Warehouse Wishes

Well, my last post about having so much respect for and interest in the Bruichladdich warehouse sent out the cosmic message that said, “Rob needs to return!”  I started my second week at Bruichladdich this morning and Jim McEwan said the warehouse needed an extra hand, so back I went.

Today, it was primarily Grant and me working away in the warehouse, as Adam is in the mash house this week.  Alan, Andy and James were also in and out, helping with cask unloading and such, but it was Grant and Rob handling most of the activity.  We were drenched to the bone unloading casks in the cold Islay rain, which frequently shifted over to snow and then back again. 

We had finally managed to dry our clothes enough to be comfortable when we were doused again, this time with new spirit whisky.  I won’t get into the details of how this happened, but let’s just say if you’ve ever imagined of showering in whisky, talk to Grant. He did it today.  I had my own share of whisky wetness as well from that unexpected spurt.  The amount of whisky was actually minimal and it was quickly cleaned up according to procedure.  It was just one of those things that resulted in a good laugh and the realization that not all produced spirit makes it into the bottle. 

We made up for it, though, by filling dozens of casks with new spirit, which won’t see the light of day for several years.  I am fairly tired after pushing, pulling, loading and unloading numerous casks today.  But, I also have a deeper connection to the unheralded part of the whisky-making process – the filling and storing of casks.  There’s an incredible amount of work involved with those steps, and I have a continued deep respect for the people who shepherd whisky day-in and day-out.