Master blender

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A master blender is an individual who develops specific blended spirits using a combination of spirits with different characteristics. For example, in the Scotch whisky industry, master blenders choose which single malts and grain whiskies to combine to make particular brands of blended whisky. [1] A master blender is not the same thing as a master distiller, although one person may do both jobs at small craft distilleries. As the name suggests, the blender creates blends using spirits from different casks and is responsible for making sure the product remains consistent across different batches, while the distiller is either directly responsible for the mashing and distilling of spirits or simply holds the title as the administrative and marketing figurehead of the company. [2]

Contents

The term master blender is often associated with the whisky industry, but it is also used for professionals who blend other spirits, such as rum, cognac, brandy, and vodka.

History

In terms of whisky, the practice of blending distilled whiskies has likely existed in some form for centuries, but the craft of deliberately blending whiskies for flavour purposes began after Aeneas Coffey invented a new type of still to make grain whiskies in 1831. [3] William Sanderson and Andrew Usher are credited with making one of the first whisky blends in the 1860s. [3] [4]

"The master blender role evolved in Scotland in the 19th century to manage the increasingly complex inventories held by Scotch whisky companies owning a number of distilleries and whisky brands."

— Rachel Barrie, Master Blender at BenRiach, GlenDronach, and Glenglassaugh Distilleries, The Whiskey Wash [5]

Responsibilities

Being a master blender involves evaluating barreled spirits with different characteristics, such as age, storage conditions, and cask type, and then choosing the best combination of spirits to achieve a desired final product. [1] The master blender generally has two primary responsibilities:

  1. Make sure every batch produced under the same label tastes the same as previous batches [6]
  2. Create new appealing blends that deliberately differ from existing labels [6]

For some companies, the master blender also serves as the public figurehead for the company and may even have administrative and marketing duties outside of blending responsibilities. [6]

Blended whisky

Legal definitions for blended whiskies vary. In Scotland, blended whiskies may include grain whiskies and come from numerous distilleries with different malts. In the U.S., the standard is different, and blended whiskeys must contain at least 20 percent straight whiskey combined with neutral spirits or other whiskeys. [1]

A blend could be composed of as many as 20 or more different whiskies with different flavour profiles and ages, which makes maintaining product consistency over time a challenging accomplishment for a master blender. It is sometimes necessary to replace whiskies that go into a blend, and the master blender is responsible for accomplishing this feat without altering the characteristics of the final product.

Training

Experience and a good "nose" are the two most important characteristics for a master blender, although some may also have a supporting academic background in chemistry, microbiology, or other related type of science. [2] [6] Many blenders start as apprentices and work with blenders who have years of experience nosing spirits. It may take years of practice to develop the necessary skills, and the general consensus is that the title of master blender should be earned. [6] [4] [7]

Nosing spirits involves using the sense of smell to identify specific characteristics, such as different aromas and flavours, that work together to create the desired final product. After a particular blend is developed, then the master blender is responsible for ensuring all batches of that brand remain consistent in the future. [4]

In some cases, formal training outside of on-the-job training may be necessary. For example, according to Max Warner, Global Brand Ambassador for Chivas Regal: [8]

"You will need to have a qualification from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling to be considered for a position within the Blending Team. There are tests carried out on blenders' olfactory senses (the nose), as this is the most important ‘device’ for appraising and assessing Whisky."

Notable people

In most cases, master blending is a skill achieved after years of experience. Notable examples of individuals in the industry who have achieved master blender status include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotch whisky</span> Malt or grain whisky distilled in Scotland

Scotch whisky is malt whisky or grain whisky, made in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whisky</span> Distilled alcoholic beverage

Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single malt Scotch</span> Type of whisky made in Scotland

Single malt Scotch refers to single malt whisky made in Scotland. To qualify for this category, a whisky must have been distilled at a single distillery using a pot still distillation process and made from a mash of malted barley. Therefore, a single malt means that the whisky has not been blended elsewhere with whisky from other distilleries. As with any Scotch whisky, a single malt Scotch must be distilled in Scotland and matured in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years, although most single malts are matured longer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish whiskey</span> Popular spirit made in Ireland

