Whiskey

Simplicity, Leonardo da Vinci said, is the ultimate sophistication. I am reminded of those words often when I sit with friends and enjoy a dram or two of single malt. For a spirit that’s as noble, historic, prized, and celebrated as Scotch whiskey—or any whiskey, for that matter—it never ceases to astonish me just how simple and straightforward it is to make whiskey. All you need is grain, water, yeast, and, of course, time.

I’m a collector and a businessman, which is to say that I am, by nature, drawn to practicality and logic. And yet whenever I start talking to people about Scotch whiskey, it’s hard to avoid thinking in poetic, romantic terms. After all, at the most fundamental level, Scotch is a product made from the four classical elements—earth, water, fire, air—coming together under the command of a master distiller who has devoted his life to an age-old craft: mashing, fermenting, distilling, aging. It seems so straightforward, but even a small modification to time, temperature, alcohol percentages, equipment size, or cask type can have an outsized impact on the flavor of the final product.

The art lies in knowing how to modulate those details and how they play into the final flavor outcome. Even if two whiskies are produced exactly the same way—same mash bill, same yeast, same fermentation time, same distillation equipment, same warehouse conditions—if you age one in an ex-bourbon barrel and one in an ex-sherry, you could end up thinking you’re sipping two different brands entirely.

Just as an athlete spends a lifetime honing a particular physical skill, distillers and blenders devote their lives to conditioning and strengthening their palate and nose. Once they’ve developed a Major League–level ability to smell, taste, and analyze, they can start taking other, tricker factors into account, like the whims of nature.

It’s my instinct for business that keeps me in Scotch whiskey’s grip. At the heart of all business is relationships, and the drink has come into the picture in countless scenarios in my professional life.

No matter what kind of place or situation I find myself in, the shared love of Scotch whiskey inevitably becomes a topic of conversation and enables a smooth transition from business to friendship and back to business. I can recall the time when I was trying to close a deal and met with some top military officials and members of the British government at White’s, an exclusive social club. Opened in 1693, it’s the oldest club in London. James Bond novels were written here. King Charles, Prince William, and various other nobles throughout history have been members. We met in a room with crystal chandeliers and elegant Georgian furnishings.

But it’s not the grandeur of the building or the sublime décor that come to mind first. It’s the shimmering amber, fragrant single malt that was in our glasses, made at a distillery whose history is as rich as the building’s.

It was a dram of the Macallan, a brand that I’ve been enamored with for many years—long before I started collecting it. I’ve been asked why this one distillery has become such an important and treasured part of my journey as a collector.

I wish I had a simple answer.

In part, it’s the fact that, historically, Macallan was a trailblazer. It was one of the first legally licensed distilleries in Scotland. It’s also the exciting collaborations: the exclusive crystal decanters that Lalique designed for a few limited-edition Macallan releases, or the expressions the distillers developed with renowned culinary figures like the Roca brothers of Spain’s Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca.

I enjoy following the new ways Macallan pushes boundaries. Over my years in business, I’ve learned that others do as well. I often recall a business dinner where I waxed poetic about one of Macallan’s recent innovations, only to learn that the colleague was also a Scotch lover. We quickly bonded over our mutual love for the brand and single malt Scotch in general. That evening, I closed one of the biggest deals of my career.

Drinking Scotch whiskey also plays a part in my social life, whether I am with friends involved in real estate, private equity, sports, or entertainment. We laugh and learn new things about our favorite whiskeys. One thing that stays with me is the moment in a gorgeous Los Angeles steakhouse that I learned the importance of adding water to a dram. There was a time when I would have reacted in horror to such a prospect. To water down a single malt seemed criminal. But that is no longer the case.

At a dinner hosted by Macallan, a brand ambassador used a small clear water dropper to add a few raindrop-size dribbles to our glasses. I watched as the liquid turned slightly oily in appearance. That reaction, the ambassador explained, was the esters bursting open. Esters are the flavor and aroma compounds that whiskey picks up from its contact with wood as it ages. They’re partially water soluble, so those few drops caused them to open up and release flavors and aromas. It was immediately apparent: The whiskey in my glass was more floral and raisin-y in smell than it had been minutes earlier. Scotch distillers have a name for the effect. They call it “releasing the serpent.” I have my own name for it: a revelation.

I’m struck by something else I’ve learned over the years: Appreciating whiskey reveals something about a person’s personality.

Whiskey drinkers are adventurous. I’ve found that they like to take risks and try new things.

This also applies to their choices at a drinking establishment. Whether it’s peaty, smoky whiskies from the wind-battered island of Islay, lighter floral whiskies from the sunny Highlands, or fruity, rich red-berry-tasting whiskies that have been aged in sherry casks, I think whiskey drinkers understand that distilling is a skill developed over time. To ignore or dislike one style of whiskey is to ignore or dislike one distiller’s skills and craftsmanship or one distillery’s traditions in favor of another’s.

Whether you agree or disagree with others’ personal preferences, it adds to the conversation. Those differences, in other words, bring people together, fuel conversations, and help create lifelong friendships. As scientific studies are revealing, spending time with friends is an important element in the arsenal of tools necessary for staying healthy and happy. So, I encourage everyone I know to spend time together and drink their Scotch happily.

Mr. Elliott Broidy is a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Broidy Capital Holdings. Broidy began his career at Arthur Andersen and Co and then served as a Managing Director at Bell Enterprises, where he was involved in a wide range of investments, including management of marketable securities, real estate, private equity, and other alternative investments. He is a recipient of “The Raoul Wallenberg Award.”