POTP_J747_US_Handbook_A5_Digital_AW-2

Handbook
2016

Table of
CONTENTS
5
7
PROTECTORS OF THE PEAT
The Peat Elite
Ceremony Of Peaty Commencement
55
57
62
CHAPTER 6 - A BRIEF
HISTORY OF FIVE DISTILLERIES
Laphroaig
Bowmore
9
CHAPTER 1 - WAYS OF THE MALT
65
The Ardmore
11
12
The Short Story Of Malt Whisky
The Rule Book
70
73
Connemara
Hakushu
15
Grain To Glass
78
CHAPTER 7 - THE HOUSE TASTE
18
CHAPTER 2 - LET FLAVOR FLOW
81
How A Laphroaig Gets To Be
A Laphroaig
21
22
24
25
26
Mark Of The Distillery
In The Name Of Oak
Manipulating The Wood
Where Angels Love To Thread
And Other Watery Matters
Character Of Place
83
85
87
89
Understanding What Makes
A Bowmore A Bowmore
Elaborating On The Ardmore Taste
Wherefore The Uniqueness
Of Connemara
What Makes Hakushu So Hakushu
32
CHAPTER 3 - MUD, GLORIOUS MUD
91
CHAPTER 8 - ENTER THE EXPRESSIONS
34
35
36
39
A Brief Note on Peat
Making The Peat Reek
Tailoring The Peat
CHAPTER 4 - A TASTE OF PEAT
93
101
103
107
111
Laphroaig
Connemara
Bowmore
The Ardmore
Hakushu
43
The Portfolio Distilled
113
CONTACT
46
48
CHAPTER 5 - COUNTRIES OF PEAT
Scotland
114
YOUR NOTES
53
Japan & Ireland
121
APPENDIX
3.

The
PEAT ELITE
We welcome the 2016 fraternity
of the Protectors of the Peat.
It is our honor to confirm that you are among the
noble, elite, hand-selected few to represent and
serve an unprecedented collection of peated
malts. You are now part of Beam Suntory’s
illustrious history, a boggy timeline stretching
back through a mellenia.

Ceremony of
PEATY COMMENCEMENT
The Law of the Protectors of the Peat is that we talk about peat. We talk about peat
a lot. We talk about peat to consumers, to customers, and to those both within and
outside our esteemed organization. If, Protector, you are in full agreement, then we
ask that you swear your allegiance to this, our one and only law:
As a Protector, I am a bastion of peated
malts and swear to uphold all that is
good and true in smoky whisky. With
great peat comes great responsibility.
I will act with steadfast strength and
loyalty as a brand leader, building
awareness for each and every malt,
and spreading my knowledge and
passion to everyone I meet. I will share
my enthusiasm with consumers, find
a shared glory in the beautiful bog,
and engage them through tastings
and seminars.
All this, I swear, will be done responsibly,
with confidence and gusto, and always,
I do solemnly promise, one dram at
a time.
6.

Chapter One
WAYS OF THE MALT
7

Ways of
THE MALT
A whisky is defined as a spirit made from grain that has been mixed with water,
then mashed and fermented to make what is called a distiller’s beer, after which it
is then distilled at less than 94.5 proof and aged in wood.
THERE ARE FOUR
RECOGNIZED STYLES
OF WHISKY
• Malt
• Grain
• Bourbon
• Irish Pot Still
The Short Story of Malt Whisky
The practice of distillation can be traced
as far back as ancient Egypt. It is an art
that fascinated great Persian alchemists,
who set down in various scholarly works
their hunts for the so-called water of life,
some of which were translated into Latin
during the 12th century.
With growing knowledge of how to
make a spirit from beer, the secrets of
distillation are thought to have been
brought to Ireland by well-traveled
Irish monks. The resultant distillate was
used as a medicine and a restorative,
drunk either straight from the still, or
flavored with botanicals during or
after distillation.
There is evidence of malt whisky
consumption in Ireland from the 1100s
onward, then a non-neutral white spirit,
essentially a kind of gin, also known
variously as aqua vitae, uisege breathayd
and uisge beatha. If Chaucer, the English
author, is to be believed, malt whisky
was being made in England during
the 13th century. Famously, however,
the earliest written evidence for the
making of whisky comes in 1494 from
Scotland, where the king’s exchequer
records a certain Friar John Cor as
having bought “eight bolls of malt to
make aqua vitae.”
The distillate was consumed unaged until
around the late 1700s, and the discovery
that its taste improves remarkably when
it is stored in oak casks introduced the
idea of maturation. This practice only
really took root with the Excise Act in
1823, which reduced the duty paid,
paving the way for exponential growth
of the number of legitimate distilleries in
Ireland and Scotland. Aging came first, a
prerequisite for the good stuff, and then
the law.
ANCIENT EGYPT 1100s 1494 1700s
Timeline of Distillation
The Rule Book
Today, for a whisky to be considered a
malt whisky, it must be made primarily
with malted grain. Traditionally and
usually, and certainly in Scotland,
where it is the law, that grain is barley,
especially valued for its enzymes that
convert starch to sugar (they are known
as amylase), which are activated
during malting.
Single malt whisky is produced in
batches using copper pot stills. This
method is mandatory in Scotland,
and followed as a matter of tradition
in Ireland and Japan, where it was
adopted at the turn of the 20th century.
In Scotland and Ireland, the law
stipulates that the distillate must be
aged for a minimum of three years
- specifically, in “oak” in Scotland
and in “wood” in Ireland. While
largely unregulated, Japan’s makers
traditionally mature their whisky in oak.
Copper stills at The Ardmore Distillery
While we tend to think of single malt as
the predominant type when speaking
of malt whiskies, the blended malt is
a designated whisky type, and malt
whiskies make up a significant portion
of Blended Scotch, by far Scotland’s
most common whisky type.
OFFICIALLY, IN SCOTLAND:
• A Single Malt is made from
a mash of 100% barley in a
single distillery
• A Blended Malt is a blend of
two or more malts sourced
from multiple distilleries
• A Blended Scotch is a blend
of one or more grain whiskies
with one or more malts
9
10

Though not similarly regulated, Japan and Ireland possess similar whisky styles and
types with certain differences.
THEY ARE:
• In both countries,
blends generally
consist of whiskies
made in a single
distillery
• In Japan, a malt
whisky can be
made in either a
pot or column still
• In Ireland, a blend
is usually a mix of
grain and Irish pot
still whisky
The Ardmore Distillery Washbacks
THE RULES TO MAKING MALT WHISKY
(Traditionally)
• Must be made with
malted grain
• The grain used is
normally barley
• Must be made with the
use of copper stills
• Must be made in batches
Hakushu Distillery River in Autumn
Finally, it’s worth remembering that malted barley constitutes 30 to 70 percent
of the mash bill for Irish pot still whiskies, and it remains an essential catalytic
component in the mash bill for the majority of the world’s whiskies.
11
12

Grain to Glass
With God as our witness, Protector, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, the
making of any single-malt whisky follows roughly the same process, regardless of
country, region or individual distillery.
FERMENTATION
TIMES FOR EACH OF
OUR DISTILLERIES,
PROTECTOR, ARE:
• The Ardmore
53 hours
• Connemara
Minimum 48 hours
• Laphroaig
Minimum 55 hours
• Bowmore*
48 - 100 hours
• First, the barley is malted, meaning
that it is steeped several times in
water, for two to three days, then
allowed to germinate for five to
nine days, traditionally on malting
floors but now more than likely in a
malting drum
• Next, germination is arrested by drying
the sprouting barley with hot air. In
this process, known as kilning, the fuel
usually used is oil, gas or peat
• At around 8-9 percent ABV, the
resultant distiller’s beer, or wash,
is usually distilled twice, first in a
wash still and then in a low wines
or spirits still. The first distillate (low
wines) comes off the wash still at
around 23 percent ABV. The second
distillation sees it separated, or cut,
into three parts: head, (or foreshots),
middle, and tails (or feints)
• The foreshots and feints are recycled
into the next batch wash, while the
middle cut is taken off the stills as
new make and is usually diluted down
to 62.5–63.5 percent ABV before
being barreled and left to mature
• Maturation takes place in either
dunnage or rack/pallet warehouses.
Casks are generally made of either
used American white oak or European
oak, and usually sourced from the
bourbon or sherry industries
• The malted barley is then milled into
a grist that is then mixed, or mashed,
with water in a vessel known as a
mash tun. The increasingly hot water
dissolves the sugar, resulting in sugared
waters, or wort, which is pumped into
fermentation vats, or washbacks
• Lasting between 48 and 120 hours,
fermentation is simply the process
that sees a distiller’s yeast added,
or pitched, to the wort, thereby
acting as the catalyst for converting
the sugar to alcohol. It’s a twopart
process by which oxygen is
aerobically converted by the yeast
into carbon dioxide, after which
it anaerobically lives off the sugar
before eventually dying off. Ethyl
alcohol is the main by-product
Once deemed mature, different casks and batches of casks are blended as a matter
of brand priority, the aim being to ensure that each new expression possesses
exactly the same profile as its predecessor. The whisky is then bottled and labeled,
usually off-site.
*depending on type of whisky being made
*depending on time in the week
13
14

