informal group members’ homes. Larry’s McGill Young Alumni group enjoyed the tastings so much that they encouraged him to host a formal one for their Montreal based alumni. As all the various groups gained popularity, this was when Doug first planted the seed of creating a club. In 2010 Larry discovered Ian Buxton’s book “101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die”, which he thought would make a great roadmap for a club but never mentioned it to his dad because he didn’t feel comfortable talking to a man in his 80’s about something with that type of book title. Sadly two years later, Doug passed away leaving a huge void in Larry’s life. At his dad’s funeral was the first time many different people from the various whisky tasting groups met and came together to celebrate Doug Onions’ life by sharing stories over drams of Lagavulin, Balvenie and Glenfiddich. This was where the idea of the “101 Club” began to really germinate. Larry purchased copies of the book, etched Glencairn glasses and monogrammed pens with the name of the club and by December 2012, the first official club meeting took place in Hudson, Quebec. The bottle that night = The Arran Robert Burns Single Malt 250 Years Anniversary Edition 1998 Vintage. When I asked several of the members what drew them to being part of the club, they all mostly blamed Larry Onions whereas others jokingly took credit, such as Ray Anderson: “I’ve known Larry since we were teenagers and introduced him to whisky some time after I moved to Ottawa in 1990. That’s truly where our whisky journey began. Our first festival was Whisky Live in Toronto”. Other members such as Alex Grecoff and Perry Loyello ended up as coworkers/ good friends with Larry & Doug at Investors Group and took part in the infamous bull sessions as well as many fishing trips. For some, it was a family affair. McGill Alumni Sridar Narayanan told his brother about the club and invited him to a meeting, Sriram joined on the spot. Some of their most memorable moments were shared with me. For Julie Danztigian, it was during the club’s first trip to Scotland. Towards the end of the trip, half of the club were headed back home where they made an impromptu stop at Tomintoul. At first they were advised that the distillery was closed for maintenance but when staff found out the
group were Canadian whisky enthusiasts, not only were they welcomed in for a dram, they shared their whisky with some of the Hillman family (distiller owner). Julie will never forget the stories told that day or the warm hospitality that was extended. For Larry it was a full circle moment made possible by Igor Kossov, club friend and independent bottler (Heads & Tails Spirits Co.) In 2022, when the Whisky 101 Club celebrated its 10th anniversary, Larry wanted to pay tribute to his dad because without him the club may never have existed. He asked Igor if he could possibly find a bottle of Highland Park and for those that know Igor, the answer was: “ABSOLUTELY!” The label was designed based on a photo taken of Doug when they had visited the Orkneys and the result was a Whisky 101 club bottling of a Highland Park 22 year old called Doug’s Choice. Larry opened the bottle at the 2022 New Brunswick Spirits Festival, which was the first time many friends had seen each other since
the pandemic. Larry spoke lovingly about his dad, what this special bottle meant and why it was so important that it be opened with extraordinary friends. I can tell you from personal experience, there was not a word spoken or a dry eye in the room when we imbibed this beautifully dedicated dram and moment.
There have also been some very funny moments treasured at this club. Ray Anderson recalled the “Bubblicious and cheese” incident. One of the whiskies listed in Ian Buxton’s book was from the Netherlands and Ray’s in-laws offered to purchase the bottle while they were on a trip there. In January of 2017, as the bottle was being poured and sampled Ray noticed members reacting in a fashion like nothing he had ever seen before. When his pour came and he gave it a sniff that’s when he dubbed it: Bubblicious gum and cheese. To this day, Ray holds the record for most unappealing whisky at a club tasting. The whisky = Frysk Hynder.
In 2024, the club still has most of its Alumni core, but with a few new faces that don’t even live in the province.
24
the whisky explorer magazine
WINTER 2024
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker