A PAIRING WITH PAWS
Blind ambition
There’s always a buzz around our Members’ Rooms before a tasting. But tonight, the atmosphere is positively giddy while members wait for the special guests and their speakers to arrive. We’re here for an evening with Guide Dogs Scotland which will see Society ambassadors Lucy and Liam selecting whiskies to match the personality of each dog
WORDS: MADS SCHMOLL PHOTOS: PETER SANDGROUND
Here at the Society, we always encourage our members to try experiencing their whisky in new ways. From pairings with skin-crawling insects, to shielding our drams from mischievous pigmy goats, there’s no shortage of obscure Society tastings.
However, as the brainchild of Belen Vargas, events and reception coordinator at The Vaults, this evening will offer more than just an unusual whisky experience. With a portion of the proceedings being donated to Guide Dogs Scotland, this is also a great chance for the Society and its members to come together and contribute towards a meaningful charity – and before you ask, yes, we got to pet the dogs!
First up was 16-month-old Larson, who loves running on the beach and is Guide Dogs Scotland’s newest recruit. Joining him is community fundraising manager, Anne Rowse, who fills us in on Larson’s training journey so far. Meanwhile members indulge in the aptly named Cask No. 5.140: Fluffylump, an 11-year-old Lowland whisky matured in a second fill ex-bourbon barrel. While savouring notes of yellow gorse flower and golden syrup, we hear how apprentice puppies like Larson start training at just eight-weeks-old. The puppies then go to a volunteer puppy raiser where they will be socialised and learn some of the fundamentals to becoming a guide dog.
Anne tells us that at 14 months, they go off to ‘big school’ where they will wear a harness for the first time and learn to lead someone. Larson is now at this point in his training and today he practiced getting on and off buses during a role-playing scenario. While he loves buses, he was less happy that the bus remained stationary. He will need to learn 37 key behaviours before he can be partnered with a blind or partially sighted person, which usually happens when they are around two years old.
ABOVE: A member meets Ibsen, an ambassador dog for Guide Dogs Scotland
PICTURED: Anne chats to members with the help of guide dog pup-in-training, Larson
ABOVE: Whiskies were selected to match the dog's personalities
While the dogs have incredible temperaments, they also have their own personality which is very important when it comes to matching them with a person with sight loss. A person who is more active might be matched with a big bouncy dog, while someone who regularly travels to an office might be better matched with a dog that is confident in the city and on public transport. “The matching process is really something,” says Anne. Once the guide dog is matched, there’s around five weeks of additional training and relationship-building to ensure a successful match between the guide dog and their partner.
Next up we hear from Elaine Mackenzie and her working guide dog Tessy, who loves going to Costa Coffee, but only if her favourite barista is there.
Elaine’s chat is paired with Cask No. 63.105: Dangerously gorgeous, a 20-year-old Speyside matured in a first fill ex-bourbon barrel. With notes of dried mango, heathered honey and citrus curds, this bottling falls into our Sweet, Fruity & Mellow flavour profile and is fittingly paired with well-mannered Tessy. Equally mellow, Tessy has already posed for photos and checked in with Elaine before receiving strokes from members. “You have no idea how much my life changed. If I hadn’t gotten in touch with Guide Dogs Scotland, I know my life would have been very different” she says. With most guide dogs working seven to ten years, Tessy is the fourth dog to help Elaine navigate daily life. She was named by a team from Tesco (a UK supermarket) as part of the charity’s puppy sponsorship fundraising programme.
ABOVE: Members had the chance to meet the guide dogs
ABOVE: Members enjoying the drams on offer
PICTURED: The evening's lineup
Last but not least, we hear from Anne and Colin Caithness about Ibsen, an ambassador dog for Guide Dogs Scotland. During his training Ibsen was found to have a bad back, which ruled him out of being a working guide dog. Now, he comes to events such as this one to showcase some of the other opportunities these dogs offer. Ibsen loves to take time off from his ambassador role by relaxing in the garden, making Cask No. 6.81: The well-shod gardener an easy pick to accompany him. This highland malt is 16-years-old and falls nicely into our Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits flavour profile with notes of cherry lozenges, pomegranate molasses and baked squash. There are a variety of reasons why guide dogs don’t make it through training. They might have a skin intolerance, a vision problem, or they could simply not enjoy wearing the harness or taking part in the required training. There are other options for dogs who don’t make it through training, including the charity’s Buddy Dogs Scheme which is designed for children with sight loss.
These dogs offer the opportunity for children to increase their physical activity and confidence by living alongside these well-behaved pets.
ABOVE: Society ambassador Liam presents the second dram
After a brief dinner break, a fundraising prize raffle, and a much-anticipated meet and greet with the dogs, we close the night with a special dram. Cask No. 30.124: Sunshine on the soul is a Vaults Collection offering, with its name highlighting the impact this incredible charity has. This refill ex-bourbon hogshead is 31-years-old and offers notes of charred pineapple, crushed chalk and coriander seeds, slotting it into our Spicy & Dry flavour profile.
This night raised £800 for Guide Dogs Scotland and with another event in the works already, we hope to complete our fundraising goal and earn a Society-named guide dog puppy!
ABOVE: Community fundraising manager, Anne, introduces the evening
PICTURED: Society ambassador, Lucy introduces Cask No. 5.140: Fluffylump