I’m the first to admit that I’m not a fan of whisky. My first encounter involved half a bottle of Bell’s and I’m never really recovered. I will say, like the single malts readily available on the market today, my antipathy has mellowed over the years. My last dram was at the highest point on Skye during an Atlantic storm and it tasted like heaven. Scotch whisky has become one of the most popular tippled around the globe and attracts thousands of tourists to Scotland every year.
Scotch: The Golden Dram, the new documentary from Andrew Peat, tells the story of how and why Scotland became the centre of the world for whisky drinkers. There are over two hundred active distilleries in the country. Islay, despite being only twenty-five miles long, has eight. This is where Peat’s film finds its heart. Jim McEwan is undoubtedly the star of this movie. With over fifty years of experience, the master distiller took over a failing business in the Inner Hebrides and produced an award-winning blend.
Scotch: The Golden Dram is the ultimate documentary for lovers of Scotch whisky. Whilst Peat takes a standard talking-heads approach to filming, the enthusiasm and love everyone has for the ‘water of life’ shines through. If you’re not careful, their enthusiasm is liable to infect you too. By the end you’ll find yourself with an insatiable urge to partake in a dram or two in the Scottish wilds.
Scotch: The Golden Dram is in cinemas from 8 March.
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