Become a whisky connoisseur and have a fun night in with a Johnnie Walker’s mentoring says NAOMI LEACH
There’s something instantly seductive and glamorous about sitting down to a glass of whisky. With each sip of the amber elixir I’m transported to another time, where husky blues notes hang heavy over a smoke-suffused bar. Patrons drip with rain and melancholy while performers shimmy into the spotlight. The liquid warms and caresses my throat easing away all the cares of the day. As I slam the empty glass down on the table, I look up and I’m back at home, surrounded by friends. We’re here to share in a home mentoring experience with Johnnie Walker ambassador Andreas Charalambides.
For free and for just one night, the brand has brought this promotional party to my house where they will explain the history and production of Johnnie Walker, followed by hosting a tasting session for me and up to 11 friends. The home mentoring event is now available to anyone who wants to sign up on the Johnnie Walker Facebook group. There are Johnnie Walker ambassadors across the island particularly in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca eager to spread the appreciation of the brand.
We begin the evening by watching a short video clip narrated by everyone’s favourite Scotsman, Robert Carlyle. Johnnie Walker was a real character who set up his own greengrocers in 1819 at the age of 14. He sold the inconsistent Kilmarchoch Scotch range of local style malt but started blending different malts together so that he could offer a consistent unique product. He was inspired by his experience in the botanical tea market, creating his own popular blended tea. “He wanted quality so started experimenting. His task was to produce stable character of quality,” explains Andreas.
Johnnie Walker’s sons Robert and Alexander in the 1860s were responsible for turning it into the biggest blend in Scotland. Ambitious Alexander drove the bottles across the States and developed square bottles to ensure less breakage and so that more could be packed. His grandsons George and Alexander II introduced the iconic red and black label of the walking man. Now an award winning, global icon used to sponsor cultural events, Andres says “In the stroke of a pen Victorian grocer became an Edwardian dandy. 200 years later Johnnie Walker is still walking with no sign of stopping. He is the man who walked around the world.”
Scottish whisky actually began life as an import by priests from Ireland. Andreas outlined the blending secrets of how traditional malt whisky was processed and distilled. My avid guests were able to question all the myths they’d heard surrounding the brand. The traditional method involves putting barley in water (before growing it is set on fire). The barley is moved to grain dry process in a tank where the water is boiled then yeast is added to make beer. The distillation process involves a copper pot designed by monks. The different shapes and sizes of the pot effects the final product. The beer boils then goes through distillation pipes outside the factory. The steam becomes liquid again and back in the tank is colourless alcohol with a low spirit percentage. The procedure is repeated twice. Double distillation gives the spirit 50%, 60% and sometimes even 70%. We learnt that caramel is added to the drink for colouring and cannot be tasted.
The barrel in which the whisky is stored plays a major role in the flavour of the drink. Frequently throughout history, Johnnie Walker has been placed in Spanish oak barrel which was previously used for sherry. The porous barrel keeps a memory of its previous occupant which infuses into the flavour and aromas of the fermenting alcohol. It is only once it has spent three years in this oak barrel, that it can be referred to as Scotch whisky.
But for my guests, four males and one female, were interested in one dominant question, how can you tell the difference between red label, black label, green label, gold label and the extravagant blue label Johnnie Walker whisky? Especially when up to 40 different whiskys are blended to make the original flavour of a Johnnie Walker black label. The green label is 15 years old, the gold label is 18 years old and the blue label blends only the rarest whiskys where the age varies. And the master blender who has been with Johnnie Walker for 35 years has a strict system to guarantee the quality of these products.
In a bid to train our palettes to ascertain the subtleties of flavour we were advised not to eat or smoke during the testing. We also drank water in between whiskys to refresh the palate. The effect that temperature, mixers, sweet, sour and spice has upon the flavour was also examined offering some eye opening and mouth-watering results.
Without wanting to give too much away we were able to detect the smokey bitter flavour of one of the drinks which is created by the natural peet used during processing. Another felt soft and fruity with rich notes of spicy green apple. A vanilla and woody flavour from the barrels was present in one drink while another created a fiery breath and soothing numbness to the mouth.
The evening was fun, informal and informative especially for my guests who will enjoy being the Johnnie Walker expert the next time they visit a bar. Andreas left us with some bottles of whisky and branded glasses so we can practise our taste tests. The mentoring at home was a lively option for a night in and broadened the flavour combinations available for my nostalgic whisky infused reveries.
Visit the Johnnie Walker Cyprus Facebook page to invite the Ambassadors to bring the mentoring evening to your home, for free.
