Heroes
Emily Chappell: The Artistic Narrator Behind That Boutique-y Whisky Company's Unique Labels
Published 15/09/2023
In the buzzing world of whisky artistry, Emily Chappell stands as a force of creative might and imaginative prowess. As the ingenious brain behind the visually captivating and quirky label designs of That Boutique-y Whisky Company, her work narrates the rich stories housed in each bottle through her vivid canvases, transforming them into visual masterpieces that breathe life and character into the spirit they encapsulate. The Birth of a Whisky Art Maestra From her formative years nurturing a passion for art, to her educational foundation in textile design at the University of Derby, Emily’s journey into the whisky domain was a natural transition, fueled by a canvas ripe for creative exploration. The industry, with its rich traditions and narratives, called out to her imaginative spirit, setting the stage for a partnership with That Boutique-y Whisky Company that would span over a decade.
Emily Chappell: The Artistic Narrator Behind That Boutique-y Whisky Company's Unique Labels
Mark Reynier: The Visionary Behind Bruichladdich's Revival and Waterford's Terroir Focus
Published 15/09/2023
In the dynamic world of whiskey entrepreneurship, Mark Reynier stands as a figure of innovation and foresight. Leading the revival of the Bruichladdich Distillery at the turn of the century, and pioneering a “terroir-focused” approach at the Waterford Distillery, Reynier has etched his name in the annals of whiskey industry legends. Reigniting the Flames at Bruichladdich In December 2000, Reynier embarked on a daring journey to breathe new life into Bruichladdich, a distillery that had initially cost £6.5m. Reviving it as a private, operational single malt venture, he brought a fresh approach to the industry, introducing the concept of “terroir” into whiskey making – a term traditionally associated with wine production.
Mark Reynier: The Visionary Behind Bruichladdich's Revival and Waterford's Terroir Focus
Bessie Williamson: The Remarkable Journey of the First Woman to Head a Scotch Whiskey Distillery
Published 15/09/2023
Bessie Williamson: The Remarkable Journey of the First Woman to Head a Scotch Whiskey Distillery Introduction In the whiskey aficionado circles, the Laphroaig distillery is renowned for its foreground smokiness, a characteristic that has defined its legacy. Yet, fewer are familiar with the sterling contribution of Bessie Williamson to this legacy. Taking the helm of Laphroaig at a time when women were largely confined to roles as secretaries or cleaners, Bessie emerged not just as a figurehead in the distillery but also in breaking gender barriers in the industry. This is the journey of a Glasgow native who carved out a legacy in Islay, steering the Laphroaig Distillery to unprecedented heights.
Bessie Williamson: The Remarkable Journey of the First Woman to Head a Scotch Whiskey Distillery
Michel Couvreur - Last of the Mohicans
Published 08/06/2021
In the vicinity of Beaune, the Belgian Michel Couvreur begun making wine in Burgundy in the 1950’s. While trading Burgundy in Scotland, Michel met Ian Tennant of The Glenlivet, who was as enthusiastic about his wine as he was about his whisky. This led to a 25 year study of the magic of this ancient way of making uisce beatha. So traditional was his approach that he earned himself the name ’the last of the Mohicans'.
Michel Couvreur - Last of the Mohicans
Dr. Jim Swan - The whisky magician
Published 08/05/2021
A personality little known to the general public, but a highly recognized personality in the whisky industry, was Dr. James Sneddon (Jim) Swan. The trained chemist was a long-time expert and advisor to the whisky industry and helped shape many of the whiskies that we can enjoy today. Swan died on February 17th, 2017 at the age of 75 and left us a legacy of excellent whiskies from all over the world.
Dr. Jim Swan - The whisky magician
Shinjirō Torii (鳥井 信治郎) - Japanese whisky pioneer
Published 04/04/2021
The history of Japanese whisky production began officially in 1923 in Yamazaki through Shinjiro Torii. Today his company Beam Suntory is one of the big five globally. Born in 1879, he worked for a pharmaceutical wholesaler that was also active in the wine and spirits sector. In 1899 Shinjirō Torii founded the company Torii Shoten with a shop in Osaka and initially sold imported wine there within his country. In 1907 he expanded his range to include his self-made Akadama port, which was also sold successfully in Nippon. On December 1, 1921, this business was renamed to became the Kotobukiya company (株式会社 壽 屋).
Shinjirō Torii (鳥井 信治郎) - Japanese whisky pioneer
Masataka Taketsuru (竹鶴 政孝) - Japanese whisky pioneer
Published 17/03/2021
It’s not possible to tell the story of Japanese whisky without two names, Shinjirō Torii the entrepreneur determined to establish a domestic whisky industry, and Masataka Taketsuru who dreamed of making authentic whisky of the Scottish style. At the beginning of the 20th century the two worked together to found the first of the largest and most famous distilleries in Japan today, Suntory. Ultimately this fraught partnership ended and Masataka Taketsuru would go on to found Nikka supported by his Scottish wife Rita. This relationship serving as the basis of the TV drama Massan.
Masataka Taketsuru (竹鶴 政孝) - Japanese whisky pioneer
Alfred Barnard - The First Whisky Pilgrim
Published 17/01/2021
Alfred Barnard was a recognized brewing and distillery historian and some might argue the very first whisky pilgrim. As Secretary of Harper’s Weekly Gazette, he visited every active whiskey distillery in Great Britain and Ireland from 1885 to 1887. In total, he visited an incredible 162 distilleries, 129 in Scotland, 29 in Ireland and 4 in England. The result was a monumental book of 500 pages, all of which you can read here on whiskipedia. He listed the kingdom’s distilleries with detailed technical information about the distilleries, along with sketches, drawings and engravings. Only a small number of copies of the original print have survived to this day, some of them exemplary bound in leather, but most of them are bound in green cloth. Copies of the first edition go for a good £2,500. A fax copy was published in 1987 and has been reprinted three times since then. Alfred Barnard’s book has been called possibly the most important book on whiskey.
Alfred Barnard - The First Whisky Pilgrim