This has been a momentous week here at BB&R.

Eighty seven years after it was born in the parlour at 3 St James’s Street, the Cutty Sark brand has been sold. For as long as I can remember the familiar yellow label has been part of our identity. Somehow this always seemed to be paradoxical: very few of our UK wine customers automatically associated BB&R with an international whisky blend, but the reality is that the wine division of our business would never have survived, let alone prospered, if it hadn’t been for Uncle Cutty paying the bills for forty years or more.

Cutty Sark itself was a bit of a paradox. It was invented by London wine merchants (including my grandfather) who rarely drank whisky. They decided it should be pale in colour because the best wood aged spirits – Cognac, for example – did not have to be darkened by caramel to hide their flaws. It was drunk, initially, in Prohibition-bound America, where its pale colour convinced suspicious eyes that tea – or at any rate a weaker dram – was being consumed. For a whisky with such a British heritage (including a royal warrant), it was strangely always an export brand: America initially, especially after Prohibition was lifted, but subsequently markets as diverse as Greece, Japan, and Spain. As it grew more and more successful, it seemed to shun its BB&R roots, appealing to a younger, international audience with little in common with a traditional St James’s wine merchant.

Nevertheless, Cutty was a huge success. In the 1970s, it was the largest selling brand in the largest spirits market the world has ever known: blended whisky in the USA. As it declined in America, it spread throughout the world, at one time being sold in over 150 separate countries. Financially, it was a gold mine for us. By the mid 1980s, it was contributing 90% of our turnover, and 105% of our profit. It could be accused of imparting to the Wine Division a sense of complacency. On the other hand it allowed us to maintain traditions and standards of service that were being swept away by the modernity of the late twentieth century (and if you want to know what I mean try calling British Gas to discuss your account!). To mix avian metaphors, the cuckoo in the nest was laying very golden eggs.

So what happened?

Basically, three things changed over the course of the past 15 to 20 years. Firstly the world-wide spirits trade began to consolidate and become much more competitive. Whereas previously we had been a nimble, independent squadron able to operate effectively against larger concerns like the brand-owning breweries, now the world is dominated by the super-powers of the drinks industry. Diageo and Pernod Ricard exercise such power that a family-owned business such as ours has little chance to compete when it comes to mass-market brands. Margins began to dwindle. You had to be massively powerful to survive.

Secondly the Wine Division decided to stand on its own two feet, and has done so remarkably successfully. Building on the values that Cutty’s success allowed us to maintain, the unprofitable ‘Home Trade’ (as it was called) transformed itself from a ‘dinosaur’ into ‘the best wine merchant in the world’ in a remarkably short space of time. The wine trade, and especially the fine wine trade, is a fickle industry, at the mercy of climate and fashion. However since 1993 the Wine Division’s turnover has increased from £5 million per annum to over £100m, and for the last 10 years has been in profit every year but one. Berry Bros & Rudd, the Wine Merchants, are now a multi-faceted business in their own right.

And thirdly, we have realised that, as far as Spirits are concerned, our strengths lie in fostering premium, niche brands. We invented the Glenrothes in its present form in 1994, and watched as it became the fastest growing single malt in the world. Yet we never owned it; we merely relied on a 10 year marketing contract. As we add to our spirits portfolio (the re-branding of King’s Ginger, and the imminent launch of Number 3 Gin being the first steps) it was important to make the Glenrothes ours and ours alone.

The Edrington Group, who have been our partners in Cutty Sark since they started blending the liquid over 70 years ago, were sure that the brand would prosper if they owned it outright. They have already achieved enviable success with Famous Grouse and the Macallan, and with Maxxium Worldwide (their international distribution alliance with Beam Global Spirits) they are certainly in a better position to take on the multinational mega-corporations. They also recognised our ability to grow the Glenrothes, which they still distil. So, finally, a deal was done which benefited – like all good deals – both parties.

I am sure that it will feel strange without Cutty Sark for a while. Certainly the business will change, with the Wine Division more focussed on profitability and the Spirits Division determined to build the assets of their new brands. However I am equally sure that the company as a whole is now playing to its strengths as never before. And that in times to come this momentous week will be recognised as central to the continuing success of Berry Bros & Rudd.

A common dilemma.

For a lot of people, though they might not be able to agree on exactly where it is, they will be able to agree on a number of common attributes.

In my opinion, The Perfect Holiday Destination (PHD) would definitely incorporate at least some,

if not all,  of the following characteristics:

• Unspoilt white sandy beaches with crystal clear water.
• An uncrowded island.
• Close, but not too close to an international airport. With short transfer times.
• Friendly locals, who all understand English.
• Some really interesting historical monuments.
• Empty roads.
• Things to do, for when you get bored of just relaxing. 
• Good locally produced food and drink.

The destination I would like to commend to you is in fact The Southern Inner Hebrides. To be more precise the islands of Arran, Mull, Islay, Jura, and Kintyre (The latter isn’t actually an Island, it just feels like one)

All meet the above criteria for the PHD. The beaches of Islay and Mull are some of the finest I have ever seen, certainly on par with those of Fraser Island, Western Australia.

Uncrowded? Jura has a total population of 180. The island has an area of 142 square miles (368 km2) so that’s about 1¼ people per square mile!

Convenient flights? If you want to fly, then the flight to Islay or Kintyre is about 20mins from Glasgow airport. If flying isn’t you thing, then the Caledonian McBrayne feet can whisk you over to Arran in around 1½ hours from Glasgow Central Station.

Language? I’ll be honest here, there is a language barrier.  The good news is however that all the islanders can understand me perfectly.  I, on the otherhand , found their utternces a little difficult to fathom at times. Usually around closing time!

History? The islands abound with it. St. Columba landed at Iona, just off Mull in the 6th century to bring Christianity to Britain. On Islay lies Loch Finlaggan. Here the installation of the Lords of the Isles took place. The Lords of the Isles ruled the islands and part of the west coast virtually independent of royal control, until as late as the 16th Century.

Empty roads? Do you really remember the last time that driving, for driving sake, was a real pleasure? In London? Just try to imagine empty mile after empty mile of single lane tarmac, without any other traffic.

This will sound quite incredible. However, some visitors manage to visit Arran, Mull, Islay, Jura, and Kintyre, without visiting a distillery, brewery or golf course!…or even walking up a mountain or two.  I know!! Utterly amazing!!

Here we can start with the important bits:

• Ardbeg
• Arran
• Bowmore
• Bruichladdich
• Bunnahabhain
• Caol Ila
• Jura
• Kilchoman
• Lagavulin
• Laphroaig
• Springbank
• Tobermorey

That’s the distilleries. As well as the Whisky, there are breweries on Arran, Islay and Mull. Cheese producers abound, seemingly everywhere. The seafood is rather good too. Oh and the beef. Oh yes, the venison as well.

The more observant will have noticed that I have avoided any mention of the weather.  I grant you that it has been known for there to be quite a lot of weather in Scotland. But, and it’s a big but. Contrary to common belief, it doesn’t always rain.  In the summer it has been known not to rain, for days, if not weeks at a time.  Granted, in mid summer when the Greek Islands are sweltering in a 40ºC heat wave Tobermorey will not, but 20-25ºC is still warm enough. Equally it doesn’t get that cold either. As I write London is shivering, trying to cope with -1ºC. Campbeltown on Kintyre, by comparison is a might more comfortable, 5ºC

If you’re still not convinced ask my wife. I usually do. She tells me that the 5 days we had in Islay were the best holiday we’ve had since our honeymoon! Believe me that really is saying something!

Can you tell us about your estate in Armagnac?
Nismes Delclou is the oldest firm producing Armagnac, having been established in 1832 by my ancestor Jules Nismes and his wife Elisabeth Delclou. The old cellars are located in the town of Lavardac, in Armagnac, next to the river Baise (a tributary of Girronde) and hold an impressive collection of very old vintage Armagnac, dating back to 1888.

Armagnac and the associated wine trade thrived in the 19th century. From Lavardac, the river allowed merchants to transport their products by boat to the port of Bordeaux, and from there to the rest of the world. The house has remained under family control and now the Castarede family, descendants of the Delclous, is at the helm. In 1979 the family acquired the historic Château de Maniban in Mauléon d’Armagnac. Mauléon is in the heart Bas Armagnac, widely regarded as the home of the very best Armagnac. The Château is surrounded by vines of Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche. The former is the dominant variety from which Armagnac is made, the later variety adds elegance and floral aromatics to the spirit.

