In The Right Spirit: Glenmorangie’s Bill Lumsden Voyages Into New Waters

There was a time when single malt whisky was the domain of old men nursing a drink by the fire, sans any additions. But no longer does that hold true. At the helm of making single malt an accessible and loved drink is Glenmorangie, the 175-year-old whisky brand from Scotland, under the expert eye of its revolutionary scientist Dr Bill Lumsden.  
Bill, who celebrated 25 years at the company in 2021, oversees the creation of Glenmorangie single malt whisky, and has been credited with successful experimentation with casks, wood management techniques and diverse tastes. And now, to cater to a growing market of whisky connoisseurs, Glenmorangie has released a new single malt Scotch whisky specially made for mixing. 

Bill spoke to us about X by Glenmorangie, dreams for the future of whisky and how he hopes to appeal to the younger generation of single malt enthusiasts

From 1995 to today, what do you believe has changed about the single malt business? 

I don't think single malt will ever become the biggest category in scotch whisky but it is sure understood to be the premium end of scotch. That is one of the big changes. People now have a much better understanding of single malt. Back in the day, when I joined the company, they pretty much had 10 and 18 year olds. And that was the scene with all brands. Now, every brand has seen an insatiable demand for new tastes. That today is the biggest challenge for me, because there are only so many legal ways to make whisky. It is a fun challenge.

Many countries have joined the league of single malt producers. Has the whisky space been democratised?

Absolutely. I believe we are now creating single malts that are more acceptable in terms of flavour to a larger group of people. If we go back to the 1960s and 70s, single malts were much more smoky than they are today, and were not to everyone's liking. In a lot of countries, like India is a prime example, there is a growing class of people that can now afford single malts. This has a big part to play in the growth of the business as well. 

Whisky is no longer an old-man domain. There is a ‘single malt amateurs club’ in India too. Does this uptake in the consumption of whisky excite you for its future?

We haven’t gone out and specifically targeted young people. The way in which we position the brand is just to make it more acceptable to more people. Our products can be enjoyed in the classic ways. Through my travels to India, China, and Korea, I've come to understand that people now enjoy whisky a lot more. When I first came to India 20 years ago, to Bangalore, I remember enjoying great beer, and it's so nice to see clubs pop up all over the world. 

Was X by Glenmorangie created to suit the needs of the younger generation of whisky drinkers? What inspired it?

If you go back to Scotland in the 1970s, and asked to make a cocktail single malt, you might have been thrown out of the bar, and the request may not have been tolerated. So X by Glenmorangie is an attempt by us to make things more relaxed and democratic. Some people may like to mix X with other things and that's alright. We no longer have people like my father or old Scottish bartenders that this wasn't allowed. It is now upto how you enjoy your drink. 

X by Glenmorangie came from our dream of creating even more flavour possibilities, with a single malt that’s made to mix. Consulting with top bartenders, we crafted this sweeter, richer single malt for all those enjoying mixing at home.

For the uninitiated in the world of single malts, what would your recommendations be?

If you choose the wrong single malt, it may put you off forever (laughs). So to choose from our range, you could pick Glenmorangie Original, or X by Glenmorangie, because they are more approachable. Even if these products don't end up being your favourite, it's a great way to be introduced to the segment. It's a true story, Glenmorangie Original was my first single malt in 1984 and pretty much drew me into the category and charted my entry into this world.