In a category that offers so much variety it could make your head spin, there’s an option that more and more discerning whisky drinkers are turning to – single casks.
Single casks give drinkers the chance to try a whisky that might not have been enjoyed as a single malt, without an independent bottler.
One of Scotland’s (and by default the world’s) most respected and successful of these independent bottlers is Morrison and MacKay, based in Bankfoot, Perthshire.
Peter MacKay (pictured, left, with father Kenny) is one of the team at this merchant and the son of managing director Kenny MacKay who bought into the business with the Morrison family in 2005.
Since then the company has gone from strength to strength and as well as offering fine single cask whiskies, they are the only producer of cream liqueur in Great Britain.
The company is also responsible for the phenomenally good Carn Mor whisky range.
You might also know that they supply the single cask bottlings for Lockett Bros’ very own single malts, Craigleith, Fidra and The Bass.
Lockett Bros caught up with Peter to talk about single cask whiskies and why they’re proving to be such a popular option for so many whisky drinkers.
Tell us about Morrison and MacKay and how the business came about:
“Morrison and MacKay is a family business and always has been since inception in 1982. The company was originally called John Murray and Co on the Isle of Mull. It was set up by the Bartholomew family and they moved over to the mainland in the ‘90s and set up the Scottish Liqueur Centre.
“In 2005 the Morrison and MacKays bought in and set up as a collaboration between my father, who was sales and marketing director with Morrison Bowmore Distillers and the Morrison family.
“Based in Bankfoot, Perthshire, the company was renamed from the Scottish Liqueur Centre to Morrison and MacKay due to the growth of the whisky sector.
“We’re releasing 40 to 45 expressions every year.”
How did the relationship between you and Lockett Bros begin?
“I approached Chris because I heard they had a really nice wine and whisky business and I spent the last two years of School in East Lothian so I knew the area.
“When I came down to see Chris it was the day Bradley Wiggins won the Olympic time trial gold medal. I only know now how much Chris is into cycling so I am very grateful he met me!
“We now supply whisky for the Craigleith, Fidra and The Bass bottlings and we are very proud of that. Lockett Bros also stocks a fantastic range of our Carn Mor whiskies and our liqueurs, which are growing in popularity in the UK a lot.
“With the Lockett Bros shop being a wine shop from inception, the importance of hand selling and having knowledgeable staff suits our type of product really well and that was really important to us. Chris and the staff really know their stuff.”
Why should whisky drinkers consider single cask whiskies?
“We now supply samples of all the whisky that’s stocked in store so people can try them before they decide which expression to go for.”
“With independent bottlings the choice is so much broader, also we bottle the whiskies at a higher strength and we don’t use the chill filtration process, which big brands will do to stop clouding when the whisky is cold or added with ice. This can affect the taste.
“Also, we’re often adding whiskies that aren’t bottled by the distiller as single malt. A lot of the casks we get might be normally going into blends so you’re getting something different, more unique.”
How do you get your hands on these casks for people to enjoy?
“We source casks that might not normally be seen as single malt. It’s not trying to compete with a branded product as such, but we’re offering something different.
“Often, it can be an exchange process for us. For example, we’re the only producer of cream liqueur in Great Britain from scratch so we supply the cream liqueur for many of the main distillers.
“We produce these products so sometimes we can ask to buy some whisky from them. The relationships with our supplier is crucial.
“The demand for quality whisky is causing quite an issue with access to stock. That’s where my father’s and the Morrison family’s connections come into play, and that’s absolutely key in finding good quality casks. The whisky industry is always about connections.”
Tell us about your range
“We have two ranges, the Strictly Limited range, which is aimed at the bottle drinker and then we have the Celebration of the Cask range, which is for the collector… and the deep pocketed drinker!”
What would your advice be to someone who wants to try single cask whiskies?
“The best thing to do is get yourself into the Lockett Bros shop and see the guys in there. You can see every Carn Mor whisky in Lockett Bros and every Celebration of the Cask whisky is available to taste.
“It makes a big difference when you can have someone explain the whisky to you. The proof is in the pudding and it’s all for you to see and taste in the shop.”
Would you like to know more about single cask whiskies? Drop us an email or pop into the shop at 133 High Street, North Berwick.
