By James Atkinson
Younger consumers are increasingly demanding authenticity and known provenance from the liquor they purchase, and that's where single malt whisky has a lot to offer, according to Glenfiddich malt master Brian Kinsman.
In Sydney this month, Kinsman suggested to TheShout that the recent growth of the single malt whisky category has been spurred by the "slow food" movement and a desire by consumers to experience new flavours.
"When people spend their money, they want to know who made this beer or who made this whisky – they want to appreciate it a bit more," he said.
Kinsman said the continuous family ownership of Glenfiddich gives the distiller a great story to tell drinkers.
"The family are still very much in charge of the company, it's an unbroken line all the way back," he said. [continues below]
Glenfiddich malt master, Brian Kinsman
"It's the same with my own role – we know every master blender in the history of the company. I can tell you a story about why Glenfiddich tastes the way it tastes and really that's coming all the way back from [founder] William Grant, because he told his son, who told Gordon Ross, who told Hamish [Robertson] who told David [Stewart] who told me.
"Not many companies have got that – it's quite a lineage," Kinsman said.
In a tutored tasting of whiskies from across the distiller's portfolio, Kinsman said that for a whisky to be released as Glenfiddich, it must always be "fruity and floral".
"That would be our hallmark – that fresh pear note somewhere, whether it's been rounded down or whether it's been accentuated – that should come through the whole range."