CHENNAI:'Too much of anything is bad, but too much of good whiskey is barely enough'. These words by American writer Mark Twain couldn't be more true. It's not often that we come across someone who collects whiskey for passion. It requires reading up on the history of the drink, visits to distilleries across the globe and an enthusiasm to experiment different varieties. There is more to whiskey than mere clinking of glasses. These city-based whiskey collectors share their thoughts on the scene in Chennai, memories of their first whiskey, and how they fell in love with the drink.
Prahalad R, business analyst
The first formal drink Prahalad had was a couple of years ago, and he doesn't prefer anything other than whiskey now. His philosophy about the drink is that rather than drinking it blindly, paying attention to the smell, colour, flavours, and composition makes it a unique experience. "Chennai is in its adolescent stage when you compare it to Bengaluru and Mumbai. That said, the scene is changing at an impressive pace and the city has a growing pool of whiskey lovers," he says. Prahalad often meets other whiskey lovers in the city where they all share their drinks and experience.
His latest trip to Europe's vineyards and Ireland's distilleries changed his perspective towards the drink. This piqued his interest to collect single malts and other rare kinds. "To celebrate their 150th anniversary, Jack Daniels released a master distiller series from one to six. Few were distributed to India and I have master distiller one and four — normal seven and honey flavoured. I will be getting two and five soon," he says adding that six and seven in the series are hard to get. His dream is to own a Highland Park 50-year-old single malt scotch whiskey. "Every sip feels like satin running down the throat. A great drink smells incredible, flows smooth, and tastes great," he shares, advising beginners to drink responsibly.
Karthik Setty, sales manager
Like most of them Karthik started with easy-to-drink beverages and gradually developed a taste for drinks with character. "I had my first whiskey in 2014. I tasted Blenders Pride, one of the first Indian whiskeys. Gradually I start consuming more of whiskey, wine, and cognac," says Karthik who keeps shutting between Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. What makes whiskey special are the options available and how whiskeys from different distilleries have their own expression.
He feels that people have now started trying out other countries' specialties. Japanese whiskeys, single malts, Irish single malts and American whiskeys are the much sought-after choices. "There are quite a few passionate collectors in the city but the high tax rates and cost is a challenge. However, this practice has been there for ages in families that have a social acceptance for the drink where it is passed on from father to son. With travelling on the rise, there has been a surge in past 10 years," he says.
Karthik has a couple of Berry Bros, private bottler's collection, from Caol Ila. His dream whiskeys are Macallan Gran Reserva, The Balvenie, and Bowmore — dawn and dusk editions. "The minimum maturing period for a whiskey is 12 years. So there are 13, 15, 18 years, and more. The longer the time period the greater the price. I consider whiskey the best investment. When distillers shut down and collections become limited, the prices shoot up," he says. Karthik saves a fixed amount every month to purchase his favourite brand during his travel.
He shares some thoughts on Indian whiskeys like Amrut Whiskey from Bengaluru, Paul John from Goa, and Rampur Whiskey, which are well recognised. "That's how the Indian scene is also building up. The production of single malt is difficult when compared to other spirits and its not easily available. People are moving to quality drinking. I observe a big shift in the age group of 25-35," he says. While the regulars are available in 750 ml and 1,000 ml, the miniatures (30 ml) are also trending. Karthik will soon open a malt club where the members will meet once a month and try different whiskeys from their collection.
Rohith Ramanujam, vice president of a manufacturing company
"The combination of corn, rye, and wheat brings a great taste to whiskey," says Rohith whose passion for collecting whiskeys is never ending. His first not-so-great experience with whiskey was Johnnie Walker Black Label, about 20 years back. But Islay Malts changed his preference. "People collect rare whiskeys because you can't get it off the shelves anywhere and it is just to sustain your interest. However, the collection pattern differs. While people in Chennai are particular about collecting what they like to consume, people in the other cities are brand conscious and go for exotic breeds," says Rohith who has now graduated to exploring exotic breeds.
His collection includes high-end varieties like Macalland, Dalmore, Balvenie, and Singleton. Low-end varieties include regular blends like black, double blacks and Auchentoshan. "Not everyone enjoys Single Malts but people enjoy Chivas and Ballantine that are common. My friends from other countries helped me collect these drinks. I've almost got a whole collection. Brora and Por Ellen would be a good addition," he says.