5 Questions to Masters – Bob Dalgarno of The MACALLAN
As the second part of a series of Meleklerin Payı interviews – 5 Questions to Masters – I’d like to present Master Distiller of the iconic MACALLAN, Mr. Bob Dalgarno
MACALLAN is an iconic single malt. It may be the third in sales after Glenlivet & Glenfiddich but its reputation surpasses every other single malt out there.
Macallan is iconic around the globe with its extremely mature limited releases and highest auction index in the whisky world. In Turkey, the legendary status starts with being the first ever single malt to be imported to Turkey by the whisky connoisseur, Keeper of The Quaich, Teoman Hunal in 1990’s. The brand is so iconic that you can see the stills of Macallan (smallest in Scotland) even on the 10 Pound banknotes in Scotland.
Even though it was primarily known for using ex-sherry casks, today the brand keeps on delivering great malts using other casks. In the Turkish market we don’t see many age statement Macallans anymore but 2 expressions of 1824 series Macallan Amber and Macallan Sienna are essential part of every drinks menu. Hopefully very soon we’ll have Macallan Ruby in Turkey as well as the very prestigious Decanter series Macallan Rare Cask (photo), Macallan Reflexion and Macallan M.
Since its foundation in 1824 the brand had several important masters. After joining the Macallan team in 1984 and having worked at several roles, BOB DALGARNO was appointed as the Master Distiller in 2000 and still continues his great work. As the second issue of my “5 Questions to Masters” series, I present you Bob Dalgarno:
5 Questions to Masters – Bob Dalgarno of The MACALLAN
How and where did your love for whisky begin?
I grew up around farming. My father worked at Glenallachie Distillery not far away from The
Macallan. I started at Macallan in 1984 as a warehouseman. After passing through every stage of whisky making mashman, brewer, stillman, warehouse supervisor, operations manager – I joined the panel which selects casks for bottling in 1995. I relished the experience and loved the challenge of recreating whisky flavour styles; it didn’t take long until I was sharing the Whisky Maker duties. From 1996 to 1999 I worked alongside the previous whisky maker, and I was formally appointed Whisky Maker in early 2000. Today I am the Whisky Maker for The Macallan.
Can you tell us briefly about an ordinary day at work?
No day is ordinary for me. Every day we can be working on a range of activities with the team, from nosing mature whisky samples from casks in our warehouses to creating specific whiskies. One of our key focus areas is building knowledge of our stock profile from which the whiskies are created. I blend and nose every day, so am constantly honing my skills and understanding our whiskies better.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
I get to meet lots of interesting and inspiring people and have been lucky enough to work with some of the most interesting innovators over the years. For me I am rewarded by the fact that I have played my part in creating some great whiskies which are enjoyed around the world.
Over the last 20 years do you observe a change in the profile of whisky enthusiasts and their taste patterns; how does that effect your whisky making?
Whisky making evolves almost continually, as do drinkers tastes and preferences. We must ensure our whiskies reflect changes to ensure we create the right whiskies. The most important element from a whisky making perspective is ensuring quality is at the heart and we are producing the very best Macallan products that we can.
How would you describe your brand’s signature taste?
Our extensive use of sherry seasoned oak casks gives The Macallan its distinctive flavour profile. I would describe this as rich sweetness.
