So you think you are an whisky expert do you??? Really...

THAT DOES IT!!!!!!! 

Monday May 11th 2015 at 7:35am, the Lassie reads a tweet and feels a HUGE snap in the sagittal plane where her cerebral cortex sits (that's for you Ken!) that caused a plethora of blasphemous French words to fall out of her mouth like the notes of an angry opera!? Just so happens I was home alone and like the proverbial tree in the forest, nobody heard me... but that doesn't mean I won't say something about it now... Gotta love when Lassie decides to lose her shit.

Expert... Defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as: "Having, involving, displaying special skills or knowledge derived from training or experience."

Wow that is a loose definition. I mean really anyone could be considered an expert with that vague description. I have several years experience using a bathtub, almost 48 for that matter, I guess that makes me a bathtub expert! 

So, I asked all day what people thought a whisky expert was. Many, MANY great answers which I appreciated because dialogue and input means everything to me sometimes. It gives me perspective and ideas. 

Well in my perfectly warped world here is how one becomes an expert.

1. Curiosity: It usually starts with an introduction, realization and then a desire to learn more about a subject that one finds interesting. It's a lifelong insatiable curiosity that fuels them passionately for decades, if not their entire lifetime.

2. The learning phase: You must first be a pupil in order to become the master! Thus begins the journey of amassing loads of knowledge, information and a deep understanding of the subject. Their mind is a sponge due to memorization and the love they are developing. Just like the curiosity phase, the learning phase is a constantly evolving one because they see the importance of seeking new approaches and directions. A true expert is willing to have an open mind and realizes that there is no "one way" to do things.

3. Experience: Once this person has begun to accumulate the loads of information about their valued subject matter, it's usually combined with getting experience. The application of everything they have learned, making mistakes with the ability to accept and learn from them, constantly learning more and continuing to apply themselves. The example I love to give is Jiro dreams of Sushi 

Jiro, 86 years old, is widely considered to be the greatest sushi chef in the world. To apprentice with him you must first be able to properly hand squeeze a towel. Only once the student demonstrates the right technique can they be allowed to touch fish, then it's 10 years or so learning to cut and prepare fish before they are allowed to cook the eggs and so on. 

4. Communication: This phase is also never ending and morphs as the individual becomes comfortable with the subject matter. The more knowledge and experience they gain, the better they become at communicating. 

5. Teaching, mentoring, and reaching expert level: Although many of you may have started sharing your level of knowledge for quite some time, in my books you are still classified as being at a certain level of proficiency on said subject matter. 

Once a person is widely recognized AND called upon on a regular basis AND  has begun to pass along their knowledge, skills and experience to others have they reached the stage of "expert". A good teacher elevates their students with the hopes that someday they will surpass them. And again, I will stress that an open mind and willingness to learn from others is still part of the process. 

All these things combined form a life long investment, learning process, and in the end, legacy of a subject an expert holds dear to their heart.

Examples of some of the people I consider experts in one or more fields of whisky (alphabetical order): 

Helen Arthur, Parker Beam, Dave Broom, Lew Bryson
Chuck Cowdery, John Glaser, Davin de Kergommeaux, John Hall, Michael Jackson, Martine Nouet, Charles MacLean, Jim McEwan, Jimmy Russell, Masataka Taketsuru, Michael Urquhart, Serge Valentin, Bessie Williamson.

You will note that the average age of some of the people mentioned is about 65 years old. THAT should tell you something. 

So to the guy on twitter since 2013 who bought 16,000 followers, has "whisky expert" as part of his written blurb and constantly sends messages to distilleries stating their whisky is the best because he, the Canadian Whisky Expert, said so...  Please -> You are not even close to being an expert.

To the creepy guy in the fedora with the fancy whisky book -> I WILL NEVER CONSIDER YOU AN EXPERT for way too many reasons!!

To the multitude of people flooding Amazon with their mediocre e-books and/or whisky books written in their 20's or 30's based on "research" they did and reviewed by their friends -> Don't call yourself a whisky expert, yet...

