Whisky Insiders Interview - James MacTaggart

Company:
Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd

Job:
Production Director / Distillery Manager

Website:
arranwhisky.com



How long have you been working in the whisky industry?

I started at the Bowmore Distillery on the 19th of October 1977, which makes it 37 years this year.

 

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

The biggest highlight has to be when I joined the board at Isle of Arran Distillers, which gave me an insight and input into the direction of the company.

 

Can you remember your first dram, and indeed what it was?

Too long ago to remember, but I should imagine it would have been a dram from the Bowmore warehouse.

 

What does whisky mean to you?

Everything! I live it, love it and breathe it!

 

Where would you like to see yourself in five years time?

The future is difficult to predict, but hopefully still at Arran having seen through all the present and proposed upgrades at the distillery.

 

What was your last dram?

My youngest son works at Caol Ila, and he persuaded me to try their latest release.

 

Do you have a favourite whisky and food pairing combination?

Not a favourite whisky and food pairing, but I was told recently that our Machrie Moor and cigars go very well together. Having tried this pairing for myself I completely agree!

 

What’s your favourite time and place to enjoy a dram?

At home after a busy day.

 

What do you think is going to be the next big thing on the whisky horizon?

At Arran we’re finding a big increase in our bottled single cask sales, which is likely to continue. Globally if the Indian market opens up there will be enormous potential and opportunities.

 

What’s the one dram you couldn’t live without?

I have to be biased here and say our Arran 14 Year Old.

 

Many thanks to James MacTaggart. Who will be the next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to find out!

Arran Tweet Tasting II

Continuing our hugely successful, triumphant teaming throng of Tweet Tastings, we’re dramspankingly delighted to announce that on June 30th we’ll be hosting another evening of all things Arran.

Headlined by “oops, I can’t spill the beans just yet”, we’ll be tweet tasting our way through some of the finest whisky wares that the Isle of Arran Distillery has to offer, including a couple of exclusives!

Full details to follow soon, but if you would like to take part in what will be a dramming night to remember, register your interest by emailing your name, postal address and Twitter handle via the contact tab, remembering to mark the subject line #ArranWhisky

The closing date to register is June 3rd and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the night!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the night’s tweet tasting dramfotainment, so we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on June 30th at 7pm BST via #ArranWhisky

Until then Happy Dramlaxing!

For more information on Isle of Arran Distillers visit: arranwhisky.com

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes #37

Glenfiddich 29 Year Old

Spirit of a Nation

 

 

Nose: Cinnamon infused poached pears, granny smith apples, sherry soaked sultanas, orange peel, a peach and apricot Muller Fruit Corner yogurt, baked bananas, hot buttered crumpets, McVitie's ginger nut biscuits, Waitrose millionaire's shortbread, sugared almonds, sweet dried oak, polished leather and a wealth of vivacious vanilla.

 

Palate: A wedge of cinnamon topped apple pie, warm vanilla danish pastries, homemade bread pudding, grilled pineapple rings, spiced baked pears, Bonne Maman bitter orange marmalade, wood spice, Burt's Bees beeswax lip balm and the opulence of oak aged calvados.

 

Finish: A lush long, sumptuous smacker of a 'just keeps on giving' kind of a finish!

 

Summary: A whisky that’s as superb as the cause it’s been produced to commemorate. All the profits from this very limited run of 200 bottles will be donated to the Walking With The Wounded charity.

 

 

London Whisky Weekender Tweet Tasting

This is London Calling!  Continuing their mission of bringing whisky to the people, those dramineers at The Whisky Lounge along with cutting edge East London venue Oval Space, are joining forces to bring the craft, innovation and heritage of whisky to the people of the capital as part of the first ever London Whisky Weekender.

The three day festival which kicks off on May 16th will boast some of the best known names in whisky industry, along with a whole host of small, craft distillers.

Over the weekend there will be a whole host of whisky based dramanagins, including exclusive tastings of rare pre World War II whiskies on the rooftop overlooking one of the last remaining Blitz sites in London, along with an East End whisky cocktail bar curated by Molecular cocktail specialist Lounge Bohemia on Oval.

