Learning The Art and Etiquette of Drinking Fine Whisky with Rachel Barrie

For Dr Rachel Barrie, whisky is less a profession and more a lifelong devotion. Over a career spanning nearly 35 years, she has nosed more than 2,00,000 casks, moving from the precision of whisky science into the exclusive world of master blending with an instinct honed over decades. She’s the master blender for The Glendronach, BenRiach, and Glenglassaugh single malt distilleries.

“GlenDronach is my home — that’s where I was brought up, and my parents still live there,” she says, speaking of a place shaped by rich farmland, rolling barley fields and a valley thick with brambles that lend the distillery its name. “GlenDronach literally means ‘valley of brambles’, or dark berries, that I used to pick as a child while growing up,” she shares. The brambles also lend The GlenDronach single malt an inimitable richness; this robust Highland spirit, combined with Spanish Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, creates an incredibly deep and luxurious profile with layers of dark chocolate, raisins, dates, and deep fruit character, with just a hint of ginger. 

As we caught up with Dr Barrie at the India launch of The GlenDronach’s 12, 15, and 18-year-old expressions, we also took this opportunity to discuss all things whisky and India’s growing single malt culture.

Robb Report India(RR): Has whisky-drinking etiquette changed over the years, especially with younger drinkers embracing the category differently?

Dr Rachel Barrie (RB): In the 20th century, people mostly drank blended scotch. Single malts didn’t really become a global phenomenon until the 1990s and 2000s. Over the past 20 years, the single malt market has grown enormously while blended scotch has dipped. What’s interesting now is that younger drinkers are entering the category differently. They’re more experimental and more open-minded. There’s also much more conversation around whisky now — whisky clubs, tastings, cocktail programs, food pairings, and so on. People are willing to experiment and explore rather than follow rigid traditions. So yes, whisky etiquette has definitely evolved.

RR: As a master blender, do you secretly cringe when someone mixes a rare single malt with cola? Is there really a “right” way to drink whisky, or is personal preference the ultimate rule?

RB: I don’t cringe, no. If someone enjoys whisky a certain way, that’s wonderful. I might simply suggest another way they could try it {she laughs}. For example, I always recommend enjoying The GlenDronach in a beautiful burgundy wine glass because it allows the whisky to open up and amplify the aromatics — the rim is so thin that the whisky flows across your palate, and the shape is so much smoother. Personally, I love pairing whisky with high-quality dark chocolate and dried fruit.

RR: There is often an unspoken hierarchy in whiskey culture — age statements, rarity, single malts versus blends. How much of this is genuine appreciation, and how much is just for show?

RB: Age absolutely matters when it comes to complexity and depth, especially with sherry cask maturation. With slow and complex maturation in Scotland’s cold climate, older whiskies become deeper, more layered and more nuanced over time — there are distinctive differences in age, so it is not just for show.

RR: Does the rise of cocktail culture change the way master blenders think about creating whiskies today?

RB: I just want to make the best whisky. I always create whisky first and foremost to be enjoyed neat. My priority is what’s in the drinker’s glass in its purest form — making it balanced, rich, and complex so that it’s the perfect symphony of taste.

Only after that do I think about cocktails or serves. However, cocktails can be a wonderful way to introduce people to The GlenDronach, thanks to our amazing flavours. For example, The GlenDronach 12 works beautifully in cocktails because of its chocolate, cherry, brambles, and orange notes. I love cocktails like the Blood and Sand or a Rob Roy because they amplify those indulgent flavours without losing the whisky’s character.

Bartenders today are incredibly creative, especially in places like India, where there’s so much experimentation with regional ingredients. Cocktail culture is definitely booming, but for me, the whisky itself always comes first.

RR: Do different cultures around the world approach whisky drinking differently?

RB: Well, there's a lot of difference in the maturity of the market. In Taiwan, for example, people drink a lot of single malt whisky neat and at full strength. In the United States, cocktails are far more common. In Japan, whisky is often enjoyed with water or as a highball. In the UK, there’s still a fairly traditional approach, though there are cocktail bars that serve neat cocktails — concentrated cocktails that keep the alcohol strength to bring out the character of the whiskey.