The wonders of whisky with connoisseur Michael Fraser Milne
Michael Fraser Milne is part of a cadre of spirits-savvy professionals whose life’s work has been to teach people about the wonders of whisky. But for the Scottish-born Christchurch-based whisky evangelist, it’s all about the people who make it and drink
LOCAL WHISKY CONNOISSEUR AND AMBASSADOR Michael Fraser Milne of Christchurch’s Whisky Galore emporium lives and breathes whisky. He has compiled almost three decades in the industry talking about the spirit he loves and grew up with.
Known for his broad accent, traditional Scottish moustache and impressive array of kilts, Michael is recognised as New Zealand’s most foremost authority on Scotch whisky. It ’s taken him all over the world. In 2019 he was anointed a Master of the Quaich, the highest award presented in the world of Scotch whisky and one of only 150 worldwide.
Brought up in rural Strathspey, Banffshire, in the heart of one of Scotland’s premier Scotch producing areas, Michael is immensely proud of his Scottish roots. As a youngster, he got a weekend job at the local distillery cleaning out the cooperage; though at the time, Michael says it wasn’t of any particular interest.
Together with his great uncle, Hector, Michael’s father had a grain and seed business that was involved in whisky. While his early appreciation for Scotch came through his family, his interest in the industry didn’t pique until much later.
Not knowing what he wanted to do for a career, he spent time in the army, working on North Sea oil rigs, in security and travelling, before meeting a Kiwi lass in Scotland, which drew him down under. ‘I was really interested in rural life and New Zealand looked like an attractive place to farm,’ says Michael.
After arriving in New Zealand Michael set up a Scottish travel company running golf and whisky tours. It became obvious there was a gap in the market here for quality single malt whiskies, so he and new wife, Stella, started importing small quantities through the old family business. ‘When I started here it was a very handy contact. Everyone in the north of Scotland knew my father. Whisky pulled it all together for me; it kept me in touch with my family. It started out as a hobby that’s gone bad.’
Before long the whisky importing business had outgrown his travel agency. ‘We were importing just enough to be a nuisance. It just got bigger and bigger, and then it started getting in the way,’ explains Michael. ‘In those days we were farming 80 hectares and Stella was teaching as well. The farm was unirrigated and wasn’t quite big enough to make it work. In the end it came down to a business decision. We had to make the decision to go into it 100 per cent or give it up, so we decided to go in 100 per cent.’
They opened a tiny shop in Colombo Street,
Christchurch in 2003, eventually moving across the road until the earthquakes flattened both blocks. They then moved temporarily to Victoria Street before moving back to their current purpose-built premises on Colombo Street, which stocks around 1,400 whiskies, complete with tasting room.
Motivated by a desire to spread the whisky gospel,
Michael has done literally thousands of tastings over the years across the length and breadth of the country, consulted globally and started New Zealand’s premier whisky festival, DramFest, back in 2007.
Held biennially, DramFest was Michael’s way of giving whisky enthusiasts from around the country the opportunity to learn more about the amber elixir, meet the people behind the brands and talk to experts in the field. It continues to grow; this year’s event attracted more than 2,500 enthusiasts trying 350 different whiskies.
But despite New Zealand’s long association with Scotch, Michael says it was a hard sell in the beginning. Though people drank blended whiskies, the market was small but appreciative. Back then, as in many countries, Scotch was losing ground to white spirits. ‘It was hard in those first few years. If Stella hadn’t been working perhaps we wouldn’t have made it. It’s only recently that it’s started to get back on track.’
To the uninitiated, all whisk(e)y is the same, but it’s not the case, explains Michael. Whisky (spelled without the ‘e’) has a long history with monks bringing distilling techniques to Ireland and Scotland sometime between 1100 and 1300. It was originally used as a medicine, both as an internal anaesthetic and an external antibiotic. The word whisky is derived from a Scots Gaelic term, uisge beatha, which is often translated as ‘the water of life’.
Scotch is the only drink that has a comprehensive list of rules that defines what it is, says Michael. ‘Scotch whisky has an Act of Parliament, the 1909 Scotch Whisky Act which states “what is Scotch”. The Irish spell it without the “e” as a point of difference. But it’s more than just the “e”, there are other differences.’
To be Scotch it must be made in Scotland, made from mostly malted barley and aged in oak barrels for three years or more. However, single malt whiskies are normally matured for 10 years up to an incredible 78 years in the cask.
Although American whiskies are made from a similar process of distilling and fermentation, Michael says there are more differences than commonalities between the two. ‘They are like chalk and cheese. Even the single malts from over there are different.’
According to law, Bourbon whiskey, named from the Bourbon County in Kentucky, must be made from 51 per cent corn and in virgin charred oak casks. Other grains used are rye, barley, and mild wheat.
‘There’s simply no substitute for Scotch,’ says Michael.
‘It seems impossible to replicate. A Scotch single malt is a complex spirit. They have a great complexity and there’s a scale to it. There’s such a variety of flavour and style, there seems to
Whisky has a long history with monks bringing distilling techniques to Ireland and Scotland sometime between 1100 and 1300.
be something for every palate and every occasion. The flavour we are getting out of them is far beyond any other spirit.’
Whisky has gone through a resurgence in recent years with new distilleries opening around New Zealand and the world. It’s slowly shredding its image of being an old man’s drink. When the Fraser Milnes started whisky evenings back in 1995, it was a male 45-plus clientele, whereas the youth factor was becoming more dominant – and more females, he explains.
‘There’s so much quality Scotch to choose from. People are drinking less, therefore they are drinking better. They are fussier. It’s all about appreciating and getting the most out of it and maybe spending a bit more and making it last a bit longer.’
Hosting whisky tastings remains one of Michael’s most favoured ways of sharing the whisky love. He describes it as the most ‘people-centric of drinks’.
‘There is no snobbishness with whisky. It brings everyone together, giving you an egalitarian feeling. There’s nothing better than to see our big whisky tasting table filled with people from all walks of life, brain surgeon on one side, builder on the other.’
At a tasting Michael strives to get the audience as excited as he is by the flavours and aromas in the glass. It’s all about the nose, the palate and then adding a drop or two of water to help reveal the flavours. ‘People make it sound more than it is. It’s not complicated. Anyone can do it as long as you apply yourself.’
Michael credits a lot of his success to his relentless quest for knowledge. In the world of whisky, he says you never stop learning. ‘I don’t think I know everything. I’m always looking for that next bit of knowledge and expertise. I’m always picking stuff up.’
But the dram aside, Michael says the main reason he loves whisky is the people. He can’t overestimate the importance of human connections. ‘It’s intriguing. It’s really a people industry, from the people that make it, buy it and sell it, to the consumers. There are so many great stories. I don’t think there’s an industry where you can meet more interesting folk. We’ve met so many wonderful people through it.’
To that end he travels to Scotland annually to visit distilleries and shipping companies. Many of them have become good friends. They have a particular affinity with smaller, family-owned businesses since they’re one. ‘I know a good dram. I know the good makers and I know what’s coming out. It’s about following their whisky journey and making those early connections. It’s all about relationships, right through to the shipping. We are real people; not just someone at the end of an email,’ says Michael.
It’s all about the nose, the palate and then adding a drop or two of water to help reveal the flavours.