Theres something about drinking a glass of whisky that makes you want to sit back in a leather chair in front a fireplace and tell stories.
Heres a whisky one for you.
In 1824, bootlegger George Smith decided to go legit. He was the first in Scotlands Glenlivet Valley to get a licence, making him the enemy of all the other bootleggers who were angry that Smith had given the excise men tax collectors a reason to be in the neighbourhood. Smith took to packing two pistols with him on his travels.
When the son who was to take over the distillery died, Smith called another son, John Gordon Smith, home to help. JG had his own battle, this time a seven-year legal one, over the name Glenlivet. Since Glenlivet was the name of a valley were lots of whisky was being made, lots of whiskies were named Glenlivet. Smith fought for, and won, the legal right to be The Glenlivet. (There are benefits to having the law on your side.)
JGs great-nephew, the decorated First World War vet and world traveller, Captain Bill Smith Grant, became the next head of the company in 1921 and stayed with the company until his death in 1975.
Smiths no longer own The Glenlivet, which was bought by the Chivas Bros., known for their blended whiskies.
This story is being told by Keith Trusler, Glenlivets new scotch ambassador. The former bar manager at Blue Water Café, Trusler ties in the generational tale with Glenlivets search for its next offering. It has created three new whiskies: The Classic, named after George; The Revival, named after John Gordon; and The Exotic, named after Smith. People are asked to sign up to become a Glenlivet Guardian, which gives them access to private tastings of the new expressions and the opportunity to vote on which one should be the next limited edition single malt.
This is the one winning the race, says Trusler, holding up a glass of the more mature and subtle The Exotic. Its got lots going on.
Votes from around the world will be counted in early 2014. Find out more at TheGlenlivet.com/guardians.