To the hundreds of whisky bloggers who can't even take the time to spell correctly, simply cut/paste information from marketing emails or distillery websites and pump out reviews daily -> You are NOT experts.

To the thousands of people who go to whisky festivals to stand for 20 minutes and argue with EVERY ambassador and whisky maker because you took the weekend whisky making course in Colorado -> You are not EXPERTS!

And lastly, the biggest of my pet peeves: 

To the useless people who spend the majority of their entire existence on the Malt Maniacs Facebook page, twitter or on whisky forums doing nothing better than being judgmental, putting down everyone else, bullying ambassadors & reps, having close minded attitudes and refusing to learn anything further than the end of their own noses -> YOU ARE NOT EXPERTS!!! 

This is really not up for debate with me. I truly feel becoming an expert takes a combination of time, patience, mistakes and lots of experience. The rest of us, ME INCLUDED, rank somewhere between complete amateurs, enthusiasts, geeks or very proficient.  AND... that's ok, I would even say that's awesome. But feel free to let me know what you think...

As always I'm on my own journey, forever learning and morphing into something different as time goes by. I can only aspire to some day down the road, being considered an expert by my peers BUT for time being if you or anyone else calls me that, I will correct you immediately. I am no more and no less a whisky student constantly learning, still...

At this rate I still have about 20 years in my apprenticeship and I have wonderful mentors helping me along the way. It will be long while yet before you see me agree to the term "whisky expert" and never will you see it on my business card!

Thanks for listening...  

Signed,

A slightly less perturbed Lassie.

Dram #10 of 2013 - Meeting Icons & sharing an Arran 16... sort of!?

Looking back at the 342 drams I documented this year I thought it would be difficult to pick the 12 that were the most memorable for me and I was right, it was. I slowly dwindled the list down over and over until I had reached 20. From there it became a little more clear as to which of them would be the top 12.  In May of this year Graham and I went to the Spirit of Toronto Gala produced by Johanna Ngoh. I voted SoT the best show I had been too this year.

We usually make it a point that when we travel we try to get wherever we are going a few days early or tack a day or so at the end. This gives us the opportunity to meet with people, do a bit of the tourist thing or visit distilleries, etc. I am the planner in our family so I had our weekend fully scheduled. Rick Culver, member of the West Side Whisky Society contacted us and offered to pick us at the airport (kindness we find over and over in the #whiskyfabric) and we accepted. A few days later came the offer to take us to the Forty Creek Distillery. Graham and I talked about it and for me the schedule was just too full so I requested we decline. Rick pressed... "Are you sure you don't want to go?" he repeated. So, we rejuggled the schedule and this is how the road starts for dram #10. No, it's not a Forty Creek dram, it's the Isle of Arran 16 year old. Confused?  Don't be... hehehe

The day before we were to leave for Toronto, Rick dropped a bombshell on us. Rumor had it that Ralfy was going to Forty Creek the same morning we were to do part of his videos there. I WAS ECSTATIC and I knew my friend Linda L would be jealous beyond compare. Sure enough we spent the morning at the distillery with John Hall, a few people from the WSWS and Ralfy. It truly was a great morning. Meeting him was surreal and he's nothing less, if not more than what you see in his videos. He's well spoken, funny, well educated on all things whisky and best of all - WE nosed/tasted the first few samples of John's next release together. You just can't beat that! Well, at least I thought that moment couldn't get any better? 

I watched intently as Ralfy asked many questions and took no notes. He simply imbibed and enjoyed and I remember thinking wow! How does he do that? 

Ok lady, you are thinking... where the heck does the Arran 16 fit in this story? Moving along! So flash forward to the night of the Spirit of Toronto and I have tickets to attend Charlie MacLean's Master Class. Heaven! He is a great presenter and had us all riveted to our seats. Then off to the actual Gala where who do I get to talk to again: Ralfy. They have a fantastic area set out that looks like a den with chairs, a sofa, etc. It's brilliant! He went over to the book case and opened a small compartment and pulls out the Arran 16.  

