The drink levelled all

James Marsden and Ervin Trykowski worked up some new experiences for fellow Scotch enthusiasts. Ramya Palisetty watched the duo

No other spirit has been associated with manhood like Scotch whisky. The man who savours it is the one who wears a tweed suit, lives life to the hilt, challenging new discoveries and inventions on a daily basis. He doesn’t settle and always has a brooding look of intelligence and wisdom.    And so it is that Diageo, the world-leading spirits company whose portfolio bulges with names like Johnnie Walker and Talisker, got in actor James Marsden as its global icon. Best known in India for his role as Kevin Doyle in 27 Dresses, he loves to drink Scotch neat with a little water or on the rocks with a hint of mint leaves. But now that he is comfortably ensconced in a pride of place, he is open to experimentation with his favourite drink. Said he, “Nobody wants to think too hard while making a drink.”

For his India visit as part of the LoveScotch campaign by Diageo, the actor admitted to being an “absolute foodie” and was looking forward to trying out local cuisine. “I have heard a lot about Indian food,” said Marsden, who knows a bit about Bollywood too. “I have always admired Bollywood films, I love the grand sets, the vibrancy of the colours and emotions the films depict. I am a fan of Indian culture and the diversity of it,” he told us looking at the bartender, one of the few individuals who could rock the moustache with flawless ease while wearing a dungaree apron and mixing concoctions with Scotch as the core ingredient. But then  he turned to fellow brand ambassador Ervin Trykowski, a bartender at heart, who was circling the crowds, talking to everybody with the enthusiasm of a child bouncing around in a carnival. Calling himself a warm-up act followed by James Marsden, he believes that good bartenders know the choice of drink for each customer even before the individual realises it. “I still find Johnnie Walker Black Label the everest of whisky. There was a time when single malts were enjoyed straight or with a dash of water and only blended whiskies were served on the rocks with mixers or in cocktails. But attitudes and perceptions have been changing fast,” he told us. And then he did his part well, elucidating on the importance of the International Scotch Day. “It marks the birthday of Alexander Walker, son of Johnnie Walker whose legacy is still carried out in 200 countries. The unique fertility of flavour and the robustness add character and personality to the drink. The movement began to re-emphasise the finesse of Scotch at a time when the Japanese are substantially making their presence felt in the market.”

Then we caught up with Marsden, wanting to understand the ongoing actor’s workshop that he is, having transited from the parallel and silently resilient lead of The Notebook and Cyclops in the X-Men films to being Teddy Flood in the popular television series Westworld. For the past seven months, the actor has given his heart and soul to the series. Said he, “If you thought the first season was good, the second season will blow your mind.” He feels that television space is going through a renaissance where people are ready to take risks with content. “There is a lot of good work out there that viewers can see. People do much more and they are also ready to take more risks. There are a lot more stories being told, even the bold ones. A great variety in movies and in television can be seen  over the years, one can see a great evolution in the kind of roles and stories people are telling.”

His kids are unperturbed by his success though. “My children have been underwhelmed with my success. Now that they have grown up, my son boasts about my role in superhero movies.” However, while the performance space changes with trends coming in and going out, Scotch, Marsden felt, is timeless. “The 500 years of its survival is a testament to its quality and popularity. A timeless icon like Frank Sinatra enjoyed a glass of Scotch,” he told us.

Once the goofy pals got together, it was like a house on fire. The camaraderie they shared seemed to have sustained the test of time and space. In an effort to spread the message and to entertain the guests, the friends demonstrated various ways to create a blend and enjoy a nice drink. To do the honours, Marsden was put in charge of pouring the ingredients. The funnel shaped flask was used for measuring the Scotch. He poured it over a glass of ice cubes and topped it with ginger ale. The golden threads swirling in the soda looked like caramel. A twist of lime and Marsden placed it before the connoisseurs. The second drink was far from tradition and an invention made with Indian ingredients. After pouring the Scotch, Marsden added a dash of lime juice for acidity. Then he plopped in sugar syrup, native to the Indian palate and tossed in a hint of bitters with a bit of egg whites. As he shook the concoction, the crowd applauded with enthusiasm. Marsden seemed to appreciate the appearance and its stark resemblance to mango juice. After taking a sip, he said rather knowledgably, “Egg whites add texture to the drink and it is perfect to be enjoyed on a warm summer day sitting on the beach.”

LoveScotch is a movement about getting the world talking, thinking and trying the world’s favourite whisky as a celebration. As part of the festivities,  Diageo will open up its Archive at Menstrie, near Alloa – a liquid library of more than 5,000 bottles which is claimed as the biggest of its kind in the world.