Wise up on your whiskey with a pro
Buhle Mbonambi spoke to whiskey expert John Quinn during his visit to SA
You’ve worked in whiskey for decades. Is it difficult being a whiskey ambassador?
I started back in 1974 so I’ve had a lot of different jobs in the business. Until then, I had worked in many different roles in production, sales, marketing and export development, so being an ambassador is not difficult.
I love what I do. I have a passion for Irish whiskey and the opportunity to travel the world. I began travelling overseas in 1982 and have visited more than 90 countries. If you like what you do, why would you change? Whiskies were previously thought to be for a more affluent clientele, who were old and largely white. What do you think of whiskey being the drink that many young and urban youth drink?
You’re correct, whiskey was really largely for old people when I was young. Nowadays people around the world appreciate the craft required to make things like great food, great beer and of course, great whiskey.
I think young people are especially inquisitive in that way. That’s why I think whiskey appeals to them. Has that been the catalyst for the current Tullamore Dew campaign, which features a younger, diverse cast?
The whiskey in the bottle inspired this campaign. In Tullamore Dew we have a unique blend of three types of whiskies single grain, single malt and single pot still. All of these whiskies are triple distilled and they are matured in a combination of three different cask types, ex-bourbon, ex-Irish whiskey and-ex sherry.
So this is a beautiful (and unique) blend. We call it the “power of three”. Of course, a blend is not unique to whiskey, as all of us are a blend of our parents and their parents and going back as far as you like, we can be a very rich blend. Hence the “beauty of eblend” in all of us is aligned very well with Tullamore Dew. South Africans love their whiskey (more than 4.1 million people consume whisky). What do you think it is about whiskey that makes it a must-have for those who appreciate the beverage?
Again I go back to the point that younger consumers, especially, are inquisitive and are also health conscious, so they want to know what they are putting into their bodies.
Hence they want to know where that meat or that cheese comes from. The same with what they drink.
And given whiskey is seen as a craft drink that takes years to mature, I believe that’s why they have taken to it in recent years. Oh – and it tastes great maybe? For the uninitiated, what’s the difference between Scotch and Irish whiskey?
That could take a while. Well, one is distilled in Scotland and the other in Ireland. In Ireland most of our whiskies are triple distilled and in Scotland most of theirs are double distilled.
In Ireland we make a whiskey called pot still, and they don’t make it in Scotland. And finally, in Scotland they’ll sometimes use peat to dry the barley, whereas we don’t do that in Ireland. When it comes to how you drink your whiskey, are you a neat, whisky stones or water person?
I drink mine with a little ice, but also sometimes neat or with water. And in the summer with freshly squeezed apple juice over ice in a tall glass. Most memorable time you’ve ever had a glass of whiskey?
Too many to tell – probably with a bottle of 30-year-old in my own house with my brother and a group of friends. I encouraged them to savour it, as it was very rare. My brother promptly threw the cork into my sitting room fire and we were forced to finish the bottle. So for a first-time whiskey drinker, where does one start?
Of course, they should try Tullamore Dew – what else would I say? In fact, I would really tell people to try different whiskey styles, from different places.
That’s why an event like Whisky Live is fantastic for both connoisseurs and newbies to whisky, if you’re interested to see what whiskies you might like. Christmas is coming and many people are already thinking of what to get their loved ones. Why should they consider whiskey as a potential gift?
Well as I’ve already said, try different ones to see what you like. Then once you have an idea of what you like – try the older variants, they are always a fantastic (if a bit more expensive) gift.
I always think it’s important to give a gift you would like to get yourself. So if you know the whiskey then it’s a great help.