Lifestyle: Whisky Q&A by Dr Shameek Popat

Dr Shameek Popat talks to Luca Sina, former manager of The Whisky Shop in Piccadilly and now an account executive for Edrington Beam Suntory and Macallan

Shameek Popat: Tell us about yourself and how you got into your love for whisky.
Luca Sina: I must admit that it wasn’t by choice. When I moved to London almost seven years ago I was looking for a job, and one of my friends who used to work in the whisky bar The Albannach got me a job as a barback. I didn’t know anything about whisky back then. The first Scotch whisky I ever tried was from Islay and I absolutely hated it! Slowly, and thanks to the patience of my bar manager, I’ve gained an appreciation of peated malts. I’ll always remember sitting at the bar at 2 a.m. after a very long shift, listening to him talking about whisky. He passed on his passion for whisky on to me.

SP: You were the manager at The Whisky Shop, and now you’re working with Macallan.
LS: I worked in a whisky bar, then at The Whisky Shop, joining Edrington-Beam Suntory UK. I worked for more brands, such as Highland Park, Laphroaig, Auchentoshan, Bowmore; Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbons, and Japanese whiskies from the House of Suntory. It’s an impressive portfolio and I feel very proud to represent these brands. Even though I was working with every brand at the shop, I always felt a stronger connection with some of them, and when the opportunity to work for Edrington-Beam Suntory UK came along, I just couldn’t miss it.

SP: Not an easy question to answer, but what are your Top 3 whiskies?
LS: If someone would put me in front of the choice to drink only one whisky for the rest of my life, I’d choose The Macallan 18 years old. The second is what I think to be an underrated Japanese whisky, Hakushu 12 years old. Laphroaig Lore, aged mostly in sherry cask and heavily peated, would be my third choice.

SP: What’s the most important thing regarding whisky: location of distillery; water; grain; or the bottling, casking, terroir or ageing process?
LS: Almost 80 percent of the flavour in whisky comes from the cask, so I must say that the oak cask is the most important factor. Macallan, for example, is renowned for its exceptional oak casks; in fact, every cask is hand-picked by a ‘master of wood’ (an enviable job title), who carefully sources trees from Galicia to make the distillery’s casks.

SP: What do you think about blended whiskies—or are you just a single-malt guy?
LS: Maybe it’s because I come from a ‘new generation’ of drinkers, but I am open to blends and grain whiskies. There are a lot of single-malt snobs around, but if I can give you a piece of advice: Always keep your mind open; you might discover that blended whiskies can be very good. It’s easy to forget that Hibiki is a blend, and it’s one of the most sought-after whiskies in the world.

SP: Would you recommend people buying certain whiskies for investment?
LS: It’s become a very good investment, so I would recommend it; some bottles can triple in value within a few months. Although I hate myself for doing so, I’ll admit to buying it as an investment—but I try to buy two bottles, so I can at least open and enjoy one. Whisky is made to be enjoyed.

SP: What has been your most wonderful experience so far?
LS: I’ve had some amazing times and met some wonderful people working at The Whisky Shop. Next on my list is to visit the new Macallan distillery, which opened in June. I’ve watched the video following its multimillion-pound investment. It’s breathtaking, a true masterpiece. The great thing about my job is that is always evolving and there’s always something new to discover.

SP: Any other advice?
LS: My main advice is to drink it the way you like it, and don’t listen to people telling you how you should drink it! There’s this conception that you should always drink whisky neat, but I don’t agree with that. In Japan, for example, people drink whisky in highballs. And Toki, a Japanese whisky that just launched in the UK, is perfect in a simple and refreshing soda highball. Whether it’s neat, with ice, water or soda, or in a cocktail, drink your whisky the way you enjoy it.

SP: Can you pair whisky with food? If so, what’s your best pairing?
LS: The simple answer: cheese, chocolate or salmon. I recently had a dinner where the chef paired whiskies with steak and fish. A lightly peated and salty Bowmore complemented and enhanced the flavours of the fish, and a heavily sherried Auchentoshan Three Wood elevated the fats and the spices in the steak.

SP: What’s your favourite whisky quote?
LS: “There is no bad whisky. There are only some whiskies that aren’t as good as others.” — Raymond Chandler