Making whisky inclusive is one of the main goals of Scottish Rogue. We care about our country’s whisky industry and we want to protect it and encourage it to grow. To do that, we must help to break down long-established barriers. Here’s some of the things we’re trying to focus on…

Whisky has always been a fascinating subject. The stories that surround our distilleries and brands are one of the things we love most about Scotch. Sometimes, however, the mythology and reverence that has built up is a hindrance, rather than a help. It’s almost unbelievable that Scotch has been so successful, given the number of restrictions placed upon its consumption. Especially by those who profess to love it the most.

The whisky industry has been working hard in recent years to dispel most of this nonsense and great strides have been made. Nevertheless, the spirit hasn’t fully shaken off its image as the drink for old men with eccentric facial hair.

Women in Whisky

Lots of work has been done to make women feel more welcome in the world of whisky. Both professionally and casually, women are coming to the drink in a big way. We need look no further than our own Whisky Bar Walking Tours and Distillery Tours for evidence of this. 56% of our attendees have been female, something we hoped for but didn’t necessarily expect. There is still work to be done, however.

We meet lots of women who have come to Scotland, many as solo travellers. They have a passionate interest in the country and see a whisky experience as central to their visit. We consider it a privilege but also a great responsibility to work with such people.

It’s important these women (and all of our attendees) leave Scotland feeling valued, with their interest in whisky not only encouraged but enhanced.

Breaking the Rules

Whisky has enjoyed a boom over the last two decades, but those good times are stalling. There simply aren’t enough old men to keep our distilleries in good health. We need more whisky drinkers and that might mean breaking a few so-called “rules”.

There is still a degree of snobbery around this subject. Many will snort at the suggestion of adding water or ice, or heaven-forbid, a mixer. The harsh truth, however, is that a large percent of the world’s drinking population doesn’t want to sip a beverage that’s at least 40% in strength. Most people prefer to consume alcohol as a long, cold drink and we can’t afford to alienate them.

The idea that whisky should be sipped neat is a mantra adopted by a relatively small group of dedicated fans. Indeed, it’s an attitude that largely goes against the drink’s history. The ancient Uisge Beatha would likely have been supplemented with herbs and spices to make it more palatable.

Even in Scotland, the vast majority of whisky drinkers dilute their dram with water or soda. My own Grandfather was the first whisky drinker I knew and he drank whisky and lemonade, often accompanied by a half pint of beer.

Whisky has enjoyed some success in new markets but in many of these places, people don’t drink it neat. In China, there’s whisky and Green Tea. In Japan, the whisky & soda highball. While in warmer countries like Venezuela and Brazil it’s popular to mix with coconut water. Even in the old US of A – where would Jack be, without Coke?

Keeping an Open Mind

We don’t suggest that you should abandon your Glencairn glass. We simply ask that you keep an open mind about the unlimited possibilities offered by whisky. Allow yourself to experiment. You might be amazed with the results. And never judge or pass comment on the choices made by other drinkers. Everyone that chooses to buy Scotch whisky is supporting the industry, regardless of how they drink it.

On a personal level, I love sipping whisky neat. Even cask strength drams of 60% and above can be wonderful without so much as a dribble of water but there will be still be times I won’t want something quite so challenging. Sometimes I want a long drink and why turn to Rum, Gin or Vodka when we make the best spirit in the world, right here in Scotland?!

Scotch mixes well with soda, lemonade, ginger ale… and you haven’t lived until you’ve tried a Smoky Cokey! Try making a Whisky Sour, or an Old Fashioned, or a Manhattan, or any of the other whisky cocktail suggestions you can turn up with a simple google search. If nothing else, you’ll have lots of fun experimenting.

Make the Start of the Journey Easy

Not everyone who chooses to join a Scottish Rogue tour is a full-on connoisseur. Some are just starting on their journey. Others are tagging along with friends or partners. When those people find whisky challenging, we try to make the experience easier for them.

Attendees of our Walking Tours can opt to try their dram with a mixer because we want them to find a way to enjoy Scotch whisky.

At our DRAM JAM whisky tasting events, we offer cocktails on arrival to showcase the flexibility of the spirit, and we provide an alternative drinks menu so that non-whisky drinkers still feel welcome to attend.

Whisky lovers can bring their non-whisky drinking partner, spouse or friend and we’ll give them cocktails instead of drams. Many of these apparent “non-whisky drinkers” find their curiosity raised and soon they are asking to try the whisky for themselves.

Those people would probably never have bought a ticket to a regular whisky tasting but they come along to DRAM JAM and feel comfortable enough to experiment and to explore.

Looking to the Future

The Scotch whisky industry is facing a potentially tough period over the coming years. For that reason, it has never been more important that we focus on making whisky inclusive.

The attitudes towards the drink that were so prevalent in years past must once and for all be confined to history. Scotland needs to open its whisky up to everyone and if we can play a tiny part in that, we’ll be two very happy Rogues.

Neill Murphy is co-founder of Scottish Rogue and author of A Scot on Scotch

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