Sep 2009 issue
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A Sommelier's Guide to Single-Malt Scotch Dave Eriksen
Scotland is an amazingly beautiful and friendly country steeped in tradition, patriotism, and, of course, Scotch whisky, the blood that flows through its cultural veins. Known to the world as Scotch and to the Scottish people simply as whisky (spelled without the “e”), this grain spirit is more synonymous with its place of origin than any other beverage in the world. And the United States, according to the Scotch Whisky Association, the Edinburgh-based industry alliance, is its most lucrative export market. That translates into “a demand from our customer to make sure that we make it available to them.”
“I couldn’t run a program without Scotch as much as I couldn’t without Cognac; it would be incomplete,” says Carl Grubbs, wine director at Local Kitchen & Wine Merchant, Oola Restaurant & Bar, and Sushi Groove in San Francisco. “In a fine-dining environment, the guest expects a range of spirits, as well as a range of styles to choose from within that spirit category.”
A single-malt Scotch, regarded as the elite of the whisky category, is similar to a single-vineyard wine in that each label is made from one particular type of malted barley by one distillery. Single malts vary in age, quality, and rarity, command prices similar to those of the most expensive wines on many lists, and attract a devout and knowledgeable following—all of which can make things difficult for the sommelier who does not possess at least a basic familiarity with single-malt arcana.
“Really, it is difficult to ‘talk’ a customer into Scotch,” says Andrea Fulton-Higgins, wine consultant for Bella Vino Vita in Hopewell, Ore. “It’s more like a private club. Either you are a member or you aren’t.”
SCOTCH TERROIR
Although there is no doubt that Scotch whisky is unique among the whiskies and bourbons of the world, there is an ongoing debate about whether the concept of terroir applies to the whiskies of Scotland. As Alan Murray, MS, typically introduces the subject to his Certified Sommelier class at the Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell, Calif.: “Welcome to the gray area; things are not as tightly regulated here as in many wine regions.”
The most important factor affecting quality is probably the water source, because it is used to germinate the barley, create the “wort” (the liquid drawn off the mash), and “cut” the final product before bottling. Many distilleries are located near their own natural water supplies, but not all use local water; Auchentoshan, for instance, is a Lowlands distillery that gets its water from a river in the South Highlands.
Barley is the other main ingredient in whisky. Although the quality of the barley is affected by where it is grown, much of the grain’s unique qualities are stripped during the boiling, fermentation, and distillation processes. In addition, most distilleries purchase their barley from large suppliers such as Simpsons, which sources grain from all over the country.
The peat used as fuel for drying the barley does have a profound affect on the flavor of the whisky, dictated by where it was harvested. Today, however, only a handful of distilleries, including Bowmore and Laphroaig, actually malt their own barley using local peat. Even these producers do not malt enough of their own barley for their entire output.
The tradition of stacking barrels three rows high in a stone dunnage building with earthen floors, instead of 12-plus rows high in large, concrete-floor warehouses, provides the humidity that helps mature the casks by allowing moisture to make its way in. The spirit ages more slowly on the west coast of Scotland, with its consistently cooler weather, than on the east coast. The problem is that not every producer ages its barrels in the same place as its distillery, which is the location indicated on the label. As an example, the Caol Ila distillery, on the island of Islay, warehouses most of its barrels on the mainland.
Strict definitions aside, there is still a “cultural terroir” embodied by whiskies from each region in Scotland—whether because of local conditions or more stylistic traditions. Although there are exceptions to these broad regional descriptions (for reasons described above), the following generalizations can be made.
Lowlands:
The Lowlands produce the lightest style of Scotch, one that makes a great aperitif. This is the second-largest region in terms of land mass, but has only three remaining distilleries: Auchentoshan, Bladnoch, and Glenkinchie, all of which traditionally make unpeated whiskies.
Highlands:
Geographically the largest region, the Highlands include the islands that surround the north and west of Scotland, with the exception of Islay, which is considered its own region. Despite the vastness of the area, most Highland malts tend to be floral because of the wild-heather fields that the water runs through before it reaches the distilleries. The best-known producers here are Dalwhinnie, Glengoyne, Glenmorangie, and Oban.
Speyside:
The smell of whisky fills the air in the Spey Valley, which is densely populated with distilleries. Roughly 50% of all Scotch is produced in this small subregion of the Highlands, mainly from the watershed of the river Spey. Speyside whiskies are often described as fruity, with a hint of peat that comes more from the water than from peat-dried barley, as in Islay. Balvenie, Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenrothes, Macallan, and Mortlach are the top producers.
Islands:
Whiskies from the Islands tend to have a salty or briny character derived from the proximity of the distilleries to the Atlantic Ocean. Famous producers include Talisker on the isle of Skye, Arran on the island of Arran, and Highland Park (the most northerly distillery in Scotland) on Orkney.
Islay:
These whiskies are often higher in phenols because of the heavy peat used in drying the malted barley, resulting in intensely smoky aromas and spicy flavors. Drinkers typically either love them or hate them. The smokiest are from Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig. Lighter-peated Islay malts include Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain; in between are Bowmore and Caol Ila. You will soon see malts from the revived distillery of Kilchoman.
Campbeltown:
Once considered the epicenter of Scotch whisky, Campbeltown now contains only a few distilleries, most notably Springbank. Because of its peninsular location, it offers flavors closest to those of the Islands.
