| Note |
"You can spend 30 years creating a superb whiskey. Then, in 30 minutes, the taste-testers can write it off."
Jack Baker had faced many tough tests during his 30 year career as one of the most respected and knowledgeable people in the Canadian liquor business. But on this particular day, he faced his biggest test of all. Top Secret, the 8 year old rye he had developed, would soon be sniffed, sipped and gargled by a panel of expert tasters, including one of Canada's top tasters. A shake of the head, a shrug of the shoulder by the panel and Jack would have to start all over again. Jack Baker was no novice at blending whiskies. He had supervised the process many times as Executive Vice President of the distillery that had employed him for 20 years. Only this time it was different. He was working on his own blend. The one that would bear his name. And to make it tougher, he was shooting for the smoother rye yet produced. Under Jack's supervision the blenders used the liquors from many different casks like an artist uses colour. Blending. Tasting. Blending again, until everything was just right. The youngest liquor was well aged eight-year-old with other well-matured liquors added. When Jack had finished he knew he had a superb whiskey. Maybe the best. Today was the day, into a bare room trooped the taste testers. On a table were dozens of unmarked glasses containing rye blends from many different distilleries, some were best-sellers in the field. The tasters sniffed. They sipped. They gargled. Some repeated the whole process. "The half hour seemed like 30 years," says Jack. "I'll tell you when they all smiled and pronounced my blend as excellent, I heaved a sigh. I think I must have been holding my breath all that time." Jack was especially delighted with the opinion of one man whom the business regards as the 'blender's' blender in Canada. "He told me it was one of the best ryes ever developed." Jack reports with justifiable pride. "Those testers proved one thing to me that day...they really were experts." "Top Secret is a thoroughbred and is going to be a winner. Or my name isn't jack Baker."
Jack Baker's Top Secret
The man and the whiskey. |
