Conviviality and the personal touch

After some hard-hitting pieces in January, and a mind to not always be ‘that guy’ associated only with doom and gloom, perhaps it’s time for a more uplifting piece. 

Modern life has stripped much of what we might call personal. Be it due to online gaming, screen meetings, live-streamed events and the virtual world - even much of what we physically attend like concerts, seminars and education, have been stripped of their personal involvement.

However, the whisky industry, perhaps more than any other, defies this movement. It demonstrates how people from all walks of life can come together in such a kind, defences-down, disarming and convivial way, such as to make John Lennon glow.

It would be more than a touch glib to suggest that whisky is only a meagre side-attraction to the convergence; it’s the very reason, the burning effigy, the monolith a la Space Odyssey 2001. Us, willingly, the bone-tossing apes, the moths to the light, if you will.

Pushing it, I realise, but it is undeniable that this drink from such ordinary ingredients stirs up a magical mix of people. The generosity, care and genuine friendships I have witnessed and been gratefully a part of is nothing short of extraordinary. Take the examples I gave above; the gamer, social media, music gigs and live concerts. Most of these are enjoyed, participated in and then left behind; no emotional attachment to the others streaming with you, or past you. While whisky, its festivals, days, outings, clubs, tastings and other gatherings bring people together in a very special way. It offers that personal touch.

It reminds me of the slogan ‘People Make Glasgow’. Taking Caol Ila aside, people really do make whisky, but the slogan goes way beyond the actual construction of something. It is these sorts of people, their calibre if you will, that make the product, those who are drawn to its world and frequent its many gatherings; in other words as equally special as the drink are the people surrounding it.

I did tell you the next post would be more upbeat. Of course you knew there was a ‘but’ coming.

A recent chat with a well-known, enigmatic, but soon-to-be retired, ambassador brought home how the impact of ‘people’ was being ignored and forgotten in certain quarters.

Distillery managers are now often anonymous, sidelined by well prepped (and sometimes not so well prepped)  tour guides. These fonts of knowledge and stories are hidden in central offices, behind doors and walls, buried in spreadsheets. Brand Ambassadors, although unlikely ever called that anymore, are sent to butler the VIPs, helicoptered in so that they may - or may not - drop six or seven figures on a single cask. In some cases the ambassadorial element is completely removed; deemed unnecessary and replaced with hired guns where consumers quickly learn they lack enough (or any) passion that might otherwise mask that oh-so-obvious dearth of knowledge. My retiring Diageo friend and his ilk are being phased out, leaving a void that, at least from the outside, looks unlikely to be filled.

I have personally witnessed entire markets lose their ‘sales’ staff (although really they are true Relationship Managers, not only ‘salespeople’) as large importers or other companies deem them peripheral or an unnecessary expense. Why have someone actually visit retailers and bars etc. when a central office can deal with any order; after all doesn’t this stuff sell itself?

Sometimes, yes. Often no. We can all immediately think of a whisky company or brand that we have an affinity for because of its ambassador or a member of the team. One easy example to give is an international whisky company that has since floundered having lost their charismatic and engaging ambassador to a different international whisky company. See, some of you know exactly who I’m talking about despite my scant information – such is the power of people within this industry.

Touching on my first two articles, it is quite clear that those smaller companies, be they distilleries, brands or independent bottlers, who hire great promoters often succeed often above and beyond what their product or brand could on its own. Strip out the personalities and you are left with something immeasurably inferior. We are drawn to the great and engaging people in this industry; we are more flexible interacting with their product; and most importantly, we stock our shelves with as much an attachment to these people as we do a brand or flavour.

The greatest of ambassadors, reps, salesmen and marketeers are of course you, the reader. The last twenty-plus years of phenomenal growth in whisky is not because Ardbeg was revived, nor because The Macallan began dressing in the finest livery and certainly not because Glengoyne put a lovely image of a forest up in Glasgow Airport (nothing says Glasgow like a good forest, after all). Whilst these efforts, combined, have helped, the real growth has been through unpaid, uncoerced, freethinking, free-speaking and mass-hoarding whisky freaks such as you lovely lot.

Collectively you have started more whisky clubs, hosted more gatherings and tastings, dragged more people to shows and festivals and all the while insisted, even to your longest-suffering friends, that there was a whisky out there for everyone, than all of the efforts of the biggest corporations and agencies combined.

I recall the, at times awkward, attempts of some of the larger distillers to try and tempt, let’s say the wine buying public, to get into whisky. Clearly contrived, it simply didn’t work. Whereas all they needed to do was allow intimate and personable warehouse tours, keep their products and people accessible, their value offering engaging and, most importantly, encourage their die-hard fans to evangelise. 

Try and name another industry where you are friends with the product development teams, brand ambassadors and employees - and I don’t mean you know their name, I mean you literally hug them when you see them? I know of no other drink with such passionate fans who are organised, willing to travel, meet and selflessly share. None are even close. Not beer, not wine, not rum. None. 

This industry is unique and it is so, mostly, mainly and predominantly because of the people.

FF