The Silk Road of Wine

An Interview with Ray Pearson, The Glenfiddich Ambassador (part II)

  I recently had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with Ray Pearson, who is Brand Ambassador (Western Division) for Glenfiddich single malts.  Here is part II of our interview; part I can be found here.

What is Glenfiddich’s whisky-making philosophy – what are you trying to achieve in your single malts? 

RP: The first Glenfiddich spirit flowed on Christmas Day in 1887 and for the past 122 years we have followed the vision of our founder, William Grant, to make “the best dram in the valley”.  We continue to do this by using traditional whisky-making methods, sometimes at the expense of more economical production choices.  

For instance, we continue to heat our stills by direct fire, we maintain our own cooperage and we have our own coppersmith to tend the stills.  Also, we use water from the same source (Robbie Dhu Spring) to reduce the alcohol level from cask strength to commercial strength prior to bottling, as was used in the original production of the spirit more than a decade ago. 

One of our goals is to maintain balance.  Glenfiddich is a remarkably complex single malt, yet none of the flavors or aromas dominate each other.  There is a “foundation taste” that  exists in each of the different range extensions that celebrates the distinctive Speyside style of being easy on the palate, with full, fresh and fruity flavors.

Tell us a little about the various wood barrels that you employ in your range – rum, oloroso sherry, etc.

RP: At Glenfiddich, we maintain our own on-site cooperage to ensure the highest quality of wood management in the industry.  We have a team of seven coopers working for us, the youngest of which has 14 years experience – and our head cooper, Don Ramsay, has an amazing 48 years experience! 

The two main types of wood barrels used are American Oak (previously used to age bourbon) and European Oak (previously used to age sherry, including oloroso sherry).  Depending on the Glenfiddich variant, other woods play an important role in the aroma and taste of the finished product – used rum casks and new wood casks are among these.

Given Glenfiddich’s market share in single malt scotch sales, how does the brand view itself today in the world of scotch whisky, and where are you heading over the next 3-5 years?

RP: Glenfiddich is the world’s most awarded single malt Scotch, and the largest-selling brand globally.  William Grant & Sons just announced record profits due in part to significant activity in North America.  We continue to expand, not only in our traditionally-strong markets like France, US, UK and Spain, but also around the world – China and Russia are two of our fastest-growing markets and we are excited about the prospects for continued growth. 

We are the ‘real deal’ when it comes to scotch whisky – we have remained an ambitious independent family-owned company who has maintained its record of success and commitment throughout the years. We are not a public company that has to answer to stockholders, so we are able to maintain our dedication to the product and to our customers without having to sacrifice quality for cost-cutting.

Are there any new trends in single malt scotch (manufacturing, marketing or retailing) that you have been impressed by?

RP: The first is a move to updated, contemporary packaging within the category to make single malt more relevant to an increasingly younger audience.  We are definitely separating ourselves from the stuffy image of scotch being something old, bald men drink in front of their big fireplace at home!  Glenfiddich packaging includes information right on the front label to guide consumers to a particular style of aroma and flavors like pear, spice and honey. 

The second is the release of new variants by many distillers.  Glenfiddich recently released its Distillery Edition – 102 proof, and non-chill filtered, and will release the extremely rare Glenfiddich 50 year old in December.  Glenfiddich also annually releases a limited edition vintage, always in excess of 30 years old.

Last question.  What would you recommend for the newbie scotch drinker, someone who wants to learn more – it can be at least as intimidating as learning about wine if not more so.  Books, specific scotches, classes or tastings?

RP: The single malt novice has a wonderful array of resources, including the Internet, both for general information, as well as distillery-specific sites, online and traditional booksellers, and, of course, the local pub.  Attending as many single malt whisky tastings as possible is a great way to meet like-minded people, share opinions and experiences, and taste a variety of whisky, served by experts.  Patronize your local bar that has a good selection of whiskies and ask them a lot of questions – people are very happy to share their knowledge and it is the best way to figure out what you like best, no matter what the books or experts say.

Thanks, Ray, for your time in educating us on the story behind Glenfiddich.  Keep an eye out for Ray at a single malt tasting in your area soon!  

An Interview with Ray Pearson, The Glenfiddich Ambassador (part I)

  I recently had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with Ray Pearson, who is Brand Ambassador (Western Division) for Glenfiddich single malts.  Here is part I of our interview; part II will be posted tomorrow.

Tell us a little about your background and how you arrived at your current position.

RP: I loved the aroma and taste of scotch quite a bit earlier than many of my peers – in college, actually.  Making the jump from blended scotches to single malt – and yes, Glenfiddich was my first single malt – was a life-changing experience.   

