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By Harriet Leigh, Head of Hospitality ISSUE #015 CULTURE & COCKTAILS | Community

People Who Drink Whisky…Series 1

The golden era of whisky has begun. No longer do the drams of Ireland, Scotland and America dominate the field. Instead, cold-climate nips from Tasmania, single vintage casks from Japan and our very own Rye Malt Whisky produced here in Sydney have joined the ranks, showcasing ingredient innovation, distilling technique and thoughtful craftsmanship in every sip.

With our first two batches of Rye Malt Whisky selling out in hours, we’re not the only ones going mad for malt. In the spirit of our latest release, we sat down with two of Australia’s most formidable bartenders and self-professed whisky paramours. Stuart ‘Chewy’ Morrow heads up Baxter Inn, Sydney’s home-grown whisky bar with over 1,000 different varieties on offer, and prefers his whisky with a side of Blues and pretzels. Brooke Hayman is the proud owner of an astute palate (crowned last year’s winner of the Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship, no less!) and Melbourne’s Whisky & Alement; a speciality single malt whisky bar with one of the largest Scotch collections in the world.

Stuart ‘Chewy’ Morrow, General Manager at The Baxter Inn, Sydney

When did you get into whisky, and why?

I still remember the first time I tried Single Malt whisky. I was a young bartender and we had just received two new bottles. One was an Ardbeg and the other a Balvenie 17yr Doublewood. Before this it had generally been either Johnnie Walker or Jack Daniels and Coke. I remember him telling me the Ardbeg had notes of TCP [a widely used form of antiseptic in the UK]. I tasted it and said “Who would ever want to drink this?!”. I think having access to more and more styles broadened my horizons over time. These days big peaty or sherry whiskies are my jam.

What’s your favourite whisky cocktail?

It’s a tough call. I still remember my first Old Fashioned being with Jack Daniels Single Barrel. I can’t go past an Old Fashioned but also love a Brooklyn. In terms of drinks mixed with the juice, I’m more inclined to go with a Scofflaw, a Penicillin or a Commodore.

Drinking culture: what do you love or hate about the world of whisky?

I hate the fuddy-duddy-ness of whisky. People remarking that you should only drink it one way or another. Drink it how you like it! You want ice? Then have ice. You want water? Then have water. Mix it in a cocktail – DO IT! The great Bill Lumsden told me he always puts 27 drops of water in his whisky, regardless of what it is. On the other hand, I love the togetherness of the industry, both generally in consumer groups and production. These people are all brought together by the love of one product. Distilleries will share equipment and tips and really are all trying to pull in the same direction.

Who are your whisky heroes?

Bill Lumsden (Glenmorangie’s long-time whisky-maker), Jim McEwan (renowned distiller and expert in Scotch whisky), Alex Bruce (managing director of the iconic independent distillery, Adelphi) and Colin Scott (Chivas Regal Master Blender).

Tell us what is unique about your venue? What should our readers expect when they pull up a stool at Baxter Inn?

Our foremost concern is hospitality. We aim to give the best service and make sure each guest feels comfortable and empowered when they come into the bar. We try to create a non-pretentious environment to enjoy whisky and don’t take ourselves too seriously. Did I mention we have over 1,000 whiskies, and you can ask one of the team to help you pick something to suit your budget and taste, all while listening to Blues music and smashing back free pretzels?

Brooke Hayman, Whisky Lover & Business Director at Whisky & Alement

When did you get into whisky, and why?

In 2008. Curiosity took me there. I wanted to understand how and why gentlemen drank smoky whisky – and women didn’t. I love challenging the norms so I poured myself a tumbler of Lagavulin on ice and slugged through with disgust. This was a turning point for me. Whisky was still viewed as a product exclusive to gentlemen’s clubs or an afterthought following fine-dining experiences. In 2010 we opened a whisky bar, determined to communicate what I’d learnt myself – whisky can be affordable, and delicious too, with a flavour spectrum as broad as wine!

What’s your favourite whisky cocktail?

Anything with sherry in it, particularly fino sherry! I absolutely love sherry with the exception of cream sherries, they take whisky into summer like no other spirit can!

Drinking culture: what do you love or hate about the world of whisky?

There’s so much more to love about the world of whisky in today’s whisky boom. Age-old stereotypes have been broken and so many women are now drinking whisky. I love watching guests drink less but better quality liquid. It makes for great conversation over the bar, spurs creativity and reduces the effect of the ‘day-after’ – bonus!

Who are your whisky heroes?

The people that are closest to me in the whisky world, those who love to explore, challenge industry and perception, the people that I’m on the phone to daily – because without them my job would be much less fun and the Australian industry wouldn’t be what it is today! Matt Bailey of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Luke McCarthy who never stops asking questions, Ev Liong who worked with us in our early days and played an integral part in our learning phase, Bill Lark for his generosity in introducing us to the industry when we first visited Tasmania in 2011, Tim Duckett for weekly phone calls when we first started up – he’s an amazing talent for turning whisky into something special using only a paddle and vatt. And, of course, my partner Julian White who has shared the journey since we began and whom I’m always in competition with - he keeps me honest ;)

Tell us what is unique about your venue? What should our readers expect when they pull up a stool at Whisky & Alement?

Conversation. Take a seat at the bar and you’ll find that our team loves to chat whisky! We live and breathe it, even fly to Tassie annually as a team to take a wee whisky road trip. We have a whisky collection that fluctuates between 600 and 1000 whiskies, but if we can’t drive the whisky bus through conversation, then there’s no point in such a large collection. Each bottle has a story - the challenge is to get to them all before they’re gone! We add ten new whiskies to the bar every week and say goodbye to ten. Since opening we’ve travelled the world to collect old, independently bottled and unique whiskies to pour on the bar, there’s always something to explore!