The podcasts for Whyte and Mackay Whisky may be superficially infomercials for its blended Scotch, but with Masterblender Richard Paterson, they are pure entertainment. If you spend a few minutes with the whisky expert, you are attending a whisky college as well as being tempted to buy a bottle. That's whiskey with no "e," don't forget.
The podcasts are not merely a "here, buy my product" marketing tool. They are an education. One podcast explains the history of the shape and color of nineteenth-century glass bottles. Another explains the distinctive flavors each area of Scotland exhibits through the country's 106 collective distilleries. As described by Mr. Paterson, some areas of Scotland have a scotch with a more peaty flavor. Others areas, close by the ocean, have a scotch with a salty taste. With no surprise and maybe more than a touch of favoritism, Mr. Paterson claims that the lowland area that Whyte and Mackay calls home gives its whisky a "light-bodied charm and and elegance."
Mr. Paterson too has a light charm and elegance. With his matching tie and pocket handkerchief, he has an elaborate and oh-so-entertaining routine when it comes to taste-testing a whisky. But, pocket handkerchief notwithstanding, there is no pretension to his repartee as there might be with some suspect oenophiles.
He pours a sample of scotch, swirls it around in a stemmed glass and throws it on the "world's most expensive carpet," presumably because of the many glasses of priceless scotches that have been tossed there. Why he can't pour the scotch into a sink, I haven't figured out, but I am amused every time he does it. He says that the force of the liquid coming out of the glass rids the rim of any "lingering" odors.
Article comments
1 - Richard Paterson
Hey, thanks for the kind words! Hopefully we'll be doing more soon, so come back to the site shortly - and drop by if you are ever in Scotland and see the tasting suite for yourself!
2 - Kate Shea Kennon
That's an invitation I won't turn down. Thanks for checking in, Richard!
3 - James
I admire Mr Richard Paterson since in my opinion he is one of the icons of the Scotch Whisky industry! I had the honor of meeting him in an event in Houston Tx last month. By the way I really enjoyed the Dalmore King Alexander III...i think it is an amazing product with lots of complex flavors! Keep up creating great quality Scotch...i will keep drinking it!
cheers
James
4 - Kate Shea Kennon
Hi James: I agree - he is one of the icons of the industry. Well said. So pleased he appeared on our site! Thanks for the comment.