Notaltogetherplainsailing : Whisky Magazine Issue 39Latest Issue (137) Back Issues Next Issue Stockists French Greek Japanese Spanish Mandarin Issue 39 - NotaltogetherplainsailingNotaltogetherplainsailing	TweetTheClassicMaltsCruiseisanannualeventheldbyDiageo,formerlyGuinness-UDV.Foronepersononit,itwasacaseofsailingwiththeenemy.ButforGillianBell,theadventurewastochangeherperspectiveentirelyGivenpersonalhistoryandperceptions,IshouldhaveavoidedtheClassicMaltsCruiseliketheplague.AtwoweekboozecruisewiththeheidyensofUDV,formallyGuinness,andnowDiageo.Itwas18yearsagothatErnestSaunders'Guinnesssentintheheaviestokneecapmyfather,ArthurBell.Hewasmarketingafinewhiskywithhisownsignatureonthelabel.ButasLordClydepronounced,“Amanhasaninalienablerighttotradeunderhisownname,”atriumphforsmallbusiness,DavidandGoliathrepeated.AndArthurlivedtotradeanotherday.Unfortunatelythekneecappingcamelaterfromaverydifferentsource,butthat'snotmystorytotell.Sowhythenshouldthedaughterofa‘whiskyrebel',who'saprofessionalinmarketing,takeajobcookingonacorporateyachtcharter?Havingasomewhatcynicalviewofthecorporateculture,I'dneverheardoftheClassicMaltsCruise,nevercookedonaboat,doneonlyalittlesailing,andonlytalkedwithmynewemployeronthephone.Butfatehasamysteriouswayofweavingherweb,andthiswebstretchesaroundtheworldandhaschangedmyownopinions.IfelloutwithScotlandacoupleofyearsback,foranumberofpersonal,familyandbusinessreasons.SoIpackedmybagsandfleditsshoreswithaviewtofindinganewhomesomewhereintheworld.ThroughoutCanada,theStatesandevenSamoa(restingplaceofRobertLouisStevenson),Imetanumberofdisillusionedexpatsandenjoyed(onoccasion)theodddramwhilereminiscingaboutourCaledonianmotherlandandwhywe'dfeltforcedaway.OnmytravelsIdiscoveredNewZealand.Paradise;Scotlandwithoutthehistoryandamuchbetterclimate.InmysecondweekinthecountryIlandedajobwithAmericanExpress(I'mnotscaredofcorporatism).TheLouisV...By : GillianBellWords : 1,313