Out from behind the bookcase pops Charlie MacLean and the next thing I know the three of us are dram in hand and we are nosing/tasting the Arran together.   I pulled out my pink little tasting notes book and put it on the table ready to write everything down. I nosed the beautiful whisky. I talked, shared but mostly listened to Ralfy & Charlie describe the dram. I loved it. I had that moment where all of a sudden you become very aware of your surroundings, sounds, smells and where your brain is screaming:  "Remember this moment". To which I always will. It was a great night with fantastic drams. My tasting notes? Yah... there wasn't any and if you asked me what I remember about that I'd have to say:  It was a damn fine dram! Fabulous even, but don't ask me why because I truly don't remember any of the nose/palate notes I discussed. 

I recorded it in my book as dram #148 for the year but the entry reads:  SoT, May 11/13 - Isle of Arran 16 year old. (OMG - with Ralfy & Charlie MacLean) and that's all I wrote.  I still giggle at this entry. It truly was the dram that wasn't... So why is it a memorable dram for 2013. Well, I knew I loved it. It was really a remarkable dram and I actually did buy it not long ago (although it's still unopened).  

Courtesy of RM Culver

It's a memorable dram because instead of writing a whole bunch stuff down and worrying about what I was saying with Ralfy & Charles I simply got lost in the moment and the dram. AND... sometimes those are the best drams to have.

If you are still interested in getting a bit of information about the Isle of Arran 16, please watch Ralfy's review. It's spot on to what we were all talking about in Toronto that lovely May night.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjU_EFmiO_M


Cheers!


PS -> If you live in Canada, Arran 16 is sold out... sorry my lovelies :(

Whisky Writer's Circle - Profile: Charlie MacLean

Yes I am dedicated and almost obsessive when it comes to some things in my life. It is with great commitment that I seek, research, absorb (unlike some sponges these days...), live & breathe when I am passionate about a subject. I took to track & field in high school with that determination and precision. I feel the same about sailing, especially competitively. And then, there's whisky...

My non-whisky friends think I'm an idiot/savant or a heavy drinker and my whisky friends think I'm one of the biggest geeks they know as for me, well I know one thing:  
               

I can't imagine that ever changing. Part of being such a geek stems from the fact that I still love to read everything I can get my hands on may it be other blogs, articles, magazines and of course books. When I decided to write this series, I went back to some of the first books/magazines I read and just like my first whiskies I have a soft spot for some of those too. The pocket guide to Scotch Whisky was one of the first books I ever read. I found it at the library many moons ago. I sat, thumbed through it quietly and read for close to 2 hours when I was suppose to be studying for an exam: Best 2 hours of "wasted" time, ever! It was easy to understand, well written and simple. The terminology didn't overwhelm my newbie brain. I devoured that book and like every other whisky fan, hoped that someday I would actually get to meet the author. Meet him, I did... Spirit of Toronto May 2013, word came out that he would be leading one of the master classes. A) I was going to SoT and B) I had a ticket. His class was great. He is a fantastic speaker and presenter however, at a class or event you rarely get the opportunity to talk or really converse so it was an even greater pleasure that I was given the chance to dram with him and Ralfy for about 30 minutes. It was an opportunity for me to share my pride and love of Canadian whisky with two icons. Not fluffy conversation but real discussion about how the industry is changing, how perceptions on Canadian whisky are changing and that it is a shame that it isn't more readily available anywhere else in the world. Both of them loved the rye flavor, the sour overtones and the punch of spices. I, on the other hand, still struggle with the Lot 40 neat and have to add water to be able to enjoy it. Charlie mentioned it was refreshing to see someone admit that water was needed in a whisky and that too many "snobs" were trying to dictate how people should enjoy their drams. More discussion, more whisky and a night I won't forget. It was truly whisky bliss as far as the experience goes. 