Tell us about your estate in Mauleon d’Armagnac.
Château de Maniban belonged to the Seigneurs de Maniban, an influential and powerful family in Gascony that had a major influence throughout South West. The property is classified as a historical monument and is a classic example of Gascon architecture. It includes 3 parts: the oldest, a magnificent fortification with two round towers, dates back to 1544, while the cellars originate from the 18th century. The main residential building was built in 1810. Since the 1990s the repair work in the old part of the Château, initiated by the Castarede family, has restored ancient frescos that were once adorned the walls of the « great hall » (Grande Salle)

What are the differences between Cognac and Armagnac?
Armagnac has a longer history than Cognac, probably produced by the Moors in the 12th century, and certainly from the 15th century onwards. Isolated from efficient transport links, it remained very much a locally consumed product until the middle of the 18th century. But the differences go further than this:

The Geographic location
The region of Cognac is situated North of Bordeaux. That is to say Western Central France. The climate is very much influenced by the Atlantic with high humidity. Armagnac is located in the South West and inland, with a drier, sunnier climate. The soil of Cognac is dominated by limestone, whereas Armagnac is sandy soil with clay. This gives the distinctive richness to Armagnac.

The Grape varieties
Cognac is almost entirely dominated by one variety, Ugni Blanc. In Armagnac there are more than 10 permitted varieties, the principal ones being Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Bacco and Colombard. This allows a much broader range of flavours to be found in the final spirit.

Distillation
Distillation is the main difference between Armagnac and Cognac. The process used in Cognac is classical double distillation as found in Scotland to make Whisky. The method used in Armagnac is more basic and less industrialised than in Cognac.

Unlike a double-distillation pot still of Cognac where the spirit is typically at 72%, Armagnac uses a small continuous still called an alembic, to produce a spirit between 52% and 60. This lower-alcohol spirit retains many more flavour components that double-distillation. In their youth, these flavour components can make the spirit rustic and slightly raw. Given time (10 or more years) in cask these elements develop an impressive aromatic complexity

Ageing
Armagnac is traditionally aged in 400-420 ltr casks from the forest of Monlezun in the Armaganc region. Cognac uses predominantly Limousin oak. Gascon oak tends to be tighter and richer in tannins for slow ageing and less sweetness in the spirit, while Limousin oak imparts a distinct vanilla sweetness.

The Vintages
These are almost unique to Armagnac, where the traceability of the stock enables a full range of vintages to be offered. Vintages are rare in Cognac, where until very recently legislation has rendered them almost impossible to produce. However, the labelling rules are the same for the Armagnac and Cognac.

What are the different styles of Armagnac on the basis of ageing?
The age statements on the label, excluding vintage Armagancs, always refer to the age of the youngest eau-de-vie in the bottle.

Armagnac ***, VS or Sélection has spent a minimum of 2 years in cask.

Armagnac VSOP has been prescribed a minimum of 5 years in cask by Armagnac regulations, although Nismes Delclou’s VSOP spends no less than 10 years in cask.

Armagnac Napoléon or XO spends 6 years in cask, although Nismes Delclou’s XO spends no less than 20 years in cask and 15 years for the Nismes Delclou Napoleon.

Armagnac Hors d’Age or Réserve Hors d’Age is a marriage of eaux-de-vie where the youngest Armagnac has aged in wood for more than 10 years. For Armagnac Nismes Delclou Fine Old Hors d’Age : 20 years

Armagnac millésimé (Vintage Armagnac). All the above age statements refer to blended Armagnacs – a mixture of various vintages, various sub-regions and various distillation types. They aimed to promote taste consistency, so that, as in Cognac, an VSOP or XO bottled e.g. in 1980 tastes the same as a VSOP or XO released in 1990.

A vintage Armagnac is distilled from grapes originating from a single vintage. It is placed in cask without any blending with other vintages and by law, it has a minimum 10 years of ageing. The date of bottling is as important as the year of production. For example a 1979 vintage bottled in 1990 will be different from a 1979 vintage bottled in 2008, as the former has undergone 11 years of ageing, as opposed to 29 years for the latter. With the Vintage Armagnac from Nismes Delclou, we bottle in very small batches and my cellar master hand writes the date on each bottle. Vintage Armagnac is much sought after by connoisseurs but it is also an excellent choice as an anniversary gift. Nismes Delclou features more than 50 different vintages, the oldest available from bbr.com is currently the 1917.

How do Armagnacs from different decades (1950s, 60s, 70s) differ from each other in taste?
Each Armagnac is different because it reflects the characteristics of the vintage from which the wine for the distillation comes from. The quality of the wine, (which starts from the vineyard and its soils and the climatic conditions of the vintage, and continues with the distillation) as well as the ageing of the eau-de-vie (the type of casks used) all leave a variable, distinct stamp on the resulting Armagnac.

