][1]The 5pm blog had a memorable night recently at a whisky dinner for Dennis Malcolm, a man who was happily celebrating half a century in the whisky business.
Master distiller
He started out in 1961 as an apprentice cooper at Glen Grant in Rothes when he was fifteen. Over 50 years later, his job title at Glen Grant is now that of Master Distiller.
In between, he worked at various other distilleries on Speyside but, having been born on site at Glen Grant, it was perhaps inevitable that he would bookend his career with long stints at the distillery.
Glen Grant Five Decades
To mark his 50th anniversary, the distillery have released a new bottling called Glen Grant Five Decades. A limited edition single malt whisky, it features spirits taken from casks from each of the five decades that Malcom has worked in Speyside.
It is one of a number of new expressions which have seen the distillery’s range expand considerably since they were bought by Gruppo Campari in 2006.
][3]Thick ear
When Malcolm was starting out, The Beatles were just playing their first gig at The Cavern and the Americans were still nine years off putting a man on the moon.
During Malcolm’s apprenticeship, his father also worked at the distillery. This ensured that Malcolm jnr. didn’t dare be a minute late for work. Not only would he get a roasting from the head cooper but he would also get a thick ear from his old man when he went home that night.
Things have changed somewhat.
][4]Malcolm may be looking at his 70th birthday soon but he has no plans to retire. At the dinner, he joked that he was born on site but didn’t expect to die at the distillery as well.
He is still making whisky although he knows that he is unlikely to see the barrels which he is laying down today come to full fruition in 20 or 30 years time.
Angels’ share
‘I’ll never see them mature,’ he noted, before smiling, ‘ but I am looking forward to getting my angels’ share.’
The dinner took place at The Gardener’s Cottage, the Edinburgh restaurant which was recently a finalist at the Scottish Restaurant Awards.
Jelly + Gin
Devised by the ever inventive Jelly + Gin, dinner was a five course dinner matched with with Glen Grant whiskies. Each course featured a dish which epitomised each of the decades that Malcolm has spent in the whisky industry.
The Sixties were represented by plates of hors d’oeuvres a la Elizabeth David; the Seventies by prawn cocktail; the Eighties by a Marco lobster ravioli and the Noughties by a dish of deconstructed green asparagus inspired by El Bulli. Naturally, the latter was served on a slate with swooshes.
Liquid nitrogen
The Noughties were represented by Fat Duck liquid nitrogen ice cream, a theatrical dish involving lots of dry ice and chefs in lab coats.
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