Diageo is ruining scotch

DramTasticVoyage · August 24 2018 at 6:48PM

I just read an article yesterday ( Dated Jan 2018 ) talking about Diageo's efforts to make changes to Scottish Whisky distillation rules. Apparently they would like to start adding chocolate to the mash bill in order to appeal to a crowd of idiots who want easier drinking scotch? They would also like to age their scotch in Don Julio Tequila barrels (They of course own Don Julio). All of these proposals must first be approved by the Scottish Whisky Association (SWA). Those guys are pretty strict about their whisky so I HOPE they deny all of these requests. Another thing they want to do is make "Scotch Infused Beverages" using well known scotch brands to sell it. It all makes me sick.

The things they do to our whisky are ridiculous and frustrating. Ok, I get the watering down to 40%. They are stretching their reserves to make as much money as possible. That's at least understandable. But chill filtration? Have ANY of you ever met a SINGLE person who complained about their whisky turning cloudy? Where are these people at??? The people who would complain about this kind of thing A: Arent buying $80+ single malts and B: Are mixing cola into it anyway and wouldnt notice to begin with.

I'd bet good money that if Diageo re-labeled all of their popular malts and blends with "NO COLOR ADDED. NON CHILL FILTERED", their sales would go UP. Immediately. Seriously, where are they getting their polls from? Who are these people demanding colored, chill filtered whisky? I just wish they would start catering to the knowledgeable crowd instead of the malt illiterates. Rant over. Thoughts?

bedlamborn · August 27 2018 at 6:33PM

@DramTasticVoyage

why the chillfiltration? I think that people are not used to cloudy whiskies and if they did that they would lose the customers who don't give a damn about chill filtration.

Also the same is for colouring. The mass market wants a whisky that looks nice and has colour because that is what people expect from a whisky.

Unfortunately the whisky connoisseurs that want no chill filtration and no colour are in a minority. A bit sad.

And then some whiskies are used in drinks. I wonder if the bartenders want a chill filtered whisky for that to avoid cloudiness. Never drink whisky drinks so I have no idea about that.

horst_s_2 · September 1 2018 at 8:08AM

@DramTasticVoyage I am with you in terms of adding other ingredients to the mash.

But I think they are free to use any cask they want, as long as it is made from oak. Do they use other wood for Tequilla?

I doubt, that the increase of sales would result in labeling no color, no chill filtration.

Because only the really old and very expensive bottles have no color added.

The avoidance of color would reduce Sales from the normal shelves significantly. Glenmorangie found the right balance. The entry malts are colored and the more expensive ones are non colored. (I know this, because a color statement is required on certain markets in the EC).