[et_pb_section fb_built="1" _builder_version="3.22"][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.25" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.27.4" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"] Charles Maclean Visits Dingle October 11th 2019 saw Scottish whisky legend, author and Keeper of the Quaich, Charles MacLean, take time out from his very busy schedule to visit Dingle October 11th 2019 saw Scottish whisky legend, author and Keeper of the Quaich, Charles MacLean, take time out from his very busy schedule to visit Dingle, Kerry, to present a tasting on behalf of the Irish Whiskey Society (IWS), who has a chapter in the town. Charles presented a selection of Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) releases which included a seventeen year old Bushmills. Fionnan O Connor, Peter White & Brian Greene presented the four most recent bottlings of the Irish Whiskey Society. Including the Midleton Marrowbone Lane bottling and the brand new Kilbeggan pot still which was the first cask to be laid down by the society in 2011 and now the first cask to be bottled. On the evening, nine spirits were imbibed. These included a new-make spirit laid down just a few weeks ago in Echlinville distillery, using an old mash bill in a Palo Cortado cask. Even after just a few weeks, the effect of the cask on the whiskey was evident. Charles is a very charismatic character and an entertainer. He gave an excellent presentation on the night, fielding questions from all corners of the room. He is a long-time supporter of the SMWS, joining the members’ club in the early 1980s, and becoming a chair of the tasting panel in 1992. MacLean is known for more than his connection to the SMWS. He is an authority on malt whisky, a Keeper of the Quaich, a whisky consultant, a prolific author, and a member of the International Wines & Spirits Competition judging panel– whilst also being a self-confessed blended Scotch fanatic. Charles had attended a course with Richard Gordon in 1992, ‘The Sensory Evaluation of Potable Spirits’, which was presided over by what is now the Scotch Whisky Research Institute. It was Gordon who invited MacLean to become chairman of the Nosing Panel to help to enhance their tasting notes. The earlier tasting notes were always very colourful because a lot of the panel were poets or playwrights. My brief was to retain the colour but to systematise it a wee bit, be a little bit more analytical. I would write up the notes of those that were found to be good enough to be bottled. - "Some of the casks in those days were unbelievable! It’s very difficult to find good casks nowadays.” - Charles is a great supporter of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), who he believes does a very good job. “There are a cadre of distillers in other countries who would really appreciate the controls imposed by [the equivalent of] the SWA. It’s a guarantee of quality. It protects the reputation and the flavour of the product.” Does it ‘stifle innovation’? “To a degree, but it's extraordinary how much innovation is going on in the background within the regulations. "Most blenders love the challenge.” Charles is a class act and a terrific whisk[e]y presenter. Before leaving, he told us that he “was hugely impressed by Dingle and the Peninsula. Such a pretty, tasteful town, but what made it for me was the people I met, the conversations, the drams, the (excellent) beer, the meals, the hospitality at Castlewood guesthouse… And, of course, the wonderful IWS members. I present tastings all over the world, but your guys are the tops – interested, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, polite and good-humoured. No presenter could wish for better. I really enjoyed myself and long to return!” Charlie, we echo that sentiment. Céad míle fáilte. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
