Loch Fyne Whiskies - Scotch Whisky Review

The lead column of our Scotch Whisky review is the one that causes the greatest response, most recently it has been approval of our saying things that many have shied away from saying.

Variety for Life
EDITION 12 , AUTUMN 1999

The acquisitions, mergers and manoeuvres continue in the Scotch Whisky trade as each egotist jockeys to produce another unwieldy brand-dominated monolith. Rumours and speculation make for interesting dramming but this column believes that the whisky enthusiast is going to suffer.
The combined editorial might of the specialist whisky press (!) is unlikely to influence the strategies of the world’s great brand owners so perhaps we should try to educate the marketeers of the benefit of the independent bottler.
There are industry elders who are happy to tolerate the apparent conflict between their trademark distillery bottling and an ‘independent’ selling with the same precious name. This tolerance has a long historical precedent but is mince as the new breed of brand manager seeks to stamp out competition, especially those ‘parasites feeding off his marketing budget!’
The smug new-breed brand manager must learn that it is the independents who have created the highly profitable niche market of malt whiskies—profits that he is in danger of destroying. Once the profits go, so does the excitement and, eventually, the interest; all branded toilet paper is the same.
We accept that there have been some diabolical bottlings from independents, both respected and other and this column hopes that these guys will learn the importance of policing themselves.
Only the independent bottler has the flexibility to deliver single cask bottlings for a cost that enables a novice connoisseur (yucky word but none better) to develop the all important interest in the artistic output of the distiller.
Producers, of which there are increasingly few, should look upon the independent bottler as a new canvas, an alter ego, and through them grant the informed consumer exceptional and extraordinary drams for us all to enjoy rather than to see them disappear into another routine vatting.

Let us hope that the global recession and the subsequent poor trading results are the only reasons driving the whisky industry into mediocrity rather than the new managers who, from the outside, appear to have reached their coefficient of inefficiency.
With the convulsions that surround the diabolical mergers (Highland/Remy/ JBB included), both huge and small, the brand manager is finding the greasy pole (between appointments at Kleenex¨ and Andrex¨) little challenge. Neurotic boardrooms are easy prey when panicked by low shareholder confidence.
Diageo, the company formerly known as Grand Metropolitan (for which Scotch Whisky is by far their biggest profit earner), has ground to a complete halt. In UD there was an exciting delivery of new whisky products which improved profits, stayed the competition, pleased the consumer and generated a real sense of excitement for the sector.
Now we have inertia, unless you count their dismissed rumours that they are going to develop the UK youth market with a brand launch of J&B. (There is no yoof market for Scotch in the UK; producers should be patient and woo young drinkers from the sidelines while drinking habits mature. Further, J&B is a naff brand to use, Johnnie Walker has much more credibility—but then that wasn’t a GrandMet brand).
The brand orientated managers are bland managers and their domination causes a reduction in variety, an irreversible demise. This is evidenced by the low prices seen at Christmas, an unhelpful reaction to poor sales. A lack of profits causes inertia.
Senior dismissals and redundancies have ripped the business apart. The inadequates have been promoted with no understanding of a very special industry. They are propelling it into just another brand-led mono-business.
Many of these gits have reached the boardroom already and the effect is beginning to show. Time for action!