Studying single malts led me to explore my Scottish roots (Macpherson is my clan) and eventually many trips to dozens of distilleries in all of the distilling regions of Scotland.  Conducting single malt tastings for corporate and convention events and at Scottish Highland games became a major hobby, and eventually overtook my “day job” in purchasing and production management. The invitation to join William Grant & Sons as Glenfiddich Ambassador came about five years ago.

Explain what the role of Glenfiddich Ambassador entails – educating new customers, expanding palates of existing fans?

RP: In one word - education.  I give customers the basic knowledge they need to get around and, most importantly, the confidence to explore and determine what they like.   

I spoke to over 12,000 people last year and I love presenting training sessions for wait and bar staffs of fine bars and hotels, as well as the sales teams at our distributor partners.  Consumer events such as whisky dinners, cigar & scotch pairings, tasting seminars at Highland games, and national whisky events all provide opportunities to educate a broad spectrum of people about single malts in general and Glenfiddich in particular.  Audiences love the information they learn at these sessions.

What are the most common questions or themes you get in your education efforts as Ambassador?

RP: There are many, but three questions stand out as the most common.  All revolve around not knowing the basics of whisky, and understandably so – scotch can be very intimidating to the newbie (perhaps rivaled only by cognac), that’s why I enjoy the educational aspect of my job so much. 

“Where is scotch made?” is a very common question.  I usually tackle this head-on by bringing a map of Scotland and giving a short presentation on Speyside as a region, and what that means for the malts from this region.

“What is the difference between scotch, whiskey and whisky?” is another common one, as well as the related but equally-common “What is difference between a single malt and a blend?”  There are a lot of misconceptions about what “single” means in “single malt”, and some are quite humorous.

Staying on this for a moment, why do you think the industry has had such a difficult time educating consumers on the basics like single malt vs. blend?

RP: Good question.  In my opinion, it stems from the gulf between folks who are isolated from the public while reviewing “customer research data” and those of us like the Glenfiddich Ambassadors who are in the field every day, talking across the bar to real customers and listening to what they are they are saying.  It gives you a real appreciation for what they are missing in order to truly appreciate the liquid in front of them.

An Interview with Andrew Weir, The Balvenie Ambassador (part II)

 

In part I of my interview with Andrew Weir, The Balvenie Ambassador for the Western US, we explored The Balvenie’s whisky-making philosophy and what the role of Ambassador entails.  Here is second part of our interview. 

Are there any new trends in single malt scotch (manufacturing, marketing or retailing) that you have been impressed by?

I’ve found Twitter to be a really effective social networking tool (ed. note: you can follow Andrew on Twitter @BalvenieAW).  It enables me to introduce The Balvenie to consumers by contributing to the ongoing conversation on the web, and especially to spread the word about tastings and new releases.

The online community in general is bringing our category to a much wider audience. We have created some pretty nifty technology on our site (thebalvenie.com) where Scotch fans across the globe can build and review their own virtual whisky shelf. We know that Balvenie fans are explorers and this tool supports that in a 2009 kind of way.

Turning to the industry overall, single malt scotch is perceived as either a sophisticated or an elitist drink in the US, depending on who you talk to – how does this differ from Scotland, and how are you and the industry looking at this (a good thing or a bad thing)?

Sophisticated yes, but I wouldn’t say elitist. I’m from a working class family in  Scotland and I was exposed to single malts before I came to the States.

Scotch is way more than a drinking experience – there’s a story, a history, a journey. I’d suggest readers check the Internet for a seminar near them - there’s always a chance to sample something with all of the above without breaking the bank.

Lastly, what would you recommend for the newbie scotch drinker, someone who wants to learn more – it can be at least as intimidating as learning about wine if not more so.  Books, specific scotches to sample, classes or tastings?

Do a Google search for “scotch tastings” in your local area and attend a few.  Talk to people and ask questions, no matter how basic they may seem – if I am hosting a tasting, it’s a joy for me when someone sheepishly raises their hand and asks “what is the difference between Scotch and whisky?” 

It gives me a chance to share my passion for what goes on in The Balvenie distillery to transform water, yeast and barley into the wonderful, honeyed drink they have before them.  It is a real joy to take a look over at the very same person who told me at the start of the tasting “I don’t like Scotch” and see their eyes light up as they begin to sample what their palate likes and doesn’t like.  In many cases they ask me where they can buy a bottle of what I’ve just shared with them!

Thanks, Andrew, for a chance to learn more about The Balvenie story - keep an eye out for him at a tasting near you, it is well worth the time! 

An Interview with Andrew Weir, The Balvenie Ambassador (part I)

   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.