Why are you shitting on the big names? BY MIKE BRISEBOIS
Is History repeating itself? Are we starting to see a bit of correction in the whisky industry?
expressions and true small batch releases, even though the price points at times were even higher that typical mainstream expressions. The huge difference was the big names were still investing a large amount of their budget to marketing thereby helping the smaller brands since theirs are quite minimal. I will however state that craft distillers are doing something that the big brands are not – they are present at whisky events, connecting personally with whisky explorers, are more transparent about their distilling methods and care more about the education of the product. It’s not just about getting a bottle on the shelf. But before you crap on a large scale distillery because you feel their whisky is inferior to a craft distiller, remember where they came from and the foundation they’ve created for all to stand on. Don’t get me wrong, I am 100% all in for helping and supporting the smaller brands. As a full out whisky geek, I love how craft distillers bring out some super weird, yet cool expressions but in the grand scheme of things the big distillers employ more people and on a larger scale have a greater impact on what’s to come because they’ve stood the test of time, multiple recessions, wars and world issue. For example The Glenlivet Distillery, which celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, is definitely one that proved they pulled through the test of time. They were considered the original innovator of whisky and many of the surrounding distilleries in the Glenlivet Valley would steal their name as it helped sell their whisky! They stopped anyone doing that in 1880 but it goes to show you that they had something special and still do to this day. You cannot go wrong with a bottle of the Glenlivet in your personal collection.
If we go back 175 years there was huge competition in Ontario, Canada with over 150 distilleries in operation with the majority closing by 1871. Most of these distilleries were small craft distilleries and, in my opinion a correction was needed, a lot of them either went out of business or were merged with others. That year finished with only 19 Ontario distilleries remaining and of those Hiram Walker, Gooderham and Worts, Joseph E. Seagram, Corby and JP Wiser and Sons 1 . Now you are probably asking what exactly the point of this article is – well if you look closely to today, it looks like the correction has already begun. Case in point Penelope Bourbon was recently acquired by MGP Ingredients and Blue Run Spirits by Molson Coors Beverage Company. This, I foretell is only the beginning. Over the years I’ve heard and watched the reluctance of support for the big distilleries and abundance of love for the small craft distillers, especially with their offerings of single cask 1 The historical geography of the distilling industry in Ontario: 1850-1900 1850-1900
50
the whisky explorer magazine
WINTER 2024
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker