Company:
MacLean Dubois
Job:
Whisky Writer / Company Director
Website:
whiskymax.co.uk
How long have you been working in the whisky industry?
I wrote my first job for Bell’s in 1981. I don’t work ‘in’ the industry,
I’m an observer, historian and consultant to the industry, especially on
training, flavour profiling and of course history.
Nor do I work ‘for’ the industry. I am independent of any individual
company, though over the 31 years that I have been researching and writing
about Scotch whisky, I have pretty much worked with every company in one way
or another.
My independence and discretion (I was a lawyer once) is important to my
clients, and it is only through very close contact with these clients that I
have managed to survive as a whisky writer and managed to amass all the
information I need for my books.
What has been your biggest career
highlight to date?
Difficult question to answer, as there’s no specific highlight. But there
have been a number of key moments.
In the 1980s, being asked to research and write a substantial booklet and brochures
for Highland Distilleries, Glenmorangie, Allied Distillers and the nascent
United Distillers (now Diageo). This gave me the cred to propose a book about
Scotch whisky to an international publisher in 1988. The book was published in
1992 and more or less bankrupted me! But after that, my tattered career took
a swerve towards Scotch whisky. Other book commissions then followed.
Very significant in retrospect, was being invited to do a course on ‘The
Sensory Evaluation of Potable Spirits’ by what is now the Scotch Whisky
Research Institute in 1992. This changed my life and opened up the world of smells.
I am deeply grateful to Dr Jim Swan and Mrs Sheila Burtles, the principal tutors.
Richard Gordon, MD of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society was also on this
course. He invited me to become chairman of the Society’s Nosing Panel, and to
write the tasting notes, which I still do, and has exposed me to many thousands
of cask samples over the past 20 years.
Around this time, I was invited by Dr Nicholas Morgan (United Distillers)
to design and present a whisky dinner in London for VIPs. This initial
engagement developed into a long-standing dialogue and emerged in the late
1990s as an in-house, five day training programme about malt whisky.
In about 1998 I was approached by Damian Riley-Smith and Marcin Miller to
advise about and later edit the Whisky Magazine. My editorial role lasted for
only a few issues, but the magazine still thrives, and my involvement with it
did no harm to my reputation within the industry.
More recently, when I was asked by Ken Loach’s scriptwriter to advise about a
film he was planning, that I later went on to play a part in as a whisky
expert. Maybe when I walk up the red carpet at Cannes on 22nd May,
the day devoted to ‘The Angels Share’ this will be my ‘biggest career
highlight to date’!
Can you remember your first dram, and
indeed what it was?
I’d rather not talk about it, but the first dram I remember with pleasure
was a Glenlivet in 1968. I was at school with the son of the owner of
distillery and we used to go there for holidays.
Where would you like to see yourself in
five years time?
Exactly where I am now!
What was your last dram?
It was the best part of a bottle of Adelphi
Private Stock, a blended Scotch.
Do you have a favourite whisky and food
pairing combination?
Not really, except for Lagavulin 16 year old and Roquefort cheese, and maybe also
a Talisker with fresh oysters.
What’s your favourite time and place to
enjoy a dram?
At my desk between 6.00 - 7.30pm while I am wrapping up for the day. Even
better with friends and before or after a meal.
What’s the one dram you couldn’t live
without?
A blended Scotch Whisky of decent quality. Seriously, my work is malt which
I still regard as the senior branch of Scotch, but it’s work for me. Give me a
good blend to relax!
As mentioned above, Charles makes an appearance in the new Ken Loach film 'The Angels Share' which hits UK cinemas from the 1st of June. Check out the trailer below and keep an eye out for Charlie.
As mentioned above, Charles makes an appearance in the new Ken Loach film 'The Angels Share' which hits UK cinemas from the 1st of June. Check out the trailer below and keep an eye out for Charlie.
Many
thanks to Charles MacLean. Who will be the next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to
find out!