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Gael Arthur sets out
ON THE WHISKY TRAIL ©

The distinctions between blended, single malt, 12 year old, 18 year old and single cask (to name just a few) may seem a bit arcane to the neophyte, but they are straightforward when compared to the classification of the fruit of the vine.

While 99% of the wine-drinking population may not know or care about the difference between a good old Vin de Pays and a Grand Cru (other than the price, of course!), it is probably equally true that the vast majority of whisky drinkers are simply loyal to their long since adopted brand.

Is consistency the most important quality of a whisky? Well, there is certainly a lot of attention to that element of the production.

While the basic process of taking malted barley, fermenting and distilling it has become pretty straightforward, the brand must have something to distinguish it, something for people to latch on to.

With almost all of the distilleries purchasing their barley already malted (from one of five large concerns that malt to their specifications), the romance of the peat fired heated floors gently roasting the barley to the optimal toast fades away, becoming the stuff of legends.

To make matters more complicated, with so many distilleries now owned by the large conglomerates, brand distinctions are bound to blur. With Macallan and Highland Park both used in the blending of the Famous Grouse, what makes each of these whiskies unique?

And, by extension, why bother going on the Whisky Trail at all?
Well, despite a standardization of many of the processes, each whisky IS different and each tour can be an adventure in its own way, as long as you are prepared to take all the marketing hype with a grain of salt and think with your nose and your palate.

We stopped near Crieff, at Glenturret, home of The Famous Grouse Visitor Centre and followed along with the regular crowd through the “Experience”.

I freely admit to being a bit more jaded than the average visitor – I found the "in your face" marketing of the product a bit over the top.

The Famous Grouse ad campaign may have taken the UK by storm, but didn’t we come to learn a bit about the product, not the package?
I am a harsh critic, but softened my stance once I realized that most of the visitors were both interested and amused by the whole process. I gave our guide full marks for entertainment and charm.

And, to be fair, the tour covered basic knowledge of how whisky is made and what gives each whisky its individual aroma and taste. Full marks for the scratch and sniff card as a teaching tool.

Not all that far up the road, through Pitlochry, my faith in the artisanal approach to the water of life was restored with a visit to Scotland's smallest distillery, Edradour.

Depending on whom you ask, this beautiful little operation nestled between the hills along a stream produces between twelve and fifteen casks per week.

The tour is much more logical in its sequencing. We are first offered a wee dram of Edradour (10 year old, with its size, they really only make one product).

A video takes us through the process start to finish and, thus fortified and educated, we are ready to see the steps.

Ah, this is Scotland at its finest...thankfully, we were on our way out as the tour bus pulled into the car park. And yes, this distillery recently changed hands as well.

As any whisky aficionado will quickly point out, Crieff and Pitlochry are not the names of towns that immediately come to mind when discussing the best. But the reality of a trip to Scotland should be considered, particularly by North American visitors.

The roads are beautiful and rather narrow, as they wind through the Highlands. It is not possible to hit Speyside (not to mention Skye or Islay) on a quick trip out of Edinburgh.

The lesson here is that each part of Scotland must be taken as a separate trip (unless you have weeks on end to devote to a single country). And, if you have a favourite whisky, do a bit of research first.

For research, one of the best places is the Scotch Malt Whisky Society website. We will be covering the Society in more detail in a future issue - suffice to say that I'd be a member in good standing if I lived in the UK (they even deliver!). The site offers pretty much everything you can imagine, and proves beyond doubt that true malt whisky advocates don't take themselves too seriously either!

And, as a final bit of research, go to your favourite drinking establishment and order a glass of a whisky you have never tried before. It is an inexpensive investment in what could be the beginning of a wonderful relationship.

INFORMATION

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society: www.smws.com

Scotland's Smallest distillery, Edradour: www.edradour.co.uk

Do NOT look at the Famous Grouse site if you are interested in finding any useful information about whisky - DO look at it if you want to see some very innovative advertising....once you finally get through the hype, a simplistic approach to the process is there, it's just a tough site to navigate, with windows constantly popping up exhorting you to vote. www.famousgrouse.co.uk