Prue Leith enjoys a dram after a hard day at work
Prue Leith enjoys a dram after a hard day at work

Bake Off’s Prue Leith reveals her love of whisky

Great British Bake Off judge, restaurateur, caterer, cookery writer, journalist and television presenter Prue Leith shares her love of whisky.

What made you become a whisky drinker?

When I was a child all Scottish whisky was exported from Leith. I was very proud of the fact that it said Leith on every Scotch whisky bottle. I managed to fool my friends in South Africa, telling them I had something to do with all the Scotch whisky in the world.

My father used to drink VAT 69, which was a blend. He used to like peaty whiskies like Laphroaig and Isle of Skye whiskies, which I didn’t like.

Favourite whisky?

The first whisky I got into was a Speyside and that’s still the whisky I tend to like. I like it to be milder, not peaty. I think Macallan is the best in the world. It’s very clean, it’s not at all peaty and it’s as smooth as silk with this brilliant burn. I adore it. I do like most malt whiskies, although I have been known to do the unforgivable and put a slug of water in it.

You like to add a mixer then?

After dinner I drink it neat. Late at night you’re not really desperate for a drink, because you’ve probably had wine and everything else. You drink it because it’s mellow and gentle – you’re doing it for the flavour and the feel. I’ll sip it in tiny little sips and take a long time over it. But if I feel like I need a drink, then I’ll water it down. No ice, room temperature.

Prue Leith enjoys a dram after a hard day at work

When do you drink whisky?

I never drink on my own – it must be some puritan Scots background in me – but John and I often have a whisky together, and I’ll bring it out for good friends after dinner. I hide it from my children though. My son likes a whisky too. He enjoys what I enjoy so I tend to hide the whisky when he’s around – there’s nothing like young people emptying your booze cupboard!

The best time for a dram?

My favourite time for drinking a blend, not a malt, would be 6pm after an exhausting day. Normally I’ll have a glass of wine at 7, but if I’ve really had a hard day, John and I will look at each other and say, ‘whisky?’ The other time is after dinner with friends.

What whisky do you drink with friends?

Well, I have a famous bottle of whisky – I once caught the first and biggest fish of the year on a Norwegian river called the Aa, and they gave me a bottle of whisky with a picture of a fisherman on the front. Underneath it said, ‘First fish on the river, 25lbs’ or something. I was immensely proud of this bottle, but of course we drank it, so now I top it up with Famous Grouse. I’m unashamedly egotistical about my fishing, so when friends come I pour the whisky out of that. It’s beginning to look a bit tattered now. One day I’ll forget I’ve emptied it and some helpful cleaner or someone will throw it away and I’ll be very sad.

Do you have a favourite watering hole?

Where I live in Stow on the Wold there’s a lovely old-fashioned pub called The Queen’s Head. It sells craft beers and is always full of locals standing round drinking whisky; I really like it there. Recently, John and I went to the Cafe Royal in Edinburgh – I just had a water because I knew I had to keep going all day, but that’s the sort of place I’d love to sit and savour a whisky. It’s so eautiful and it’s got a lovely atmosphere. I drink whisky at night for the flavour and feel – I’ll sip it in tiny sips and take a long time over it.

(Originally published in Cask & Still Magazine, issue three)

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