The good doctor
It was a noteworthy 2016 for the Glenmorangie distillery. The Signet (RM847), a non-aged statement single malt, was crowned the Whisky of the Year at the International Whisky Competition while master distiller, Dr Bill Lumsden, was awarded Master Distiller of the Year. The former honour comes with an exceptional score of 97 points out of a possible 100, the highest ever recorded in the history of the competition.
The creation of the Signet was, unsurprisingly, overseen by Lumsden, and remains to date the only whisky in Scotland utilising high-roasted chocolate malt. It was also his decision not to label it with a restrictive age statement.
“I left out the age statement for more flexibility, and to be honest, using the high roast chocolate malt on its own was not what I was looking for. Then, the challenge was to blend it with other expressions of Glenmorangie until I was satisfied with the result.”
Eschewing an age statement was also somewhat of a risk, with an industry and connoisseur base that was still in the infancy of accepting that the age on a bottle has little bearing on the quality of the libation within.
“It’s a big hurdle to get over because people have been taught to believe that age is everything, and this is our own industry’s fault. In the great scheme of things: raw materials, distillation, maturation, barrel types, age is one of the least important factors.
“You should never overlook a brand’s youngest, core products. They’re highly regarded because the Scottish whisky industry is well regulated, so every single drop of whisky out of the country is of a high quality. Having said that, in my opinion good single malt Scotch needs at least seven or eight years in the barrel before its ready.”
As a company director, Lumsden has free reign to create and approve as he sees fit. There is no question of permission.
“I don’t let anyone interfere in what I do. I’m guided by the company and may be given suggestions but I’m never told what to do with the whiskies. However, it’s always good to listen to other people’s opinions. Always have your own idea of course, the path you want to follow, but take the views of others. I’ve got a close team of about five people, and while I was always make the final decision on the final recipe of a product, I do listen to their opinions.
“It’s good to also keep an eye on what’s happening around the world in other categories of liquor, you might be able to take some ideas from this and just as importantly, avoid some pitfalls.
Lumsden’s creative philosophy doesn’t necessarily focus on a particular finish line, he much rather choose to journey in what is, hopefully, the right direction.
“I don’t think there will ever be an end goal. There will always be more things to discover and try, more flavours to generate. I have some clearly defined projects, for example the third Glenmorangie Private Edition, named Artein, where I used the barriques from the mighty Sassicaia vineyard in Tuscany, which was very specific.”
“There are other experiments where I will just try different types of oak wood, different types of wine barrels without a clear idea where it will go. However I always have a gut feel for these things which comes with experience.”
A lesson Lumsden is keen to impart is to not lose sight of those who enjoy the product, stressing that it is ultimately a short term goal to focus on the numbers. The bottom line is not a motivation, even readily admitting that he “sucked at math in school.”
“I am a master distiller and a blender but above all else I am a whisky consumer. It’s a pleasurable product, malt whiskey, and I have an absolute passion for it. While every company exists for commercial reasons of course, that has never been my key driver. I just want to make the best whisky I possibly can because the delight on a consumer’s face at the end of the day makes it all worthwhile.”
