We followed these stories through to the tasting room and the shop too. Instead of the usual “nose, palate, finish” tasting notes structure, we went for a simpler one: this flavour is balanced with this one for smoothness. It’s a good example of how writing is as much about how you organise what you want to say as it is about the words themselves. This simple structure brings the “smooth and balanced” bit of the brand front and centre and makes it easier to write about the variations without using “whisky-itis” words like “floral notes of heather with a hint of smoke…etc etc.” It also helps the tour guides talk about the whisky in the tasting during the tour and mirrors how people choose a bottle of The Glenlivet to take home in the shop.