A chat with a Scotch Whisky Ambassador

When I heard about the Scotch tasting fundraising event at BlackRock Center for the Arts  on 7 November 2015, I was more than happy to share the information on the Technicolor dining blog site.

Then I asked if it would be possible to interview Richard Crawford, the Scotch Whisky Ambassador who will lead the tasting event. The dining gods prevailed - I received a quick affirmative response to my request!

I discovered that Richard goes by "Ricky" and really enjoys his work. Here's Ricky's story:

Q1:  Tell me a little about yourself. How did you get started?

A1: I grew up in Paisley, Scotland, My father and uncle both worked in the Scotch Whisky industry so it was always a part of my life. In 2006 I was honored to be assigned the role as The Gelnlivet Scotch Whisky Ambassador for the United States.

Q2: Who or what has been the greatest influence on your career?

A2: Many of the whisky ambassadors from different brands are extremely knowledgeable and helpful to each other.  The friendships and sharing of resources has been extremely valuable to me and has a huge positive influence.

Q3: What do you enjoy most about your work?

A3: The most enjoyable aspect of my work is being able to travel to many different locations around the world and meet many new and interesting people. 

Q4: What advice do you have for someone who wants to go into your field of work?

A4: Get as much information as you can about Whisky including the history, heritage and cask management aspects (maturation). There is lots of material and information available online.  

Q5: What would you like the public to know about your field of work?

A5: On the surface it seems like an amazing position to have and of course is, but it is a lot more difficult than people realize with extensive travel and many hours of study to keep up with the constant changes in the industry.

Q6: Where do you see yourself five (5) years from now?

A6: Retired and living on a yacht.  ;-)   Hopefully!

Thank you for time Ricky. I wish you success in your endeavors!

Join the fun, meet Ricky. Tickets are available for those supporters and Scotch enthusiasts here. If you see me at the event, please say hello.

You thought I was going to ask about his kilt, didn't you?


Be well,

Technicolor girl

Water of Life - where it all began, a Technicolor journey

My co-worker looked at  me in disbelief and then asked " are you really going to drink that?" I replied affirmatively and then took a sip of my Maker's Mark, neat. Still staring he said, " I thought women only drank wines, and fruity drinks".  I wanted to tell him to expand his horizons, but decided to take another sip of the Maker's Mark in hopes of starting a new conversation when I put the glass down.

Wikipedia has a fairly extensive page concerning whisky/whiskey- it's history, the distillations process and the countries that produce the water of life - whisky/whiskey.

The question I'm usually asked is, "when you begin drinking whiskey/whisky'? The answer: by embarrassing myself in a restaurant.  One of my first job's after college was at a bank. One evening after work  I decided to celebrate a task I had accomplished. I left the bank and crossed the street to a recently opened restaurant. I made my way to the bar and took a seat. The bartender, an older gentleman, walked over and asked me what I would like to drink.  In a room a full stocked bar, I elected to have Scotch. He asked  which and whether I wanted it neat, or on the rocks. I replied, neat (that sounded good)- I don't recall which Scotch I requested. The  bartender returned  with my order. Feeling jubilant that  my order  was in front of me( and I was there to celebrate my accomplishment), I picked up the glass and swallowed the amber liquid. 

I felt heat building in my in my stomach, esophagus and throat. The bartender must have seen it coming.  I began to cough loudly. The bartender brought a a tall glass of water with ice and told me to have a sip of water.  Fortunately the bar was nearly empty.  The bartender then suggested that I sip the remaining scotch or add water to the scotch.  I followed the recommendation, paid the bill and went home.  At home, I shared told my parents about the misadventure.  When their laughter finally died down, my father explained Scotch ,whiskey/whisky, and bourbon should be sipped and then gave me a primer on what neat (spirit only) , on the rocks (spirit with ice), chaser (beverage to drink after the spirit), splash ( a drop or two of another liquid added to the spirit), and side (similar to chaser) meant and what an appropriate pour was.  I was all set! Then I avoided drinking any whisky/whiskey for a while. 

Several years ago, D introduced me to bourbon, specifically Maker's Mark. He drank it with coke (too sweet for me ). During a trip to visit me, my mother was introduced  to Maker's Mark by D. At one point Jack Daniel's in jeopardy of being replaced by Maker's Mark in the family  bar. These days, D and I compare notes about whiskies, especially small batch whiskies. My pal Glenda also keeps me apprised of notable whiskies as well. 

Recently, I received an email from Debbie, a fairly new pal. She asked if  I'd like to go bourbon tasting with her. Let the adventure begin!

Belated National Whisky/Whiskey Day!

Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+ LLC

A Belated Celebration of the Senses

Celebration of the Senses Day was June 24th. This is a day to fully exercise all five of your senses: smell, taste, touch, sight and hearing. I invite you to ponder  with me about the five senses from a Technicolor dining perspective.

All five senses are engaged in a dining experience (for those with  an impaired sense the remaining senses become enhanced/ more nuanced). Whether it's how the dish is plated,  the flatware used, the aroma of the dish, or noise level of the room, we are affected and we have a preference about which sense draws us or repels us.


Smell
I recently attended Woodford Reserve's Bourbon Academy. During the training we learned that personnel undergo sensory testing to determine how nuanced their sense of smell and taste is. The class was brought ten  jars of items to smell and determine what the scent is. The instructor told us that the sense of smell can be developed and that women tend to have a more nuanced sense of smell.  


Taste

The tongue's receptors tell us whether something in the mouth is hot, cold, bitter/sour, sweet or salty. What you prefer to taste is often  a matter of familiarity and preference.  I like tea because teas can be sweet, savory or bitter, prepared hot or cold,  and with the addition of sweetener, lemon, or other ingredients become more pronounced.


Touch
I've received quite a bit of commentary about my  dislike of okra. The primary reason I don't care for okra is how it feels (touch) on my tongue. In contrast, I like when spirits (e.g. bourbon, scotch, brandy) touch my tongue because the liquid seems to touch my tongue and slowly move to the back of my throat.





Sight
I clearly remember sending my pal BB a text with a picture of dish I was eating. Moments later BB replied that the dish was unappealing to her because it was monochromatic. BB also reminded me that the setting is also a factor - whether it's the plastic table cloth on a picnic table, the favorite tablecloth used for celebrations, or the 'special glasses' used when company visits it's the visual appeal the draws us.





Hearing
When I think of hearing I think of popcorn, the crunch of an apple and the crunch of fresh tortilla chips. As a child I loved Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory read to me  because I imagined Charlie eating the chocolate  bar with his grandparents, savoring each square.





Consider this: one of delights of summer is grilling, which can appeal to all five senses.

What's your primary sense?
What's your secondary sense?


May you have a day that celebrates all your senses!

Be  well,

Technicolor girl