'Laws Frustrate Me, But I Get Why They Are There'

Bill Lumsden, the director of distilling at Scotch single malt producer Glenmorangie, on how to protect the exclusivity of the premium alcohol

- KathaKali Chanda

Q What makes a great Scotch single malt?

All single malts coming out of Scotland are of high quality. Other whisky industries may use the same raw material as us, but the unique taste of a Scotch single malt has to do with the maturation, and the particular climatic condition of Scotland that gives it a high level of finesse and complexity. Scotland has a temperate climate, with a temperature that is cool but not very cold, and that doesn’t vary throughout the year. If it gets too hot, it dries the flavour; that’s what I taste in a lot of new world whiskies. Besides, the dampness encourages complexities through oxidation reaction.

Q What makes each barrel distinct?

By law, Scotch barrels have to be made of oak. Where the oak comes from will determine the level of tannin and lignin. These are the two components that give flavour, and lignin when broken down gives flavours of almond, vanilla etc. The pedigree of wood is important. For instance, French oak is different from Russian or American. And then, what’s been in the barrel before—in Scotland, we generally don’t use new oak because it’s too strong. Like, if you use a barrel that earlier held sherry, and if too much of that is soaked into the alcohol, then its flavour can dominate the whisky. The next thing is the amount of time you leave your whisky in the barrel. Older is definitely not always better because it may lead to a high level of woodiness. The final thing is the number of times you use your barrel, so if you use it over and over again, you are not going to get much body or sweetness.

Q How have distillation processes changed over the years?