•The huge eloquent bearded Scottish is one of the world's greatest in the whiskey world.
•Kenya has an amazing mix of alcohol consumers but whiskey comes to the top of the list.
On a lazy Friday morning, my phone buzzes.
Hello Victor, I hope you are having a wonderful day. I want to make it better…the caller adds before I even respond.
How about if I give you an interview with Danny Dyre? Yes, the iconic whiskey man is in the country!
Who can say no to such an offer? Although I was happy, goosebumps started developing minutes into the interview.
The eloquent Scottish is one of the world's greatest in the whiskey world.
He has been the global Grants brand ambassador for five years.
So, how did you get into the alcohol world?
I had my first drink immediately after I hit 18 years old.
Initially, I had a very bad experience with whisky because the first time I drank it, I had a nasty hangover and I never wanted to drink anything like that again.
Two years later, I applied and received a job at a brewery where I met people who mentored me. They took me through its entire history and it was fascinating to me how all those characters could be in one glass. When I took a sip, with the new knowledge that I had, I started to enjoy it and I have enjoyed it since then.
How did you become Grant's global ambassador?
I was chosen from more than five thousand participants in one of the biggest competitions in the beverage industry. Dubbed “The Greatest Job Interview in the World” and was intended, precisely, to choose an ambassador for the new phase of Grant’s.
When I got to the final three out of 5,000 participants, they told each of us that we were to go to three countries in 10 days. I was to go to Russia, Taiwan and Australia.
The reason they did it was to re-enact Charles Grant's journey where he traveled the world taking his whisky to different people and it was amazing.
Tell me a little about Grant's
Grant’s is a great blend. Everything is balanced. The whole point of blended whiskies is this. When we were making single malts, and that was before we even had licences, we sold our single malts to the English, and they said it was too harsh, too strong. And so, we decided to blend it, to make it easier for the English palate.
For me a blend really should be this perfect mix of parts working together. I like all whiskies, but for me, Grant’s is the one that stands out. It’s a classic Speyside.
Talk to me about Grant's Triple Wood 12?
Many whiskies take their flavour from just one cask, but we mature Grant’s Triple Wood 12 in three different types of wood: Sherry cask provides sweet spice robustness, American Oak lends subtle vanilla smoothness and Bourbon refill offers brown sugar sweetness, resulting in a rich, complex, vanilla taste.It's a premium product that has a rich value spanning 12 years.
How exactly does one taste whisky?
The first thing I say is, it’s your palette, it’s your drink and it’s your choice to decide how you want to drink it, be it with ice, ginger soda or coke. Personally, the first thing I do when I pour it into the glass is let it sit for a while because it’s a living growing thing and when the air starts to come in and the oils start to move so it needs a little bit of time to relax.
After I’ve done that, I smell it. Why I do this is Grants is at least three years going into the drink, that's 25 different malts and a lot of different flavours working together so the longer it sits in the glass, the better the flavours sync.
For my first taste, I usually tend to keep it in my mouth for a little bit for it to coat my whole palette. It tends to give me a little bit of heat up my nose and it makes my eyes water a little bit but once you’ve done this and have taken the time to appreciate it, it gives you a whole new experience.
Talk to me about the tour
It's an awesome experience. I started in South Africa where I have visited all the major cities and interacted with amazing people pushing Grant's to our consumers. This tour is designed specifically to interact with bartenders, vital pillars who mingle directly with consumers.
I have had a whole experience trying Grant's with non-contemporary mixers in four top countries in Africa in terms of economic strength. I came recently from Tanzania and Nigeria. I am here in Kenya where I continue to meet bartenders, disc jockeys and Grant's consumers at social events.
How can you describe Kenya's whiskey consumption?
The country has an amazing mix of alcohol consumers but whiskey comes to the top of the list. It's the reason we placed it among 12 countries to illustrate the 12 years of blending for Grant's Triple Wood 12.
What is the future of the alcoholic beverages market in Kenya or Africa like?
Great potential. 2023 will be a classic one as the global economy shakes off uncertainties that have led to record-high inflation rates in most countries. The disposable income that has been shrinking since 2020 is likely to stabilise to 2019 levels.
Kenya and other African states have the world's youngest populations. That is why we have intensified marketing campaigns to reach these clients.
Do you have anything else you would like to talk to the Star Newspaper about Grant's?
How many pages or time do you have? I can talk about the brand forever. I have great hopes for the alcohol beverage sector even as it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic. Grant's continues to set the pace in quality checks to ensure customers are having value for money. We are sharing the story of evolving premium whiskey brands, with Grant's as the lead touch.