Ralfy, Charlie and me enjoying a Lot 40 together

I wasn't sure he would remember me and I really wanted to have him as part of this series so this fall I contacted Mr. MacLean and asked if he would partake and he replied immediately with a resounding yes. 

Ladies & Gentlemen, it is with great pleasure and respect that I present: Mr. Charlie MacLean.

CHARLIE AT HOME IN HIS TASTING ROOM

Interview begins:  

So how did you get “here”?  When you were a little boy, I’m sure you didn’t say:  “When I grow up I want to be a whisky writer”?

"Ha! I don't think there was such a creature as a 'whisky writer' when I was a boy! Most seem to have been professors or gentlemen of private means with an amateur interest in whisky - George Saintsbury, David Daiches, RJS McDowall, Michael Brander, Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart, etc.

I did, however, encounter malt whisky as a boy in the late 1960s - the father of my best friend at school owned The Glenlivet distillery, and I used to go there for holidays. I wrote my first piece for a whisky company - a brochure, for Bells - in 1981. The rest, as they say, is history. I am currently working on my 13th book about whisky".

What motivates you to still be in this part of the industry? Sometimes it can be quite unkind and very few can make a living doing this?

"I love the product. I love its history. I love the people who work in the industry. I love the people who enthuse about whisky. It is the life-blood, the quintessence, of Scotland, and I love Scotland with a passion. The industry has been kind and generous to me, by the way".

What sacrifices or tough decisions have you made to get to where you are now?

"Writing a book takes a long time, during which you tend to become totally immersed - you can't sleep properly, you keep odd hours, you sometimes drink and smoke too much. Also, since it earns you peanuts, the bank begins to bark and your wife begins to despair. As for decisions... I don't think I have ever made one in my life... I am entirely 'reactive'."

Since I saw you in May what have you been working on?  Care to share what some of your upcoming plans are?

"The current book is a history of Matthew Gloag & Son, creators of The Famous Grouse brand. I am nearly finished, and I have loved every minute of the research back to 1800. Next I have been asked to write text for a coffee table book about whisky by a famous photographer, called 'Spirit of Place'. And after that a book about smuggling (illicit distilling).

When I'm not writing, I'm traveling - tasting and talking about whisky: up-coming trips between now and January include New York, Paris, Monte Carlo, Dusseldorf, Basel, Stockholm, Helsinki, Jerez and Antigua."

If you could go back in time and talk to Charlie MacLean in 1984, what would you want to tell him?

"Keep taking the drugs...

Really, there's nothing I would change. I count myself extraordinarily fortunate."  End of interview...

After each interview I read and reread my notes and I'm always in awe at some of the responses. 

What exactly am I looking for through this series? A blogger challenged me after I wrote about Dominic Roskrow and criticized me for not being critical enough to ask the hard hitting questions like a good journalist would. I was flattered to a certain extent that he would compare me to a journalist (lol...) but I told him if he wanted those type of questions answered to ask Dominic himself. Of course he didn't and that doesn't surprise me. As for me, well I will leave the "hard hitting" journalism pieces for Mark Gillespie.

These pieces about my favorite whisky writers are not exposés or hard hitting journalism articles. They are another part of the journey that constantly evolves. I am always trying to figure out how I fit in, not only as a woman but as a blogger and serious enthusiast. I love to write, I love whisky. Sometimes I feel like my blog doesn't matter.  That I'm not moving fast enough and getting "there"... but in the end, I'm not even sure where "there" is?

I tend to think that these people, these icons that I consider giants didn't worry about the end result because, well because it's not the end. 

So what I'm learning for the time being is to keep putting one foot in front of the other, keep my eyes/ears open to opportunities and to continue doing what it is I'm doing... Whatever that is? Maybe some day I can look back and that is when I will realize where the "there" was.  Who knows?

Thanks to Charlie for the interview as well as the dram in Toronto. It means a lot to me that I get to do this and better yet, my way.

Lassie