An idiot’s guide to drinking whisky — except I’m the idiot
By Lesego Chepape
Alchemy: Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks, is in South Africa to launch the brand’s Triple Cask Reserve. Photos: Supplied
As we are having dinner at the Patat Restaurant, at the charming Swartberg Country Manor, an upmarket lodge outside Oudtshoorn, I pick up a sense of contentment.
There is a fire roaring in the hearth of this rambling farmhouse, built in 1864, and we are a small group of media hacks on this marvellous freebie, being pampered with delicious food and fine whisky.
But I keep noticing the avuncular Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks, taking anxious glances at his phone. I ask him what the problem is.
“Rangers are playing — and they have not scored a goal yet,” he replies, with genuine concern, in his Scottish burr.
I glance over at his screen and see that his Glasgow team is playing the Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv.
I don’t know much about football — other than the tension Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates cause in my household.
After some conversation around the table about the two teams, I figure out that this game is important for Dr Bill (as everyone calls him), seeing it is a Uefa Champions League qualifier for the Gers.
After a few glasses of whisky had given me some liquid courage, I offer up a prayer.
Lo and behold, Rangers score a few minutes after my powerful plea, drawing in the dying minutes of the match. I now know what I will be doing in my retirement.
However, that’s not why I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Bill, who holds a PhD in biochemistry and is renowned for his ability to create fascinating new flavours in single malts, using inventive cask finishes.
He is in South Africa to launch the Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve.
The name is self-explanatory — it is made from three barrels, a method that is rarely used in the Scotch whisky industry.
“There are two or three reasons for that. The least sexy answer is that I actually had quite a lot of these barrels in my stock profile which I kept for a rainy day,” Dr Bill tells us.
“Then, when I started to think more seriously about the product, I was wanting something to be an entry-level Glenmorangie. A Glenmorangie that was going to be at a more accessible price point.
“I thought that this would be for people who are maybe not whisky experts and are more likely to be making cocktails or adding soda.”
He says, for that reason, he wanted to make something more full-bodied.
“The new charred-oak barrels and the rye whisky barrels are more flavoursome than my normal bourbon barrels and that’s the reason why I used them.”
While I am an enthusiastic whisky drinker, I am not the glass-tilting, deep-sniffing type.
So, when I am sitting at a table with proper whisky drinkers, I panic a bit. I know that I have to observe and do as they do. And, just by observation, I think I might have figured out whisky drinking.
First, take a moment to appreciate the colour. Hold the glass up to the light and pretend you know what you’re doing.
Next, give it a gentle swirl. This releases the aromas, which is what the pros call the “nose”.
Stick your nose in the glass and take a sniff. You might pick up notes of caramel, vanilla or oak — or maybe it just smells like alcohol. That’s okay, too.
Finally, take a sip. Let it roll around your mouth before swallowing. You’ll likely feel a bit of warmth in your throat, which is part of the experience.
Try to pick out flavours, even if they’re vague.
“Hmm, I’m getting hints of vanilla and spice,” you might say. No one needs to know you’re just guessing.
To be honest, with the Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve, there were spicy notes and some fruity ones that I picked up after tasting it a couple of times.
It was delicious, and what makes it more special is the fact that it works itself perfectly into cocktails, preserving its bold notes.
One wonders how Dr Bill balances traditional whisky-making methods with modern innovations.
“I never allow myself to be handcuffed by tradition but I respect tradition. I try to do different things while still sticking broadly to the old-fashioned principles of whisky-making,” he says.
“It is about balance and I am finding more and more these days that your typical malt whisky consumer, who will generally be more knowledgeable about whisky than maybe a blended Scotch whisky drinker, they are constantly looking for something new and something different.
“If you become too old-fashioned and too traditional, and never want to do anything interesting, then your brand will become irrelevant to these people,” he says.
Whisky culture can feel like a secret club but there are a few basic etiquette tips I learnt at the table to keep in mind.
First, don’t chug your whisky. This isn’t a varsity party; whisky is meant to be sipped and savoured.
Second, don’t be afraid to ask questions. People who love whisky usually enjoy sharing their knowledge, and you might learn something useful.
Finally, avoid being too pretentious. No one likes a whisky snob — especially one who’s still learning the ropes.
“I think people sometimes take Scotch malt whisky a little bit too seriously and it’s great to show reverence toward it — it is an expensive luxury product — but, more than anything else, it should be fun.”
Those words from Dr Bill put me at ease, the panic subsides and I am ready to enjoy the whisky.
Having spent a bit of time with Dr Bill, who has a career spanning almost 40 years, you realise how much he cares about the craft.
“My long-suffering wife realises that I am not really married to her, I am married to Glenmorangie. Glenmorangie is my first love.
“I am in a very responsible position of being the current guardian of the quality and character of Glenmorangie.
“I want people to remember me with smiles on their faces and say that Bill made whisky but he was a lot of fun as well.”
In the end, whisky is meant to be enjoyed, not stressed over. Sure, there’s a lot to learn, and you might feel out of your depth at first, but that’s part of the fun.
Embrace the journey, make mistakes and don’t take yourself too seriously. With a little practice, you’ll go from whisky idiot to whisky enthusiast in no time — just like I’m doing. Tags: Dr Bill Lumsden, friday, Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve, rangers, South Africa, Whisky
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