The London Whisky Weekender will invite visitors to delve deeper into the history and production of this sophisticated spirit.

To start getting in the swing of things we’re thrilled to announce that we'll be hosting a very special blind Tweet Tasting, that will preview and feature some of the finest drams on offer over the big weekend.

So if you’re free on the evening of May 8th and would like to take part in a very special evening of pre festival tweet tastery, register your interest by emailing your name, postal address and Twitter handle via the contact tab, remembering to mark the subject line #WhiskyWeekender

The closing date to register is May 3rd and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the night!

This particular tasting is open to UK residents only!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the night’s dramspankery, so we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on May 8th at 7pm BST via hash tag #WhiskyWeekender

For more info on The London Whisky Weekender and to book tickets Click Here

For more info on The Whisky Lounge visit: thewhiskylounge.com

 

For more info on Oval Space visit: ovalspace.co.uk

 

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes #36

Ardbeg Auriverdes

 

 

Nose: Freshly laid tarmac, charred rashers of middle back smoked bacon, crispy mackerel skin, burnt granary toast crusts, hoisin sauce, Maldon sea salt flakes, freshly chopped ginger, a Caffè Nero mocha, dried tobacco, pink grapefruit zest, lemon crème brûlée and a pleasantly protruding peppery peatiness.

Palate: A demerara sugar and mustard glazed ham, a portion of Bodean’s burnt ends, crispy bacon rinds, a petering peat fire, roasted parsnips, a Starbucks double shot vanilla latte, smoked walnuts, a light dusting of cocoa and a bag of rhubarb and custard sweets.

Finish: A long lingering, gutsy giver of a charismatically charred and smoky spiced finish.

Summary: Another bountiful, belting and extremely well balanced drop of Ardbegian dramspankage, which will be released as part of this year’s Ardbeg Day celebrations on May 31st.

 

The name 'Auriverdes' in case you’re wondering derives from the colour of the golden whisky (auri) in Ardbeg’s iconic green bottle (verde). It’s also the nickname of Brazil’s national football team, who along with this year's World Cup are the inspiration for Ardbeg’s Peat Football Tournament, which will be kicking off globally on Ardbeg Day.

 

Big Peat Tweet Tasting

Continuing our teaming throng of Tweet Tastings, we’re absolutely thrilled to announce our 45th event on May 21st, when we’ll be teaming up yet again with our good friends at Douglas Laing & Co for an evening which will be as much about Big Peat as Big Peat!

Our lips are sealed with regards to the details just for now, but I can tell you it’ll be another belter of a blind tasting.

If you would like to take part in what promises to be a dramspanker of a night, register your interest by emailing your name, postal address and Twitter handle via the contact tab, remembering to mark the subject line #BigPeat

The closing date to register is April 27th and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the night!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the night’s dramspankery, so we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on May 21st at 7pm BST via hash tag #BigPeat

Until then Happy Dramlaxing!

For more information on Douglas Laing & Co visit: douglaslaing.com

Quick Fire Whisky Tasting Notes #35

Arran 17 Year Old

 

 

Nose: A big wedge of homemade pear and almond tart, a steamed syrup sponge pudding, Waitrose Madagascan vanilla custard, orange peel, lime zest, toffee apples, candy floss, Rowse set organic honey, Fry’s Turkish delight, wood spice, sweet oak, ground cinnamon, anise and a blink and you’ll miss it kick-ette of clove oil.

 

Palate: Poached pears, Thorntons orange Seville continental chocolates, Sainsbury’s spiced apple cake, Mirabelle plums, sugared almonds, ground white pepper, freshly chopped ginger, cinnamon infused honey, ground cloves and a wisp of wood smoke.

 

Finish: A spicy zinging sweet treat of a finish, that neither under or overstays its welcome on the palate. A perfect party guest of a dram!

 

Summary: I know what I’ll be drinking this Summer! A lovely light and lush drop of dramspankage, that’d make for a perfect early evening pour on a late July evening, or if you fancy something tall and cool over the next few months, it also makes for a cracking highball!