WHISKY SERVICE
“Scotch drinkers are the philosophers of drinkers,” says Fulton-Higgins, “and they appreciate it if you respect that. I would always teach my servers to know the brands we didn’t carry as well as the ones we did, and to know the difference between the unique single malts and blends.” This intense customer loyalty makes it especially important to understand the variety of ways to serve Scotch.
At the Uisge Beatha bar in Glasgow, manager Stephen Little (like every other barman in Scotland) emphatically insists that a single malt should never be served over ice. “Ice will essentially freeze your taste buds and close up the aromas and flavors in the whisky,” says Little. “Nor should one dilute the malt with a heavy splash of water from a bar gun.” Instead, it is customary for the server to provide a small glass or ceramic pitcher of filtered water, from which you pour only a few drops of water into your dram. This reduces the solubility of the esters, thus increasing the volatility and power of floral or fruity aromas. On the other hand, the smoky-peaty phenols lose the intensity that fans look for in peaty malts.
As we all know, guests come in with their own desires and expectations, irrespective of “expert” opinion. If a guest chooses to ignore tradition and order a single-malt Scotch on the rocks, bring a silver tray carrying the proper empty service glass, the bottle to pour from, a rocks glass with ice, a small pitcher of water, and ice tongs. Present the bottle for approval, pour the Scotch, and assist the guest as necessary with the ice and water.
Steven McBride, operations director at Òran Mór Whisky Bar in Glasgow, adds that “whisky should always be poured in front of the guest. This not only ensures they are getting the tipple they ordered, but is a more interactive type of service that adds to the guest experience.” Such tableside service has long been popular for martinis, and many guest-conscious establishments are adopting the same practices with Scotch and other spirits.
CHOOSING THE GLASS
Just as with fine wines, glassware makes a difference in the enjoyment of Scotch. Most bars or restaurants serve Scotch in rocks glasses or cut tumblers; some use brandy snifters. But if the establishment has gone so far as to provide different stems for white, sparkling, Burgundy, and Bordeaux wines, then why not offer separate glassware for Scotch? Today’s major glass and crystal producers have created products for virtually every type of alcoholic beverage on the market.
For tasting, judging, and serving to experienced Scotch-loving guests, use a tulip-shaped glass, which will consolidate and intensify the esters and aromas. Look for the 6-ounce Riedel Vinum Cognac Hennessy glass, which dips in for a slight tulip and flares out at the end, or the Spiegelau Whisky Snifter Premium (97/8 ounces) for service neat or with a drop of water. The Spiegelau Expert Tasting glass (91/6 ounces) is a comparable, less expensive option. Expert whisky journalist Michael Jackson has developed the curvaceous Whisky Connoisseurs glass, complete with a glass lid for containing aromas between sips.
Because the tulip shape can be overpowering for those not accustomed to the intensity of the spirit, a more diverse clientele would be better served by the more cylindrical Riedel Overture Bourbon (7 ounces) or the Riedel Vinum Single Malt Whisky (7 ounces), which is straight with a flared lip. As an alternative to the classic tumbler, Spiegelau offers the larger Whisky Tumbler (12 ounces) from its Special Glasses line for unique service, neat or on the rocks.
MODERN TRENDS
Glenfiddich pioneered unblended whiskies in the early 1960s, which means the single-malt industry is relatively young. The recent trend is toward increasing the variety of products being marketed. Some distilleries are selling “cask-strength” whiskies that have not been cut with water before bottling, resulting in much higher alcohol levels—as high as 63%. Some are bottling “single-cask” or “single-vintage” versions, each of which is a limited release from one barrel or year (dated from the time of distillation).
Another relatively new practice, initiated by Glenmorangie, is to age, or finish aging, the whisky in different types of barrels. The forest where the wood came from is less important than the type of wine or spirit for which the barrel was previously used. Most malts are aged in American bourbon casks, which are readily available because bourbon must, by law, be aged in new white-oak barrels. These casks allow mellow aging, lending a smooth vanilla character without harsh, sweet new-oak influences. While Port or Madeira casks can add a touch of sweetness, Sherry barrels are second in popularity to bourbon casks because they provide a darker amber hue and richer flavors of nuts and chocolate.
You may run across an unappealing line such as the following, on the label of the Laphroaig 2001 Signatory 7 Year Old: “Due to no chillfiltration, this whisky may turn cloudy when stored in a cool place. It is both more full-bodied and full-flavored.” “Unchillfiltered” whiskies are not distilled at low temperatures, which can strip spirits of much of their character. Signatory is an independent bottler—similar to a négociant—that produces top-quality single malts by purchasing the distilled spirits and aging them in its own cellars until bottling. These Scotches are released with both the bottlers’ and the distilleries’ names on the labels. Duncan Taylor, an independent that has been bottling single malts from other distilleries, is now in the process of building its own facility.
Although the origin and quality of ingredients go a long way toward determining the caliber of a single-malt whisky, it is the master distiller’s responsibility to manipulate these ingredients into a spirit of consistent quality that will go into the barrel. The master blender, who decides which barrels to blend together, is another key decision maker; it has been said that 70% of the flavor in a malt whisky comes from barrel aging.
But in the end, I think we can all agree that the most important person in the “whisky chain” is the sommelier or server, whose job it is to know the products and to ensure that every guest enjoys the single-malt Scotch whisky experience. Sláinte!