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O Whisky! soul o' plays an' pranks!
Accept a Bardie's gratefu' thanks!
Scotch Drink
Robert Burns
When you consider how many individual influences make a single malt unique - malted barley with its range of peatiness; water drawn from deep beneath the landscape; singular, often quirky still shapes; even the air of Scotland itself, leaving a gentle fingerprint as casks mature - it is hardly surprising that Ballantine's 17 Years Old contains layer upon layer of flavours.
Master Blender Robert Hicks compares the creation of this great whisky to painting a masterpiece in oils. His first task is to prime and prepare his canvas. For this, he uses a selected number of grain whiskies to lay a base-coat upon which all the subsequent colours are built.
'Grain whisky has a modest amount of flavour, which is exactly what we are looking for,' he explains. 'It is a small percentage compared with single malt whisky. But, from the malts, we expect something different in the form of the depth and nuances they contribute.
'Grain is the foundation, the way we prepare the canvas. And, like painting, preparatory work is immensely important. If you do not prime the canvas properly - normally with several coats of white or bland, pale colours - then it will not hold the oils and show them to their best advantage.
'Grain whiskies may lack the strength of character of the single malts, but they play a vital role in holding the whole blend together. And because they have subtle flavours, it is normal to mix several grain whiskies to obtain the effect you are looking for.
'To return to the comparison with oils, if you were planning to paint, say, a sunset, then the base-coats would not be pure white, but have hints of other colours to bring out stronger hues to their best advantage.'
What complicates the job of the Master Blender is that, while the quality of 17 Years Old must remain consistent, ingredients often change as distilleries close or supplies vary. The skill of the Master Blender in arranging these preparatory flavours ensures that there are no changes in quality in the finished product.
All blenders face these problems as the fortunes of malt distilleries fluctuate. One of the skills in creating a blend is the ability to forecast continuity of supplies. To own as many of the malt distilleries in a blend as possible is an advantage. But, no one can acquire all the distilleries in Scotland. So, predicting the fortunes of up to 40 malt whisky distilleries half a century ahead is an impossibly risky business.
For this reason there are times when 17 Years Old, a rare whisky at the best of times, has been in short supply. And throughout these difficulties the Master Blender has to juggle his malts and grains, drawing on a variety of similar styles he keeps to hand for emergencies, to ensure the blend never varies.
The number of single malts and grain whiskies in a blend seldom remains constant as times and economic circumstances change. At present, 17 Years Old comprises more than 40 malts and grains, all of which help create the essential character of the blend.
'After priming and preparing his canvas, the next job of an artist is to sketch in the outlines of his picture with charcoal,' Robert says. 'My sketching is done with Highland whiskies to create the broad outline of the style I am looking for. Later, the colours will be filled in with the Speysides, the Islays and the Islands.'
With his preparatory work complete, Robert works with two main malts to create the distinctive outline of 17 Years Old.
'The first is Miltonduff,' he says. 'It gives a rich, nutty, slightly honeyed flavour and has a bold summer floral character. Miltonduff provides the big scents and the big flowers of summertime and sets the tone perfectly.
'With it, I use Glenburgie, which is very rich with touches of peat and a background of heather flowers. From this solid base, I can then feed in other layers of colour.'
As with oil paints, some single malts are extremely strong and forceful and have to be used with a lightness of touch, while others are delicate and subtle, making their presence felt in different ways.
'On a fine painting an artist seldom uses black, but he has to put traces of black in, to add emphasis here and there,' Robert explains. 'Ardbeg, for instance, comes into this category. It is the most heavily-peated Islay with hints of a summer beach and salt and ozone traces. If you can imagine walking along a deserted beach with the aromas of seaweed and salt, that's Ardbeg. It is so powerful, pungent and intense that we use it sparingly.
'In the same way, we include a very small amount of Laphroaig, which is very peaty and smoky with a tang of the sea and hints of sweetness. It's a malt I'd describe as powerful, pungent and particular.
'These are two of the whiskies I would equate with primary colours, which have to be subdued and not applied with a heavy hand.'
The bold strokes of Ardbeg and Laphroaig are filled in with malts that constitute the core of 17 Years Old. Each is included for a different facet of its character - the distinctive contribution it makes to the blend.
'Balblair is one of the first I reach for in this respect. It has an aromatic style - fruity with sweet hints and spicy touches. It makes a perfect companion to Scapa, which is delicate and floral with a hint of salt. And Glencadam, a malt with a honey style, creamy with a suggestion of summer flowers and a touch of apple.'
Some of the bolder colours are toned with other malts so that, as each layer is applied, greater harmony emerges.
'Tormore, in particular, makes a good contribution,' Robert adds. 'It has a delicate body and is light, sweet and aromatic - a delightful break from the usual Speyside mould.
'Glentauchers is rich with a touch of pear-drop and "estery" influences - esters are all those peardrop-type flavours. It's a fragrant malt with a distinct touch of honeysuckle coming in.
'Imperial, on the other hand, is robust and full, with touches of peat and heather and an autumnal depth to it. I find it deep in flavour and slightly perfumed.'
The careful blending of these tones, from primary to pastel, results in a whisky built of hundreds of layers - all of which can be detected and explored by the connoisseur.
The finished blend has a honey sweetness with a hint of smokiness. But deep inside lies a rich tapestry of regional flavours, together with all the idiosyncratic touches of each individual malt.
'If you nose a glass of 17 Years Old, all these characteristics come through,' Robert says. 'You won't get them all as it is a complete aroma but, if you persist, each time you go in to peel back a layer and delve deeper, another emerges.'
As Robert thinks about his work, many images emerge - conducting an orchestra of instruments playing in harmony, or creating a painting composed of countless colours. But one lasting vision of the blend to which he has devoted so much of his life predominates: '17 Years Old starts with the grains and grows layer by layer as the tones and colours of the malts are added to become a thing of great beauty, like a rare and exquisite pearl,' he says.