What made you first interested in coopering?

My favorite subject at school was woodwork and metalworks. I used to watch coopers at work in Dufftown after school, and was fascinated by them making the barrels. I applied at the age of 15 to William Grant & Sons, got a job as an apprentice cooper, and I’ve been a cooper ever since.

Why is what you do as a cooper so important?

Over 60-70% of the color and flavor of a whisky comes from the wood. The quality of the wood and the cask is tremendously important. That’s where coopers come in. Coopers control the destiny of the wood.

What has changed in the last 21 years of the whisky business?

The importance of the wood. 21 years ago, a barrel was basically a container. As long as it held on, it did the job. Nowadays, you have to get the quality of the barrel right.

What do you think about the recent resurgence in whisky appreciation in youth culture?

I think the presence of whisky in cocktails, as well as the variety of whiskies available to try nowadays has made it more interesting to young people.