Chapter Two
LET FLAVOR FLOW
15

Let
FLAVOR FLOW
Remember, Protector, it is your solemn duty to lay the ground for demonstrating how
our peated single malts are indeed the most distinctively flavorsome whiskies known
to humanity. In order to do so, and before making way for the wonders of peat, it’s
important that we share what it is that makes fine malt whisky so damn tasty.
Many factors combine to make malt whiskies from different countries and regions
unique. Different distilleries, even when in close proximity, can and do produce
very different spirits.
It is generally accepted that a given single malt whisky owes its distinctive character
to the distillery that gave birth to it, to the influence of local environmental factors in
which it was matured, and to the types of wood(s) and cask(s) used for its maturation.
Mark of the Distillery
Malting the barley softens it, brings out the sugars, and gives it a much more
obvious baked grain (biscuit) taste.
Depending on choices made during the mash, such as the temperature of the water,
the resultant wort is either cloudy or clear. Generally, and notwithstanding other
production variables, cloudy worts make for a malty final spirit, and clear worts
for a fruitier one. Flavor, however, develops at a much more significant rate during
fermentation, the source of change being the type of yeast(s) used as well as the
length of time given to the process.
Briefly, in addition to ethyl alcohol, fermentation results in the production of small
amounts of powerful secondary flavor compounds, formed as the result of different
chemicals reacting with each other at different times during fermentation. Generally,
the shorter the fermentation, the more the wash will retain those original grain notes;
conversely, the longer the fermentation, the fruitier it will be.
Finally, at what level these vital secondary flavors are retained in the final spirit
depends on the shape of the still, the way it is operated, and the strength at which
the spirit is drawn off.
Laphroaig
RULES OF DISTILLER THUMB:
The Ardmore
Hakushu
Bowmore
• Copper has the effect of
stripping the distillate of heavier
compounds, including various
sulfides. The greater the amount
of vapor-to-copper contact,
the lighter and more elegant
the final spirit; the shorter
the contact, the heavier, more
meaty its character
• As the temperature increases,
flavor compounds evaporate
in order of weight, lightest to
heaviest. The earlier the first cut,
the more floral, grassy or green
the taste of the final spirit
• The later the first cut, the fruitier
it will be, progressing from crisp
to stewed fruits. Meanwhile, the
later the second cut, the heavier
the new make, with typical
flavors including smoke, grain,
tar and various oils
• Levels of ethyl alcohol decrease
throughout the run. The earlier
the cut, the stronger the new
make, yielding an increasingly
neutral-tasting spirit. Thus, the
later the cut, the lower the
strength, so the greater the new
make’s depth of flavor. This
helps explain the milder flavor
profile of grain whisky, which
is typically drawn off the still at
much higher strengths than potstilled
malt whiskies
Connemara
The Five Distilleries
It is thought, Protector, that the average distillery contributes to 30% of a given single
malt whisky’s flavour profile.
17
18

In the Name of Oak
PROCESS OF MATURATION
While the spreading of all things peat, Protector, is our reason for living, it would be
considered a dereliction of duty were we to forget the significance of the process
of maturation, which has a profound effect on the final character of a single malt
whisky. It does so in three general and interrelated ways:
• Once in cask, the spirit expands
and contracts, extracting flavors
from the wood
• At the same time, the process of
evaporation causes unwanted flavor
compounds such as sulfides to be
expelled and replaced by oxygen,
which acts as a catalyst for further
chemical change
• In time, oxygen, water and ethanol
variously aid a series of chemical
reactions between various compounds.
The end result a balanced, complex
whisky strong in fruity esters
THE IMPORTANCE OF OAK
By choosing the types of oak and
casks used, we have much greater
flexibility and control over the process
of maturation.
To begin, a single-malt whisky is
usually laid down in either American
white oak or European oak, each of
which gives the distillate a distinctive
flavor profile.
• Whisky matured in American oak
is characterized by vanilla, coconut,
caramel, red fruits, sometimes ginger
and almonds, and eventually leather
and tobacco. The resultant liquid is
usually an amber-gold color
• European oak makes for a drier,
tannin-heavy profile, one marked
by more spice, by clove and
cinnamon, by caramelized orange.
The resultant liquid is usually a deep
mahogany color
• Occasionally, a distillate will be laid
down in Japanese oak. Although it
is much like European oak, it gives
a whisky an extra spiciness, like that
of incense, as well as a more acidic,
fruity profile
Barrels at Laphroaig Distillery
Oak Trees give the distillate a distinctive flavour profile
19
20

Manipulating the Wood
Beyond the effect that the type of oak used has on maturation, we are able to tailor
that influence in several important ways:
• While not always the case, casks
are increasingly made with yardaged
wood, a process that sees the
oak’s tannins broken down naturally
and over time, making for less
astringent products
• The vast majority of casks used for
the maturation of single malt whisky
are toasted and/or charred before
being filled. Both processes involve
the application of thermal heat to the
insides of the casks, indirectly (toasted)
or directly (charred). Each serves to
caramelize the wood’s sugars, release
certain wood compounds, convert
others, and reduce tannins. Charring
also acts as a filter, helping rid the
spirit of unwanted sulfides. Toasting
penetrates more deeply
• The more used a cask, the less the
influence it will have on the distillate.
A first refill cask will impart more color
and wood to the distillate, while a
second or third-refill cask will allow
for more of the distillery’s character to
show through
SINGLE MALT WHISKIES ARE
ALMOST ALWAYS MATURED IN
CASKS PREVIOUSLY USED FOR
THE PRODUCTION OF RUM,
BOURBON, SHERRY, OR WINE
• Ex-Bourbon casks tend to
impart the distillate with extra
vanilla and caramel flavors
• Ex–Pedro Ximénez (PX)
casks impart the distillate
with an added dry,
Christmassy sweetness
• Ex-oloroso casks imbue
the distillate with notes of
fruitcake and toffee, and a
hint of struck match
• Ex-wine casks are often
sourced in France, and as
such are made with French
oak, which adds notes
of spice
So, Protector, easy to see, is it not, why the process of maturation should account
for some 70 percent of the flavor profile of a single malt whisky.
Where Angels Love to Tread
and Other Watery Matters
When speaking of flavor profiles, Protector, and how they influence whisky production,
we would be justly whipped for not mentioning the significance of climate.
Broadly speaking, wood policies - cask selection, fill strength, and warehouse
strategies - take into account the effects of temperature and humidity on annual
rates of evaporation:
• In maritime climates such as those of
Scotland, Ireland, and Japan, average
temperatures are low, so a cask will
lose 2-4 percent of its liquid each year
• Given the high levels of humidity,
the loss is more in alcohol than it
is in water, so strength levels in
maritime climates gradually fall
during maturation
The Climate on Islay effects the processes at Laphroaig Distillery
and orientation of the structure,
individual warehouses have
their own microclimates, which
is why distilleries may prioritize
certain warehouses for specific
brands/expressions
• Maritime-influenced conditions
make for slower and therefore
longer maturation cycles
• Depending on several factors — such
as the materials used for construction
Charring barrels at the Jim Beam Distillery
Less specifically, one of the key factors in whisky making is the quality of water. The
result of using poor water will, of course, be a poor whisky. Often, a natural source of
water will be the prime reason for a distillery’s location. The type of water, hard or soft,
and its chemical composition will have a direct bearing on the whisky’s final taste.
21
22

The Character of Place
SCOTLAND
SCOTLAND
Officially, Scotland is divided into five whisky areas, with the Islands (less Islay)
being a part of the Highlands. Even so, people often treat the Islands as a separate
region. Either way, and notwithstanding the character idiosyncrasies of individual
distilleries, it is possible, Protector, to speak loosely of the regional flavor profiles of
single malt Scotch whisky.
6
1
SPEYSIDE
4
ISLAY
Technically, Speyside lies within the
Highland region, but it’s home to
so many of Scotland’s malt whisky
distilleries – approximately half – that
it’s classified as a whisky region in its
own right. This small area of land to
the north west of Aberdeen produces
mellow, sweet, malty and particularly
fruity whiskies.
Widely regarded as Whisky Island,
Islay is a relatively small island that is
70 miles to the west of Glasgow and
inaccessible by road. There are eight
active distilleries on Islay. The malt
whiskies produced here have their own
distinctive character and flavor; the
majority are peaty, robust, and refined
in equal measure, and briny.
2
1
2
HIGHLANDS
5
CAMPBELTOWN
The Highland region is geographically
the largest Scotch whisky–producing
region. The rugged landscape and
changing climate are reflected in the
character of the region’s whiskies,
which display wide variations. Too
diverse to categorize, Highland
whiskies can range from dry and
heathery to sweet and fruity, and they
become notably smoky in the west.
3 LOWLANDS
6
Campbeltown lies on Scotland’s Kintyre
peninsula. Once a major producer of
whisky, it was home to as many as 28
distilleries in its heyday and claimed
the title Whisky Capital of the World.
Today there are three distilleries in
Campbeltown: Springbank, Glengyle,
and Glen Scotia. Whiskies from here are
generally full bodied with a deep flavor
and slight sea-salt tang to the finish.
THE ISLANDS
4
5 3
The region lies south of a line drawn
from the Clyde estuary on the west
coast to the Tay estuary on the east
coast. It is home to far fewer distilleries
than the likes of Speyside and the
Highlands, and its whiskies tend to be
much softer and lighter in character.
They often display very malty, grassy
characteristics and more subtle,
delicate aromas than whiskies from
other regions.
This area includes all the islands other
than Islay, notably Jura, the Orkney
Isles, Mull, the Isle of Skye, and the
Isle of Arran. The characters of these
whiskies vary considerably. The
northernmost location for malt whisky
distillation remains the Orkney Isles,
where there are two distilleries, Scapa
and Highland Park.
Generally speaking, the west coast of Scotland, much like the Pacific Northwest
of the United States, is wet, often stormy, and usually much more humid than the
Highlands, which are relatively cooler and drier. The overall climate difference
helps explain the difference between the whiskies made on stormy Islay and those
made on the eastern mainland at The Ardmore.
23
24.

OWING TO THEIR RELATIVELY LOW DISTILLERY COUNT,
JAPAN AND IRELAND ARE NOT BROKEN DOWN INTO
REGIONS. INSTEAD, CHARACTER IS UNDERSTOOD AS
BOTH NATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL
IRELAND
Meanwhile, because of the predominance
of pot still–style whiskies in Ireland -
consisting of mashbills made of malted
and unmalted barley, and typically
triple distilled - the country’s whiskies
are slightly oilier, more acidic, and
very refined and elegant.
JAPAN
There is a great level of attention
given to every aspect of the production
of Japanese single malt whiskies, and
they are renowned for not being
malty, as well as for their balance and
complexity, their weighty lightness,
their absolute craftsmanship.
But, dear friend, when discussing regions as representative of single styles, tread
with care: for every pattern uncovered, so springs an anomaly. Explain, sure, but
always with a pocketful of caveats, especially with respect to the Highlands, to
Campbeltown, to Japan and Ireland.
25
26

Chapter Three
MUD, GLORIOUS MUD
27 28.

