Scotch: A Golden Dream (2018) User Reviews

Entertaining, Informative, and Elegant

[Dennis_D_McDonald · 8/10 · 17 November 2019]

If you are partial to single malts or just want to see rural seaside Scotland close up this gorgeously produced documentary is for you.

Its primary appeal is its balancing of details about how Scotch Whiskey is made with details about who the people are who are responsible for this industry.

The amount of detail about scotch is really quite impressive. As much as I am partial to single malts I learned a lot about the art and science that goes into the distilling process. There are side trips into glassblowing and into the role of women in the industry. Also raised are questions about whether or not age really correlates with quality; what is said might be surprising to some.

Like the appreciation of fine scotch, it pays to slow down and relax while you watch this 89-minute documentary. Recommended.

A passion for whiskey, everything you need to now about it.

[deloudelouvain · 8/10 · 7 February 2021]

To be honest I was a bit reserved whether I would like this documentary or not. I can enjoy a glass of whiskey every now and then but I'm not an avid enthousiast like some tend to be. That said I did enjoy this documentary and you don't have to be a whiskey drinker per se to find this documentary very informative and well made. I learned a lot just by watching it and that's always a bonus with this kind of documentaries. The best thing about it was the passion everybody had whilst talking about it. All those passionate people contributed in an easy and pleasant to watch television moment. I'm always interested to listen to people that are passionate about something, as they know everything about the subject and it's just fascinating that people can consecrate their lives to just one thing. Jim McEwan is one of those persons and it was nice to listen to him, as it was to listen to all the others that told anecdotes about whiskey. Scotch: A Golden Dream is what you need to watch if you want to know everything about whiskey, from the making to the bottling, to the degustation. It made me want to drink a whiskey and so that's what I'm going to do right now. Cheers!

Whiskey Doc

[wavecat13 · 6/10 · 12 December 2020]

This is a loving doc built on interviews with serious but charming people in the scotch whiskey business. If this doesn't make you want to pour yourself a whiskey, I don't know what would.

Beautiful film that expresses our love affair with Scotch whisky

[scottdewicki · 9/10 · 29 October 2019]

Watching this film, you could be forgiven for thinking it was produced by a government-owned tourism bureau. But this is the story of single malts, and those who have devoted their lives to the stewardship of an art form, none more so than Jim McEwan of Bruichladdich Distillery.

If there is a sour note in an otherwise sweet film, it is intentional; like pairing a dram with a lime wedge. The taste of bitterness comes through when the distillers talk about the impact of high taxes on their products. Like their cousins in the American South, these men and women find themselves and their livelihood at the mercy of government and its insatiable need for revenue.

In the end, I envied the characters' - make no mistake, they are "characters" in the best, most playful sense of the word - passion for Scotch, and looked forward to my next opportunity to pour a golden glass.

Scotch : A Golden Dram

[davidstewart-47277 · 9/10 · 7 March 2019]

What better place to see this film but in the capital of the Highlands - Inverness.

It's a very well structured film both informative and entertaining. It is a good balance between the processes that bring whisky together, along with the people and the landscape.

It is beautifully filmed and holds the viewer's interest, despite being one of the longer documentary type films I've seen on the subject, approx. 90 minutes.

My enjoyment was further enhanced by a Q&A with the director, Andrew Peat, following the screening.

A very interesting, informative and enjoyable movie about Scotland and Scotch whisky.

Outstanding ode to Scotch whiskey

[katfish38-165-97666 · 10/10 · 13 December 2019]

Great overview of Islay Scotch, how it's made, how it is to be enjoyed and the legacy it has created for the Scots. Front and center is Jim McEwan, a master distiller and legend in the Scotch world. Full of emotion. A must watch for any lover of the golden elixir made in Scotland.

A Golden Dram Is All It Takes

[jack-52382 · 10/10 · 3 July 2019]

I recently read that documentaries are growing in popularity. The reason for that is evident in watching Andrew Peat's most excellent film, "Scotch: A Golden Dream, also referred to as "The Golden Dram."

Please note that last word is "dram," not "dream." A dram is the quantity in which Scotch is served in Scotland (and likely elsewhere, to be sure.) But in watching this film, it becomes quite evident that having a sense of the dram is awfully important to Scots and the manner in which they consume their illustrious homegrown spirit. As a unit of measure it's rather technical, but with regard to the amount of Scotch whisky poured into a glass, (preferably designed specifically for this purpose) and adding just the right amount of spring water to it, the dram is quite important.

Mr Peat's documentary sets out to tell the story of Scotch, and to a great extent the national character of Scots, and succeeds in both respects. We see the Scottish Highlands, the Isle of Islay, the rivers and streams, the peat bogs so necessary in providing fuel to the distilleries, the magnificent Highland cattle, the people.