It is difficult to generalise, however when comparing Armagnacs from different decades, one thing is certain; each decade has its own distinctive style:

Armagnacs from the 1950s
are sweet and perfumed, with intense aromas of spices, prunes, dried fruits and rich vanilla overtones. These are mellow, round, complex Armagnacs, having slowly evolved from around 50 years in cask.

Armagnacs from the 60s
have a more floral nose complemented by vibrant aromas of fruit jam. Also notes of tobacco and wood have often developed. The 1970s produced distinctively fruity Armagnacs, with intense and vibrant flavours on the palate; there are more lemon-citrus and floral notes, with overtones of ripe prunes and cinnamon spicy.

What sort of dishes does Armagnac accompany well?

Dishes that match Armagnac very well are the traditional dishes of the south west of France. The staple of Gascony cooking: Foie Gras, game in rich sauce (wild boar, venison, pheasant, pigeon) and the local speciality Magret de Canard (breast of ducks raised to produce Foie Gras. These breasts are thick and have a much beefier taste than ordinary duck breasts).

Blue cheese (e.g. Roquefort , Stilton), most fruit-based deserts and tarts (e.g. apple, lemon, flambé banana) and even deserts based on chocolate are an excellent complement to Armagnacs. Fish is difficult to match with Armagnac; however a Shellfish Gratin cooked in white Armagnac sauce works very well.

More on the subject of gastronomy and cooking with Armagnac in the book by Florence Castarede will be published in spring 2009 by Editions Sud Ouest.

On 31/10/08 the 5 star resort Grand Old House in Cayman Islands staged a luxurious dinner, on which Nismes Delclou Armagnac was served with each one of the courses. Can you tell us how the food and Armagnac match worked?

What better way to appreciate the beauty of Armagnac than to indulge in a lavish dinner that includes a pre-selected Armagnac to accompany each course. Foie gras terrine started this unusual but exciting dinner and this dish required an Armagnac of intense and powerful fruitiness, as the sweetness of the fruit helps balance the greasiness of the meat. The 1970 vintage was just perfect.

After the starter, a lemon sorbet with (a novel, light, unaged style of Armagnac) White “Blanc” Armagnac was offered. This provided a little relief to digestion in the middle of the meal and was simply delightful. Armagnac XO – 20 years was served along with Confit de Canard because Armagnac XO Armagnac is round and sweet, perfectly matching and balancing the flavours of duck confit.

The cheese course required a powerful, structured Armagnac that would be able to stand up to the robust and pungent flavours of the Roquefort. VSOP 10yo was chosen and wonderfully complemented. A vintage 1979 accompanied the dark chocolate tart dessert and this full-bodied Armagnac, with its intense complex flavours, was still able to shine through despite the profound sweetness of this type of dessert.

Very old Armagnacs from the 1908, 1900 and 1893 vintages were served alongside a selection of chocolates and provided a fitting conclusion to the end of the meal.

Translated from French by Eva Polaki

Best Speyside Single Malt

Robur Reserve will be launched at the Tax Free World Exhibition (Cannes) and is the latest highlight in a remarkable year for The Glenrothes, the fastest growing single malt in the world.

Ronnie Cox, Whisky Ambassador of the Year 2008, stated: “Following the success of our 25 year old and 30 year old whiskies, travel retail is an increasingly important channel for The Glenrothes. Robur Reserve is a deliciously spicy single malt, competitively priced, which I am confident will find favour with whisky enthusiasts everywhere.”

As all Scotch whisky is aged in oak casks, usually American Oak (Quercus Alba) or
European/Spanish Oak (Quercus Robur), the cask is a key influence on the final
flavour of the whisky. The rarest and most expensive of the casks are those of Spanish
Oak, grown in Spain then seasoned with Oloroso sherry. The Glenrothes Robur
Reserve (named for the extra influence of Quercus Robur casks) benefits from the
influence of Spanish Oak first fill sherry cask, making it spicy, fruity, sweet and
delicious.

The Glenrothes is instantly recognisable from its distinctive bottles. This is the first expression in a litre size, and a new style, robust frame has been developed for this exclusive.

John Ramsay, the Malt Master’s tasting notes, as always on the front of the bottle, state: “Dried fruits, mellow, sweet and spicy”

The Glenrothes Robur Reserve will be available in global travel retail at €49.99 for a 1 litre bottle.