Mud,
GLORIOUS MUD
Welcome, Protector. Peat, mud of life, true bog, source of much that is smoke. Here
we look at its history, the science behind the reek, and the differences among the
various types of peated whiskies.
A Brief Note on Peat
Peat (turf) is an organic material composed of partially decayed vegetation. Evolutionarily
speaking, it displays characteristics of both plant matter and brown coal.
Peat is found in damp and marshy regions, accumulated over thousands of years,
largely in so-called peatlands, and in mires or bogs. Its unique constitution is the
result of perennial flooding that slows the rate at which oxygen is absorbed from
the atmosphere, and thus the rate at which the vegetation decomposes.
Historically, peat has been utilized as a building material, bog iron, and fertilizer, and
in the Dark Ages as a holy burial site for the ritually sacrificed. Generally, however, it
has been an important source of fuel: once cut and dried, it burns extremely well.
Thus it is that Scottish distillers in areas bereft of fuel alternatives have used peat
as a means of drying out the malting barley. The style of making peated single
malt whisky was exported to Japan in 1923, where it continues to thrive. It has
only recently been revived in Ireland.
Making the Peat Reek
While different distilleries will employ
slightly different methods, in standard
production peat is harvested — usually
by machine, rarely by hand — and then
arranged in blocks or briquettes, or broken
up and arranged to dry in pyramids.
It is then fed into a kiln, the heat (150-
plus degrees Fahrenheit) generated,
rising up through the perforated drying
floor into the kiln, drying out the barley,
and thus halting germination.
The smoky flavor from peat is derived
largely from phenolic compounds known as
simple phenols, which occur in sphagnum,
better known as peat moss.
Other, less complementary smoky
flavors, are derived from burnt wood,
namely carbonyls and guaiacols.
When burnt, the peat releases the
simple phenols and the other less
smoky compounds as vaporized oils,
the resultant phenolic aroma known
as peat reek. These compounds are
absorbed by the damp barley, imbuing
it with the taste of smoke.
The less smoky flavor compounds - the
carbonyls and guaiacols take the edge off
the dominating phenolic flavors, which on
their own impart the whisky with a more
notable taste of cresol/iodine.
In this respect, Protector, while used
interchangeably, there is indeed a
distinction between peat and smoke,
with the much more phenolic whiskies
(Laphroaig) better described as peaty,
and the more wood-derived peated
whiskies (The Ardmore, for example)
best understood as smoky.
Peat cutting at Bowmore Distillery
Cut peat at Bowmore Distillery
29
30

Tailoring the Peat
A peated whisky can be lightly, moderately, or heavily peated. These descriptions
refer to the malted barley’s original phenol levels. These levels are measured in
parts per million (PPM) of phenol.
PPM LEVELS
• Lightly peated whiskies are measured as less than 5 PPM phenols
• Medium peated whiskies are 5–15 PPM phenols
• Heavily peated whiskies are 15–50 PPM phenols
• Very heavily peated whiskies can reach more than 100 PPM phenols
Actual levels will depend on the length of time that the barley is exposed to the
smoke, how much smoke is produced, and the type of peat used.
Phenol measures are taken once the barley has been malted. The final level of peat
in a whisky is generally less than the levels originally measured. Levels decrease
throughout production, particularly during distillation and maturation.
RULE
OF THUMB
The later the cut, the smokier the whisky; the
longer its maturation, the softer and less smoky
the whisky becomes
Standing Stones by The Ardmore Distillery
31
32

Chapter Four
A TASTE OF PEAT
33

A Taste
OF PEAT
EVERYTHING THUS FAR MUSED, PROTECTOR, COMES
DOWN TO THIS, THE MOMENT YOU APPLY YOUR
NOBLE TASTE BUDS TO THAT WONDER OF WONDERS:
A GLASS OF PEATED SINGLE MALT WHISKY
POUR
Pour yourself a measure of whisky. A
nosing glass that is narrower at the
top than the bottom is best. Hold it by
the stem or base so as not to warm the
glass. Have a bottle of unchilled water
at hand. Be generous.
NOSE
Nose and breathe in deeply, mouth
open. Think of what the aromas signify,
the memories they evoke. Classic smoky
aromas are the peat, but search for
vanilla, caramel, and various fruits,
perhaps more savory notes, too.
COLOUR
Hold the glass up to the light. Color
doesn’t necessarily reveal age, but it
does provide clues as to how the whisky
was matured. A deep red-golden single
malt, for example, is likely to have been
matured in sherry oak casks, while a
paler whisky suggests bourbon casks.
TASTE
Finally, sip from the glass, letting the
whisky travel the length and breadth of
the mouth and nestle on your tongue.
As well as the aromas and flavors
you’re experiencing, think about the
mouthfeel - how it physically feels,
whether it feels, for example, full and
smooth, or sharp and thin, and whether
it’s dry or sweet.
John Campbell hosting a tasting at Laphoaig Distillery
LEGS
Hold the glass at an angle and rotate
it briskly, so that the whisky coats the
inside of the glass. Now hold it upright
and watch the liquid form the legs as
it runs down the sides of the glass.
Generally speaking, the slower the
legs, the higher the level of viscosity
and the older the whisky.
WATER
Add a little water. Don’t drown the whisky.
Just a few drops should be enough to
release flavor compounds locked in
by ethanol compounds. Now swirl the
glass, nose the whisky, and take a small
mouthful along with some air. You’ll be
amazed at all the different aromatics and
subtleties that suddenly emerge.
JOY & KNOWLEDGE
There are no right or wrong ways to describe the aromas and tastes you’re experiencing,
but if you’re interested in talking more deeply about the taste, about how the flavors
developed there, then think: malted barley, particularly peat-dried kilns; yeast and length
of fermentation; stills, their size and shape, their use, and the vapor-copper contact; and
type of oak and cask, warehouse conditions, and maturation strategies.
There’s a science to the magic, Protector, and much of it is contained in these pages.
Study it. Know it. Love it.
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36

A Taste
OF PEAT
Our five distilleries, Protector, span not only Europe and Asia, but also the full
boggy range, from light to heavy, medicinal to floral. Here are their stories: at a
glance; the histories that birthed them; the individual peaty taste of each distillery.
Guard them with your life. Tell all who will listen and all who won’t.
The Portfolio Distilled
CONNAMARA
(Co-na-ma-ra)
THE ARDMORE
(Thee-ard-more)
Established in 1891 by Adam Teacher
in the Eastern Highlands, The Ardmore
was initially created to serve as the
keystone peated malt of Teacher’s
Highland Cream, a once-legendary
blend. An independent bottlers’
favorite, it eventually brought out
its own standard official single malt
bottling in 2007, its reputation for
being an old-style whisky developing
a cult following all of its own.
IRELAND
Boundary-breaking, owned by Kilbeggan
Distilling Company, distilled in Cooley
Distillery, Connemara is Ireland’s first
peated whiskey. An anomaly in a
world dominated by triple-distilled,
Irish pot still and blended whiskies, it
is a double distilled single malt and
combines the peatiness of an Islay
whisky with Irish production qualities.
BOWMORE
(Bow-more)
Islay’s oldest distillery, Bowmore,
was founded in 1779 and is
renowned for the production of
super balanced peated whiskies.
Its reputation cemented in the mid-
20th century, under the guidance
of Stanley Morrison, it has become
one of the world’s most well-loved
peated single malts. Bowmore was
bought outright by Suntory in 1994.
SCOTLAND
HAKUSHU
(Hack-shoo)
Built in 1973, a vast distillery situated in
the forests of Mount Kaikomagatake,
Hakushu was expressly set up as a
crisp, vibrant counterpoint to Suntory’s
Yamazaki distillery. It is made with
water sourced from Japan’s southern
alps and possesses a multitude of
whisky types, all known for their direct
and fresh character. Hakushu’s range
of peated whiskies is world class.
JAPAN
LAPHROAIG
(La-froyg)
Situated on the wilder edges of the
whisky map, on the southern coast of
Islay, Laphroaig is known for producing
the world’s most deeply flavored single
malt whisky. Founded in 1815, it grew
into a worldwide cult whisky under
the guidance of distillery-owner Iain
Henderson and has a Royal Warrant
from HRH Prince Charles. Bought
by Fortune Brands in 2005, it was
rationalized under Beam Inc. in 2011.
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38

Chapter Five
COUNTRIES OF PEAT
39

Countries
OF PEAT
TYPES OF SCOTTISH PEAT
Today, the peat used in Scotch whiskies is largely found in Islay, the north-east
Highlands and Orkney. Given these areas’ differing bioclimatic histories, the flavor
enhancing characteristics of their particular peats are perceptively different:
Scotland
STORY OF SCOTTISH PEAT
The history of peat in Scottish whisky
making is near enough the history of
Scotch maltings up until the 1800s. Its
use as a kilning fuel was ubiquitous in the
Islands, Campbeltown and the north-east
Highlands, and as a whisky style, peat
was dominant throughout Scotland.
However, with the advent of the Industrial
Revolution it was gradually replaced
by more efficient fuels: first coal and
later gas and oil. Even so, it remained
a major feature of the industry right up
until the Second World War, its prevalent
use in Blended Scotches and Vatted or
Pure Malts (now called Blended Malts)
guaranteeing its continued importance.
Since then, though, it has diminished in
the Lowlands from roughly one third to
virtually nothing, and in the mainland
Highland distilleries from three quarters
to just above nothing. Today, it is the
major fuel source for kilning in only a
handful of mainly island-based distilleries.
Still, whatever the decline in its actual
use, Scottish peat continues to occupy
an extraordinarily important corner
of the single malt category, defining
the character of some of the world’s
greatest and best-known Scottish
distilleries, and serving as the main
source of kilning fuel for distilleries
throughout the world.
The lowering of duty paid, paved the
way for exponential growth of the
number of legitimate distilleries in
Ireland and Scotland. Aging became
first a prerequisite for the good stuff,
and then the law.
ORKNEY
The peat on Orkney falls between the
two, and depending on the depth of
extraction, generally results in a more
floral-like smoky flavor.
HIGHLANDS
In the mainland Highlands, the greater
ratio of wood to peat moss makes for
bonfire-like smoky flavors.
ISLAY
Composed of a ratio of less wood
to peat moss, Islay has a higher
phenol count, and is therefore more
medicinal in flavor.
Malt grains at Laphroaig Distillery
41
42

