Can it be said that no two people will agree on whisky?

Appealing to women is an interesting dilemma. On the one hand, the overt masculinity of the advertising and culture of whisky can alienate female drinkers, but creating brands specifically for women is not generally seen as the answer.

Paul Godfrey is the group marketing manager, malt whisky portfolio global at William Grant & Sons. He says:

“Ironically, women like whisky because it’s masculine. Some of the brands failing have tried to appeal to women with a different product. For a lot of women the product is acceptable and the masculinity is an area of appeal; it is part of the approbation of male rituals. A year ago we were working toward a feminine whisky, but after research we decided it was a terrible idea. Women don’t want girls’ versions of the drink.”

To remain a purist does not augur well for the companies themselves and there’s the rub.  So certain firms are committing sacrilege and selling their souls:

William Grant’s Glenfiddich has targeted younger consumers through music. Its Independent Mix programme was a series of music nights at London venues, with the Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson playing at the main event. And it has promoted its Essential Serves – Glenfiddich with a twist and ice to make it a longer, more refreshing drink.

Famous Grouse has been working with the bar trade to share information on ways of drinking the whisky. “We’re feeding the trade, we think it works and we’re giving permission to consume it in different ways,” Brown says.

There’s snobbery and snobbery – chill filtration is a debatable point:

So let’s look at some examples of popular chill-filtered whiskies, and see how the process has affected them. Let’s take Dalmore. It’s a highland distillery, noted for it’s full-bodied whiskies. The 12 year-old is a classic dram, awarded 90 points by noted critic Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible.

It was awarded a Bronze at the International Wine and Spirits Competition too. It was crafted from whisky matured in both Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks. On the nose Dalmore 12 offers musty orange, cocoa, winter spice and coffee. The palate is thick and full with marmalade, chocolate orange and yuletide spices.

However, a Johnny Walker Red drinker trying to tell me that only snobs object to whisky mixers has me choking on my tipple.  I mean … seriously … I don’t know what that is but it ain’t Scotch as we know it.

Where I myself take issue with the snobs is when they call Laphroaig excessively peaty and therefore not a good whisky. If they think that, then they should try Ardbeg. There is a point when all whisky drinkers find a drop they like but there’ll always be someone to say it’s a poor tipple [meaning not to his particular taste].

At least we’re agreed that whisky is not just favoured water, aren’t we?

Well, aren’t we?

This post is dedicated to Witterings from Witney.

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