A WORLD OF WHISKY COMES TO BEIRUT
The second edition of the world-renowned tasting event for whisky, Whisky Live Beirut, drew to a close on 21 October, after three successful days at Le Yacht Club – Beirut, Zaitunay Bay. Hosting more than 50 top whisky brands, the show attracted a crowd of more than 3,000 enthusiasts, eager to sample top-quality international whiskies in the company of over 20 brand ambassadors and experts
“Somebody I knew once said that when you add water to your whisky you should add it slowly so not to bruise it. This thing is 64 percent alcohol; nothing is going to hurt it,” joked Rob Allanson, the youngest and longest serving editor of Whisky Magazine and global ambassador of Whisky Live. “But do add water, because it unlocks all the long-chain esters, the flavor chains, so you’re getting the full effect.”
Allanson hosted a number of tastings, workshops and classes with unique bottles and brands at Whisky Live Beirut. “It allows you to taste an incredibly vast array of different whiskies under one roof and talk to the people that make them and explore,” he said. “If you’ve never tasted a Japanese whisky and can’t afford one, where else are you going to taste it? Whisky Live gives you that option and it has done across the world.”
With a number of the whiskies sampled having no age statements, Allanson said the belief that older whisky are better is rapidly disappearing internationally. “Older and darker does not mean better whisky,” he said. “A lot of whisky is being used and drunk; it depletes your stocks. It also allows you to play with your whiskies a bit more and create something where you’re not bound by an age statement because young whisky is quite fresh and exciting, particularly if you’re making a blend. You’re not bound by having to use really expensive, old whisky so it’s a trend we’ll see for a little while longer.”
The whisky scene is picking up globally and becoming more experimental, with a market for new and interesting creations. Over the next five years, the industry is set to grow exponentially, with Irish distilleries taking the lead.
“We’ll continue to see Irish whisky grow phenomenally; it’s the fastest growing sector in the whisky world right now,” Allanson explained. “We’ll see American bourbon and rye continue to grow, they are ramping up production as we speak and are making a lot more whisky, so I think we’ll see the interest in that continue to grow, particularly as they push into new markets.”
With the market always looking for the next new hit, non-scottish producers are carving a niche for themselves. “You’ll also see whiskies from non-traditional producing nations,” Allanson continued. “Sweden and India are producing some great whiskies at the moment and so is Australia, we’re only just discovering what they’re up to. I think in America there are five new distilleries opening every hour. People are learning more, drinking more and looking for different flavors and the next big thing.”
While the future of its success is still uncertain, barley terroir is rumored to be the next big thing in the industry, based on the idea that the climate, soil and environment of the region where the hops are grown will affect the taste of the alcohol. “The jury is still out because Bruichladdich is still experimenting with it; Mark Reynier, who used to own Bruichladdich, is now at Waterford in Ireland and he’s still just starting to experiment,” Allanson said. “What I can tell you is that in the bourbon world, there’s a company called Jebfore Creek and it’s making corn whisky out of red Bloody Butcher Corn that’s bright red and looks like a joke, but it really does change the taste of the whisky. It will be great to see it going forward, considering the terroir of where it comes from.”
In another development, a new law calling for stricter and more transparent labeling is currently being debated in the UK Parliament that could affect the market. “I think it’s great if you’re a producer, like Compass Box, that can pinpoint exactly what has gone into your blend, but if you’re like Johnnie Walker, with 52-60 different blends in there that might change on a regular basis, it’s not practical,” Allanson explained. “Apart from anything else, the costs of having to change labels almost week by week would be astronomical.”