26/03/2024
Chapter 34
A chat with...Andrew Morrison
(A.D. Rattray) - #30
A.D. Rattray is perhaps my favourite independent bottler, in fact I have never tried a disappointing dram from them. Visiting their shop and headquarters in Kirkoswald, Ayrshire back in February 2023 was a milestone in my whisky journey, which is also where and when this chapter’s project started.
The company was originally founded by Andrew Dewar Rattray in 1868, who began by importing French wines, Italian spirits and olive oil. Since then a lot of history ad events have kept this brand and company alive through its different ownerships, until it was acquired by the Morrison family, current owner, in 1993 (more details here).
Their Cask Collection range features interesting and unusual single cask whiskies sourced from the six whisky regions of Scotland; all bottled at cask strength, natural colour and with no chill-filtration.
The company today is led by Stanley W. Morrison (Chairman), known as Tim, and his son Stanley Andrew Morrison (Director). The same team team is also behind the new Clydeside distillery (see mention).
We had the pleasure to chat with Andrew, who told us more about his whisky journey and his family business.
Let’s see what he told us…
Hi Andrew, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. Please introduce yourself, and tell us a little bit about your whisky journey so far.
My family have been involved in the whisky industry for generations, as brokers, distillers and independent bottlers. Although you could say I grew up learning the ropes, I wanted to gain wider experience before officially joining the family business.
After completing a business and finance degree, I crossed the Atlantic to work in San Francisco, firstly working in roles including in-store sales, marketing and e-commerce for furniture giant Pottery Barn.
When and how did you join this growing industry?
After a few years, I decided to gain further industry specific experience by working with our US importers who are based in California. This was instrumental in helping me to hone my sales skills and get invaluable insight into the US spirits marketplace – which brands were doing well, why brands were doing well, what the price point was, what the marketing was.
I then felt that I had enough to offer A.D. Rattray, joining the company full time with a focus on developing the right products, to deliver into the right marketplace, at the right time.
Now tell us a bit more about A.D. Rattray, what is it that makes it stand out in the whisky industry?
We are an independent whisky company who specialises in selecting and maturing of single casks of Scotch whisky. Our company was founded in Glasgow by Andrew Dewar Rattray in 1868 and then passed down through generations of my family.
We have stayed close to our whisky broker and spirit merchant roots, remaining independent and fully family owned. As one of the oldest and smallest independent whisky bottlers, we are built upon generations of inherited skill and knowledge and have a world-wide reputation for our expertise in the selection of top-quality Scotch whisky.
As a small team, we retain the ability to provide a personal level of service to our customers.
Can you tell us what your target audience is?
Our Cask Collection is loved by single cask whisky enthusiasts who trust in our ability to select interesting and unusual casks and enjoy the variety delivered in each collection.
The combination of quality and value of our Stronachie and Casks of Scotland single malts appeal to a wide range of whisky drinkers looking for a solid, flavour led malt to enjoy.
Can you tell us how you select your casks, and anticipate anything about what we can expect to see next?
For independent bottlers, there are two main points of cask selection; purchase and release. We typically purchase casks in “parcels” of 5, 10 or more. It’s fair to say that economics are the most important factor at this stage. We are fortunate to work in an industry with such high regulatory standards, meaning “bad” casks are pretty rare, and what constitutes a “bad” cask is subjective. We can therefore reliably purchase casks from any malt distillery in Scotland and know that we will have good quality to work with. The second point of selection is when we choose to release a cask, under what brand, and in which market.
At A. D. Rattray, our aim is to present whiskies of intrigue and excitement, and always of the highest quality. First and foremost, the cask must be ready to present. This doesn’t always mean old, but it does mean a level of maturity in the spirit, and a notable integration with the wood. Next, for the Cask Collection, we curate a selection of casks that are deemed both ready, and of sufficient interest to our customers (10 barrels of a 2009 single malt from the same Speyside distillery may all be ready to bottle, but it wouldn’t make for a very exciting release…). And finally, we work with our export partners to understand the tastes and trends in individual markets. For example, heavily-sherried casks have been popular in Asia for some time, and that trend is now very evident in Europe. Certain lesser-known Speyside distilleries have more traction in Japan than elsewhere, and we find that single grain whisky is more popular in the UK than other markets.
As for what to expect, we have a number of exceptional single casks in the pipeline as well as some special editions to complement our core range.
What advice would you give to a beginner that is approaching this world and perhaps starting his/her own collection?
Whisky means many things to many people, but all our whiskies are bottled with the intention of being opened and enjoyed. How you enjoy them is up to you, so don’t let anyone tell you the “rules” of drinking Scotch.
For me, Scotch whisky is not about good and bad. But there is huge joy to be had in recognising the characteristics of a malt, considering the character of the spirit, and the impact of its maturation. Each taste adds to your own personal database of whisky experience.
Consider the choices made by the bottler (cask type or types, age, strength etc.) and try to understand the impact of these decisions on your experience with the whisky. Maybe you liked that spirit, but you weren’t sure about impact of the wood. What is it like when it’s a bit older? What is it like from a different cask type? Are other malts from the region similar in style? Seeking out a whisky to try rarely provides closure – it simply opens the door to the next whisky on your own personal taste adventure.
Lastly, what is, generally speaking, your favourite whisky style (cask type, ageing, peated/unpeated etc.)? What’s your dram of choice at the moment and/or your go to drams on a Friday evening?
Although I love exploring everything that Scotch whisky has to offer, I don’t think you can beat a distinctive single cask in refill bourbon, showing appreciable distillery character. Recent highlights from our Cask Collection include a Dufftown 2009 (cask #700827), a Royal Brackla 2008 (cask #312867) and a Teaninich 2007 (cask #642).
However, if it’s been a particularly stressful week, I sometimes look for a bit of comfort over a new experience that might challenge the senses. Our Cask Orkney 15 Years Old is a little more laid back than the single casks, yet provides everything I want from a good dram. It covers all the bases in terms of fruit, malt, nut, salt, smoke and more, without being too extreme in either direction. In many ways this is the benchmark style that I always return to, and against which I compare all other whiskies.
Official website: https://www.adrattray.com/
Drams
and more...
Today's drams
- Arran 2017 (cask #2105) – 56.2%
- Balblair 2011 (cask #635) – 57.4%
- Invergordon 1988 (cask #8160) – 48.9%
- Stronachie 10yo – 43%
The Clydeside Distillery
Tim Morrison founded MGD (Morrison Glasgow Distillers) in 2015 with the aim of creating a new distillery on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow; The Clydeside Distillery. A new Lowland distillery, under the direction of his son Andrew Morrison.
Operational since November 2017, in October 2021 they launched its very first Single Malt Whisky. Their releases so far have been very promising and in line with the quality delivered for several years at A.D. Rattray.
Surely one day we will write more about this distillery here on Drampath…