Gavin D. Smith - The A-Z of Whisky

First published in 1993 by
Carcanet Press Limited, Manchester as
A Book of Words: Whisky

This eBook published by
Neil Wilson Publishing Ltd
G/2 19 Netherton Avenue
GLASGOW
G13 1BQ

T: 0141 954 8007
F: 0560 150 4806
E:

Gavin D Smith, 2011
Foreword Richard Paterson, 2011

The author asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-1-906476-03-8
eBook ISBN: 978-1-906476-19-9

This eBook was produced by Thomas Whitehead
E:

Knowledge is power .

These famous words were written in the 16th century by the Elizabethan Chancellor Francis Bacon (1561-1627), but are still clearly relevant today. With the success and growing awareness of Scotch whisky around the world there has never been a more appropriate time to relaunch the A-Z of Whisky.

Gavin Smith, like Bacon, is a font of knowledge particularly when it comes to all things whisk(e)y with no less that 12 books to his credit; this revised and updated edition of his seminal reference work will again quickly become a 'must have' item not only for the whisky lover but also for those enjoying the discovery of new whiskies from around the world for the first time.

For 40 years now I have been studying the art of distillation and blending, particularly when it comes to historical details. However I am the first to admit that I am still learning and this is one reason why I welcome and heartily recommend this treasure chest of fact, anecdote, commentary and definition. The time, effort and research that Gavin has spent creating this compendium of information will reward both the whisky enthusiast and those seeking further enlightenment.

My thirst for learning about new things, especially when it comes to the world of spirits, will never diminish. I can therefore heartily recommend this compact reference book. Like a great whisky it will always satisfy and reward my thirst for knowledge every time.

Richard Paterson
Master Blender, Whyte & Mackay

The following appeared in the original edition of the A Book of Words: Whisky in 1993 and rather than alter it wholesale, I have chosen to let it remain word for word in order to record the people to whom I was indebted at that time. Their contributions and help are no less important with this new and revised edition. I have also added a new section to this with some updates at the end.

1993

Many individuals and organisations have taken an interest in the preparation of this book, and have provided information, opinions, advice and encouragement. I raise a grateful glass to them all, and offer apologies to anyone I fail to mention by name. Thanks are particularly due to Dr Christopher McCully and Dr Gerald Hammond, for their faith, enthusiasm and practical assistance, and to John Dumbreck for his invaluable help in respect of matters Gaelic.

I am also indebted to Ian Allan, retired manager of Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay; Roger Brashears Jr. of Jack Daniel Distillers, Tennessee; Trevor Cowan; Leila Edwards; Owen Dudley-Edwards; Dafydd Gittins; Janice Mack and United Distillers; Helen Maclean; the late Sorley MacLean; George Melville of the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre; Prof. D Uwyd Morgan, University of Wales, Aberystwyth; M. Nicholson of The Mitchell Library, Glasgow; John Clement Ryan and Irish Distillers Ltd; Vicky Salmon of the Irish Distillers Information Bureau; The Scotch Malt Whisky Society; Janet Smith of Liverpool Record Office; Dr David Thorne, University of Wales, Lampeter; Tony Tucker and Campbell Evans of the Scotch Whisky Association; Jack Williams and Lancashire Whisky Producers Ltd and Ian Urquhart, director of Gordon & MacPhail Ltd.

My friends and colleagues at The Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere - where library facilities were kindly made available to me - have been a welcome source of support and happy diversion, and members of staff at Scottish distilleries from the now silent Bladnoch in Galloway to Highland Park on Orkney have been unfailingly courteous, informative and helpful. Especial gratitude is due to my parents for introducing me to the greatest of all drinks, and to Margaret Kirkby and Janet Haynes for more reasons than I have room to relate.

The following publishers and agents have been kind enough to allow the reproduction of copyright material: Robin Clark for Drink To Me Only ed. By Alan Bold; David Higham Associates Ltd for Highland View by James Bramwell; AP Watt Ltd for The Century Companion to Whiskies by Derek Cooper; Andre Deutsch Ltd for Scotch Whisky by David Daiches; Guinness Publishing for extracts from The Guinness Drinking Companion by Leslie Dunkling, copyright Guinness Publishing Ltd, 1992; Judy Piatkus Publishers Ltd for The Little Whisky Book by Susan Fleming; excerpts from Floyd on Hangovers by Keith Floyd reproduced by permission of Michael Joseph Ltd; Speymalt Whisky Distributors Ltd for Gordon & McPhail's Corporate Brochure; Warner Books for The Spiritof Whisky by Richard Grindal; Souvenir Press Ltd for Whisky and Scotland by Neil M Gunn; Mainstream Publishing Company Ltd for Scots on Scotch, ed. by Phillip Hills and Spirit of Adventure by Tom Morton; Irish Distillers Ltd for IrishWhiskey: The Water of Life ; Jack Daniel Distillery for product description liter ature; Dorling Kindersley Ltd for The World Guide to Whisky by Michael Jackson, and Michael Jackson's Malt Whisky Companion; Mitchell Beazley Publishers Ltd for Michael Jackson's Pocket Bar Book; The Edinburgh Publishing Company Ltd for The Whisky Connoisseur's Book of Days by John Lamond; The Malt Whisky Association for The Malt File by John Lamond and Robin Tucek and The Malt Letter; The Bodley Head for Scotch by Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart; John Murray Ltd for The Whiskies of Scotland by RJS McDowall; The Appletree Press Ltd for In Praise of Poteen by John McGuffin; Lochar Publishing Ltd for Tales of Whisky and Smuggling by Stuart McHardy, and The Scots Cellar by Marian McNeill; The Society of Authors as the literary representative of the Estate of Sir Compton Mackenzie for extracts from Whisky Galore; Macmillan London Limited for Scotch Whisky by Donald Mackinlay (and others); Rogers, Coleridge and White Ltd for In the Highlands and Islands by John McPhee; Neil Wilson Publishing Ltd for Wallace Milroy's Malt Whisky Almanac by Wallace Milroy, and Scotch and Water by Neil Wilson; Ravette Books for The Bluffer's Guide to Whisky by David Milsted; James and James Publishing for The Makingof Scotch Whisky by Michael Moss and John Hume; W&R Chambers Ltd for Chambers Scottish Drink Book by Michael Moss (and others); and Scotch Whisky by Marshall Robb; West Highlands and Islands of Argyll Tourist Board for Campbeltown's Distilleries: A Guide for Visitors by Norman S Newton; The Scotch Whisky Association for Scotch Whisky Questions and Answers; The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd for The Scotch Whisky Book by Mark Skipworth and lain Sutherland for Vote No Licence.

In the text, references to frequently-cited sources are given in abbreviated form full details of which may be found in the References at the end of the book. Where no reference is given, details have been taken from the Oxford English Dictionary, and thanks are due to the Oxford University Press for allowing the inclusion of such material.