Irish whiskey is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' comes from the Irish uisce beatha, meaning water of life. Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a long period of decline from the late 19th century onwards greatly damaged the industry, so much so that although Ireland boasted at least 28 distilleries in the 1890s, by 1966 this number had fallen to just two, and by 1972 the remaining distilleries, Bushmills Distillery and Old Midleton Distillery, were owned by just one company, Irish Distillers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Glenlivet distillery</span> Distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland that produces single malt Scotch whisky

The Glenlivet distillery is a distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland, that produces single malt Scotch whisky. It is the oldest legal distillery in Scotland. It was founded in 1824 and has operated almost continuously since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diageo</span> Multinational alcoholic beverages company

Diageo plc is a British multinational alcoholic beverage company, with its headquarters in London, England. It operates from 132 sites around the world. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits. Distilleries owned by Diageo produce 40% of all Scotch whisky with over 24 brands, such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Old Parr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant's</span> Scotch whisky

Grant's is a blended Scotch whisky, produced by the company William Grant & Sons in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnnie Walker</span> Scotch whisky

Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky produced by Diageo in Scotland. It was established in the Scottish burgh of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire in 1820, and continued to be produced and bottled at the town's Hill Street plant, once the world's largest bottling plant, until its closure in 2012, a decision announced by Diageo in 2009 which would bring the 190-year association between the brand and Kilmarnock to an end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Grant & Sons</span> Scottish alcohol distillery

William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Bushmills Distillery</span> Distillery in Northern Ireland

The Old Bushmills Distillery is an alcohol distillery in Bushmills, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, founded in 1784 and owned by Proximo Spirits. Bushmills Distillery uses water drawn from Saint Columb's Rill, which is a tributary of the River Bush. The distillery is a popular tourist attraction, with around 120,000 visitors per year. It produces the Bushmills brand of Irish whiskey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalwhinnie distillery</span>

Dalwhinnie distillery, situated in the Highland village of Dalwhinnie in Scotland, produces single malt Scotch whisky. Whilst labelled as Highland, as the Dalwhinnie distillery is located in the Badenoch and Strathspey ward of the Highland Council, it is in the Speyside region - noting that under SWA regulations the full Speyside region falls within the boundaries of the Highlands and so can be labelled as such. The distillery owned by Diageo.

David Stewart is the long-time master blender and malt master for William Grant & Sons distillers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dewar's</span> Scotch whisky brand

Dewar's is a brand of blended Scotch whisky produced by Bacardi in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian whisky</span> Type of distilled liquor produced in India

As of 2006 most distilled spirits labelled as "whisky" in India were a form of Indian-made foreign liquor, commonly blends based on neutral spirits that are distilled from fermented molasses with only a small portion consisting of traditional malt whisky, usually about 10 to 12 percent. Outside India, such a drink would more likely be labelled a rum. According to the Scotch Whisky Association's 2013 annual report, unlike in the European Union (EU), "there is no compulsory definition of whisky in India, and the Indian voluntary standard does not require whisky to be distilled from cereals or to be matured. Very little Indian 'whisky' qualifies as whisky in the EU owing to the use of molasses or neutral alcohol, limited maturation and the use of flavourings. Such spirits are, of course, considerably cheaper to produce than genuine whisky." Such molasses-based blends made up 90 percent of the spirits consumed as "whisky" in India in 2004, although whisky wholly distilled from malt and other grains, was also manufactured and sold. By 2004 shortages of wheat had been overcome and India was one of the largest producers. Amrut, the first single malt whisky produced in India, was launched in Glasgow, Scotland in 2004. After expanding in Europe it was launched in India in 2010.