We meet many delightful and interesting Scots. They portray such a love of Scotch whisky and the culture in which it thrives. They are so sweet, so cultured, so charming, so funny, so not-about-getting-drunk-on booze, that even a teetotaler would want a dram to see what all the adulation is about.

We learn how Scotch whisky is made, to be sure, but in such a skillful way that it never once feels like a lesson. You might be surprised to find out how important American oak casks (recycled from casking bourbon) are in creating the Scotch whisky's taste and fragrance. You'll hear tales that will have you laughing out loud. You're also likely to frown when you learn how heavily the UK government taxes its most treasured produce.

But at the film's core, it's the story of Jim McEwan, who started in the business as a lad, an apprentice cooper, and retired 52 years on as a Master Distiller, ultimately responsible for every aspect of the whisky-maker's art.

Mr Peat, through varied interviews, recognizes that any story good enough to be told is more about people than things, and such is the case in this consistently charming and interesting documentary. It never lags, whether filming people, distilling equipment, or the beautiful Scottish landscapes. We slowly but inexorably come to the conclusion that today's story of Scotch is one that could not have been told without telling the story of Jim McEwan. "Scotch: A Golden Dram" is so good you don't even need to be a Scotch drinker to enjoy it.

Older the whiskey is a myth !!!

[eronaque · 9/10 · 20 October 2019]

I so loves this documentary. It gives you a deep insight what it takes to make a good whiskey, whether its single malt or blended. The whole whiskey making process is as rich as its taste. Its the meticulous details which makes them truly to say its a scotland whiskey, its a scotch. I have always been a scotch whiskey person and I would always be. The best part I like about the statement " the whiskey is the most beautiful and sweet when its between 10 to 18 yrs of age" and also the fact about what makes a good dram is its not the taste of whiskey itself but an experience which let you enjoy the dram. Enjoy this beautiful documentary - all great whiskers and keep drinking !! Cheers !!

Really a "must see" for anyone who enjoys whisk(e)y of any type.

[TxMike · 6 February 2020]

I found this on Amazon streaming movies. I am one of those whisk(e)y lovers, I enjoy all types, including a good Scotch, even though Bourbons are my favorite. Some years back I had the pleasure of visiting Oban and the distillery there, it has a lasting impact on me.

A running time of 90 minutes at first seemed too long but it is so well organized, covering every aspect in turn, and the stories are so well told that when it was over I found myself wishing it had been a bit longer.

The film includes many in the industry of making and marketing Scotch whisky, but more focus is on Jim McEwan, a distiller and master blender, a 52-year industry veteran. He is a quite entertaining person, obviously quite skilled in the subject, and also seems like a very nice person. His is the fairy tale story, as a young boy walking past the Islay distillery he was often detained by looking through a window, as a willowy teen was given a summer job, and through hard work and dedication became one of the giants of the industry.

Good documentary.

A biography of Jim McEwan that tasted nice in the mouth but had no finish

[donaldtreat · 3/10 · 1 December 2019]

As an ode to Islay and Islay scotch, it did well. Save for a short few minutes, however, it seemed to pretend and certainly never explained that Islay and Speyside scotches are dramatically different. As I watched the film settle its focus on Jim McEwan, I consciously wondered "What about the other distilleries? Are there no experts in Speyside?" I tolerated the indulgence with the understanding this film served as a memorial to his contributions, complete with his daughter choking up as she realized he would no longer be working in the industry.

Except he IS working in the industry. He came back almost immediately to help a new distillery. I can only wonder whether all the folks who sang his praises feel the same now that he is helping a competitor.

The film shouldn't have focused on him. Scotch whiskey is wonderful and could have stood alone without the false emotional impact.

Must Watch if You Love Scotch and Scotland!

[dennislhopkins · 10/10 · 30 December 2019]

Perhaps one of the best documentaries about a man, a product, a region, a country, and a ethos I've ever seen. So worth the watching with a wee dram in your hand!

Scotch Lover's Must See

[tomtpcarpe · 10/10 · 11 March 2020]

Jim McEwan is regarded by his peers as the best in the business. This film chronicles his professional life and cleary depicts his passion for Scotland and whisky. I am a lover of single malt Scotch, and always eager to learn more. Watching this film you can almost smell the barley and the peat. So, if you're a fan of Scotch, or Scotland, pour a wee dram and enjoy this little jewel.

Educational and heartwarming.

[smiledaydream · 10/10 · 24 December 2020]

This movie is so much more than what I needed or expected. It is as educational as I hoped it would be. Education is everything from production and manufacturing and tasting and what do you observe and how to observe the whiskey. But the story is so fantastic. The characters are so fantastic. It's so aesthetic. If your desire is to see a great movie about whiskey this is one of those.Educational and heartwarming. I advise you have on hand an excellent single malt and an excellent source of cool water.

Very informative

[livnjesuslife · 10/10 · 8 July 2022]

This was very interesting and educational on many levels. From how they make it to how you should drink it. They also convey the feelings of the locals well.