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Scotch Whiskey - Do You Decant?

Added by Kevin B on Jul 14, 2010

By DUNCAN MAVIN

When it comes to imbibing fine whiskey, a handful of questions need answering. On the rocks? Scotch or Irish? A wee drop of water? The connoisseur knows it almost always comes down to personal taste. Then there's the issue of whether to keep your prized whiskey in the original bottle or decant it, in other words, pouring it into a crystal carafe and tossing that bottle into the recycling bin. Scottish distillery Macallan hopes at least one serious whiskey drinker wants to decant in style.

At the end of November in New York, it will seek bids for a 64-year old Macallan—the Scottish distillery's oldest release—sealed in a specially designed decanter from French crystalware firm Lalique. The decanter was created using the traditional and now-rare technique of cire perdue, meaning "lost wax," and is shaped with a flat bottom, like the decanters used on board ships in the 1820s. Its design features depictions of the Macallan estate in northeast Scotland. The decanter and its contents are being auctioned at Sotheby's after a world tour with stops in cities including Los Angeles, Seoul, Osaka, Taipei, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Along the way, Macallan is auctioning off miniature taster bottles of the 64-year-old Scotch, and has already raised between $6,000 and $9,000 in Paris, London and Moscow. All of the funds generated by the auctions—including the sale of the Lalique decanter—will be donated to "charity: water," a non-profit group that aims to bring safe drinking water to developing nations.

"It would be great to sell it for a world record and then give all the money away to charity,"

 said Ken Grier, director of malts with the Edrington Group, which owns Macallan. But the question remains for the rest of us: to decant or not to decant? Mr. Grier spoke by telephone with Duncan Mavin.

The following interview has been edited:

WSJ: Decant or not decant?

Mr. Grier: Whiskey matures as long as it is in a wooden cask. Fifty percent of the flavor comes from the barrel the whiskey is aged in and the rest comes from the way you make it. We would tend to put it in a bottle and then leave it in there.

WSJ: Will keeping scotch in a decanter impact the taste?

Mr. Grier: Its quality will not really deteriorate. It's pretty stable because of the higher alcohol content. Remember, Scotch whisky has a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume, whereas wine is typically more like 12% to 13%. The higher alcohol content keeps the scotch stable even once you've opened the bottle.

WSJ: How do you serve scotch at home?

Mr. Grier: When I serve whiskey, I pour it from the bottle. But that's just personal preference.

WSJ: What should I look for when I choose a decanter?

Mr. Grier: Look for a great-quality manufacturer who is using high-quality materials. Shape doesn't really matter. We're going with the ship decanter, which is designed for long journeys at sea, for this Lalique tie-up. It's got a stable bottom so that it won't tip over and smash and you won't lose the precious drink. But the shape you choose really just comes down to your own aesthetic taste.

WSJ: How much interest in scotch are you seeing in Asia?

Mr. Grier: Fifty-two percent of Macallan sales are in Asia. It's a very important region for us. People really get the authenticity of the brand here.

How do you serve your whiskey at home?

Do you have your special way? Please share it with us in our Comment section. Would you enjoy some of the higher end brands, similar to the one the article was talking about? Please let know. We are more than happy to welcome you at Bleachers for a few drinks while you can enjoy a great conversation with our friendly servers and fellow patrons. We also want to bring your attention to the great food we serve. And of course, we must mention our big screen TVs where you can enjoy your favorite sporting events. We would also like to remind you to drink responsibly. Have any questions, comments? Feel free to use the Comment section below.

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