SHARE A DRAM WITH...
JAMES CORCRAIGHE
Mrs J. Rabbits Speakeasy — Brisbane Partner Bar
When would you say was your first introduction to whisky?
I have Irish ancestry, so my father always had a bottle of Jameson in the cupboard. He tried to introduce me to it when I came "of age", but I didn't feel very "of age" at 13 years old...I definitely required further maturation.
What is your most memorable dram?
Don't tell anyone, but I was only 15 years old when I had my most memorable dram. I grew up in small-town New Zealand, and I was a self-professed teetotaller who had made a solemn vow never to drink (hah, look at me now). I was at my best friend's farmhouse, and his father had a rather refined palate. Aaron was very much an imbiber and had climbed up into a high cupboard to take this bottle from his father's secret stash. He put it in my glass and dared me to drink it. Now I ain't no b**** , so I drank it against my better judgement.
It was a bottling of Stronachie 10-Year-Old Single Malt, a ghost distillery whisky recreated by A.D. Rattray and distilled by Benrinnes. I was lucky that Aaron still remembered which bottle we drank from (but so did his Dad). And yeah, I remember it burning...but it was one of my first times with alcohol in general, let alone at 43% ABV. I remember it having such a pleasant sweet note, and being rather pleased with the warming dram on this particularly cold night. Never had it again, but since remembering it, I think I should revisit that whisky to see how it compares to my recollection of it...I'll let you know how I go ;)
Where do you go for a quick feed on your break?
Below my little hideaway, we have a kitchen at Electric Avenue. However, it's normally pretty busy, so when it's just me, myself, and I manning the bar, dinner often goes cold before I get to even look at it. But if I ever do have an extra staff with me running the floor and we hit a lull in service, I order the mushroom gnocchi. It's super filling and tastes great, so I wolf it down in the office out the back like I've never eaten before. Living the hospo life, hey?
Which SMWS flavour profile best describes you and why?
Sweet, Fruity & Mellow. I'm not very good at being introspective, so I asked my partner Rebecca for her take. She said I'm not young and spritely anymore (I'm 25, so I took offence), I'm not old and dignified (true, but rude), I'm not smokey (I quit!), oily or dry (I'm not sure if she meant my skincare) nor am I spicy... but I'm DEFINITELY not vanilla (hehehe). However hanging out with me is always mellow, my personality is rather sweet, and I am indeed quite fruity!
If you could highlight one aspect of The Society you enjoy, which would it be?
The outrageous names. Some of the bottlings that arrive at Outturn are too good not to mention. I first got hooked on SMWS solely on the naming conventions alone because they stood out on a menu full of the usual traditional distillery names. My first SMWS whisky was 3.218 "Opening The Bonnet of a Classic Car" at The Last Word, in Christchurch, New Zealand.
I had never heard of describing whisky in such a way, and at the time it was revolutionary to think that people can taste all of that within whisky and paint a picture with which the flavours represent. Since then I've definitely been more inclined to order very...unusually...named bottles for my bar. You know what really piques people's interest? Stocking a whisky called "I Like Big Butts", "As Mad as a Box of Frogs" or the infamous "Riding a Duck Bareback up Mount Etna"! What’s your favourite thing about your Partner Bar?
The general vibe and aesthetic, Dan, the owner, did a great job of the décor. Picture walking into Narnia and finding Alice's Wonderland. You enter the bar through a wardrobe and are greeted by a lamppost. Now add classic blues and British psychedelic rock to the background. Everywhere you look, there's something to see; there's nook and crannies to sit in, a whole lot of knick-knacks, and rabbits play in every corner of the room. Finally, populate the room with guests lounging on leather couches and wooden furnishings, sipping out of teacups and fine glassware. It's genuinely a luxury to visit, and a pleasure to work in. What’s your favourite album?
I don't necessarily have a "favourite". I'm too indecisive and my music tastes range from one extreme to the other. However, I am quite partial to any Progressive music. As long as it includes way too many technical musical conventions and explores a wild concept, I'll love it. Jazz, Classical, and some stylings of Metal and Rap come under this umbrella. The albums I always tend to come back to are from a band called "Haken". They release story-based, conceptual, Prog-Metal albums with varying themes and lyrical narratives.
To contrast; one album called "Affinity" sounds like you're being blasted with '80s sci-fi synths backed by filthy distorted guitar riffs and technical drum rhythms, all the while, discussing what it truly means to be human. Another album, called "Vector '', sounds like a classic 1930's gothic horror with mad scientists and insane asylums. The story tells of the torturous relationship between a mental patient and a crazed doctor that devolves into weird visions, insanity and even experimental monstrous transformations. Wild stuff.
What’s your most-watched movie?
OooOo, it's a fight to the death between my favourite childhood cartoons: "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" (Dreamworks 2003), "The Road to El Dorado" (Dreamworks 2000) or "Robin Hood" (Disney 1973). I don't watch many films these days but when I grew up I must've played those VHS tapes on repeat every other day. Now that I think of it, it does explain a lot about my social and political ideals...huh.
Do you have an unusual skill?
Not unusual per se, but I have the ability to pretty much pick up any musical instrument and figure out how it works enough to play it with sufficient competency rather quickly. At this point in time I've committed time to: Saxophone, Upright-Bass & Bass Guitar, Banjo, Balalaika, Didgeridoo, Guitar, Viola & Violin, Piano, Harmonica, the list continues... Oh, and I can walk on stilts. *shrugs* What’s your go-to meal?
Miso Soup. It's only 2 ingredients, Dashi and Miso (Soybean) paste, but therein lies the trick! The complexity is within the minutiae of the dish. What miso paste do you use? What Dashi do you use? You can also add just about anything to Miso due to how versatile it is! Personally, I like mine with seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, and leeks. I know a lot of people like adding tofu, but I'm not so hot on it. Just make sure to go light on the salt when you make it! Speaking of, I'm going to go make myself one right now, I'll be right back...*walks off* What is your dream holiday destination?
Ok, I'm back with Miso. Speaking of Japanese cuisine...My dream holiday has always been rural Japan (and still is, even after visiting in 2019). I love their cultural approach to lifestyle and community. It's a beautiful place and I can't wait to return. If I was given an opportunity to visit anywhere else, however, I would choose the Netherlands, and not for the green reasons...I really love old European architecture and public infrastructure, so I'd want to travel up all the canals, eat locally baked goods and sip on some great local beers and spirits.
