SMWS ADVENTURES
The whisky tourist
It’s always great to see our members embody what The Scotch Malt Whisk Society is all about. Having an open mind, taking the path less trodden, and opting for a maverick approach to life are all very important to us here at the Society. But for BBC Radio DJ and Society member, Vic Galloway, a sense for adventure comes above all else, as Duncan Gorman writes
PHOTOS: MARC MILLAR, MIKE WILKINSON AND GARETH GOODLAD
ABOVE: Vic hosted the Society's Malts & Music podcast, combining his two passions
THE START OF A JOURNEY
Vic’s introduction to Scotch had very little to do with flavour, as he explains: “The first whisky I drank would have been Bells, then probably Famous Grouse, as well as a few less-reputable brands in quarter and half bottles. Like most teenagers in Scotland, we drank these to get drunk, not to enjoy the taste! I soon graduated to Glenmorangie and Glenfiddich in my twenties and realised whisky could be smooth, tasty and full of flavour. Like others, I then had a whisky epiphany with the peaty stuff such as Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Ardbeg. ‘Wow, what is this stuff, it tastes incredible!’ I wouldn't drink it often, but I’d choose my moments. A nightcap in a smoky bar, by a fireside in a bothy, or with friends around a campfire. My love for whisky grew gradually as I savoured the flavours, and the strength of the liquor.”
With his whisky journey now well under way, Vic was introduced to the Society in the 2000s by a friend and was quickly won over by our spiritual home in Leith, The Vaults. He continues:
“I had been to the SMWS a few times, mainly as a guest, and I loved my first visits to The Vaults. The grandeur of the room, the friendliness and knowledge of the staff, the tasty food and of course the outstanding drams.”
MALTS & MUSIC
In early 2021 the Society found itself exploring the evocative and emotional powers that whisky and music share, in the Unfiltered feature Find your whisky rhythm. In a fitting collaboration we challenged our new member to combine his two passions by matching a musical genre to each of our flavour profiles. “I went through the 12 flavour profiles and paired each with a music genre”, he continues. “Then I wrote a blurb about each and made a playlist of tracks per genre. I was blown away by all 12 flavour profiles and the sheer diversity of tastes, textures, flavours and aromas of the whisky on offer.” This concept blossomed into the podcast series, Malts & Music, where Vic was joined by actors, broadcasters, musicians, and authors who paired music and whisky while chatting about their lives and careers.
ABOVE: A Society dram in front of Vic's extensive music collection
PICTURED: Vic enjoys a Society dram inside an Icelandic hot spring
ICELANDIC ADVENTURES
Now, Vic has taken his passion to the next level and finds himself exploring whiskies further afield for his new documentary series, The Whisky Tourist. Vic adds: “I'm primarily known as being a music guy and a broadcaster. But as my love of whisky grew and my knowledge increased, filmmaker Gareth Goodlad and I wondered if we could do something different in the whisky world.
"Rather than blokes sitting around in leather armchairs sipping drams and saying 'caramel' a lot, we wanted to do something more alive, more fun, slightly irreverent and more inclusive. Something that has an energy to it."
Vic continues: “We decided to try and combine whisky, travel, music and adventure tourism. The result is The Whisky Tourist! Whisky is now made all over the world. We all know Scotland makes great whisky, but what is the other stuff like and what are those countries like?” Kicking off the series he visited Iceland to explore its impressive natural beauty and to find out what their unique spirit is all about.
He adds: “So far, we have made a pilot episode in Iceland, which is now showing on the STV Player for free. I go to the Eimwerk distillery to try their Floki whisky and see how it's smoked with a 'secret' ingredient! I also go to Iceland's only official whisky bar, jump into hot springs, look at waterfalls, and head out on the town in Reykjavik. It's a wild ride and only lasts 20 minutes, so go and have a look. I guarantee you'll have a laugh and be intrigued.”
Although Vic had only planned to visit Iceland to find out about their intriguing whisky, the spectacular island now has a more sentimental hold over him. “The Hvammsvik Hot Springs were incredible, with their own elf stone blessed by the Icelandic elves no less! I took my now-wife there a year after we'd filmed the episode and proposed to her. She said yes thankfully! It's a magic, windswept place surrounded by incredible nature and the sea.
“Whisky is not only tasty, it's inspirational. It gives you a wee boost of courage and a sense of adventure! Combine that with a new, strange and exotic land, and it's a recipe for fun. Find a place with their own take on whisky and investigate, you'll have a good time for sure.”
NEW HEIGHTS
Ready to embark on his next trip for the series, Vic has his sights set high, adding: “Our next stop is Switzerland and the highest distillery on earth!
We will pair whisky with cheese and chocolate, visit the smallest and largest whisky bars in the country and many other things. We're in the planning stage now, but if anyone reading this in Switzerland wants to get involved, let us know!”
Follow the journey of The Whisky Tourist online @thewhiskytourist on Instagram and Facebook.
ABOVE: Vic ventures out to the Solheimasandur plane wreck