HEART OF GOLD
IT’S EASY TO LOSE YOUR HEAD IN SCOTCH COUNTRY WHERE THE ROLLING GREENS AND VELVETY MALTS ALTER REALITY, FINDS PRACHI BHUCHAR
My head is spinning with disuse. Words such as washback, still, wort, head and dram are poking holes in my liquor knowledge. Casks of flavour going the whole range from vanilla and barley sugar to orange, peat, nutmeg and wood are being thrown at me with the casual arrogance that accompanies one familiar with the inner machinations of a distillery. Let’s get this out in the open: till I set foot in Speyside, Scotland, I had never consumed a single full glass of whisky. The amber spirit was dangerous territory and commanded an intensity and gravitas that I was not sure I could muster. But being in Scotland, retail shelves heavy with the weight of heritage, I fell in love with the idea of Scotch. The slim tasting glasses tint- ed with fire were daunting but a few shots down and the world shifted. After unleashing a heady, hot fire in the mouth, the liquid spun its vagrant magic, rewriting the alchemy of forgotten desire and inducing a looselimbed, all thumbs kind of wantonness that only comes from consuming the finest of whiskies.
We spun past acres of bumbling green, meadows matched in their lazy brilliance only by sheep that grew fat grazing on raw grass. The hay, honeysuckle, heather combine that is the heart of Scotland’s terrain is often replicated in its humble glasses that smell and taste of sweet Scotch. The full- throatiness of this liquor is at odds with the gentle countryside that nurtures its core ingredient, barley, along with happy cows and blasé sheep. Speyside, with its homogeneous slate and stone houses has a large number of distilleries and makes for an interesting vantage point for those looking to up the whisky game.
Begin your journey at the oldest operating distillery in Scotland, Strathisla. The statuesque pagoda-
shaped facade is shorn of all the trimmings associated with a modern distillery. Operating since 1786, it is one of the few that still processes malt in a traditional fashion in large wooden worts where yeast coaxes the sweetness out of the barley, making it accessible till the whisky breathes its last. The Chivas Brothers ( James and John) who owned a provisions store in Aberdeen bought over the Strathisla distillery in 1950, setting the tone for one of whiskies greatest stories. Today, Chivas Brothers, a subsidiary of liquor giant Pernod Ricard runs this distillery where two of its flagship brands, Chivas Regal and Royal Salute are distilled.
At Strathisla the generous malting, maturing and creating takes place in weathered containers and innocuous copper stills. The distilled liquor is poured into American oak casks that hungrily feed off the high, leaving behind a mellow, smoky whisky that combines dignity, age and heritage. The 25- year Chivas Regal, for example, offers an exquisite blend of some of the finest malt and grain whiskies that have been individually nosed and picked by the master blender, Sandy Hyslop who is considered the ultimate craftsman. Entering the Royal Salute vault housed within Strathisla is a telling lesson in history. Originally created as a fitting tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation in 1953, the whisky’s range begins at 21 years and is rich in its enduring association with royalty. Each bottle is embellished with the Chivas Brothers crest and comes beautifully packaged in the royal jewel- tones of sapphire, ruby and emerald. The years of sophisticated wizardry in an ageing cask create a distinct Scotch whisky with a velvet-head that slinks down your throat mindful of its royal antecedents. From Strathisla, wind your way down past Craigellachie where you are likely to catch wild salmon skimming the surface of the River Spey in a moment of wide- eyed wonder. This village serves as the gateway to several important distilleries, key among them being The Glenlivet, and many use it as a base to explore the area, go mountain hiking or hit a high on the Moran malt whisky trail. As the whisky pecking order goes, the single malt is the god of all things amber, and The Glenlivet is top of the list. Literally in the middle of nowhere, take a romantic walk down a slim road hemmed in by the brightest green to get to the new distillery ( launched to up production in 2010) which is a neat and clean building defying the frenzied work within. The spirit here is aged in bourbon barrels that give The Glenlivet its distinctive texture and aroma. By the time it is bottled and put on a shelf it has drawn on the collective memories of the barrel it is aged in, picking up a hint of whimsy, the woodiness of oak and the promise of spice and fruit as well. History has it that the glen of the Livet ( the area where the distillery is located) had an abundance of illegal distilleries in the 1800s and all of them drew on the ‘ Glenlivet’ title, given its geographical location. This area is
known for its fresh spring water and cool climate and this is said to have contributed greatly to the quality of the delicate whiskies being produced here. The Smiths who founded the distillery that went on to become The Glenlivet applied for a patent on the name in 1880 and ever since, The Glenlivet distinguished itself from other distilleries that go by the same name. The company was acquired by Seagram in 1977, and subsequently by Pernod Ricard. According to the Chivas Brothers’ international brand ambassador, Alex Robertson, “The history surrounding the distilleries and its origins are fascinating and give you a perspective of what the brand is all about when you swig that drink.”
The distillery building also houses an informative whisky museum, a cafe and a gift shop and makes for a good outing. While on tour, also visit the dram room where you get to taste aged whisky straight from a cask. The exciting thing about The Glenlivet distillery is that you get to see the exact same process as in Strathisla with minor tweaks and in a completely modern environment. The setting is perfect and even if you are not a whisky fan, the heritage of the brands seduce you into believing it is the only drink worth its weight in gold.
Speyside is easy to fall in love with because the combination of passion, spirit and contemplation feeds the weary soul. Suddenly the world of malt, yeast and fresh spring water does not seem like it belongs solely in the lives of others. By day four as I sit down on the tasting table, my tongue is accustomed to seeking the best flavours the whisky imparts, ignoring those that draw out weaknesses in me. As Sandy Hyslop, the master blender explains, “Each individual will find something unique in the same glass of whisky. Appreciating a malt is a very personal thing and it can never taste the same for any two people.”
Given the liberty to conjure up almost any ingredient as I taste, my imagination goes wild and I find myself suggesting smoke, summer and even solitude in a glass even though I know I am treading on dangerous territory. While the lure of a chilled glass of white wine remains, Scotland works its charm; my whisky initiation is for the moment complete.