I have worked in the drinks business in Scotland since 1974, exporting Scotch Whisky and selling it in Scotland for around 20 years. I won the Master of Malt title in 1987 and the first edition of The Malt File (later to become The Malt Whisky File) was published o the back of that in the spring of 1989.
My whisky activities have involved creating and tutoring the world's first Scotch Whisky evening class and, subsequently, an Advanced Whisky course. My students enjoy these courses that some people are close to making attendance on the courses an annual event! I have delivered the course as an 8 week evening class course, as a two day course and even once as a 4 hour course. Never again, there is far too much content to squeeze it to that extent.
I have tutored Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses since 1991.
In my spare time(?) I am a volunteer with environmental groups local to my home and as an activist with Jubilee Scotland.
Nowadays, I seem to be doing more on the volunteer front than ever before, possibly I am developing a conscience as I mature. I have always felt that Scotch Whisky is a (relatively) environmentally friendly product in keeping with the locale of its creation. High energy prices and environmental awareness have made Scotland's whisky distillers very conscious of their impact on the world and I am pleased to say that in recent years, they have made strenuous efforts to reduce their environmental footprint.
The tasting notes in my books are mine and unique to me. I have attempted to be as objective as I can, not allowing my personal likes and dislikes come into my notes and I do not score the whiskies believing, no, knowing that the distillers make the best spirit that they can within geographical and economic limits. The whisky industry thinks that I have been relatively successful in my objectivity. I hope that you will too.