SOURCE OF THE MALT
Whereas in the 1800s maltings were
by and large performed locally, they
are now carried out by a handful of
large facilities, the main suppliers being
Diageo (Roseisle, Port Ellen, Glen Ord
and Tamdhu), Simpsons (Tweed Valley),
Bairds Malt (Abroath and Inverness),
Crisp Malting Group (Buckie).
A tiny rump of distilleries has retained some
or all of their malting facilities. Springbank,
Tamdhu and Glen Ord distilleries malt
100% on site, and Laphroaig, Bowmore,
Kilchoman, Highland Park, Benriach
and Balvenie malt a percentage of their
barley on site.
Mashing machine at The Ardmore
WHERE THE PEAT TORCH BURNS
Just nine Scottish distilleries are defined
by peat: Islay’s Laphroaig, Bowmore,
Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Ardbeg, and
Lagavulin, and the Highland’s Talisker,
The Ardmore and Highland Park.
Though not possessing the same
degree of peat-centric flavor profiles,
a somewhat larger group of Scottish
distilleries produce significant lines
of peated single malt whiskies, most
obviously Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain
and Springbank, but also Edradour,
Jura, Tobermory, Tomintoul, Arran,
Benromach and Benriach. (This is not a
definitive list.)
Finally, Protector, there are the closeddistillery
and rarer bottlings of peated
single malt whiskies to think about.
Port Ellen and Bora are the best-known
closed-distillery bottlings and rare
official peated bottlings from the likes
of Glen Garioch, Bladnoch and Glen
Scotia surface from time to time.
Note: While Glen Garioch, another
of Beam Suntory’s distilleries, is today
a non-peated whisky, this was not
always the case. Together with eastern
Highlands neighbor, The Ardmore, it
was long known for its peaty malts, its
output largely going to blends. Closed
and opened several times in its long
history, it was mothballed in 1994, and
when reopened in 1997 the decision was
made to drop the peat. We live in hope.
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44

Japan
The story, Protector, of Japan’s love affair with whisky is said to have begun in
1864, when the Emperor Meiji reportedly took receipt of a case of Scotch or
bourbon - no one’s sure which.
However, it wasn’t until 1923 that the country began to make its own whisky, at
Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery. Created by owner Shinjiro Torii and the then master
distiller, Masataka Taketsuru, the distillery’s very first release was the heavily
peated Shirofuda, in 1929. Peat has since played a central role in the development
of Japanese whiskies – single malts and blends alike.
Save some experimental maltings with peat sourced from the Hokkaido peatlands,
Japanese producers tend to source their peated maltings exclusively from Scotland.
Apart from Yamazaki and Hakushu (Suntory), and Yoichi and Miyagikyo (Nikka),
Japanese distilleries with peated whisky lines include Karuizawa, Chichibu, Mars
Shinshu and Fuji-Gotembo.
Ireland
In terms of whiskey making, Protector, Ireland is in the middle of a serious renaissance.
The number of distilleries founded in the last few years continues to grow, with new
offerings cropping up regularly, particularly at Beam’s own Cooley Distillery.
However, whatever the range of styles on offer, the landscape has long been
dominated by Irish pot still whiskies and blends, the latter consisting of mainly
pot still and grain whiskies.
All of which means that the spark for the revival of the Irish peated single malt is
Connemara, which sources its maltings from Port Ellen in Islay. Irish and Islay, it’s
a wonderful example of a very different type of peated whiskey.
Left: Hakushu Distillery in Spring
45
46

Chapter Six
A BRIEF HISTORY
OF FIVE DISTILLERIES
47

A Brief History of
FIVE DISTILLERIES
Laphroaig
The Laphroaig Distillery was officially founded in 1815 by Donald and Alexander
Johnston, on the site of a farm. Laphroaig means “beautiful hollow by the broad
bay”, and the location provided a steady source of water from the granite basin in
the nearby Kilbride Hills.
The distillery remained in family hands
for the next 139 years; the latter part of
the nineteenth century spent servicing
the blend industry. Any single malt
produced not going to blends would
have been sold to locals in jugs. After
managing to defeat the blend-hungry
attentions of agent Peter Mackie, the
distillery reserved greater portions of
the distillate for itself.
Under the stewardship of owner-distiller
Ian Hunter, Laphroaig bottled its single
malt for the first time in 1923. The distillery
expanded from two to four stills. Hunter
dispensed agents across the world,
especially to America, where Laphroaig
gained a strong foothold, and was even
sold during Prohibition – on the grounds
that it was a medicine. With its reputation
growing, and the Laphroaig recipe
finalized, Hunter was joined in 1932
by Elizabeth ‘Bessie’ Leitch Williamson,
who would take over as owner-distiller
on Hunter’s death in 1954 – becoming
Scotland’s first and only female distiller
during the twentieth century.
In the 1940s Hunter had already taken
the decision to switch up the distillery’s
wood policy, swapping the rarer and
more expensive European oak exsherry
cask for American white oak
ex-Bourbon cask. Further expansion
under both he and Williamson saw
Laphroaig’s reputation cemented as
the world’s most richly flavored peated
single malt whisky.
In 1994 the distillery was granted a
Royal Warrant by HRH Prince Charles,
the same year in which it officially
set up Friends of Laphroaig. Prince
Charles’s parting words to the then
distillery manager Iain Henderson: ‘I
hope you continue to use the traditional
methods. I think you make the finest
whisky in the world.’
The master distiller baton taken up in
1972 by John MacDougal, passed
from Denis Nicol to Iain Henderson
and finally on to John Campbell.
Presently, Laphroaig is capable of a
yearly produce of 3,300,000 liters.
Right: Laphroaig Distillery
49
50

Your
NOTES
Your
NOTES
51
52

Bowmore
Founded in 1779, owned in the early decades of the nineteenth century by three
generations of the Simpson family, Bowmore is Islay’s oldest distillery, and is
located off Loch Indaal, in the center of Bowmore itself, its water sourced from
the Laggan River.
While we are slightly hazy on the origins
of the name itself, sometimes attributed
to a nearby and notorious reef, or to a
Lowlander corruption of Poll-mor (Great
Pool), or to the Norse for Bogha Moor
(sunken rock), the village of Bowmore was
founded by Daniel Campbell in 1768,
and lays claim to being Scotland’s first
planned village. Today, as well as being
home to one of the world’s most famous
distilleries, it is Islay’s administrative center.
Like all Islay-based distilleries, Bowmore
would have begun life as a very local
affair, producing single malt for the
almost exclusive consumption of its island
fellows. However, its purchase in 1837 by
Glasgow-based William & James Mutter
saw it begin to expand beyond Islay and
its early reputation brought the accolade
of royal custom when in 1841 Windsor
Castle is recorded as having taken receipt
of a cask of Bowmore.
After Mutters finally sold in 1890,
ownership of Bowmore would pass first
through JR Holmes, then JB Sherriff
& Co., and finally William Grigor &
Sons, before ending up with Stanley
P Morrison (1963), who with one J
Howat had expressly founded Morrison
Bowmore Distillers Ltd in order to make
the purchase. A through-and-through
whisky man, it is under Morrison that
Bowmore doubled capacity, and helped
restore single malt whisky as a drink in
its own right. His knowledge and longsighted
strategic thinking resulted in the
eventual bottling of what are now some
of the world’s most sought after malts.
Among all this are three very different
stories: During the Second World
War, the temporarily decommissioned
distillery hosted both the Royal and
Canadian Air Forces. In 1980, the
Queen made Bowmore her one and
only distillery visit – ever. And in 1991,
the distillery donated No.3 Warehouse
for conversion into the local leisure
center, agreeing to use its recycled hot
water to heat the pool.
In 1987, Suntory bought roughly a
third share in Morrison Bowmore, and
went on to acquire the rest of the
company in 1994. Morrison Bowmore
operates three distilleries: Bowmore,
Glen Garioch and Auchentoshan.
Today, Protector, Bowmore has an
annual capacity of some two million
liters. The present master distiller is
Eddie McCaffer, while the master
blender is Rachael Barrie. Its evergrowing
community of fans is called
the ‘Inner Core’.
Left: Bowmore Distillery
53
54

Your
NOTES
Your
NOTES
55
56

The Ardmore
Built in 1898 in the Garioch, Eastern Highlands, by Adam Teacher & Sons, The
Ardmore was never supposed to be known as a bottler of fine single malts. Rather
its purpose was to serve its mighty Teacher’s Highland Blend with distinction.
Situated on the Aberdeen-to-Inverness
railway, with plenty of local water
sources, it was perfectly placed. Powered
by a steam engine, it was, at the time, a
state-of-the-art facility. An old style whisky,
it’s the only malt in the area to hold on to
its peaty origins, and replaced its coalfired
stills with steam as late as 2002.
With its two stills increased to four in 1955,
and then to eight in 1974, The Ardmore
was always a mighty distillery. It retained
its own Saladin maltings facilities right up
until 1976, and remains a go to malt in the
blend and independent bottling markets.
However, given an annual capacity of
5,400,000 litres, it was clearly always
more than capable of properly entering
into the world of the single malt for
itself, which it did first in 1999, when
it brought out an anniversary 12 Year
Old and a limited edition 21 Year old,
and then in 2007, when it released The
Ardmore Traditional Cask, the first of
its core expressions.
While Adam Teacher died before
its completion, The Ardmore would
remain a family-owned distillery until
1976, when Adam Teacher & Sons
was bought by Allied Breweries. The
Ardmore was acquired by Jim Beam
Brands in 2005. Alistair Longwell has
been responsible for guiding The Ardmore
through the last decade of change.
Right: The Ardmore Distillery
57
58

