Member Spotlight: Annette Corben

Today we’re saying g'day to Member Annette Corben.  Let’s get into it, shall we? Pour yourself a dram and get to know your fellow Whisky Clubbers a little better. 

If you’re keen to be our next Member under the spotlight (and score next month’s whisky on the house while you’re at it), shoot us an email at drams@thewhiskyclub.com.au.

Alright, over to you, Annette. 

1. How long have you been a Member? Just the beginning of this year, January.

2. Where do you live? Canberra, Belconnen area. 

3. What’s been your favourite Whisky Club release so far? That’s a hard one. I really enjoyed the Morris Tokay Barrel. I like that you can try lots of different whiskies through the Club from different places. For so long, it had always been Scotch whisky, but then Sullivan's Cove won the World Whisky Championship and Membership with the Club has cemented the fact that other places can do really good whisky as well.

4. How did you get into the wonderful world of whisky? My husband developed a love of whisky when he was in his 40s. He explored that by buying different single malts. He enjoyed the different tastes. I was happy to spoil him but I didn’t partake. My only experience of whisky at that time had been whisky sours — I love a whisky sour.

I was in my mid to late 50s when I first tried a single malt (a peaty one) at home on a cold winter night. And after the second sip, it was “Ohhh I like this." Now it's my drink of choice. And my husband is now the one that says, "Oh no, we won't get the Club bottle this month," but I'm going, "Oh, oh yes, we will. Let's try this one."

5. What do you love about whisky? Each one is different but they all give you a slow warm hug from the inside as you drink them.

6. Is there a whisky you’re saving for a special occasion? No, not really, they are all there to be drunk. But there are some times I feel like a strong peaty taste and other times a more gentle delicate tasting whisky.

7. Tell us a bit about your favourite whisky in your collection? A whisky that I always remember drinking is Talisker 57° North. I learnt how a splash of water for some whisky made a difference to its taste. Lagavulin 16YO is a go-to whisky that we try to keep in our collection all the time too. It's an assault on your pallet, but it's a nice assault on your pallet.

8. If you could share a dram with anyone, anywhere, what would you drink, who would you choose and where would you be drinking? I think I would really enjoy having a whisky in Scotland at a beautiful distillery with a distiller talking about their whisky with my husband. 

We’ve got a lovely memory from a Balvenie whisky tasting and dinner event, where the Balvenie spokesperson spoke not only about the whisky, but also about the people, the place, and all of the stories attached to the history of the distillery. So, to experience something like that in Scotland would be wonderful. 

At home, we love to share whisky with our daughter and son-in-law, who is also a member; we might each get different Add Ins and go halves, and drink one of them at their place and vice versa. We enjoy sharing a whisky together after dinner around the fireplace in comfy chairs. 

9. What’s your favourite thing to eat while you’re having a dram? Just the whisky.

10. Finish this sentence: whisky is a slow and gentle warm hug best enjoyed with the one you love.

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