It has been common practice in the whisky industry for more than a century for distilleries to sell barrels of whisky to blenders and independent bottlers as a means of making additional income. In fact, some distilleries exist solely to serve independent bottlers, and do not market any brands themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English whisky</span> Whisky distilled in England

English whisky is a liquor made from cereal grains, malt and water. There are currently two types of English whiskies produced malt whisky and grain whisky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mortlach distillery</span> Distiller of Scotch whisky in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland

Mortlach distillery is a distiller of Scotch whisky in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland. Founded in 1823, the distillery is currently owned by Diageo. The whisky is a key component in several Johnnie Walker bottlings, and Diageo also markets four Mortlach single malts.

Master distiller is a title often used for a distilling expert or a key leader or owner at modern distilleries. The title doesn't have a fixed definition and can mean different things at different companies. Although the craft of distilling has existed for centuries throughout history, the term "master distiller" only dates back as far as the 1800s when it was first used to acknowledge the distilling expertise and knowledge a person gained after practicing and perfecting the craft of distilling for many years. In more recent usage, the term can have a much broader meaning and is sometimes used for owners and company leaders who run their companies but do not actively create the distilling recipes and processes used at their distilleries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of whisky</span> Outline of the knowledge of whisky

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to whisky:

References

  1. 1 2 3 "It's All About the Whiskey Blend: Master Blenders Spill their Secrets - The Whiskey Wash". The Whiskey Wash. 2017-06-29. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  2. 1 2 "Important Whisky People: The Whisky Maker" . Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  3. 1 2 Butler, John. "Edinburgh malt whisky tour". www.dcs.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  4. 1 2 3 "What Does It Take To Become a Master Blender??". GreatDrams. 2016-01-14. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  5. ↑ "Who's the Real "Master?" The Master Distiller or Master Blender?". The Whiskey Wash. 2018-01-29. Retrieved 2018-11-11.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 King, Mark (2012-10-30). "How do I become … a whisky malt master". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  7. ↑ "Who's The Real "Master?" - The Master Distiller or Master Blender? - The Whiskey Wash". The Whiskey Wash. 2018-01-29. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  8. ↑ Flaviar (2017-08-30). "How To Blend Your Own Whisky" . Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Raise a Glass: Celebrating Women in the Spirits Industry | Distiller". The Distiller Blog. 2018-09-27. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  10. ↑ "Meet the World's First Female Master Whisky Blender". Munchies. 2016-02-15. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  11. ↑ Blend, David (2013-10-29). "Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge on love, life, and making porridge even more delicious". Thrillist. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  12. ↑ BWW News Desk. "The Famous Grouse Launches Bourbon and Ruby Cask In U.S. Market". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  13. ↑ "William Grant & Sons launches New Scotch Whisky in India". United News of India. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  14. ↑ AA, The Whisky Exchange - (2017-08-30). "Six questions with Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich Malt Master". The Whisky Exchange Whisky Blog. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  15. ↑ "Master of His Domain: Meet Jameson Whiskey's Blender - Gather Journal". Gather Journal. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  16. ↑ "Review: Crown Royal Reserve Canadian Whisky". In Search of Elegance. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  17. ↑ "Meet Stephanie MacLeod, Dewar's First Female Master Blender". Tales of the Cocktail. 2016-05-23. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  18. ↑ "Roe & Co – A New Irish Premium Blend". Whisky Boys. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  19. ↑ "A chat with Drew Mayville, Buffalo Trace's Master Blender - The Whisky Lady". The Whisky Lady. 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  20. ↑ "Bushmills hails Ireland's first new cooper in 30 years" . Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  21. ↑ "The first female Master Blender at Bushmills Distillery". My own little empire. 2007-04-06. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  22. ↑ "This Nose Knows Whisky: A Spirited Talk With Master Blender Richard Paterson". WIRED. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  23. ↑ "Top 10 female master distillers and blenders" . Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  24. ↑ Media, Chilled. "Master Blender Colin Scott Celebrates 40 Years in Whisky Industry - Chilled Magazine". Chilled Magazine. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
  25. ↑ Paragraph.co.uk. "David Stewart - Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame". Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
  26. ↑ "Sexton's Alex Thomas on following her passion". IrishCentral.com. 2018-02-15. Retrieved 2018-11-18.
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