Your
NOTES
Your
NOTES
59
60

Connemara
Connemara was inspired by local distillers from the wild, rugged region of Connemara
on Ireland’s Atlantic coast. During the 18th and 19th Century, often operating illegally,
these remote distillers relied on nearby peat bogs as a source of fuel for drying out the
malted barley. It is this tradition that Connemara carries on to this day.
Connemara follows many of the unique
distilling techniques like the rest of the
Kilbeggan Distilling Company’s family
of brands. It is double distilled in small
batches and aged in American white oak
ex-Bourbon barrels. The unique quality
comes from the fact that all of the malted
barley used to make this whiskey is dried
over fires set with peat moss to give it
a distinctly smoky finish. Connemara
original, is a blend of 4, 6 and 8 years
old single malt, taking older and younger
whiskies and marrying them to make
a smooth and distinct finished product.
The 6 year old liquid blends the older
and younger liquid together perfectly.
Each barrel is selected by hand for the
blending process to carefully preserve
the taste of this whiskey.
Connemara is distinct within Irish whiskey
in that it is double distilled and peated.
Irish Whiskey is primarily triple distilled
and either produced as a blend or potstill
whiskey. Connemara’s unique profile is
balanced, slightly sweet with notes of
peat and the quintessential smoothness
for which Irish Whiskey is known.
Connemara is produced at the Cooley
distillery in County Louth. Part of the
Kilbeggan Distilling Co. founded in
1987, it was converted from a potato
alcohol factory. Cooley Distillery was
Ireland’s first new distillery in almost 100
years. It was bought in 2011 by Beam
Inc, which in turn became Beam Suntory
in 2014.
One of the most awarded whiskies in
all of Ireland, it continues to be the
leader of the peated revival currently
taking place in Ireland. Available
expressions in the US are Connemara
Original, Connemara 12 Year Old and
Connemara Cask Strength.
Left: Connemara Distillery
61
62

Your
NOTES
Your
NOTES
63
64

Hakushu
Built in 1973 in the foothills of Mt Kaikomagatake, Japan, Hakushu was founded
on the 50th anniversary of Japanese whisky making. Once the world’s largest malt
distillery, it produced a staggering 30 million liters of whisky a year, and serves as
a sure sign of Japan’s mid-to-late twentieth century whisky boom.
At the time, Hakushu was divided into
two still houses, East and West. Today,
it operates out of the East wing, which
with 12 stills is an enormous facility in
its own right. The West wing is used
as a laboratory for experimenting with
new whiskies. Water is sourced from
nearby streams, and the entire distillery
grows out of its forested environs, the
belief being that Hakushu is more than
its function – that it is a dwelling or
‘soul-place’ of whisky artisans, and as
such sits in perfect harmony with its
natural surrounds.
This very Suntory Hakushu philosophy
incorporates change as much as it
does continuity. The distillery has
periodically changed its stills setup,
most recently in 1983. It uses four types
of malted barley, different yeasts, a
range of differently sized and shaped
stills, and ages its spirits in different
type oaks, including American White,
European and Japanese.
An extraordinarily efficient, experimental
and ever-changing facility, capacity at
Hakushu is roughly three million liters,
while its creative direction lies in the
hands of its six-strong master blending
team, headed up by Shinji Fukuyo.
Right: Hakushu Distillery
65
66

Your
NOTES
Your
NOTES
67
68

Chapter Seven
THE HOUSE TASTE
69

The
HOUSE TASTE
Now, dear Protector, the muddy truths as to how five distilleries have come out as
kings of the whisky bog. We know their stories, their places, and their people.
Here be their magic, the secrets of their trade. Come, let’s dive in…
How a Laphroaig gets to be a Laphroaig
The key to understanding how Laphroaig gets to taste the way it does lies in the nature
of its whisky-making process, its idiosyncratic traditions and spirited innovations.
Meaning it:
• Uses soft, peated, non-mineralized
water from Loch Kilbride
• Retains 15% of its own floor maltings,
with a phenol spec of 40-60ppm.
The rest it brings in from either Port
Ellen or the mainland, with a phenol
spec of 35-45ppm
• Has its own kiln for drying the malted
barley, at lower temperatures, which
makes for even higher phenol levels
• Exclusively sources its peat from
Glenmachrie peat bog
• Ferments for 55-99 hours
• Makes its first cut at 45 minutes, the
latest in the industry, which accounts
for the lack of grass or green fruits
in Laphroaig
• Possesses seven stills of two different
sizes, meaning that it’s capable of
producing two distillates, which if
married before laying down gives a
third distillate option
• Uses only first-fill ex-bourbon casks
when maturing in American oak,
meaning these casks have only ever
had Bourbon in them
• ‘Double’, ‘Triple’ or ‘Extra’ matures
its spirit in a range of oak and
cask types, including ex-Sherry
puncheons and ex-bourbon quarter
casks – all variations depending on
the expression
• Laphroaig matures its spirit on location
at the distillery, making use of the most
traditional “dunnage” (earth-floor)
warehouses and allowing the sea air
to penetrate the casks
• Laphroaig employs 31 individuals in
Islay. When turning the barley, the
team operates 24/7 in three shifts
• Being next to the sea, the walls of
the nearest warehouses are regularly
struck by waves during winter storms,
and seaweed has to be removed
from the roofs. We are convinced
that its salty remnants have an effect
on the overall taste of Laphroaig
THERE BE, GOOD AND NOBLE
PROTECTOR, THE SECRETS
BEHIND THE LAPHROAIG HOUSE
TASTE, THE SMELL OF IODINE,
THE PEAT SMOKE, THE SEAWEED,
THE TAR AND OIL, THE SWEET
NOTES, THE HEAVIER FRUITS
71
72

Understanding what Makes a Bowmore a Bowmore
Again, the key to understanding what sets a Bowmore apart from its neighbors lies
in its whisky-making process, its location and its people. Thus, Protector, it:
• Sources its water from Laggan
River, using a tried and tested
irrigation system
• Ensures that every grain of its barley
is grown by 16 dedicated farms
in Scotland and shipped from the
mainland. Indeed, it was the first
distillery to establish full traceability
from the field all the way to the bottle
• Continues to malt approximately
20 to 25% of its barley on its
own malt barn floor, believing its
old age methods impart a specific
Bowmore flavor to the barley. The
rest is malted on the mainland by
professional maltsters, Simpsons
• Uses peat sourced from the Laggan
Moss peat banks, with an average
phenol spec of 25ppm, putting
Bowmore in the heavily-peated
bracket, hence the heavy smoke
• Makes its first cut at 35 minutes
(at 74% abv) and the second at 2
hours and 20 minutes (at 61% abv),
capturing both fruit and smoke
• Uses mostly ex-American bourbon
and Spanish sherry casks. Bourbon
casks, as you know Protector, impart
a characteristic vanilla flavor to the
whisky, while sherry casks lend the
maturing spirit a heavier body and
deep amber color. Different types
of cask are used with more limited
edition expressions
• Matures all its single malt at Bowmore.
The reputation of its legendary No.1
Vaults precedes it. Below sea level, it
is the lowest warehouse in Scotland
and very damp, making for excellent
long-maturation conditions
ALL OF WHICH EXPLAINS, PROTECTOR, WHILE ALSO BASED ON ISLAY,
THE MALTY, SMOKY BOWMORE HOUSE TASTE IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM
LAPHROAIG’S, BEING MORE AROMATIC AND LESS OBVIOUSLY PHENOLIC,
AND USUALLY CHARACTERIZED BY A MOST HEALTHY DOLLOP OF TROPICAL
FRUITS AND A STRAND OR TWO OF POUCH TOBACCO
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74

Elaborating on The Ardmore Taste
To know what makes The Ardmore so unique, it’s vital, Protector, that we
remember its original purpose: to give Teacher’s Highland Cream its smoky taste.
Given that legacy, little wonder that The Ardmore house taste is synonymous with an
old style whisky: it is peaty and meaty, and yet, at the same time, fruity and fragrant,
possessing a burnt sweetness on the mouth, lots of spice, leather and vanillas, a long and
full finish. Reasons, Protector, as follows:
• Water sourced from springs in nearby
Knockandy Hills
• The maltings for its peated whiskies
sourced from the north-east mainland
maltsters, which explains its signature
wood-smoke tone. The peat’s sourced
at St Fergus Moss, from the Northern
Peat & Moss Company. The phenol
spec is 12-14ppm, so medium to
heavy peated
• A 53-hour fermentation regime,
responsible for its fruity undertones
• Though no longer direct fire, the
task of giving The Ardmore distillate
that same deep character with steam
coils took seven months of intensive
testing. The first cut is made at 35
minutes, the second once the abv
level has dropped to 60% abv, making
for a big bodied spirit. The shell and
tube condensers, Protector, are run hot
to maximize copper erosion, thereby
mimicking copper contact from the
original coal firing at The Ardmore
• The onion shape of its stills, together
with its downward angled lyne arms,
make for less copper contact, hence
the heavier character of the distillate
• Less concerned with age, the wood
policy focus is all about how to use
different casks to complement the
distillery’s character. Thus the use
of bourbon, sherry, puncheon and
quarter casks, mostly sourced as
either casks or staves from Jim Beam
NOTE PLEASE, PROTECTOR, THAT WHILE DEFINED BY PEAT, THE
ARDMORE ALSO PRODUCES AN UNPEATED WHISKY CALLED ARDLAIR
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76

Wherefore the Uniqueness of Connemara
Spearheading the peat revival in Ireland, Connemara’s unique Irish-Scot character
comes directly from the merging of two interrelated traditions, be that as a result of
materials used or the way the whiskey is actually made. Specifics include:
• Maltings sourced from Glenesk
Maltings, north-eastern mainland
Scotland. The phenol spec is 15ppm,
so heavily peated
• Double distilled – unlike traditional Irish
Whiskeys which are triple distilled and
typically blends or potstill whiskeys
• The wort is cloudy, making it
quite malty
• Fermentation time is minimum 48 hours,
which though standard, remains quite
short, meaning the wash retains those
initial cereal notes
• The middle cut is broad, beginning
just 20 minutes in and finishing
deep down at 59%, abv, which
accounts for the breadth of flavor
and character of the final spirit,
possessing both light floral notes
and a heavy peatiness
• American white oak ex-Bourbon
barrels are the weapon of choice
when it comes to maturation, though
casks used to mature the spirit are
beginning to be reused, a policy
designed to explore iterations on
the flavor profile
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What Makes Hakushu so Hakushu
If the complexly balanced youthfulness of the green, fresh and vibrant Hakushu house
taste is to be fully understood, Protector, then diversity, craft and location are the key.
Meaning it:
• Uses water sourced from the Ojira
River. A water so pure as to be
designated as ‘most precious’, an
independent government-sponsored
kite mark for Japan’s 100 Most
Precious Waters
• Sources its maltings from Scotland.
Phenol specs will depend on whether
the final whisky is to be light, medium
or heavily peated. The range allows
for the production of different types
of peated malts: light, medium or heavy
• Passes a clear wort on and into
long fermentation times. A range of
distillers and brewer’s yeasts are used,
with fermentation taking place in
wooden washbacks. The length and
temperature of the process is designed
to cultivate lactic bacteria and other
microorganisms, giving rise to a fruity,
creamy wash
• Makes use of a variety of still sizes
and shapes, some with downward
angled lyne arms, some upward
angled, some direct-fired, some
steam heated, and has options to use
shell-and-tube or worm tub when
condensing. The end result, Protector,
is a mightily tweaked set of distillates,
some light, some full-bodied, but all
possessing that same fresh, zest- like
taste so characteristic of Hakushu
• Uses mainly ex-Bourbon casks
converted into hogsheads (230
liters thought the best size cask for
Hakushu’s aging conditions), and
also sherry butts
• Benefits from the specifics of a cool
mountain climate, the temperature
ensuring the potential for long
maturation cycles, with less
wood influence than lower altitude
aging conditions
• May blend several matured
single distillery distillates together,
depending on the desired profile
AGAIN, PROTECTOR, DO NOTE, PLEASE, THAT
HAKUSHU ALSO MAKES UNPEATED WHISKIES
79
80

Chapter Eight
ENTER THE EXPRESSIONS
81

Enter
THE EXPRESSIONS
So, Protector, to the whiskies themselves: Remember, good friend, our A Taste of
Peat (pages 39-45), which outlined how best to taste peated single malt whisky.
Here below are the tasting notes for the very whiskies you will be sharing: read,
absorb and most of all, Protector, enjoy.
Laphroaig
LAPHROAIG’S
CORE RANGE
• 10 Year Old
• Select
• Quarter Cask
• 25 Year Old
• 32 Year Old
• Lore
• Triple Wood
• Cask Strength
LAPHROAIG SELECT
The name Laphroaig Select, was
chosen by the Friends of Laphroaig,
and takes this name from the special
selection of American and European
casks, chosen for the unique character
they give during maturation.
The inspiration for this global expression
comes from Ian Hunter, the last family
member owner of the distillery, and one
of the first distillers to travel to bourbon
county in the USA to identify new sources
of casks that would give him greater
consistency as well as new flavors.
Oloroso sherry butts, straight American
white oak (non-filled with Bourbon), PX
seasoned hogsheads, quarter casks and
finally of course first fill Bourbon Casks
are all used to create Laphroaig Select.
LAPHROAIG 10 YEAR OLD
Best recognized of all the Islay malts –
and for good reason. It has a nose and
taste that deliver a unique measure of
Islay peat smoke, tangy, salt-laden air
and an echo of sweetness at the end. It
has become the gold standard by which
all other Islay malts are judged.
Colour - Sparkling gold
Nose - Huge smoke with
a hint of sweetness
Body - Full
Palate - Peat smoke with
salty undertones and an
echo of sweetness
Finish - Long, powerful, smoky
Colour - A sparkling gold with
layers of color
Nose - Peat first, then ripe red
fruits with a hint of dryness
Body - Full-bodied
Palate - Sweet up front then
classic dry, peaty, ashy flavors
followed by a rich finish
Finish - Long lingering and floral
with marzipan and limes at
the end
83
84

LAPHROAIG TRIPLE WOOD
An extension of the Quarter Cask
expression, special for its triple maturation,
which creates a unique blend of the
signature peat-smoked liquid with softer
notes of fruit and spices.
After a double maturation in American
oak barrels the liquid is transferred to
smaller, 19th century-style European
quarter casks to impart extra depth
and fullness.
This final stage allows for a slow maturation
– all leading to a soft, complex and fully
rounded flavor. When tasted, Triple Wood
begins with a subtle sherry sweetness
before offering up spiciness and nuttiness
and a huge peat flavor.
LAPHROAIG QUARTER CASK
This expression offers an irresistible
doubling of flavor, due to the double
maturation in two barrels made of
American oak.
Still-maturing whisky from standard
ex-Bourbon barrels is transferred to
quarter casks and left to rest in the
warehouse, just a stone’s throw from
the Atlantic shore.
This process represents Laphroaig
breathing new life into a once-defunct
tradition: the use of the smaller
cask size, which ensures increased
contact with the oak, creating a soft
and velvety edge to complement
Laphroaig’s distinctive peatiness.
Colour - Bright gold
Nose - Sweet raisins and creamy
apricots, nutty flavors, bonfire
ash smell of earthy peat
Body - Powerful, yet with a
creamy consistency
Palate - Creamier flavors of
vanilla and fruit with just a
suggestion of sherry sweetness
Finish - Mouth filling and
extremely long, balanced by
the sweet smooth caramel taste
Colour - Full sparkling gold
Nose - Burning embers of peat
in a crofter’s fireplace, hints of
coconut and banana aromas
Body - Full-bodied
Palate - Deep, complex and
smoky yet surprises the palate
with a gentle sweetness
Finish - Really long, and dries
appropriately with smoke
and spice
85
86

LAPHROAIG 25 YEAR OLD
LAPHRAOIG LORE
Rich and deep with distinctive smoke,
peat and seaside minerality, this
expression is unmistakably Laphroaig.
This is a result of liquid being drawn
from a selection of casks including
ex-Bourbon, first-fill sherry butts, smaller
quarter casks and their most precious
stock. This careful process captures the
timeless passion and very essence of the
Laphroaig Distillery.
Colour - Deep mahogany
Nose - Rich and smoky with
seaside minerals followed by
vanilla and oily unroasted
chestnuts and a hint of fudge
with a malty sweetness. A drop
of water adds a creamy clotted
cream note with fruit appearing
in the form of unripe citrus in a
flan glaze
Body - Medium to full
Palate - Richly peaty with a spicy
chili bite
Finish - Short dry finish with a
long, sweet after taste
Laphroaig 25 Year Old has been lovingly
created by marrying Laphroaig matured
in Oloroso sherry casks with Laphroaig
matured in ex-American Bourbon barrels;
both filled with newly distilled Laphroaig
spirit from day one.
When you join the sherried, oaky flavors
from the second fill sherry casks with the
creamy, smooth, sweet flavors from the
bourbon barrels you create the magic
that is Laphroaig 25 Year Old. Bottled
at cask strength, it is a perfect fusion of
two different styles of maturation flavors,
made even smoother by the quarter
century it has been gently maturing.
Colour - Bright red gold
Nose - Sherry sweetness
followed by the time-honored
Islay peat tang. A smooth fruit
ripeness that complements the
tang of salt in the background
Body - Rich, round and full
Palate - An initial burst of
peat restrained by a sherry
sweetness that develops into
spicy apple fruitiness
Finish - Very long and warming,
leaving a distinct tang of Islay
87
88

LAPHROAIG 10 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH
LAPHROAIG 32 YEAR OLD
Matured solely in a first-fill ex-Oloroso
cask, the Laphroaig 32 Year Old is
a whisky that has picked up all those
flavours so typical of spirit laid down
in ex-Sherry casks. The dark Christmas
fruits, the nuts and spice, and at the
same time possesses the extraordinary
delicate balance common to old,
excellent whiskies. It’s an extremely
rare and accomplished whisky.
10 Year Cask Strength Laphroaig is
bottled at natural distillery strength
with all the depth of genuine taste
and texture normally associated with
sampling whisky at source.
We mature Laphroaig in seasoned oak
barrels, charred before filling to impart
a slight sweet vanilla nuttiness. Original
Cask Strength Laphroaig is barrierfiltered
only just, to remove the small
char particles present.
In extremes of temperature and when
you add water it may appear a little
cloudy – this is the natural condition of
a malt of such a peaty pungence and
uncompromising purity. Adding a little
water releases a rich aroma of peat
smoke with some sweetness and strong
hints of the sea.
Emphatic, full bodied and utterly
unforgettable – we like to think it’s
the purists choice
Colour - Deep Mahogany
Nose - Reminiscent of a
Christmas fruit cake, the rich,
sherry sweetness and the aroma
of caramelised brown sugar is
predominant. A drop of water
reveals notes of cinnamon
spiced red apples, with just a
hint of bitter dark chocolate
Body - Intense and rich
Palate - The dark, bitter
chocolate follows through to
the palate, with nutmeg and an
intense spicy oakiness. Adding
a touch of water allows sweeter,
sherry flavours to come through,
together with just a hint of salt
tang and subtle peat smoke
Finish - Dry, long and lingering,
sherried oak finish
Colour - Rich deep gold
Nose - Very powerful,
“medicine”, smoke, seaweed
and ozone characters
overlaying a sweetness
Body - Full and strong
Palate - A massive peated burst
of flavour with hints of sweetness
at the end
Finish: Long and savoury
89
90

