Whisky Wisdom: Interview with Andy Morrison, Part 1
Whisky Wisdom continues the exploration of unique people in the whisky world by asking them a few questions, hopefully over a dram of whiskey. Minglewood Distilling Company, located in the heart of Wooster, OH, has a special twist in that it is also the current location of one of our founding members, Kate. The following is from lightly edited correspondence with Andy Morrison, co-owner of Minglewood along with his father Mark, bookended with Kate’s own thoughts.
Dewar’s 21 Year Double Double
Dewar’s scotch is a brand of blended scotch with a history as storied as many single distilleries. Created in 1846 by John Dewar and expanded by his sons so that by the turn of the century, their scotches were winning awards and being gifted to multiple US presidents by Andrew Carnegie. The Dewar’s brand have constructed or bought distilleries to add to production and they currently own Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, Macduff and Royal Brackla. While each of these produce single malt offerings, part of their output is allocated to the Dewar’s blended mix. The Dewar’s 21 Year Double Double is thus named for the four-stage process where two parallel batches of single malt and single grain whiskies are aged and blended on their own before finally being married together in ex-sherry casks. Curiously only a 375ml bottle, though the box offers a nice presentation. Heavy marketing around sensation – “Ultimate Smoothness” and “silky smooth finish” versus taste or smell.
Lot 40 11 Year Cask Strength
In the autumn of 2017, Corby Spirit and Wine Limited announced the Northern Border Collection Rare, a premium range of Canadian whiskies that serves as a big departure from the core brands many international consumers associate with Canada (Canadian Club, Crown Royal, J.P. Wiser’s) by focusing on smaller brands within their portfolio ripe for promotion. The series is essentially among the best offered by Hiram Walker Distillery and cultivated by their Master Blender, Dr. Don Livermore, to showcase a different aspect of Canadian whiskies along with an elevation to the regular Northern Border Collection. The Lot 40 11 Year Cask Strength is their 2018 edition and is made from 100% rye and, if it is treated anything like the regular Lot 40, it is column-distilled and then put through a pot still to smooth out the rough edges.