Mike Simpson

A wee dram of liquid sunshine For a nation that prides itself on braais, rugby, sunny skies – and presumably a cold beer to round off the experience – we’re also remarkably partial to a wee dram of the amber fluid that playwright and Nobel prize winner George Bernard Shaw called ‘liquid sunshine’. By MIKE SIMPSON 15 G iven that whisky, or whiskey if you prefer the without seeing an advertisement or a promotion for a Irish or American versions, has become a drink whisky brand.” of global popularity and stature, you may be surprised to note that South Africa is the seventh Another important promotional element is the annual biggest importer of Scotch whisky by value in the world FNB Whisky Live Festival, which is part of a global – ahead of most European countries, Canada, Australia franchise but attracts more visitors (nearly 20 000 in and our fellow BRICS nations of Brazil, Russia, India and 2012) than its fellow festivals in places such as London, China (although true Chinese figures may be obscured Paris, Los Angeles and Boston. as some imports are via Singapore). Who’s drinking? Despite a brief downward blip in sales late last year, This increase in the number of whisky drinkers in South an increased interest in whisky in South Africa is very Africa has also seen consumption and demographic much part of an ongoing trend, says Marc Pendlebury, a patterns change. No longer is your archetypal drinker whisky blogger and owner of Whisky Brother, a specialist a middle aged ‘pale male’ working in business or the store located in upmarket Hyde Park in northern professions, with a family and a house in the suburbs. Johannesburg. “New whisky drinkers are very diverse; we’re seeing According to Pendlebury, the growth is mainly more females becoming interested and drinkers’ ages attributable to two things, the first being an emerging can vary from people in their early-20s through to the middle class that views whisky as an aspirational drink traditional older male,” says Pendlebury. “There’s also and a status symbol. “They want to be seen drinking whisky,” he notes. The second is that whisky is heavily marketed in South Africa – more so than in many other countries. “It’s hard to page through a magazine or drive down a major road Whiskey Festival in Cape Town 16 FNB Whisky Live Festival 2013 a difference in the way they want to For local whisky enthusiasts – or those drink whisky. Some will go the more who are simply curious and eager to learn traditional route of neat or with a about one of the world’s most revered bit of water. Others will add ice or a drinks – the annual FNB Whisky Live mixer. I believe some education is Festival provides a great day out. Now in required and too many people new its 11th year, it’s designed to appeal as to whisky are mixing it – but that’s much to the first-time taster as to the just a personal opinion.” passionate connoisseur. Apart from the traditional Sandton How it’s done venue, 2013 marks the first time the So what is the proper way to drink event is also being held in Soweto. The whisky? Neat with a drop of water to latter ties in with the greater interest in help release the flavours and aromas whisky culture being shown by emerging is the recommended method, as is market consumers. using a specialist whisky glass called a Glencairn. Ice is a no-no; so are According to festival co-founder, Sian mixers. Neubert, the continued growth of the “Firstly, if you’ve bought and paid for event demonstrates the increasing your whisky it’s yours to drink any way demand for premium whisky experiences you wish,” observes Pendlebury. “But and related luxury products in the South if you’re paying more for a particular African market. “Sowetans have been bottle it’s because it’s older or commuting to the northern suburbs for exclusive and should therefore have years, yet returning home to Soweto at more flavour. If you’re adding ice or a weekends. Now it is time to showcase mixer you’re not getting that flavour whisky in their hometown,” she says. and not receiving what you paid for.” “The key focus will remain on whisky But he concedes there’s a time and education and recruiting new-to-whisky place for everything. Sometimes, drinkers. Core elements of the education when you’re around the braai with process, integral to the success of the friends, a refreshing whisky with ice Sandton event, will be incorporated into in a tumbler is all that’s needed. the [Soweto] mix.” Single and Scottish? FNB Whisky Live Festival A perennial question is whether Soweto: 24-26 October 2013 to choose a blend or single malt. Sandton: 6-8 November 2013 17 The glass with class If you’re chilling with family and friends in the garden, a swirl and the top of breaking out a standard tumbler for a convivial and the glass (the ‘nose’) is informal whisky is fine. However, for more formal tapered occasions those in the know prefer to use the official the aromas. Nosing is a whisky glass of Scotland, the Glencairn. big part of drinking whisky to concentrate and appreciating the flavour. “The design of a tumbler doesn’t optimise the drinking If you use a tumbler it doesn’t experience and the ‘nosing’ ability,” explains Marc concentrate the aromas and lets a Pendlebury of Whisky Brother. “The Glencairn has a tulip lot of air in, making it hard to smell the shape; a bowl at the bottom so you can give the whisky whisky properly.” Worldwide, more than 90% of all whisky sold is Ireland – which incidentally started distilling its blended and in South Africa that figure sits at around whiskey (with an ‘e’) before Scotland did – produces 93%. Blends are also more affordable and someone some excellent brands. So too does Japan. buying, say, a 12-year-old blend can expect to pay R150-R200 more for the equivalent single malt. South Africa is also starting to make a name for itself Among enthusiasts, however, single malts rule the in the world of whisky, although many local consumers whisky roost. still look askance at our brands. “I’m very proud that we have two wonderful local brands – Three Ships And for whisky to be authentic, must it be a true Scotch and Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky,” says Pendlebury. from Scotland? Not necessarily, says Pendlebury. Both are produced by the James Sedgwick Distillery James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington in the Western Cape 18 in Wellington in the Western Cape, a facility that dates Awards. Bain’s, which was launched onto the market back to the 1800s. Of late, the pair has received several in 2009, won the title of World’s Best Grain Whisky at international accolades, which is boosting demand the 2013 World Whisky Awards. and improving market perceptions. “They are proudly South African and are great Three Ships Premium Select Five-Year-Old was examples from a new world whisky country,” declares awarded a gold medal and best-in-class at the 2013 Pendlebury. n International Spirits Challenge held in London in June. This followed on from it winning the World’s Best Blended Whisky title at the 2012 World Whisky Show me the money As anyone who has ever browsed the shelves of a boutique liquor store will know, good whisky comes at a price. But a bottle of something rare or unique can push the price tag to a whole new level. Last year, three bottles of the scarce 50-year-old Balvenie Fifty single malt Scotch whisky were brought to South Africa as part of the FNB Whisky Live Festival and at least one is known to have been sold to an anonymous buyer for a cool in aid of charity. The one-of-a-kind combination fetched $460 000 (around R4.5-million) during a 2010 auction at Sotheby’s in New York. R230 000. The second was drunk – at R8 000 a tot – by a small group of whisky aficionados in Johannesburg. Only 88 were ever produced and each is presented in a hand-blown glass bottle surrounded by a wooden case created by a wellknown Scottish craftsman. In 2005, The Macallan distillery confirmed that a South Korean businessman had paid $75 000 (around R740 000) for a 1926 bottle from its Fine and Rare range. But all these pale in comparison with The Macallan 64-yearold single malt sold in a Lalique Cire Perdue crystal decanter 19 Macallan in Lalique