Connemara
Connemara offers the whiskey connoisseur a unique opportunity to move from Scotland
to Ireland and back with ease. Connemara uses 15 PPM of peat, as opposed to many
Islay Scotches which are more heavily peated. It satisfies both current peated malt
drinkers as well as those who may not be interested in peat just yet. Whisk(e)y drinkers
who may enjoy peated single malt Scotch will be drawn in by the unique smoky quality
of Connemara. Whisk(e)y drinkers who may not think that peated whiskies are to their
liking will be welcomed in by the sweet floral undertones and warm finish, showing
them that peat is not something to be scared of.
CONNEMARA’S
CORE RANGE
• Connemara Original
• Connemara 12
• Connemara Cask Srength
CONNEMARA ORIGINAL
Inspired by Ireland’s ancient distilling
traditions, Connemara is double distilled
from peated malt in two pot stills and
matured in ex-Bourbon American oak
casks. Connemara combines the
smoothness of an Irish whiskey with the
smoky richness normally associated with
many Scottish single malts. Connemara
Original is a combination of 4,6 and 8
year old whiskeys.
Colour - Lightly Golden
Nose - Mild peat, heather
freshness with floral notes,
honeyed sweetness and a
little oak
Body - Full-bodied
Palate - Full and smooth with
notes of malt and peat, honeyed
smoke and barley sweetness
Finish - Long and lingering with
honey and peat smoke
CONNEMARA 12
A medium peated, fruity and smooth
single malt whiskey from the Cooley
Distillery. The 12 years maturation
in American white oak ex-Bourbon
casks gives the consumer the ability to
taste how extra aging brings out more
character from the wood and rounds off
the taste of Connemara Original.
Colour - Pale straw
Nose - Vibrant presence of malt
and peaty smokiness
Body - Mellow and soft with
creamy oils
Palate - Smooth, mix of fruit,
notably green apple and plenty
of warm peat
Finish - Strong spice bite in
harmony with creamy peatiness
CONNEMARA CASK STRENGTH
A medium peated, fruity and smooth
single malt whiskey from the Cooley
Distillery. The 12 years maturation
in American white oak ex-Bourbon
casks gives the consumer the ability to
taste how extra aging brings out more
character from the wood and rounds off
the taste of Connemara Original.
Colour - Pale golden yellow
Nose - Strong and concentrated
smoky peatiness
Body - Mellow and soft with
creamy oils
Palate - Strong aggressive start
with an enormous peat surge
that combines with complex
combination of fruit, peppers
and chocolate
Finish - Astonishingly long
and glorious finish with peat
clinging to every corner of
your mouths
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92

Bowmore
BOWMORE’S
CORE RANGE
• Small Batch
• 15 Years Old
• 12 Years Old
• 25 Year Old
• 18 Years Old
BOWMORE SMALL BATCH
Exclusively matured in first and second
fill ex-Bourbon casks, then blissfully
married together, Small Batch exhibits
the best qualities of both. First-fill bourbon
offers delicious vanilla sweetness,
subtle spices and bourbon oak smoke
to complement Bowmore’s gentle
peaty smokiness, while the second-fill
cask enhances Bowmore’s fresh fruity
complexity and showcases its trademark
honey and creamy malt character.
Colour - Warm gold
Nose - Vanilla fudge, sea air
and peat smoke, balanced
beautifully by honeycomb and
cinnamon spice
Palate - Mouth-watering citrus,
gentle saltiness and vanilla with
flakes of coconut
Finish - Wispy smoke, Bourbon
vanilla and lime
BOWMORE 15 YEARS OLD
Matured in an inspired combination of
both bourbon and sherry casks, it’s the
final three years spent in Oloroso sherry
casks that gives Bowmore 15 Years Old
‘Darkest’, one of the most beautifully
balanced Bowmores, the rich, deep
colour reflected in its name, and its
warming finish.
Colour - Treacle dark amber
Nose - Delicious dark
chocolate, sun-dried fruits and
a tell-tale wisp of Islay smoke
Palate - Wonderful cedar
wood and rich treacle toffee
Finish - The robust and
complex finish with a hint of
sherry tan
BOWMORE 12 YEARS OLD
Complex yet perfectly balanced, our 12
Years Old reflects the raw essence of
Bowmore - thrashing waves, windswept
landscapes and generations of tradition.
Bowmore 12 Years Old has received
much critical acclaim; the late, great
whisky writer Michael Jackson proclaimed
it “remarkably long and complex”. We
like to think of it as vanilla ice cream at
a beach bonfire.
Colour - Warm amber
Nose - Subtle lemon and honey,
balanced beautifully by Bowmore’s
trademark peaty smokiness
Palate - Sweet and delicious
heather honey and gentle
peat smoke
Finish - Long and mellow
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94

BOWMORE 18 YEARS OLD
Cosseted away in the finest, hand-selected
oak casks and allowed to mature at its
own sedate pace, this is one of the
most remarkable, perfectly balanced
malts of its kind. One of our rarest most
exceptional bottlings, the stocks of
Bowmore 18 Years Old may be limited
but there’s no end to its enjoyment.
BOWMORE 25 YEARS OLD
A whisky to be savoured slowly, every
delicious drop of this exquisitely balanced
malt has been matured for a quarter of
a century in North American bourbon
and Spanish sherry casks. Exceptional
even by Bowmore’s standards, our highly
acclaimed Bowmore 25 Years Old
exhibits the finest qualities of each.
Colour - Mellow mahogany
Nose - Classic Bowmore
smokiness, perfectly tempered
with creamy caramel, chocolate
and ripe fruit aromas
Palate - Beautiful soft fruit and
chocolate balanced with a light
smokiness - incredibly complex
Finish - The long and
wonderfully balanced finish
Colour - Deep, rich mahogany
Nose - Intense sherry and
stewed fruits, with a trace of
Bowmore smokiness
Palate - Delicious toffee and
hazelnut, woven together with
just a hint of sweet peat smoke
Finish - Mellow, gentle and
incredibly complex
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96

The Ardmore
THE ARDMORE’S CORE RANGE
• The Ardmore Tradition • The Ardmore Triple Wood
• The Ardmore Legacy • The Ardmore Port Wood Finish
THE ARDMORE TRADITION
The Ardmore Tradition is a taste of
history. Journeying back to a time
when most Highland distilleries dried
their barley with the sweet smoke of
local Highland peat. To a time before
‘chill filtering’ was invented to ‘clarify’
the spirit. To a time when maturation
length and style depended on the skill
of the master blender rather than age
or barrel type. Double matured in oak
barrels then smaller quarter casks,
The Ardmore Tradition is a full and
rich liquid, with unique Highland peat
smoke flavors.
THE ARDMORE LEGACY
The Ardmore Legacy celebrates the
distillery’s unique location on the fringes
of the Highlands, offering a lightly
peated liquid that is sweet and uplifting. It
encapsulates the essence of the Highland
landscape and everything it provides –
pure air, water grain and peat.
With a balance of peated and un-peated
malt, the unique and gentle flavor of The
Ardmore Legacy will not only delight
experienced peated malt drinkers but
inspire newcomers to experience and
love this whisky.
Colour - Light golden
Nose - Light golden
Palate - Creamy vanilla spice
gives way to more overt smoky
charcoal notes, especially
with the addition of water.
Smoke doesn’t dominate and is
balanced by the sweet honey
and spice flavors
Finish - Full-bodied, silky
mouth feel with a (trademark
The Ardmore) dry tangy and
lingering after taste, coupled
with delicious spice notes
Colour - Burnished gold
Nose - At bottle strength (46%),
the influence of both maturations
complement each other producing
a full-bodied smooth aroma
The maturity comes from the
American barrels and the spicy,
creamy nose from the old style
smaller casks
The rich softness linked with
the smooth, slightly dry aroma
is combined with just enough
earthy peat smoke to avoid being
overpowering
Palate - The full rich flavors burst
and fill the mouth with a creamy
peat tang and a touch of vanilla’s
soft gentleness
If a touch of water is added, then
the flavours increase with the
addition of a sweet ripe fruit start
followed by a tang of peat
Finish - Full, succulent and
quite long
NOT AVAILABLE
IN THE USA
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THE ARDMORE TRIPLE WOOD
The Ardmore Triple Wood is triple
matured in American oak barrels, quarter
casks and puncheons. 100% peated and
at 46% ABV, Triple Wood is light and
sweet, with the trademark Highland peat
smoke notes. The original single malt
from The Ardmore distillery, Triple Wood
is a complex and rewarding Highland
malt that continues to be awarded year
after year.
THE ARDMORE PORTWOOD FINISH
Double cask matured in American white
oak bourbon barrels and European half
port pipes, resulting in a liquid that is
light and sweet with a balance of fruity,
smoky notes. Non-chill filtered and
aged for 12 years, this extraordinary
ruby gold single malt has been made
using the same traditional distilling
methods for 100 years.
Colour - Golden straw, natural
honey (at Cask Strength)
Nose - Biscuit-y cereal notes and
the scent of banana underlie
the initial nose of ginger, burnt
sugar, cherries and honey. A
drop of water intensifies the
ginger snap biscuit notes with
a hint of cinnamon, and soft
highland peat smoke
Palate - Light caramelized
sugar, toasted barley, and
warming, light peat smoke
are followed by sweet vanilla
custard. Water releases notes
of pink peppercorn, and dried
fruit flavors (raisin and candied
orange peel)
Finish - Light with soft peat
smoke, lingering pepper and
toasted almonds with a wellbalanced
dry mouth feel
Colour - Ruby gold
Nose - Initial nose
of strawberries and summer
fruits with a hint of pepper.
Notes of burnt orange and
cinnamon spice underlie. With
water, the rich fruit aromas
of red apple and cranberry
intensify, accompanied by
sweet honey and subtle spiced
wood notes
Palate - Sweet red apple and
honey with the subtlest hint of
charcoal smoke
Finish - Initially smooth with
a long, lingering finish
culminating in the trademark
The Ardmore dryness
NOT AVAILABLE
IN THE USA
NOT AVAILABLE
IN THE USA
99
100

Hakushu
HAKUSHU’S CORE RANGE
• Hakushu 12 Years Old
• Hakushu 18 Year Old
HAKUSHU 12 YEARS OLD
Green with herbal notes.
HAKUSHU 18 YEARS OLD
Fresh, deep aroma from long maturation.
Complex and rich sweetness with a
pleasant woodsy aroma.
Colour - Champagne gold
Nose - Basil, pine needle,
green apple
Palate - Sweet pear, mint, kiwi
Finish - Green tea, subtle smoke
Colour - Deep gold
Nose - Ripe pear, dried mint,
oregano, hint of smoke
Palate - Jasmine, mango,
quince, menthol
Finish - Long, pleasantly
smoked, hint of bitterness
101
102

