Whisky - UK (2020-05)

82 Whisky Magazine | Issue 167

Castaway Robin Coupar

R

obin Coupar, a native of

Edinburgh, Scotland, is

a leading whisky expert

who has dedicated more

than 26 years to the

industry. Robin is the Global Whisky

Advocate for the Campari Group’s

whisky portfolio that includes Glen

Grant single malt Scotch whisky, Wild

Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon and

Rye Whiskey, Russell’s Reserve Bourbon

and the brand's rye whiskey expression

and Forty Creek Canadian Whisky.

In 2016 he was inducted into the

Keepers of the Quaich.

Robin’s passion and knowledge of

whisky started in Scotland but extended

well past the UK borders.

Based now in California, his whisky

expertise and reputation was built

through a series of assignments and

creating consumer events with some of

the most renowned names in the world

including Diageo and Moet Hennessy

where he worked on many famous

spirits brands.

His experience has also seem him

work with Glenrothes, Bowmore,

Auchentoshan, and of course in the

realm of Bourbon.

At Campari he has performed several

marketing roles in the whisky category.

He has been heavily involved in the

Glen Grant brand, from writing tasting

notes and developing brand training

and stories.

He has also focused on innovations

and developing new liquid expressions.

Robin also leads the sensory evaluation

process for Campari whiskies.

WHISKY #1

Glen Grant

10 Years Old

This has been my

favourite for a while now.

It has consistently performed

well among those in the know and is

highly recommended by the experts. It

delivers strongly on nose, palate and

⋐‹•Š™‹–Š™‘†‡”ˆ—Ž…‘’Ž‡š‹–›ƒ†

balance. It’s very easy to drink,

a beautifully well-crafted and

elegant dram.

WHISKY #2

Ardbeg

10 Years Old

I always have this at home and it’s the

polar opposite to Glen Grant. Big, thick,

oily, smoky but it’s quite a gentle spirit

once you get to know it a little better.

‹‡

Ž‡

”ƒ–ǡ’—”‹β‹‡”•ƒ”‡—•‡†‹

the distillation process to produce a

lighter style.

WHISKY #3

Black Bottle

Perhaps the most iconic whisky I

remember and still enjoy from my days

growing up in Edinburgh. I worked in

a few pubs in the city and was quickly

turned on to it by some of the regulars.

It’s a mainstay back home and I will

always covet Black Bottle. It’s rich,

complex, quite bold but marvelous.

WHISKY #4

Wild Turkey

101

Bourbon is a whole different beast to

Scotch whisky. This

one is made from

corn and equal parts of

malted barley and rye. For

a big, robust Bourbon it's very

balanced with toffee, vanilla, spice and

fruit notes.

WHISKY #5

Yoichi

16 Years Old

—‹…‘”ǡƒ‘‡‘ˆˆ⋐†ˆ”‘ƒ„‘—–•‹š

years ago when it was priced around

$80 a bottle. It was like drinking nectar.

I’ve never seen it in the market since

and if I did, that value would likely be

10 times the price now.

A BRIEF FINAL LUXURY

If I was on a desert island far away,

what I would take with me would be

my garden. It’s my sanctuary and it

actually kind of inspired me 10 years

ago when I started working for Glen

Grant. Having visited the distillery and

seeing what Dennis Malcolm had done,

he had made this beautiful garden, so

I thought I’m living in the country now

and I have this beautiful half an acre,

so I started to plant a garden and now I

have a pergola, about 15 fruit trees and

oak trees. When I get back from a busy

trip or if I’m working in a city and I

come back, I just love it. I love the peace

and tranquility and there is something

very spiritual about being in nature. So

–Šƒ–‹•†‡β‹‹–‡Ž›™Šƒ–™‘—Ž†–ƒ‡–‘

my desert island and I think I would be

quite happy there with a few bottles of

Glen Grant.

We send some of the whisky world’s great and

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ISLAND LIFE

ile now.

Sc

on

corn

malted

a big, robus

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