About
My Fellow Malters,
Life, as you know, can be complicated, throwing us curve balls and pulling from every angle. It is often the simple things that bring stability and let us step back to put things in perspective. A dram of a good malt whisky (especially the single malt scotch variety) is one of those simple things. It’s just a drink and yet it is so much more. Its a status symbol. A brotherhood. At once a symbol of rebellion and social order. Each sip a complex experience. So, it shouldn’t surprise you how excited I am to introduce you to the Whisky League.
But before I do, let me describe how I was introduced to single malt and how that led to Whisky Leadership, and ultimately the Whisky League.
My single malt journey began in 1989, while I was assigned to the 21 Special Operations Squadron at RAF Woodbridge in England. Certainly I’d drunk whisky before that, but sadly it was whatever rotgut nastiness was in the bar. The cheaper the better. After all, it’s all the same, right? Boy was I wrong!
Anyway, a couple of times each year, we would fly our helicopters up to Scotland for low level flying and mountain training. These were great trips and I have very fond memories of Cambeltown and Dundee! During one momentous trip, I was introduced to single malt whisky, the Gaelic “water of life”!
The power, complexity, aloofness, and character captivated me immediately. When I discovered that there were actually hundreds of unique single malts, I was hooked! Single malts weren’t quite my life’s mission, but they certainly were a passion!
Later I was to learn that single malt is in fact a lifestyle and that this humble drink has much to teach us! But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Over the next couple of years, I continued to sample Scotland’s drams in dozens of her wonderful pubs. I drank fantastic malts and horrible ones, honing my tastes with each, but here is where the story gets sad. I never kept notes and the memory of each of those fine children of Scotland is now gone! Today there are thousands of single malt reviews on the internet, but they aren’t mine. Whisky is a fickle mistress and never delivers the same experience to two noses or two tongues, so I must bid adieu to my memories and look to the future and the Whisky League.
When I returned to the States, I was assigned to Hurlburt Field in Florida. The arrival of two baby boys and increased work demands pushed my whisky passion into dormancy. Yet, just as an oak cask lets a single malt mature, events during this period matured my appreciation for single malts.
My commander from RAF Woodbridge was now the Director of Operations at the Air Force Special Operations Command, and my visits with him planted the seeds for Whisky Leadership. During one visit, the day grew late and he suggested we take a walk. Along the way, he introduced me to half a dozen or so Colonels in charge of various departments. Most of them, it seemed, had a bottle of whisky in their desks, which of course we sampled.
You may be thinking, “A bunch of old drunks,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth! They didn’t drink out of physical need. They drank for camaraderie and brotherhood, to celebrate life and warriors long passed. These men, like their drink, were bold, daring, and full of character, and it was an honor to be welcomed as one of them.
Single malt whisky, I learned, is not about the alcohol, it is about the shared experience.
In time, another friend from the 21 SOS, a true malt fanatic, opened his collection of single malts to me and introduced me to the fine art of tasting. I would typically buy a favored bottle and enjoy it on its own. Not Steve. He had a dozen bottles or more and we would sit down to sip a bold Highland, a peaty Islay, a smoky malt, and more. The character and mood of each stood out so clear and for the first time I understood the vastness of the malt universe.
By now, you may be wondering what the hell this has to do with leadership and the Whisky League, so let me try to pull it all together.
During my Air Force career, I served under more than forty different commanders and supervisors and closely studied at least that many more. Most of them were piss poor leaders and midway through my career I realized I wasn’t always so great either.
So I got to thinking.
What qualities defined the good leaders and separated them from the mediocre masses?
And for some reason I thought of single malt whiskey.
And I thought of leadership.
And whiskey.
The best of both share certain qualities.
They are bold, daring, and full of character. They don’t try to be something they are not. They are subtle yet strong. They choose integrity over fashion or political correctness. They are true to themselves and willingly sacrifice for the benefit of others.
Poor leaders are like a cheap vodka or rum; not very pleasing on their own and completely forgettable when mixed.
Strong leaders and good whisky take a stand. You may not like them, but you know you can trust them. They know that if you try to please everyone, you’ll end up pleasing no one.
That, in a nutshell, is Whisky Leadership.
Maybe it sounds a bit foolish, but Whisky Leadership served me well through my career and as I look at the world around us I can’t help but to think that our country could use a good strong dose of Whisky Leadership.
Which finally brings us back around to the Whisky League.
The Whisky League is first and foremost a celebration of Single Malt Whisky, but it is also a select brotherhood of Whisky Leaders. It is a place to take a stand against the mediocrity of our politically correct world. Whiners and trend followers are not welcome. The Whisky League is for the bold and the daring. Men who know they make mistakes but stand up to lead anyway. So if you are looking for a place to kick back, escape the idiots, and enjoy a good whisky, then welcome to the Whisky League.
I look forward to meeting you!