Maya Rubalcaba
SCOTCH & JAPANESE WHISKY
SR. BRAND MANAGER - US
Simon Brooking
MASTER AMBASSADOR
maya.rubalcaba@beamsuntory.com
847-444-7131
simon.brooking@beamsuntory.com
917-721-6073
Kelly Georgetti
WORLD WHISKIES & LUXURY
LIFESTYLE BRANDS - DIRECTOR,
COMMERCIAL MARKETING
Caitlin Rannells
SCOTCH & JAPANESE WHISKY -
COMMERCIAL MARKETING MANAGER
Kelly.Georgetti@beamsuntory.com
847-612-6706
Caitlin.Rannells@beamsuntory.com
847.444.7580
Gail Hansche
SR. MANAGER, DIGITAL STRATEGY
Natalie Salum
SOCIAL CONTENT SPECIALIST
Gail.Hansche@beamsuntory.com
847-444-7516
Natalie.Salim@beamsuntory.com
847-444-7732
Erin Jervis
SR. PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER
Erin.Jevis@beamsuntory.com
847.444.7795

Your
NOTES
Your
NOTES
104
105

Your
NOTES
Your
NOTES
106
107

Your
NOTES
Your
NOTES
108
109

Appendix

Master ambassador market visits: how to win
One of the most effective sales tools available to Beam in the field is a market visit
from our Master Ambassadors. When requesting Adam Harris, Dan Tullio, Simon
Brooking or Bobby Gleason, a lot happens behind the scenes before the visit can be
confirmed. Not only are you requesting time and effort but you are also requesting
the commitment of valuable budget dollars to visit your market. The question then
begs asking, “How can I best utilize a market visit to make it worth the investment of
resources for everyone involved”?
First of all, a one-off event request is a big red flag. Flying in to conduct a small
sized consumer dinner, or to only present at one distributor meeting is not the best use
of our Ambassador’s skill set - not to mention budgetary dollars. Many times the same
end can be accomplished by an experienced or Gold Accredited Beam team
member from the local marketplace.
IN ORDER TO PLAN OUT A
SUCCESSFUL AND IMPACTFUL
AMBASSADOR VISIT LET’S
LOOK AT SOME OF THEIR
BASIC KPIS
• Cases sold in top accounts
both on & off
• New points of distribution in
top accounts both on & off
• New menu placements
• Permanent cocktail menus
• Whisk(e)y lists
• By the glass lists
• Staff trainings in top
accounts both on & off
• Consumer and trade
impressions made
• Features in local media outlets
Knowing this, it is very easy to activate
these in a way that will ladder up to
the goals in your market, region and
division. When you recap the visit,
these are the goals that need to be
quantified. A recap is mandatory and
should be completed within two weeks
of your visit.
So, let’s say you do get a request from
a top account or organization asking
for a Master Ambassador to present on
a particular category at a function. First
ask, “Do we have enough lead time to
build, promote and execute an effective
program” and next, “can we use the
opportunity to leverage new business in
distribution or volume”? If the answers
are yes & yes then reference the Master
Ambassador Activity & Travel Calendar
to check for availability.
Once you are fully aware of the KPIs listed above and have secured the dates on
the calendar, you and the visiting Master Ambassador can work together to activate
toward local initiatives over a two to three day period and really make a difference
together. Examples of proven, effective activities are:
Distributor relations
• Divisional trainings
• Presenting at a GSM when possible
• Meet and greet lunches or happy hours
Key Off premise relations
• Staff trainings
• Entire store staffs
• Key regional management
• Consumer classes and tastings
• Bottle signings when applicable
• Conduct tasting to help select a
Single Barrel when applicable
Key On premise relations
• Staff trainings
• Top whisk(e)y accounts in market
• Top cocktail accounts in market
Conduct tasting to help select a Single
Barrel when applicable
Key Trade relations
• USBG presentations
• Classroom setting
• Meet and greet events
Lunches, happy hours, dinners
Top whisk(e)y and cocktail accounts
in market
• Owners
• Beverage directors
• Head bartenders and influencers
Large trade events in market
Large format trade shows (i.e. Whisk(e)y
Fests, cocktail weeks)
Key Consumer relations
• Tastings
• Classroom settings
• On & off premise
• Lunches, happy hours, dinners
• Hosted in top whisk(e)y and/or
cocktail accounts
• Large format trade shows (i.e.
Whisk(e)y Fests, cocktail weeks)
• Large community events
• Large charity events
• Whisk(e)y Clubs – Friends of Laphroaig
Key Media opportunities
• Promote relevant event or endorse
new product launch
• Local print/digital
• Local radio
• Local TV
• Social media
With enough advance notice, due
diligence and effective communication,
working with our Master Ambassadors
should be fun, educational and
beneficial. Reviewing your local needs
and collaborating together on goals and
opportunities will help maximize your
visit to offer the best possible experience
for you, your customers and our business
together at Beam.
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Ambassador biography
Event Checklist
MASTER AMBASSADOR
SIMON’S STORY
“World peace thro’ whisky, one dram at a time.”
PLANNING YOUR EVENT
All event details should be confirmed 4–6 weeks from the actual event date. Advance
notice is very important; it allows the team time to maximize public relations efforts
and brand specific opportunities.
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and a member of the Robertson Clan, Simon Brooking
traces his roots back to the 13th century and the Celtic Earls of Atholl. A well-known
expert on Scotch whisky, Simon has worked for many of the leading Scotch distilleries,
learning the art and science of distilling from the world’s foremost master distillers
and blenders.
Since 1996, Simon has led thousands of Scotch whisky tastings for consumers, bartenders
and social organizations. Both informative and entertaining, his presentations have made
him an in-demand speaker and spokesperson.
Simon’s love of Scotland’s Highlands and Islands has paved the way to his present position
as Beam Suntory’s Master Ambassador for Laphroaig ® and The Ardmore ® Single Malt
Scotch Whiskies.
• Event title
• Date
• Time
• Location
• Cost (if any)
EVENT DETAILS INCLUDE:
• RSVP contact (if required)
• Maximum number who
can attend
• Expressions being
sampled/offered
MAXIMIZING SIMON’S VISITS IN MARKET
Leveraging Master Ambassador Simon Brooking to local media will not only help create
added visibility for the brands, but will also help stimulate trial among key influencers.
To maximize media opportunities for Simon, be sure to allow enough time for reporters to
clear their schedules. In general, phone and e-mail media relations should take place at
least two weeks in advance, allowing ample time for pre-publicity as well as one-on-one
interviews for Simon while in market.
Media contacts should include spirits, lifestyle and food/ beverage reporters for print
and broadcast and online media and bloggers.
The PR team will notify you at least two to three weeks in advance of the visit to
review media plans and discuss local contacts you may have. Our PR team is highly
involved with Laphroaig, particularly with PoP markets. It is important you share
your calendar with the team so, if possible, interviews can be arranged to support
your activities.
Also, be sure to confirm the event on Simon Brooking’s schedule with the activation center.
Upon confirmation of all event details, inform the brand and activation teams of the
event. From there, the brand team will work with the creative agency to create e-mail
copy and deploy the e-mail to mailing lists (or selected FoL for Laphroaig specific events).
• Event invitations will be deployed two weeks out from the event date, and absolutely
no later than one week out if urgent.
• If RSVP is required, e-mails must be deployed at least two weeks out
• RSVP list will be managed using one of the predetermined RSVP e-mail accounts or
by the local account. Do NOT use a Beam Suntory e-mail address as an RSVP
Media materials are available upon request.
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EVENT PLANNING TIMELINE
with a drink of Hakushu ®
• Remind your guests to spit out after
Checked? TASK: PRE EVENT
Stage Week leading up to event: 6 5 4 3 2 1
Live
Event
Printed and posted legal wavers for usage of photos on digital media
Share confirmed event
1 details with brand and
activation teams
POS
2
Confirm event with the
Glassware (snifters, small wine glasses or other bulb-shaped
activation centre
glassware); Covers for glasses
Tasting equipment: spit cup, cocktail napkin, water glass, tasting
3
Event invitations sent
mat, pitcher for water (or bottles), unflavoured crackers notepad
(requiring RSVP)
and pen
Event invitations sent
*
Checked sampling regulations (vary by state) - Consult your
4 (general) *sent 1 week
before if urgent
Industry Affairs representative for state-specific guidelines
Assure all guests/participants are 21 years of age or older
GLASSWARE, SETUP & TASTING AT TASTING EVENTS
• Use snifters, small wine glasses or
Branded merchandise for attendees
other bulb-shaped glassware that
REMEMBER:
concentrate the aromas
TASK: POST EVENT
• Swirling the glass before nosing will
coat the rim, where the aromas will be
most easily detected
• Sampling regulations vary by
state. Consult your Industry
Twitter and Facebook attendees posts promoted
• Use covers on glasses to keep the aromas
Affairs representative form
state-specific guidelines
from escaping during your presentation
• Assure all guests/participants
Completee Event Recap presentation (within two weeks of your visit)
• Provide a spit cup, cocktail napkin, water
are 21 years of age or older
glass, tasting mat, notepad and pen for
every guest
• Provide one pitcher of water for every
two guests or one bottle of water for
each guest
• Provide unflavored crackers to help
cleanse the pallet between samplings
RESPONSIBLE TASTING
• Be sure to end the tasting with
a traditional toast!: Scottish
and Irish ‘sláinte’ (pronounced
“slange”) with a dram of
Laphroaig ® , Bowmore ® , The
Ardmore or Connemara ®
• Japanese “kanpai”
(pronounced “gahn-pie”)
each taste
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Example events
Post-event reporting
Here are just a few Laphroaig events that were successful. Feel free to be creative – we’re
always looking for new events!
After each event, you will fill out a pdf form about the event with pictures.
• Laphroaig ® dinner, with each course prepared with one of
the Laphroaig expressions
• Laphroaig ® and chocolate pairings
• Curling events
• Scottish holiday events:
• Bobby Burns Night: January 25
• Tartan Day: April 6
• St. Andrew’s Day: November 30
• Other events:
• Fishing trip / Laphroaig smoking in Seattle
• Bridge walk and tasting in San Francisco
• Culinary shows featuring Laphroaig and Scotch tasting
• Highland Games in New Hampshire
• Kilt Walk in Seattle
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Post-event reporting
Protectors of the Peat Objectives
At least 4 weeks before an event, you should submit a request for your email
invitation/promotion. Once form is complete, please submit by email to the
contacts listed on the form.
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