The Malt Muse

The irony in MacLean8217;s affair with whisky is quite glaring. 8220;It8217;s blended whisky that I drink to relax. But as asubject for my books I8217;m fascinated with malt whisky and its history,8221; confesses the author, in Mumbai for the release of his latest Water of Life. In fact, Malt Whiskey remains the most popular of his 12 books, says MacLean as he sips Talisker at the Taj Mahal Palace 038; Tower8217;s Harbour Bar.

The city8217;s first licensed bar overlooks Apollo Bunder that is enveloped by the afternoon glow. Soaking in its beauty, MacLean lets out the well-kept secret of Scotland8217;s favourite spirit as we sniff, swirl, sip and swallow Talisker. 8220;Whisky is a sensory drink like wine. Smell it before you drink,8221; says the expert, trained in 8216;the sensory evaluation of potable spirits8217;. This amber-hued drink8217;s spicy flavour soon gives me a nice high. Yet, the intriguing world of Scotch whisky gets my full attention.

8220;The mysteries of malt lie in where the spirit has been matured. For instance, the whisky made in Islay gives a smoky flavour. Though this can be acquired elsewhere too by adjusting its processing, such a thing is avoided in Scotland,8221; says the expert. His newest book profiles the classic malts of Scotland and analyses their flavours region wise. All of them are marketed in India by Diageo as part of their Classic Malts Selection.

The rise of single malt whisky on the list of whiskey patronisers8217; favourites is only a two decade-old development. 8220;The fortune of Scotch used to be based on blended whisky. It enjoyed a wider popularity while malt remains pretty unknown outside Scotland,8221; he says. In the 8217;80s, both the production and popularity of malt whisky started increasing.

The book will further enhancepeople8217;s appreciation of whisky and encourage them to explore its range, MacLean hopes while pouring cool water into his malt. 8220;Malt is to be enjoyed in a glass with a wider bottom and narrow rim. A little cool still water brings out its aroma,8221; he says as the pungent and peppery flavour of Talisker burns my throat. This collector8217;s tome also takes the readers on a journey of the malt whiskey distilleries in Scotland with pictorial representations and first-hand stories. Other famous titles by him are Whisky: A Liquid History and Whisky Tales. And his Whiskypedia is scheduled to come out next year.

Though nothing can beat the spirit of Scotland, MacLean has his favourites when it comes to whiskies bottled in India. Antiquity and

Signature are two of them. But during this trip, he wants to savour the lesser known whisky brands. Quite a spirited trail that would be.

SPIRIT OF PLACE
Glenkinchie
Talisker
Clynelish
Islay
Skye
Cardhu