No, I’m not talking about a whiskey that pairs well with a sweet dish after dinner. I’m talking about whiskey from the desert, the Sonoran Desert, to be precise. The Sonoran desert is an anomaly of sorts when it comes to deserts. It’s not a barren, inhospitable wasteland by any means. But almost one year ago exactly, our travels brought us to this wild and wonderful corner in search of one of America’s most celebrated new craft single malts. 

Sonoran desert forest with saguaro, palo verde, ironwood, and mesquite.

The Sonoran occupies a large basin that extends from southwestern Arizona into Northern Mexico, and thanks to consistent summer monsoons and temperate climate, is one of the lushest deserts in the world, with almost every square meter covered with dozens of species of cactus including giant saguaro; mesquite, ironwood, and palo verde trees; all sorts of small, woody shrubs; a few types of yucca; and in the rainy season, wildflowers and herbs galore. At all times of the year, the entire landscape, from a distance, is covered in a soft, dull green carpet. It’s no wonder then, that Tucson, Arizona, which sits at the heart of this uniquely beautiful landscape, has emerged as one of the country’s most vibrant culinary centers. It’s is the only American city to be awarded as a World Heritage Culinary site, which is saying a lot. Credit the region’s ancient agricultural traditions, a vast array of unique endemic plants, fruits, and flowers, and its location at an historic cultural crossroads. Craft breweries are popping up all over the place, and wines and spirits are being distilled from exotic desert fruits. And here, far from the cool, misty coast of Islay, a whiskey chaser can find one of the finest Scottish-style Single Malts in the world, a malt that carries not the briney, peaty essence of the north Atlantic, but the dusty, aromatic smoke of the southwestern desert. 

Stephen Paul, Hamilton Distillers founder.

Most great malts have a great story behind them, and Whiskey del Bac is no exception. In 2006, Hamilton Distillers founders Stephen and Elaine Paul were standing around a mesquite BBQ fire, enjoying a dram. Stephen was a renowned artisanal woodworker who specialized in custom furniture made not from imported rainforest exotics, but from local desert hardwoods, primarily mesquite that is ubiquitous in southern Arizona. Both were whiskey enthusiasts, and especially loved Scotch. Elaine wondered aloud why someone couldn’t make a Scottish style whiskey using mesquite to smoke the grains instead of peat. What started as an innocent thought turned into an obsession of sorts for Stephen, who promptly bought a Portuguese alembic still and started distilling. Eleven years later, Hamilton Distillers is one of the most award-winning craft producers in America, and they are one of the key players in the American Single Malt renaissance. 

Dorado, Whiskey del Bac’s wonderful mesquite-smoked American single malt whiskey.

Whiskey del Bac is an combination of three different languages, a nod to the mix of cultures found in this border region: ‘whiskey’ from the English, ‘Del’ being Spanish for ‘of’, and ‘Bac’ from the indigenous O’odham language. Together it means “whiskey from the place where the river reappears in the sand.” It’s a wonderfully poetic name for this spirited oasis on the western edge of downtown Tucson. The flagship malt and the one garnering the most attention is the Dorado, a 100% barley single malt that uses grain smoked with local mesquite wood, imparting a distinctly southwestern aroma and flavor. It is remarkable. The whole operation is remarkable in many respects. Everything is customized or handmade, from the distilling system to the furniture in the tasting area. To realize the goal of using mesquite-smoked barley, they first had to learn how to malt barley. They are now one of only two or three distilleries in the entire country that malts ALL their own barley, and they designed a custom tank that both malts and smokes the grain, drastically reduces the need for floor space, which is a big impediment to smaller operations wanting to malt their own barley. At the time of filming this malting/drying tank was the only one of its kind in the known whiskey world. The grain is then mashed, fermented, distilled, and put into oak on premise. Like other American single malts, by law, the spirit must rest first on new oak, which is where Whiskey del Bac diverges from the Scottish tradition. But after this initial aging the whiskey then gets treated to other types of barrels, ranging from sherry butts to Calvados barrels, giving the spirit a more nuanced complexity. 

They also produce unsmoked version of Dorado that is a delicious tribute to the Macallan 10, and a clear, unoaked version of the mesquite smoked malt. Both have also won special awards, and the clear smoked malt has become a cult favorite among mixologists in Tucson simply because there is nothing else like it in the world. 

Assistant distiller Manuel guiding us through a barrel tasting.

And best of all, this is a family operation, run by some of the friendliest people you will ever find in the whiskey world. As both subjects in the film, and backers of the Kickstarter project, the Pauls have been enthusiastic supporters of this effort from the beginning, and essentially helped map out a big portion of our subsequent filming in the Western U.S. 

Michael was very particular about the use of the word, “unique.” Whatever the subject was, it had to be one of a kind. This operation and this malt is one of a kind, and we’re honored to have them involved in this project. I say this a lot, but Michael really would have loved what they’re doing here, and he would have found the Dorado to be a unique spirit. Look them up the next time you’re in Tucson, and raise a glass in memory of Michael and the wonderful whiskey renaissance that he has helped inspire in all the unlikely corners of the globe. 

