It’s World Whisky Day on Saturday.
The first time I tasted a proper single malt whisky was at a Burns Night in Glasgow.
It was cold outside, warm inside, and the room was filled with poetry, laughter and just the right amount of haggis, bagpipes (non – thankfully! 😂).
Someone offered me a wee dram. And, as I was an idiot, I refused, claiming ‘I don’t like whisky’.
He gave me a quizzical look and handed me the glass. It was a smoky, peaty single malt. ‘Drink it. Neat’, he insisted.
I took a sip. It didn’t burn. It blossomed. Layers of flavour. Depth. Craft. Patience.
My new best mate gave me a knowing nod and, in his thick Glaswegian accent, said ‘It’s not that you don’t like whisky, Michael. It’s that you don’t like shite.’
And so a 30-year appreciation of the water of life began.
Great whisky means different things to different people.
But there’s something universal; it’s not about instant gratification.
Last year, I worked with William Grant and Sons. It was mind-blowing. Not just the fact that they gave me a rather splendid rare bottle of their amazing product, but their long-term vision.
In a world of immediate fulfilment, they’re creating products today that won’t be available for another 25 years.
I know some people don’t like whisky. And even if you do, it’s very much about personal taste.
Life’s the same. You know what you love, not what others tell you.
Add some patience. You can’t rush what’s truly worth waiting for. Maturity, experience, brilliance, they all take time.
Variety. Sherry cask or bourbon barrel, peated or smooth, there’s no ‘best’. Just different. And different is wonderful.
Knowing when to keep things neat. Unfiltered. Honest. Just as they are.
Or when to blend. Bring something extra to the melange.
Here’s to whisky. And here’s to you.
Whether you’re neat, blended, fiery, sweet, or still maturing, you’re worth raising a glass to.
Happy World Whisky Day.
Slàinte!
Michael
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