I recently had the pleasure of sitting down for lunch with Andrew Weir, The Balvenie Ambassador
for the Western US. Andrew is based in San Francisco and arrived in the
States in 2005 after a long acting career in his native Scotland and in the UK,
with roles on stage, on screen with the BBC, and in films such as Braveheart.
In his current role,
Andrew has the privilege of educating interested Americans, from newbies to
longtime aficionados, by sharing his deep knowledge of Scotch whisky and The
Balvenie story. He is a prolific Twitter user as well (you can follow him @BalvenieAW). Here is Part I of our interview.
· Let’s
discuss The Balvenie for a few minutes. Explain what the role of The
Balvenie Ambassador entails – outreach to new customers, expanding the palates
of existing, etc?
A bit of both
really. The role involves a significant amount of travel, which leads to random
meetings at bars, in restaurants, airports, planes, etc. Trying to convince the
middle-aged businessman/Scotch lover sitting next to you on the plane that what
we do is actually ‘work’ can be challenging!
My role is about
facilitating an experience as much as it is about sharing a story and providing
an informal education. Whisky is a personal experience so I’m not the guy who
stands preaching about ‘the only way to drink this’ or giving them a chorus and
verse tasting note … I'd prefer to ask them a lot of questions. What do YOU
taste? What does this remind YOU of?
I’m also there to offer
context – we have an enviable commitment to craftsmanship and a five generation
family story, coupled with a few gems passed on from David Stewart (our malt
master with 47 years service), there’s plenty to talk about. The liquid says a
lot too!
· What is
The Balvenie’s whisky-making philosophy – what are you trying to achieve in
your single malts?
Ultimate
craftsmanship. We believe the quality of the whisky can be directly attributed
to the fact that we still make whisky in the traditional style, using practices
that have been abandoned elsewhere in the industry – from growing and malting
our own barley to employing a dedicated coppersmith and a team of
highly-skilled coopers. The love, care and attention that goes into the
production of every drop can’t be underestimated.
How
does The Balvenie view itself today in the world of scotch whisky, and where
are you heading over the next 3-5 years?
Simply put:
Balvenie is an explorers single malt. There’s something about it that gives
people enormous satisfaction in recommending it to their friends. This is the
reason DoubleWood is now a staple on the home bar (ed.note: see my DoubleWood
tasting notes here). I hear ‘this is my go to’ and ‘it’s my
old friend’ several times a week.
Up until fairly recently, Balvenie was mainly enjoyed anonymously (as part
of our award-winning Grants blend) - I believe that this brand was built
largely on the basis that whisky drinkers shared a ‘secret’ with their friends
and the liquid didn’t disappoint. Still doesn’t.
Part II of our interview is continued here.