Whiskey del Bac takes much of its character from the deserts of Southern Arizona.

After a few days in Edinburgh we headed towards the West Coast and Islay, but decided that a stop through Oban wouldn’t be a bad idea. It gave us an opportunity to get some footage and photos of the stunning mountain scenery through the Trossachs-Loch Lomond National Park. It was as spectacular as we had imagined – classic Scottish Highland scenery. There aren’t many distilleries in this region, but it is spectacular and a photographer’s dream.

Loch Awe.

The quaint village of Callander.

The meat pie, Scotland’s favorite snack. We sampled dozens, and this one in Callander was the best.

Driving through the Highlands, you don’t get far very fast. There’s always something beautiful around every turn.

We decided to go the Airbnb route throughout most of our trip to Scotland. It’s much cheaper than a hotel, plus you can cook your own food and have a fridge to put beer and cheese and beer in. But the best thing about Airbnb is meeting the local people. Our hosts in Edinburgh, John and Sandra Young, were the best. They welcomed us into their home as if we were their long lost kids, and by the end of the two days we were calling them our Scottish parents. John kindly shuttled us around and they were always offering us something to eat.

The first morning we opted for the “traditional Scottish breakfast.” It was epic. We started off with cereal, toast, butter, jam, coffee, tea, and biscuits. I thought maybe that was the full breakfast. Not even close. Fifteen minutes later John and Sandra emerged from the kitchen with more toast, bread, and two plates loaded up with a fried egg, two kinds of sausage, bacon, grilled tomato and mushroom, and the centerpiece of the meal: Stornhams black pudding. Black pudding is a traditional favorite in Scotland, and Stornham’s is generally considered the best. It’s similar to German “blut-wurst”; it’s made from sheep’s blood and other things that we didn’t ask about in too much detail. But it’s delicious. Enough said. And it made the perfect base for a big day of filming and tasting whisky.

A traditional Scottish breakfast with sausage, bacon, and black pudding.

Eagerly awaiting our epic meal in the breakfast nook.

The next morning we opted for the “normal” breakfast, but John and Sandra were eager for us to try some local haggis, so we happily obliged. Once again, after toast and coffee and biscuits, they came out of the kitchen with two more plates of eggs, bacon, and haggis. It was fantastic as well, and a testament to the wonderful Scottish generosity and hospitality.

We’d highly recommend John and Sandra’s place in Edinburgh. The bed was by far the most comfortable we experienced during our entire stay (hotel rooms included), the rate is reasonable, the breakfast is awesome, and the Young’s are absolutely wonderful hosts. It’s not in the city center, but it’s an easy bus ride and John will probably offer you a ride to and from the city if you need. Here’s a link to their listing on Airbnb.

Tell ’em we sent you!

Pub crawl and comfort food in Edinburgh

After our tasting at the Scotch Whisky Experience, we did what any self-respecting whisky chasers would do: we went out for a pub crawl. Often we read about how the pub culture in Britain, particularly in England, is slowly disappearing. We saw no evidence of this demise in Edinburgh; the city is swarming with classic, historic, traditional pubs and lots of upscale gastropubs. Though it would have been wiser to retire back to the Airbnb and catch up on some much-needed sleep, we caught a fourth wind and headed out to explore the local watering holes. It was Friday night after all, and we only had two precious nights booked in the city. Our objectives: find good cold craft beer, find good local music, and some good traditional comfort food. We succeeded on all fronts.

A pint of local IPA at the Jolly Judge.

Our kind host, John, offered to drive back into the city and pick up our camera gear so we didn’t have to lug it around town with us. It was a typical act of Scottish hospitality that we would find repeated several times during our journey. He recommended a rendezvous at the Jolly Judge Pub, just a stone’s throw from the Scotch Whisky Experience on the Royal Mile. It was an excellent suggestion: a short trip off the main street down an alley into a courtyard down a short flight of stairs brings you into the basement level pub. It was a small, warm, cozy space, complete with crackling fire and colorful local characters clustered around the small bar. In essence, a perfect old pub. The space was crammed with small tables, all of which were occupied. Though it was busy, the friendly bartenders spotted us quickly and recommended some good local bitter ale. We opted for the Tempest Brewing Long White Cloud Pale Ale, an IPA-ish non-filtered style with a nice bitterness and lovely balance. It was poured on a nitro tap which added to the rich, creamy texture of the beer, and it was refreshingly cold (as an Americans we’re still somewhat enamored with cold beer, as improper as that may be to some). Since there was no place to sit inside, we took our beers outside and sat in the cool night of the courtyard, where we were overwhelmed by a long white cloud of cigarette smoke emanating from a raucous group of twenty-somethings sitting nearby. But it was an authentic experience at a very old Scottish pub, and the beer cloud was excellent. We chatted with one of the bartenders who had stepped outside for a fag (a smoke), and we joked about the various types of tourists that came through this increasingly busy city.

“The Americans are usually friendly, but you gotta watch out for them in the traffic circles. Especially during the summer festival, there are accidents everywhere.” I took this advice to heart and made a mental note to be extra careful in the traffic circles.