Sympathy for the devil
EDITION 10, AUTUMN 1998

As part of a brand reduction excercise, United Distillers & Vintners, the cumbersomely named subsidiary of The Company Formerly Known As Grand Metropolitan, pronounced that, among other lines, Bell’s Red Devil is delete (as a Scots solicitor would have it).
Red Devil was the first truly radical whisky product, created in response to a market shrinking in the face of favour for white spirits. Whisky had had its day and so UD created a host of new whisky based products and proceeded with Bell’s pre-mixes (with Coke or Irn Bru—for goodness sake!), Red Devil and Loch Dhu. At the moment only Loch Dhu survives and it is understood that it is on the sick list (nothing trivial I hope).
This column believes that Red Devil has not been properly assessed. Test marketing took place in night clubs and similar trendy spots in a less favoured region of England. In some tests, participants were encouraged to drink lots and finish off with a game of “Slambongo” which involved downing a Red Devil in one and slamming the glass down onto a percussive cap—BANG!
Here’s what we wrote on the back of our Autumn 1996 order form;
“SOME LIKE IT HOT
UD continue to challenge our taste buds with the production of a ‘red hot spirit’ called Red Devil made from Bell’s 8yo, red chilli peppers and assorted other spices. Hot from the food labs and begging howls of outrage, here’s something for those who enjoy spicy and well-flavoured food. For those who don’t, it’s still worth a try, judging by our local feedback (and the rate of consumption!): the nose is ‘pleasantly spicy’, the rest is ‘smooth’, ‘warming’ and ‘heartening’ .
Those with more catholic tastes will enjoy trying it while our early research indicates an appeal beyond pure novelty factor. So far we’ve seen it appreciated by non-whisky fans who like hot food, by non-curry fans who like whisky and by outdoor types with hip flasks to fill—it warms twice! Be a Devil—try it!”
Red Devil needs a proper test. As a truly radical whisky derivative it should not be binned so quickly. Proper trialing will show its potential and encourage further development of other new products, helping to preserve the variety and employment in the trade.
Be a Devil, TCFKAGM—try it!

A sad day
EDITION 9, SPRING 1998

In the last SWR we thought that the ‘merger’ between Guinness (UD) and GrandMet (IDV) would be harmless for the whisky biz. We thought the importance of Scotch to the new company would result in an unchanged United Distillers while International Distillers & Vintners would be inconvenienced.
We were wrong.
The world’s greatest Scotch whisky company has closed Bell’s Cherrybank at Perth, its last non-essential Scottish office which for ten years has been relatively small, dealing with spirit sales for UDUK. Its closure leaves only those involved in production at home, presumably a tiresome necessity rather akin to maintaining off-shore oil platforms.
The reasons given for the closure are to be closer to the major UK customers and ‘system compatibility’. Pah! What this proves is that this is a take-over of Guinness and that GrandMet’s obsession with efficiency is prevailing.
Cherrybank was the creation of ‘ruthless’ Raymond Miquel, who was hired as an efficiency expert. Under his leadership during the ’70’s a regiment of well drilled Bell’s men buttoned their jackets and pushed Bell’s Finest to the UK number one by increasing sales from £25m to £187m. Miquel didn’t think he was too far from his customers, even without the benefits of cheap, frequent shuttle flights, faxes, email or ISDN.
This is a bad decision. Fewer Scots will be recruited to sell Scotch world-wide and it fails to appreciate that the world likes to buy Scotch from a Scot. It is a very severe blow to the morale of the entire Scotch whisky industry and to the producing nation as a whole. Public reaction is akin to the slaughter that was the aftermath of the DCL takeover, with Bell’s being boycotted nation-wide. It fails to recognise the importance of the heritage required in promoting the world’s preferred spirit and smacks of a commercial arrogance that wipes out carefully nurtured characters and flair for the sake of short-term efficiencies.

A load of (Ferin)TOSH
EDITION 8, AUTUMN 1997

There is a huge discussion within (and without) the industry about the role of independent bottlings. The matter has recently been in the courts at home and as I write, action is starting in the US.
Thankfully, no-one with any influence wants to see the these bottlers removed from the trade but some would have them bound by trade mark considerations and with some good argument.
In a surprise telephone call, one senior member of the Scotch Whisky Industry asked me if I shared his irritation regarding a new release of five single malts from Invergordon Distillers. Each a regional representitive, three are named after long-gone distilleries; Kincaple, Glenluig and Ferintosh—the most historical of all Scotch Whisky’s heritage.
My caller proposed that where the appelation ‘single’ is employed the distillery of origin should be declared as well as the bottler responsible. As Loch Fyne Whiskies only stocks malts with the distillery of origin clearly defined our policy should be clear but I thought it strange that a major producer with several distilleries under his control should want to see what is effectively his name on an independent bottling over which he has no quality control.
What do you, the consumer, think?
This led me to thoughts about the Invergordon five pseudo or bogus whiskies. Apart from the three ancient distilleries mentioned, the other two have suitably established names; ‘Craignure’ is the Island representative (Invergordon own Jura, at Craighouse) and ‘Druichan’ from Isaly (presumably pertaining to Bruichladdich, Druich/Bruich geddit?).
Invergordon was taken over by Jim Beam in 1993 in a very hostile battle. On acquiring the four malt distilleries Beam closed three immediately including the supreme Bruichladdich.
Seems they want the heritage but not the responsibilities.

