International eXcellence talks to Sandy Hyslop Master Blender at Ballantines

My career started in 1983 when I worked for a small whisky company on the east coast of Scotland. I had the best of both worlds working there; I was 18 and I had a job, but I was also given the opportunity to go and study chemistry in Aberdeen at the same time. Working for such a small company gave me an incredible range of experience so, when the opportunity came up to join the Pernod Ricard family, I already had a very solid grounding in the whisky business. I became Master Blender of Ballantine’s at the end of 2005, and there is no better job as far as I’m concerned. I am given such a broad remit to get involved in so many different parts of the business, so it never becomes boring. One day we could be in the Paisley Bottling Hall, the next day we could be warehousing, the next day we could be up at the Distillery – it’s one of these jobs that’s not mapped out, which means I continue to learn as it’s a never-ending process.
As Master Blender, my main role is to maintain the quality of Ballantine’s whiskies. Ballantine’s whiskies are not big, peaty, heavy whiskies; they’re delicate, balanced, sweet and smooth. They’re very sophisticated, complex whiskies and to produce them not only requires high quality whisky, but also high quality casks. Lots of people make the mistake of thinking a cask is just a container, but it’s actually a maturing container with a limited life span and every time you use it, you’re going to get less back. Predominately we use American Oak to mature Ballantine’s and that gives the whisky its soft, creamy vanilla flavour.
I am also responsible for Ballantine’s new product development, which includes whiskies such as Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve, an annual limited edition created to evoke the flavours of Christmas, and the Ballantine’s Signature Distillery Editions, a four-strong collection that highlight the influence of the signature malts that provide the depth to Ballantine’s 17 Year Old. Here, my job is to build a bespoke blend from scratch in my sample room. It’s a labour-intensive, old fashioned way of doing it, but it’s one way of guaranteeing the quality and making sure that the balance of flavour is just right.
Aside from whisky and being a Master Blender, I’m passionate about collecting things. My father had an antiques business and so hoarding is in my blood! If I wasn’t a Master Blender I would absolutely have my own antiques shop. I think my dad would have quite liked me to go into the family business, so maybe when I retire I’ll get a little shop somewhere in the village and sell wristwatches, Scottish art glass, fountain pens, that sort of thing. Spending time in my father’s shop when I was growing up gave me a real appreciation of how to be able to recognise quality; I really believe that having that has helped me to ensure the quality and continuity of the whole Ballantine’s portfolio, making sure that the whiskies are right for both today and for the future.