John met us with car just after we had finished our pints and of course offered to drive us to our next destination. We told him we wanted to find some good local traditional music, in the hopes that we could find some for the film soundtrack. He immediately recommended Sandy Bell’s, a nearby pub that was famous as a gathering place for local acoustic musicians. After a twenty minute “tour” through the old city, which left us extremely thirsty, we arrived at Sandy Bell’s, situated at the lower end of the old city. The place was bigger than the Jolly Judge, but was still rather small and well-worn.

Sandy Bell’s Pub, a classic spot for local music.

We sidled up to an empty spot next to the bar, next to a rather rough-looking fellow who seemed like he could have been a character out of a Guy Ritchie film. Of course he ended up being extremely polite and friendly – like almost all the Scots we met – and we had a good chat about Scotch and beer and places to go see in the countryside. After a couple pints and a dram of Glenkinchie we got hungry and were told that excellent traditional comfort food could be found directly across the street at Mum’s Great Comfort Food. So we popped over just before closing and had one of the best meals of the trip.

                                                                                      Cold beer at Mum’s Comfort Food.

I ordered the mixed game meat pie that came loaded up with pheasant, venison, and a few other types of beasties topped up with a big, fat, fluffy puff pastry. Meat pies are a staple of Scotland, as they are in England and Australia. They are more diverse in presentation than I would have thought, and the “crust” can be a classic pie crust, a puff pastry, a piece of toasted bread, or sometimes a pile of broiled mashed potatoes. The puff pastry crust on my pie was delicious, and added a fluffy lightness to the rich, savory filling. We also ordered a sausage casserole that came with a tomato-based gravy and butter beans. It was good, but the pie was the star. Even though they were about to close, the staff was exceedingly  friendly and welcoming and we had a great meal.

The fabulous mixed game pie, the night’s special.

Sausage casserole at Mum’s.

 

Afterwards we headed back across the street, to catch the music that started at 9 pm. In the back of the bar a group of musicians with guitars, fiddles and mandolins played all sorts of traditional Scottish music while a woman played along on a battered old stand-up piano.

The back music room at Sandy Bell’s.

A toast to the pubs of Edinburgh. Sandy Bell’s.

Our very first interview in Scotland, just hours after arriving exhausted and jet-lagged, was with Blair Bowman, the founder of World Whisky Day. We met at the top of the Royal Mile in downtown Edinburgh, under the shadow of the Edinburgh castle, for a special private tasting at the Scotch Whisky Experience. 

Edinburgh Castle.

The Scotch Whisky Experience, Edinburgh.

View of Talinmoor Mountain and the old city.

Inside the Scotch Whisky Experience is a large retail shop, a tasting bar and restaurant, a theme-park like interpretive whisky “ride”, and of course, the main attraction: the Claive Vidiz whisky collection, the largest in the world with over 3384 bottles. Mr. Vidiz, a Brazilian whisky enthusiast, sold the collection to the beverage conglomerate, Diageo, who shipped the entire thing to Edinburgh for display at the Whisky Experience. It is all Scotch whisky, and no two bottles are the same. It’s unfathomable that so much historic whisky will forever remain unopened and untasted, but alas, that is the fate of this remarkable visual history of Scotland’s national drink. The good thing is, there’s a huge amount of Scotch out there that is ready to be tasted.  So let’s get to it.

One wall of the largest whisky collection in the world.

The oldest bottles in the Claive Vidiz collection date back to 1897 and 1904.

Julie Trevisan Hunter, marketing manager of the SWE, had kindly set up a private room for us to film our first tasting. She opened up two classic styles of malt: a delicate, unpeated lowland malt from Glenkinchie, just outside of Edinburgh, and a smoky, briney malt called Smokehead, from the island of Islay, which makes a famously peaty style of whisky. She then walked us through the five steps of tasting: the color, the nose, the body, the palate, and the finish. As with all other fine beverages and food, there is an intellectual component to tasting and enjoying that involves all the senses. Of all the spirits, whisk(e)y has the greatest diversity and intensity of flavors, colors, and aromas, She brought up a point that even many whiskey enthusiasts are not aware of, that whisky is clear when it comes out of the still, but gets its color during the aging process from wooden casks. These are usually oak, and fall into two distinctly different styles: European oak that has been previously used to mature sherry, and American oak that has previously been used to mature bourbon. Both types of barrels impart distinctly different flavors and to some extent color. Sherry casks have traditionally been the mainstay of Scotch agening, and impart subtle flavors of dried fruit, orange, caramel, cinnamon and exotic spices. Bourbon casks, which have only become popular since WWII, give the whisky a more assertive vanilla, honey, coconut, or even ginger flavor. Both types of oak impart a definite sweetness to the spirit, especially the bourbon barrels, probably due to vanillins in the wood, but exactly how this happens is still somewhat of a delicious mystery.

Julie Trevisan Hunter nosing a glass of lowland single malt.

Blair Bowman and Julie Trevisan Hunter.

Bar and bistro at the Scotch Whisky Experience.