Peat before the beak*
EDITION 7, SPRING 1997

Our delight in the news of Glenmorangie acquiring Ardbeg will be evident elsewhere in this edition. We firmly believe that, of the many bidders, the (16?) Men of the East are the best for the job. We would also express our thanks to Allied Distillers for making Ardbeg available to a competent competitor, a bold decision but there is plenty of room for expansion in the peaty whisky sector and the big push will be easier with Glenmorangie’s help.
Ardbeg is something of a matter of pride in Argyll—the bottle sports a stark but effective label with a subtle but distinctive type-face reflecting the Celtic heritage of the county and islands. The malt inside is the most extreme whisky produced anywhere in the world. Historically the level of peating has been erratic (owing to an absence of fans in the drying kilns) giving rise to a variable quality product but when it is good, Ardbeg is the best.
For the last period of production, that between 1989 and 1996, Ardbeg’s malt has been prepared at Port Ellen maltings with a peating specification some 25% greater than that of neighbours Laphroaig or Lagavulin, this means very heavy and consistently peated spirit thus overcoming Ardbeg’s quality variance.
So why the lesson in elementary malting? These days, such a significant number of our customers are bemoaning the reduction in ‘character’ in all three heavily peated Islay whiskies that there must be some truth in the matter. Just recently Lagavulin has joined Laphroaig and Bowmore in the dock—accused of being ‘toned down’. This may not be a matter of peating alone, maturation conditions or cask recipe will have an influence, but if true there will be good commercial reasons for this.
Our plea is simple:
Please, please, Glenmorangie, never tone Ardbeg down.
*Note for our overseas readers; a ‘beak’ is slang for a judge or magistrate.

Winners
EDITION 6, AUTUMN 1996

The Loch Fyne, our blend created by Ronnie Martin, has been awarded the bronze at the IWSC ‘the world’s most influential wine & spirit competition’. We’re ‘dead chuffed’ as we feel that this is a reflection of both our blend and our policy that everything we do for our customers is top quality. If you disagree—let us know.
The IWSC is the independent organisation which awards the Distiller of the Year Trophy won last year by Morrison-Bowmore. This year the Allied Domecq sponsored trophy has been awarded to United Distillers ‘for a consistent, high quality selection of different products which reflected a dedicated, committed approach to the highest standards of distilling, blending and bottling’ —this according to the panel of judges. Such a reason for the award must have come as a surprise to the sponsors, Allied, who have whittled their range of whiskies down to a stick with which to aggressively challenge we consumers while baying “no half measures”. The Trophy is rightly awarded to UD and we have little to add except to say—aye!
United Distillers are widening the range of spirits they produce; a recent addition is black malt whisky—Loch Dhu. The launch of Loch Dhu raises an interesting question, where does Scotch Whisky stop? In SWR edition 5 we considered the definition of Scotch, in particular ‘to which no substance other than water and spirit caramel has been added’. On page 10 of this edition we reveal what we have learned about the creation of Loch Dhu, whereby between charrings the cask is subjected to ‘treatment with a natural product’. Now, suppose that this is molasses, (my guess only), which is then burnt off prior to filling with whisky—is this an extraneous additive? No doubt UD’s conscience is absolutely clear; their Red Devil does not masquerade as whisky, but as ‘Red Hot Spirit’, —but what might their competitors be thinking up?

