It’s no secret that I’m a fan of William Grant & Sons. As I’ve penned in numerous articles and blog posts previously, it’s not just their whiskies, but also their people, and how they move & operate in the whisky world. Courtesy of the good folks at WG&S Australia (thanks Mark, Laura & Richard), I recently experienced yet another great example of this.
Ludo Ducrocq would be known to many whisky drinkers around the world as one of the most knowledgeable, likeable and agreeable brand ambassadors. Ludo started out as a distillery tour guide for William Grant & Sons, but his passion for whisky and his love for telling other people about it quickly saw him move into more ambassadorial roles. In 2009, he was appointed as Grants’ first Global Ambassador (for the Grants’ range of blended whiskies), and today works with the title of “Head of Brand Ambassador Advocacy”. In other words, he’s the Brand Ambassador to the Brand Ambassadors!
Ludo was last in Australia in March 2012 to launch some new expressions in the Grants’ portfolio, and returned to Sydney this week for a few days of meetings and business. Together with Matthew Wooler of the Distant Thunder Whisky Club, I had the privilege of sitting down with Ludo to taste four very rare and special samples. Laura Hay, newly appointed Brand Ambassador for WG&S (and well known to all whisky lovers around Australia); Richard Blanchard (WG&S’ whisky specialist and bar/cocktail maestro); and Mark Little (Pelmeni dumplings entrepreneur) completed the party.
With a wee bit of space in his luggage before departing for Oz, Ludo had managed to squeeze four sample bottles into his bag, and it was these four whiskies that we were to taste and explore. The whiskies were:
* Grants Nordic Oak Finish
* Kininvie Batch 1, 1996 17yo
* Girvan 25yo
* Ladyburn 1973 (single cask 3174)
It’s worth stating up front that, despite these being referred to as samples, these are all unlikely to be appearing in Australia anytime soon (well, at least not these exact expressions or releases). So don’t go hassling your local bottle shop for them. However, it was a wonderful opportunity to taste an eclectic group of four very different drams and to enjoy whiskies from the diverse range of malts and grains being made under the WG&S umbrella.
So how did it all go down?
* Grants Nordic Oak Finish (40%)
This is a young blend that punches well above its weight. The average age of the component whiskies in the blend is 3-5 years, and yet the body and texture belied this youthfulness. The Nordic Oak finish imparts an intriguing note of spice on top of the already well-complemented whisky, and I was surprised at how enjoyable this was.
* Kininvie Batch 1 (1996, 17yo, 42.6%)
Kininvie was the third distillery built on the Glenfiddich/Balvenie estate, added in 1990 to create a more floral malt for Grants to work with. (Noting that Glenfiddich had a very fruity profile, whilst Balvenie offered a honeyed profile). Whilst I visited Kininvie back in 2008, I’d not tasted the (very rare) official releases, and so this was an exciting moment.
Achieving exactly what it had been set up to do, the nose of this whisky was deliciously floral, instantly evoking thoughts of blooming, flowering heather in the fields. The palate had a toffee-like character, and the finish was outrageously soft and gentle…and yet lasted forever.
* Girvan 25yo (42%)
I was no stranger to Girvan grain, having tasted numerous samples of it previously. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has also bottled several casks of it in recent times. Girvan is slightly different to most of the other available grain whiskies, as it is made from wheat, rather than maize. The nose was very grain-like, whilst the palate – perhaps not surprisingly – reminded me of Makers Mark, which is a wheated bourbon. The palate also offered up some marshmallow notes, and the finish was a wonderfully chewy and tactile experience. The oak influence was restrained (certainly for a 25yo), making this one very easy-drinking dram.
* Ladyburn 1973 (Cask 3174, bottled 2009)
Despite being one of the rarest single malts, I’ve actually enjoyed a number of different Ladyburns over the years, and they’ve all been very good. (There’s a 1975 Signatory bottling still available in some pockets of Scotland if you’re keen). But of the three or four Ladyburns I’ve tried, this one was certainly the most interesting. The nose was deliciously fragrant and not at all tied down with oak. There was a strong aroma of cherry cola, as well as pink icing sugar. On the palate, we all found flavours surrounding the berry family, although I felt the original flavour of Hubba Bubba bubblegum (raspberry) was the most apt descriptor. Despite the whisky’s age, the dram was still delightfully fresh, and this was a dram you could sit with for a long time.
All in all, it was a great little dramming session. But, as I’ve said on many occasions, a dram is only as good as the company you enjoy it with, and this was a special bunch of people to be drinking with – not just industry colleagues, but friends. If there was a vote for the nicest guy in the whisky industry, Ludo would be up there in the rankings.
Sincere thanks to all at William Grant & Sons for the opportunity and for a great evening.
Cheers,
AD
