Discovering Whisky Chemistry with Dr. Gordon Steele

Diagrams. Charts. Hard cold facts. At the end of the day, it all comes down to risk analysis. What might have begun (and is still usually hailed) as a romantic endeavour has more truthfully been rooted since its 20^th century renaissance in the unforgiving figures of assessment and research. No room for error. Incredible results best enjoyed over ice…

 That’s right, we’re talking about the glorious history of polar exploration! On Thursday March 30^th, we’ll be raising a well-analysed glass to Kildare-born explorer Ernest Shackleton with one of the chemists involved in recreating the tastes of an uncovered crate of Mickinlay’s scotch whisky from his 1907 Nimrod expedition. Ditched beside a makeshift hut and discovered a hundred years later still frozen in permafrost, Shackleton’s hooch has been carefully examined not only as a relic but also as a testament to the chemical makeup of Scotch whisky’s past.

A leading researcher at the industry-shaping Scotch Whisky Research Institute, Gordon Steele has worked for the past two decades as a chemical analyst in authenticity assessment, maturation research, and other key branches of modern Scotch whisky’s exploratory edge. Recreating lab settings and armed with a pallet of delicious case studies, he’ll be giving us a crash course in the sensory strategies used by nosing professionals to give us an aromatic compass for our own explorations as we cover, discover, and hopefully uncover the secrets of the spirit’s compositional terrain. Ever wanted to nose like an industry professional? You’ll get no better guide than Gordon Steele, who has generously volunteered his time for this event. Early booking advised to prevent disappointment. No ice provided.