Spirit of Scotland

11 Victor Brierly

June 10, 2018 David Calder, Victor Brierly
Spirit of Scotland
11 Victor Brierly
Show Notes
To some, he’s been the ‘bad boy’ of whisky – the man who set himself up as the self-styled ‘thorn in the flesh’ of the industry. He would berate it for failing to exploit its potential as a tourist trap. He would attack the conservatism of the way whisky was presented – too much of the highland mist and leather arm chairs. He claimed it was aimed too much at the traditional drinkers and ignoring the younger generation, something he said it did at its peril. He was barred from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for criticising it. And he’s used his tutored whisky sessions around the world to argue for change. Well, now Victor Brierly is older and has mellowed somewhat; his aching joints have also slowed him down. He can no longer move around as freely as he once did. But at least he’s now allowed back into the members’ room at the SMWS which is where the Spirit of Scotland Podcast producer David Calder met him.