WHILE JENNIFER LOPEZ reportedly insures her body for US$30 million, Dolly Parton has taken cover on her breasts and Bruce Springsteen values his voice at US$6 million, Colin Scott has his nose insured.
It doesn't look out of the ordinary, but Scott's supersensitive snout is his prime asset as the master blender for Scottish whisky firm Chivas Brothers, makers of one of Asia's most popular spirits, Chivas Regal. How much is his conk worth? The company's PR machine calls him the man with a million-dollar nose. Scott is less forthcoming. 'I don't want to put a figure on it,' he says.
Scott - in town for the sale of his newest and most exclusive whisky, Royal Salute 50 Year Old, which is one of the world's costliest at $68,888 a bottle - says he was lucky to be born with a 'discerning and sensitive nose'. But keeping his beak in peak condition takes regimented discipline and hard work. Scott doesn't smoke, or eat chilli or garlic. 'I don't want to be corrupted by outside influences,' he says.
Each year he has to prove his sensory supremacy by taking a test alongside other nose-smiths - blenders of wine, perfume and cigars. 'Fortunately the ability doesn't seem to diminish with age,' the 53-year-old says. But he stresses there are other attributes a master blender needs, not least a passion for his art.
While single malt whiskies dominate the higher echelons of scotch, Asia has overwhelmingly taken to blended whiskies in which several malts are merged into one. 'Single malts are like close friends you can have a conversation with, a blend is like a party with many people adding different things to the mix,' explains Scott.
The son of a distillery worker, he grew up on the island of Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland, and fondly recalls his first stolen drop of the hard stuff as a young boy. 'It was very exciting, but didn't taste as nice as marmalade,' he says.