempted some new makes utilizing sake yeast, and the yeast utilized in making mezcal, and each had the simple flavour fingerprints of sake and mezcal. It was fairly weird, and thrilling! Undoubtedly one to observe.
As customers have turn into extra discerning, continually looking for one thing ‘completely different’, we have now seen an increase of unbiased bottlers. ‘Indies’, as they’re affectionately identified, select a cask that they like from a distillery and purchase it. They may then bottle it immediately, or they age it longer themselves, very often in numerous casks than the distillery itself normally makes use of. This can be a response to the home model and consistency that ‘unique bottlings’ (whisky put out by the distilleries themselves) attempt for. These bottlings are sometimes somewhat quirky, normally bottled as single cask and cask power, or near.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is among the most well-known. They’ve been bottling single casks for near 40 years, and a go to to their ‘vaults’ in Leith is a near-religious expertise. With esoteric names similar to ‘Fisherman’s Pals on the Seaside’ and ‘Buttery Baked Corn on the Cob’ the main target could be very a lot on the flavour of the liquid and their archives supply an outline of fixing whisky kinds and tastes.
The very best choice of indies I discovered was at Casc bar in Aberdeen, the place your complete really feel of the venue mimics the ‘breath of recent air’ model of indies. Rock music blasts, and an enormous faucet record of craft beer means that you can select the proper lambic, saison or Scotch ale to pair along with your dram. No chesterfields and stuffiness right here, though there are cigars.
Scotland has a tricky job; the best way to keep related with out shedding connection to the historical past that made it an trade heavyweight and a whisky vacation spot to start with? From what I noticed, they’re doing an amazing job. Sure, I’ll have a ‘hauf and hauf’, however what’s in my glass could also be somewhat extra attention-grabbing than what was in my Grandpa’s.