A cure for wamblying
EDITION 5, SPRING 1996

Blended Scotch Whisky—Spey Cast, Black Label and of course a wee Loch Fyne. This is the answer to one of our most frequent questions: Which is your favourite? After a long period of enjoying single malt whiskies I am ‘coming out.’ I prefer blends.
Looking over the past year and the stocks at home I confess that the small collection of malts remains for very occasional use or to entertain house guests. It is the blends that go down at a rate of a dram each night. As Ronnie Martin says in this edition’s interview, ‘blends go down more easily’ and I appreciate the prevention of snafflying, impossible with a big cloying sherrywood malt. I also look forward to the reduced risk of whyrling and crumplying in later life. (Madness—maybe, but see page 8 for an explanation).
These has never been a better time to buy malt whiskies, nor will there ever be again. For example just recently G&M’s stocks of Kinclaith became exhausted and it can no longer be assumed that malt from Kinclaith distillery will be available except as an occasional single cask bottling. Stocks of other ‘lost’ distilleries are diminishing fast. Furthermore producers are determined that prices are to go up after a long freeze and the increase in demand for malts makes this realistic in the near future. Buy now while stocks last...
The Scotch Whisky Association must be congratulated for leading the duty lobby on the Government and creating the first drop in UK excise duty for 100 years— surely the Chancellor could have seen himself this was blindingly necessary. The SWA is now campaining for a further drop of a few percent and here we differ; with the fortunes being made and lost as a result of cross-border bootlegging (and the slide into lawlessness) there must be the best possible argument for a brave Chancellor to adopt ‘the Danish Solution’—a 50% cut in excise duty overnight, now.

Trumpet for two
EDITION 4, AUTUMN 1995

“An excellent mail order business” is the accolade awarded us in a recent Decanter magazine article. This sort of comment is something that has to be earned and we are proud to have done so. Because of our hands-on approach it is easier for us to look after you, the customer, on a personal basis. As a private partnership we are dependent on the shop in Inveraray and our mail order business and so we are very careful about our quality of service and the suggestions and recommendations we make.
This edition of the SWR is twelve pages, the additional four pages being occupied by our ‘glossy’ catalogue, full of desirable products for you to buy and enjoy. All of the items featured come with our recommendation and should you wish to return anything to us because you are disappointed, no problems.
We also give news of the appointment of our house malt, The Inverarity. We weren’t looking for a house malt but found this so worthy of frequent recommendation that we made it ours. The Loch Fyne Whiskies House Malt is an ‘award’ that we can give only once. We are delighted with our choice and commend it to you, whatever your taste.
Ronnie Martin, founder of Inverarity Vaults with his son Hamish, also has an excellent blend but we have refrained from appointing a house blend at this time as we have asked “The Professor” to create a blend reflecting the warmth and character of Argyll. Order at least one bottle from us before Christmas and you will get a miniature of that proposed blend for your comments. The results of this exciting mass tasting and the launch of our new whisky will be announced next year.
Please order for christmas as soon as possible. We try to be very quick in turning orders around but inevitably we may get a bit slower in the next month.
Despite that, it will still be an excellent mail order business. Happy Christmas.

