 Notaltogetherplainsailing : Whisky Magazine Issue 39Latest Issue 137 Back Issues Next Issue Stockists French Greek Japanese Spanish Mandarin Issue 39 - NotaltogetherplainsailingNotaltogetherplainsailingTweetTheClassicMaltsCruiseisanannualeventheldbyDiageo,formerlyGuinness-UDV.Foronepersononit,itwasacaseofsailingwiththeenemy.ButforGillianBell,theadventurewastochangeherperspectiveentirelyGivenpersonalhistoryandperceptions,IshouldhaveavoidedtheClassicMaltsCruiseliketheplague.AtwoweekboozecruisewiththeheidyensofUDV,formallyGuinness,andnowDiageo.Itwas18yearsagothatErnestSaundersGuinnesssentintheheaviestokneecapmyfather,ArthurBell.Hewasmarketingafinewhiskywithhisownsignatureonthelabel.ButasLordClydepronounced,Amanhasaninalienablerighttotradeunderhisownname,atriumphforsmallbusiness,DavidandGoliathrepeated.AndArthurlivedtotradeanotherday.Unfortunatelythekneecappingcamelaterfromaverydifferentsource,butthatsnotmystorytotell.Sowhythenshouldthedaughterofawhiskyrebel,whosaprofessionalinmarketing,takeajobcookingonacorporateyachtcharter?Havingasomewhatcynicalviewofthecorporateculture,IdneverheardoftheClassicMaltsCruise,nevercookedonaboat,doneonlyalittlesailing,andonlytalkedwithmynewemployeronthephone.Butfatehasamysteriouswayofweavingherweb,andthiswebstretchesaroundtheworldandhaschangedmyownopinions.IfelloutwithScotlandacoupleofyearsback,foranumberofpersonal,familyandbusinessreasons.SoIpackedmybagsandfleditsshoreswithaviewtofindinganewhomesomewhereintheworld.ThroughoutCanada,theStatesandevenSamoarestingplaceofRobertLouisStevenson,ImetanumberofdisillusionedexpatsandenjoyedonoccasiontheodddramwhilereminiscingaboutourCaledonianmotherlandandwhywedfeltforcedaway.OnmytravelsIdiscoveredNewZealand.Paradise;Scotlandwithoutthehistoryandamuchbetterclimate.InmysecondweekinthecountryIlandedajobwithAmericanExpressImnotscaredofcorporatism.TheLouisV...By : GillianBellWords : 1,313 