It’s not every day you get the chance to meet with and listen to a Master Blender, so when the good folks at Pernod Ricard Australia hosted an afternoon with Colin Scott recently, I was happy to accept their kind invitation.
I’ve actually spent a bit of time with some other Master Blenders: Richard Patterson of Whyte & Mackay; Tom Smith of Johnnie Walker; Robert Hicks of Teachers/Laphroaig/ Ardmore/Glendronach; Iain McCallum of Morrison Bowmore; Brian Kinsman of William Grant & Sons; and then other whisky creators like Jim McEwan (Bowmore/Bruichladdich) and Bill Lumsden (Glenmorangie/Ardbeg). I’ve also had a few decent attempts at blending myself, having undertaken some formal blending sessions both in Scotland and here in Australia. (And whilst my “attempts” have been decent, my results have been very indecent!)
What I’ve learned from these people and experiences is that (a) blending is incredibly difficult, and (b) the people who do it commit to a lifetime of learning and application. Colin Scott is no different.
As is the case for many jobs in the whisky industry these days, you have to carry out your real job whilst also being a roaming Brand Ambassador. And so it is that Colin is spending time in Australia to help promote the Chivas Regal brand, and – in particular – the launch of the new Chivas Regal expression, “Extra”.
(Click on the images to enlarge)
The afternoon was held at Eau de Vie in Sydney’s Darlinghurst and guests were welcomed with a brilliant selection of canapes and whisky cocktails. All made with Chivas Extra as a key ingredient, (as well as with fortifieds), the cocktails were created by Max Warner (Chivas Bros resident mixologist in the UK) and included the Silver Fox Fizz, Gentleman’s Agreement, and a great take on a Sunset Boulevard. Food was in the form of Oysters, Gravlax bruschetta, Thirlmere duck liver parfait, blue cheese & bacon gougeres, Kangaroo sliders, and Chivas Extra infused dark chocolate mousse.
With stomachs appropriately lined and the mood set, we retreated into the rear room to meet the man of the moment. Colin is quietly spoken, very British, jovial, and enthusiastic about his subject matter. Chivas Bros (as a company) has been around for so long that one often forgets to consider its history, and Colin gave us a brief account. Brothers James & John Chivas set up their shop in Aberdeen in the 1840’s and it wasn’t long before blending and selling whisky formed a key part of the business. Chivas Regal was first introduced in 1909 as a 25yo in the key market of America, although its run came to an abrupt end with Prohibition. It was re-introduced as a 12yo into the USA in 1938, and then went global in 1949.
Chivas Regal – the ubiquitous 12yo – subsequently earned its reputation in the 1950’s & 1960’s, and the family wasn’t extended until 1997 when the 18yo was introduced. The 25yo was launched in 2007, and Extra is the new sibling in the portfolio. You can read my review and thoughts on Extra here.
Colin started in the industry as a trainee manager in 1973 and went through several areas of production before settling into the blending lab and learning the craft. He became Chivas’ Master Blender in 1989. It’s important to appreciate that this means more than just simply blending the Chivas Regal range. It means he’s also the Master Blender for all of the single malts in Chivas’ portfolio, and hence he’s behind the vattings to ensure that the Glenlivet releases taste the same each year, as well as Longmorn, Strathisla, and so on. Not to mention the many other blends in the Chivas stable. But he’s quick to point out that it’s a big job and too much for just one man – he works with a team of seven other blenders to tackle the load.
One of the great things about speaking directly with a blender is that you get to the heart (truth) of things, without the marketing blurb that often clouds or misinforms what really goes on. It was refreshing to hear Colin share one or two aspects about blended whisky that the marketers would spin differently. For example, marketing would have us believe that the whisky brands have kept the same “recipe” for the blends over the decades. The reality is that component distilleries and casks change and come and go all the time, and Colin shared that all the blends in his portfolio are “re-formulised” every year to ensure they remain consistent and faithful.
He pointed out that each time they formulate a new batch, it is compared against reference samples from 10 years prior to ensure they haven’t strayed from the mark. In his words, “You’ve got to get it right and it must be consistent. You can’t afford to get it close enough. If you do close enough five years in a row, then by the end of that five years, you’re a mile from where you started.”
As part of the afternoon, drams of Chivas Regal 12yo, Extra, and 18yo were presented, and it was interesting to compare all three side-by-side. I couldn’t help but notice that the Extra and the 18yo had remarkably similar noses. For me, personally, I felt the Extra was the pick of the three.
There was a mixed bag of journalists, bar owners, bloggers, and drinks industry folks in the room, all with varying degrees of knowledge about Scotch, and Colin had to field a number of rapid-fire questions about different cask types; wood interaction; sherry versus bourbon influence; and the always-popular “How much water should I add to my dram?”
All in all it was an enjoyable afternoon and my thanks go to Laura & Ben at Pernod Ricard and Lily at Cav Con for the opportunity. The photos taken on my iPhone in the lowly-lit rooms didn’t do the day justice at all. All photos thus presented here were taken by Anna Kucera, official snapper for the day.
Cheers,
AD
PS – for more detailed information on Chivas Regal Extra and its full story, as well as more thoughts and tasting notes, you can read Whisky & Wisdom’s dedicated article here.
