Iain Duthie

Head Cooper

Joined the company in 1975

It is widely accepted that as much as 70% of the final flavour of a malt scotch whisky is derived from oak wood. As such we take great care to ensure that all the casks used to mature our precious malt whisky are of the very highest quality. Firstly we go to great lengths to source only the finest sherry butts from some of Spain’s most famous bodegas and bourbon barrels from the USA.

In order to ensure that these casks are maintained to the very highest standard two full time coopers are employed at distillery. These coopers spend their days assessing casks to ensure that they are of the right quality and character for maturing our whisky. We think this is vital to ensure the ongoing quality of our whisky. We are one of only a handful of distilleries in Scotland that retains its own Cooper so this shows the commitment and importance we place upon our wood policy.