The Glenrothes' Master Whisky Maker Laura Rampling on her journey and whisky trends

Laura Rampling, the Master Whisky Maker for The Glenrothes, chats to David Ho about her journey and her insights into the whisky industry 

Laura Rampling, the Master Whisky Maker for The Glenrothes, visited Hong Kong recently to launch their latest release, The Glenrothes 32-Year-Old (HK$16,000 per 700ml bottle).  With over 15 years in the whisky industry, Rampling is a veteran in the industry one of the few female makers out there. 

What does it take to be a master whisky maker?

Whisky making is a blend of both science and art, so you need technical knowledge of the process, but also the ability to think beyond that, in order to create products that people want to buy. And not everything is completely predictable – individual casks can take on their own personalities – so the ability to pick up differences and know how to work with them is very useful. However, in simple terms what you need is a good sense of smell, attention to detail and, of course a passion for whisky!

How did you get drawn into this?

I grew up with a passion for food and flavour, inspired by my family who loved to travel and to cook. I learned how to cook at an early age and developed a real interest in flavour development. As I got older, and living in Scotland, that interest turned towards the whisky industry, especially as my Dad has always been a whisky lover. Initially it was more of a recreational hobby, sitting Wines and Spirits exams on the side, but eventually fate intervened and the opportunity came up to start a career in whisky blending, from which point I’ve never looked back.

It's not a profession we've seen many women go into. Why do you think that is?

You might be surprised at the number of women in the industry, a number which has grown significantly over recent times. I’m aware that there is a still a perception that it is still relatively unusual for women to occupy prominent positions in this industry, but it is less and less the case. A long time ago whisky was considered a man’s drink, but times have changed. People like Becky Paskin have done a fantastic job to champion diversity across the whisky industry and long may it continue. I am delighted to see increasingly more women working alongside me and look forward to a time when it no longer seems unusual.

What would encourage more female participation?

Companies are doing more and more to present a more balanced perception of the category, which encourages more diversity of thought in general. Without ignoring any real issues that arise, I think the more balanced the conversation becomes, the less gender becomes a barrier or even a topic of consideration.

What do you look for in a whisky?

That’s quite a difficult question to answer as there is so much variety in the character. However, in simple terms I am looking for the distillery character of that particular whisky, for the influence the cask has had on the whisky, and also the characteristics that indicate a whisky’s age. For The Glenrothes, our signature style is bright, fruity and elegant, originating from the extremely soft water we use in the production of our spirit. We use custom-made sherry-seasoned oak casks to mature our whisky, so I would be looking for the distinct flavours the different types of oak bring – for example, sweet vanilla from American oak, or spice and dried fruit from European. And lastly, as The Glenrothes ages it takes on more fragrant and aromatic qualities, which will give me a good indication of how old the whisky is.

What do you think people would be most surprised to learn about the whisky making process?

Often people are surprised by a lot of things, but I think the amount of work it takes to pull just one batch of our whisky together is one of the things that amazes people. I have an intimate knowledge of all my stock and use that knowledge to pull any batch of any products together, literally cask by cask, checking the quality at various steps along the way before the final product is eventually bottled. I also think people would be amazed at how small differences in the process at each distillery affect the character of the spirit, and how that spirit then matures on. Every distillery has its own unique character or signature style which, for The Glenrothes, is bright, fruity and elegant.

Please tell us about The Glenrothes and why they stand out in the whisky makers.

The Glenrothes stands out due to its elegance. And this elegance comes from the soft water we use in the production of our new make spirit. Our water is the softest water used in the production of Scotch Malt Whisky. It is an exclusive water source, a network of springs which run under the grounds of our Estate only available to us. The geological make-up of the rocks through which this spring water is filtered creates this softness, in order words, removing minerals. And this low mineral content means that we do not impart any unwanted taints to our spirit from the outset, that we do not need to add any chemicals to clean it before use, and that it reacts differently through the mashing and fermentation processes to create our distinct character. All of this is fundamental in the creation of our bright, fruity and elegant new make spirit which carries a distinct refined character throughout decades and decades of ageing.

What makes the 32-Year-Old such a special release?

This special whisky has been created to capture the spirit of our distillery, by honouring one of longest serving distillery managers, John Smith. He served as manager for 32 years in the late 19th-early 20th century and saw the distillery through some turbulent times – 2 fires and one explosion. His spirit of resilience brought the distillery back stronger each time, and his great leadership meant he was well loved amongst the workers. So, this whisky is designed to celebrate his spirit, using Spanish oak casks to overlay a taste of nostalgia onto the characteristic elegance of The Glenrothes.

How do you assess current trends in the whisky market? What emerging trends do you think will appear in the future?
My observation is that consumers around the world are becoming more interested and therefore more knowledgeable about whisky. As a result, the more informed are starting to diversify and seek out the lesser-known brands, the ones which you have to work a little harder to discover. As you will be aware, there is a huge amount of choice in the whisky category and we are finding that, for the more discerning consumer, a lot of the reward lies in finding the hidden gems in this relatively complex category. There is also a consideration of whisky as a luxury commodity as well as an everyday drink. Certain distilleries and releases now hold a place in the world of Prestige, alongside champagne and cognac, which is rightfully deserved when you consider the time and dedication that goes into each bottle.

When promoting this whisky, what do you think is the most important aspect of consumer education? How can consumers better understand the value of whisky?

In terms of The Glenrothes, the two most important things for consumers to understand are firstly, how the water that we use creates our characteristic elegance, and secondly, how our attention to detail and focus on quality are second to none. Understanding only those two things can tell you very simply why we are worth exploring – the most elegant whisky, created by hand in the most careful and curated way.

What role do you see whisky playing in global culture? How does The Glenrothes contribute to this culture?

Whisky has a rich and diverse role in global culture which extends around the world. It is used to tell stories, celebrate traditions, share knowledge, create art, grow economies and develop social customs. It is much more than just a drink. For The Glenrothes, we use our whiskies to tell stories of the place we originate from and to celebrate those who enter our world and share our values – from art initiatives to specially curated collaborations. Our elegant whisky is at the heart of everything, but the spirit of The Glenrothes extends far beyond the glass.

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