When Jim Murray was aged about 11, his late Uncle George plied him with whiskey by way of a joke. "The brand was Bell's," Jim recalls, "and I asked for more." His aunt intervened, but it was too late . . . Jim's passion had taken root, his vocation had been found.
Jim Murray now claims to be the world's only full-time whiskey writer and broadcaster. Consulted by distillers the world over, he is recognised as a universal guru, a veritable whiskey wizard, and a three times winner of the Glenfiddich Whiskey Writer of the Year Award. A palate like this is worth money: Jim's nose is insured for £250,000.
The nose and its Surrey-born owner were in Dublin recently to launch Jim's Classic Irish Whiskey (Prion, £12.99 in UK). This follow-up to Jim Murray's Irish Whiskey Almanac (published in 1994 and now a collector's item) is a beautifully-produced, authoritative guide to the drink, and takes the reader on an exciting yet remarkably sober journey through the 100 or so brands available - twice the number to be found a couple of years ago.
Distilling history
Classic Irish Whiskey also provides an entertaining essay on the origins of Irish whiskey (which remain enigmatic); an examination of distilling history in this country; a detailed description of how the stuff is made (so detailed it may well encourage the DIY brigade); the story of poteen; a visitor's guide to distilleries old and new; plus an A to Z of Irish brands, complete with tasting notes. The volume, which could easily slip into a coat pocket and yet leave space for a naggin of Irish, is beautifully illustrated throughout.
All in all, a highly flavoursome book, launched quite appropriately in the Irish Distillers headquarters in Bow Street, where a fine new visitors' centre has just been opened, offering a fascinating trip through distilling history.
After the youthful episode with Bell's whiskey, Jim Murray found himself on holidays in Scotland a few years later, staying near the Talisker distillery on the isle of Skye. There he tasted half-strength whiskey (i.e. pretty powerful stuff, before the various dilutions have been made), and decided that this was "something special". From then on, whisky and whiskey lore were his calling. Murray worked in Fleet Street for some years - he was an investigative reporter on the Sun- day People - but as he says himself, he finally decided to "take a gamble" and go into full-time whiskey writing (in other words he was now drinking and gambling).
Jim's life of drink (so to speak) is partially funded by the public relations departments of distillers worldwide, and tastings - public and corporate - provide a good income too. But he confesses to having spent £7,500 of his own money on travel and hotels in the past year. Even his holiday destinations are never too far from a distillery.
Favourite tipple
Nevertheless, he drinks the odd pint, and quite fancies rum - "the closest taste to whiskey, a fascinating drink". So what's his own favourite tipple? "Ardbeg. I discovered this Islay whiskey about 15 years ago - it has amazing intensity plus balance." Yet an Irish whiskey is among those he rates as the top five brands in the world: "Jameson Gold is really the first Irish whiskey offering total balance." Being confused by the word "balance" in the vocabulary of a regular whiskey drinker, I asked Jim what exactly he means. "Ah. I mean not too much sweetness - and not too dry. Not too much barley. Or oak. And Jameson Gold now, it lingers, it doesn't disappear. It has echoes. You just taste it and listen to your palate telling you about it."
This isn't whiskey, it's poetry. I have to get a bottle of this stuff quick because the whiskey in my house knows nothing about lingering and everything about disappearing. In his tasting notes, incidentally, Jim Murray describes this particular liquid gold as the "absolute masterpiece" of Barry Walsh, "one of the world's finest blenders".
As for putting water in whiskey, Jim is not a purist, but hardly approves: "It adds clarity to palate, but vanishes quickly. Anyway, whiskey is 60 per cent water to start with, so why add more?" Quite. "As for ice, it just freezes the drink. The whiskey won't come out and talk to you - it just hides and shivers."
That's the honest whiskey drinker then - not a grumpy recluse, more a good listener.
Himalayas
Jim Murray is the whiskey connoisseur par excellence, but even more than the drink itself he loves to conduct a tasting - "to stand in front of perhaps 100 people, and introduce them to a whiskey which leaves them stunned - ah!" He is serious in his love for the liquor, and points out that whiskey is not just Irish or Scottish, but so much more. Indeed, researching his big book, Jim Murray's Complete Book of Whiskey, even took him to distilleries high in the Himalayas.
Years ago, it seems, it was a bit of a worldwide joke to talk of Irish whiskey - but no longer: "That Jameson I tasted at the reception the other night was immaculate . . . real character, with attitude." Jim Murray lives partly in Northamptonshire and partly in Kentucky (he's also the author of Classic Bourbon, Tenessee & Rye Whiskey) - an American state he loves for its beauty, its people - and of course its whiskey.
This man never lets up in his researches. "You've got to keep your eye on things." To this end he tastes up to 3,000 whiskeys annually. The only sad aspect must be the necessary waste involved in taste, for Jim never travels anywhere without his 100-year-old Kentucky spitoon.