Member Spotlight: Norry Elder

Today we’re saying g'day to long-term Member Norry Elder. 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, Norry. 

1. How long have you been a Member? I’ve been a mMember since 2017.  I was living and working in a remote indigenous community and my friend began sending me messages about this whisky club he had joined and the fantastic whisky he was ordering.  As soon as I moved to Mildura I joined up. Still remember my first order… a bottle of the Tullibardine The Murray 2004.

2. Where do you live? Currently in Mildura up in north-west Victoria.  I am originally from Glasgow, Scotland and emigrated to Australia (Melbourne) in 2007.  

3. What’s been your favourite Whisky Club release so far? Without doubt, the Glenlossie 20 Year Old Single Cask. I still to this day have such huge regret about not doubling up on this.  How The Whisky Club managed to get hold of such a phenomenal whisky, let alone a 20-year-old expression, still baffles me.  I am still clinging onto a few drams of this liquid gold and it will be a truly sad day when it’s gone.

4. How did you get into the wonderful world of whisky? Being Scottish, you’ve got to love whisky right?  Well, I never really got into whisky while I was living in Scotland.  I had been living in Melbourne for about 6 months and I bought a bottle of Highland Park 18, this was back when you could buy a bottle for about $150.  Something clicked, and I was hooked and it went from there.  I still have a Highland Park 18 on my shelves and I am very much looking forward to the delivery of my Whisky Club Highland Park Cask Strength!

5. What do you love about whisky? The multiple nuances that different whiskies and different expressions bring.  There is so much variety in whisky and each time I have a dram it is a unique experience.

Even better is sharing a dram with like-minded people. Whisky is a great vehicle for bringing people together, and the whisky always tastes better when you have it with like-minded souls.

6. Is there a whisky you’re saving for a special occasion? I was holding on to a bottle of Lark Limited Edition 9 year old Bourbon Cask which I was saving for the birth of our son.  I opened it on the 8th of November 2022 when our son Archie appeared into the world.

7. Tell us a bit about your favourite whisky in your collection? To be honest, all of the whiskies in my collection are my favourites.  If hard pushed, I would say Talisker 18.  I travelled to the Isle of Skye a few years ago, with my camera bag and a hip flask of Talisker 18. I walked to Talisker Bay to get some photographs.  It was a surreal experience sitting there and each time I have a dram of Talisker 18, it takes me straight back.

8. If you could share a dram with anyone, anywhere, what would you drink, who would you choose and where would you be drinking? David Gilmour, Roger Waters and Nick Mason of Pink Floyd and we would meet in Seumas’ Bar in the Sligachan Hotel, Isle of Skye.  What would we drink? Enough single malt whisky where they would all agree to get back together for a final world tour and give the world a chance to see these geniuses in action.

9. Other than whisky, is there anything else you collect? Grey hairs!  No, I don’t really collect anything other than whisky.

10. What’s your favourite thing to eat while you’re having a dram? Decent dark chocolate.

11. Finish this sentence: whisky is:­­ Uisge Beath (Water of life).

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