British Whisky Review?
EDITION 3, SPRING 1995

Being based in Inveraray, a sizeable proportion of the visitors to our shop in the Summer come from overseas and one of our lots is to try and explain why Scotch is dearer in Scotland than it is in the vast majority of countries. Explaining that it is the duty (and the tax on the duty) does not ease their bewilderment; why is such a tax levied on a British product by the British Government?
Answers on a postcard please.
In November a confident Chancellor boasted that he understood the injustice of the tax regime on drink, particularly Scotch. However, hopes for a reduction in the rate of duty were little compensated by a third successive freeze. The following week a spiteful Mr Clarke lashed out a 4% increase in alcohol duty to plug a hole in his assumptions.
Last time the duty on spirits was raised, Exchequer revenue reduced by £80m.
Spirits carry two times the duty of wine. Scotch, the indigenous British product, has been penalised at twice the rate of the imported product. While the Chancellor argues in the European Union that discrimination in duty is unlawful, he applies discriminatory taxes at home. While the government argues around the world that British spirits (principally Scotch) should not be hampered by high taxes it applies some of the highest taxes by way of example.
More perplexing is the degree of tax breaks handed out to “the City”— certainly an important revenue earner but now less than twice the size of the Scotch Whisky Industry.
Perhaps it would be better calling it ‘British Whisky’.
Very many thanks to all our customers for a great Christmas spending spree with Loch Fyne Whiskies and for your nice comments about the SWR; we hope you appreciated the free delivery bonus.
Once again, this edition is an exercise in distilling and condensing and we must think hard about the addition of more pages to accommodate the enthusiasm of contribution from the industry.

Big Brothers and others
EDITION 2, AUTUMN 1994

A cynic reviewing this journal might conclude that Loch Fyne Whiskies is the poodle of United Distillers.
In the last edition we featured their Master Blender and in this issue we devote two pages to the Chairman responsible for all whisky production in the group. The fact is that United Distillers have devoted a considerable amount of time to our fledgling business without making any demands in return. Surprised by this (it would be easy to throw money at us—time is far more precious) we enquired of one executive, “Why devote so much time to a small outlet?” The reply gives us great heart: “We just thought that if we couldn’t look after the small independent we might as well pack up and go home.”
Occasionally a customer pronounces:
“I don’t want any whiskies from Big Distillers plc.” Generally they are un-aware of the degree of the big players’ ownership and ignorant of just how few whiskies they are limiting themselves to. Four companies dominate the industry, producing 80% of all Scotch. They employ thousands of Scots in rural distilleries or inner-city bottling halls, places that need employers desperately. Avoiding their products deprives both these industry employees and also oneself of the many magnificent whiskies they produce.
We are very proud of this edition of SWR and sincerely thank all contributors for lending their name, thoughts and time. All elected to help our business because they recognised our desire to promote Scotch Whisky to a wide audience in a responsible manner reflecting the respect and heritage it has earned.
We hope to see more contribution from other distiller groups in the future, many of which have made little attempt to recognise us yet (they’ve all had the opportunity), or have only given us an account in the last month after 18 months intense lobbying. Perhaps they are busy packing up and going home.

???????Answers???????
EDITION 1, SPRING 1994

“How am I supposed to drink Malt Whisky?” is the most common question asked in our tasting room at Loch Lomond. My stock reply is to explain that you can drink it any way you like as long as you buy it from me!
I cite this as an example of what we hope to achieve with this journal.
In the first instance we want you to buy some whisky from us. In this way we will be able to produce more Scotch Whisky Reviews rather than going out of business. Secondly, we want this review to amuse, inform and to answer some of your questions about whisky thus encouraging you to help us achieve objective number one.
Within these humble four pages, apart from suggestions on how to drink your malts, we have contributions from some of our friends in the industry.
Blenders are conductors of the symphony that is blended Scotch. Ian Grieve is the Master Blender for United Distillers and is unique in that he is a composer, the creator of Bell’s Islander, one of the few genuinely-new mass-market blends produced since the war. Ian describes his role and typical working day with UD, (owners of Bell's, Johnnie Walker and 40% of Scotland’s distilling capacity).
MacDuff International is a new company licensing and marketing many brands including Islay Mist. Founder/director Ted Thompson considers the importance of a name. In future we will hear of Ted’s Latin-American sales drive.
We feature Clynelish, the peatiest of mainland whiskies, and begin regular reviews. In future our reviews will consider not just malts but also blends, liqueurs, books and anything else we feel you may be interested in. But for this launch issue space is devoted to some explaining on our behalf.
We hope our inaugural four pages will be worthwhile; your feedback is most welcome. It is hoped that the next edition will be eight or twelve pages, but that depends on you, dear customer.