13/07/2024
Chapter 38
A chat with...George Stewart (Stewart Whisky) - #34
Founded in May 2020 by George Stewart, Stewart Whisky Company is a small independent bottling company that wants to celebrate the essential elements that go into the crafting of great whisky; the forces of nature, hands and time.
Their first releases arrived in early 2021 followed by periodically bottled casks of exciting and unique whisky.
I met with George during the Whisky Live London 2024 event. By far, his whiskies were the ones I enjoyed the most at the event, and there were a lot of great bottles there on the opening day.
We had a nice chat about the brand and what they do. After which, I asked for his contact details to know more; this interview is the outcome of our conversation started back then.
Let’s see what he told us…
Hi George, 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.
I am delighted to be doing so. I am the founder and director of Stewart Whisky Company and curator of the Stiùbhart Single Cask Selection. My personal history with whisky goes back rather further than It should.
Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city and region with vibrant historical ties to Scotland and indeed whiskey (with an ‘-ey’), my dad was involved in the local St. Andrews Society and despite not particularly liking whisky at the time, he was always given bottles as gifts, amassing a considerable collection he didn’t really drink. I can’t confirm or deny why the levels in all those bottles started going down over time, but you may speculate.
By the time I went to university in Scotland I was already deeply fascinated by the history, culture and aesthetic surrounding whisky. I started going to tastings, got a job at the local bottle shop and fell in love with the concept of independent bottlings. While I did not determine so early on that whisky would be my career path, it became a fixture in my life and something I wanted to explore in every possible way.
When and how did you join this growing industry?
I have been in the wine and spirits world since my university days when I worked for a small and well-regarded wine shop in St. Andrews, Fife, before helping a friend of mine, Peter Wood set up the now award-winning St. Andrews Wine Company in 2013 (website).
While in St. Andrews I was introduced to the independent bottlers like Adelphi and Signatory and immediately felt an affinity for these whiskies, deciding that one day I would aspire to either work for one of these companies or bottle my own. I spent the next 6 years mostly on the wine side of things working for a retailer in New York, an importer in Pennsylvania and had a brief stint on a wine farm in South Africa, before settling with my wife, Maya, in London.
The fine wine company I worked for, Cru World Wine (website) turned its attention to whisky and, given my background and enthusiasm, it was natural for me to step into the role. I focussed on independent bottlers, looking for down to earth great whiskies, rather than the easy sells; your official releases with all the marketing power behind them, etc. I was encouraged to see such a strong reception for the most esoteric whiskies, to the point that the phrase “Indie bottler” became a byword for quality and value with customers, rather than relying on big brands alone.
In March 2020 my wife and I had our first daughter, Ayla (pronounced much like “Islay” but not entirely named after the island) and during paternity leave with lockdowns in full swing, the time felt right for a change and to pursue the old dream of bottling my own whisky. So, armed with a bit more knowledge than 7 years prior, I made the jump.
Now tell us a bit more about Stewart Whisky and all its past and present bottling series, what is it that makes them stand out in the whisky industry?
I like to think that my approach to selection sets Stewart Whisky apart. I don’t shy away from bottling a cask that I can tell will divide a room.
There are crowd pleasers among the Stiùbhart Single Cask whiskies (looking your way Glen Elgin 22!), but my aim is not to produce something that will always appeal to everyone. I want to put something into the market that is exciting, a departure from the ordinary, relying on the intrinsic quality of the spirit maturing over time with minimal influence from the cask.
Can you tell us what Stewart Whisky's target audience are?
My target audience is myself. I bottle whisky that I like with a specific theme in mind and my hope is that others out there will share my sensibilities.
My bottlings aren’t the cheapest, nor are they the most commercial but I am not setting out to make cheap, mass-market whiskies. I’m setting out to make the whiskies I want to drink, that I don’t always find readily on the market.
Can you tell us how you select your casks, and anticipate anything about what we can expect to see next?
For the Stiùbhart Single Cask bottlings, my focus is on the spirit-forward side of things. I want a cask to show the essence of the distillery, the region, both in unadorned fashion, without overt or dominating influence from the cask. That way there is no where to hide for a sub-par whisky, no overwhelming sherry or wine influence.
On the horizon I am lucky to have an embarrassment of riches for future bottlings, and am not 100% decided on what comes next, but there is a lovely old Benriach on the way which I have held for a few years and reckon it’s about time to put it into glass and show the world!
Beyond the Stiùbhartachd, I would never want to limit my own exploration of good whisky with different appeals, and late last year I quietly launched a new, very limited label called “Bratach Bhàn” exclusively through the St Andrews Wine Company, under which I will be a bit more exploratory, without sticking to the parameters set for the Stiubhartachd.
The first release was very simply a run of bottles drawn from the same cask as my Batch 008 Bunnahabhain 10 bottled at a chosen strength of 48% rather than cask strength, just to see the difference, and test drive a “session” whisky. Under this label, my intention is to be more improvisational. In essence it’s a second label so I want it to be good value, but it’s also a testing ground for experimentation so look for sherry casks that are too good to pass up on, finishes, younger whiskies, blends and anything else that takes my fancy.
What advice would you give to a beginner that is approaching this world and perhaps starting his/her own collection?
I would say to cast your net wide and don’t let yourself fall into too much of a pattern with what you buy or drink. I know it is tempting to follow a single distillery or style, but if you only drink heavily peated Islay or sherried Speyside, you’re missing out on a world of excitement and enjoyment.
I focus on making spirit-forward, well-aged bottlings. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love a sherry bomb when the moment is right or a young, feisty number with a crazy cask finish. I make what I make but I’ll enjoy anything that is well-made and compelling. This is an approach which has served me well in my own collection and I think you can’t go far wrong if you’re just looking for something exciting or interesting.
In the words of Walt Whitman-via-Ted Lasso, “be curious, not judgemental”. Stay curious about different whiskies and you’ll find more enjoyment in what you drink.
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?
It changes so often, but if I had to choose one factor that consistently draws me to a whisky it is a low ABV cask strength. My two favourite bottlings of my own (Tobermory 1995 @ 42,9% and Allt-a-Bhainne 1997 @ 44.1%) were both low 40s and I find that these whiskies have an aromatic concentration, complexity and focus that I find is overpowered at higher ABVs and is not retained with quite the same vigour when diluted with water.
Apart from my own bottlings, and to answer your question, I am really enjoying a 1995 Clynelish from Signatory with a cask strength around 45% that was just fantastic, as well as the Rare Find Blended Malt 18YO by Gleann Mòr. Greg Urquhart, who chooses their bottlings I think has one of the best palates in the business so generally I trust Rare Finds to be delicious, but he exceeded himself with this one. If they had any more I’d buy it all.
Official website: https://stewartwhisky.co.uk/
Drams
and more...
Today's drams
- Bunnahabhain 10yo (186 bottles) – 55.9%
- Auchentoshan 15yo (310 bottles) – 54.6%
- Glen Elgin 22yo (256 bottles) – 55.1%
- Tobermory 27yo (232 bottles) – 42.9%
- Allt-a-Bhainne 24yo (190 bottles) – 44.9%
- Caol Ila 13yo (132 bottles) – 58.1%
Whisky Live London
Yearly tasting event hosted in London, and organised by the Whisky Magazine team. A good opportunity to meet and engage in direct conversation with several exhibitors and whisky brands while tasting their latest products.