Donald Colville is a veteran in the field of single malts and he tells Saimi Sattar that the Indian market is growing both in terms of numbers and demographics
An old, stodgy middle aged man, holding a tumbler of single malt and swilling the drink down in a single gulp, is the image that comes to mind when you say whisky. But if you believe Donald Colville, global Scotch Ambassador for malts and a veteran in his field, the reality in India is gradually changing. “There is a cultural change. From being a drink of the middle age and elderly men, there is an expanding of the net. It has now become age neutral.” It has also helped that whiskies now come in a number of flavours and a wide variety of cocktails can be concocted which appeal to a diverse audience.
Colville points out that not just a change in the demographics, the increase in the interest is evident. “Even though a niche of whisky drinkers still exists, people are becoming inquisitive and asking questions about single malts. This in itself shows a growing interest in whiskies,” adds he.
Whisky lovers have always been an integral part of the alcohol-drinking market in India as brands like Johnny Walker and Vat 69 had a good hold over the markets. So what the arrival of a brand like Diageo did was to essentially expand the market.
Many of the whiskies from Diageo’s repertoire are appropriately paired with Indian food. “There is Talisker which is from Scotland with a smoky flavour which combines well with the chillies in the Indian food. There is also Glenmore which is a complex whisky and goes well with richer, spicier food that is the norm in India. In India there is a wide variety of breads and Glenmore is apt for them too,” says Colville.
He is also the judge at the Diageo Reserve World Class Competition India where the skills of Indian bartenders are being judged. He says, “The most important part of the competition are the seminars and the training sessions that are held to improve the skills in the industry.” He also adds that there has been an unbelievable improvement in the skills of the bartenders as compared to past years. “I can see that there is a staggering difference in the learning and understanding of flavours, in the use of new modern techniques and the use of spices among the bartenders in India now,” says Colville. He says that the front runner in the Indian competition has incredible skills, a lot of potential and looks hard to beat.
However, the India competitions are not the end of the road. The intensity and the pressure will keep going up in the competition —from the regional to national to global level. “A lot more work would be needed on skills and techniques, creating signature drinks, and increasing the speed for effective bartending. It becomes physically and emotionally more demanding,” says Colville.
There are certain things that he feels are the hallmarks of a good bartender. “While judging, I am not looking for a presenter on the stage. I want to see a person who owns the bar – this is essential. Moreover, there should be simplicity in the creation. Sometimes people get carried away by the complicated. While everyone is trying to make incredible drinks, it is important to see that the person has the skill to understand the flavours as well,” says Colville. He also says there are small things that make a lot of difference. Hygiene or how clean the bar is and also if the equipment is up to the international standard are important. But there are instances when the drinks are not to the taste of a judge. How does Colville deal with itIJ “If someone has created a drink which is exceptional but is not to my taste, then I need to leave aside my biases and judge it accordingly.”