Colin developed an early passion for whisky and followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and in 1973, he joined The Glenlivet Distillers as a trainee manager in Edinburgh.
His experiences in production started in the company’s bottling plant in Leith and on its closure he moved to the Newbridge bottling plant. Here he progressed through the Package Quality and Spirit Quality departments, eventually joining the Blending team in Paisley.
In 1989 he became Master Blender for Chivas Brothers after learning the traditions and highly-skilled art of Scotch whisky blending from his predecessor, Jimmy Lang.
Colin said: “As master blenders we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity of all our brands, and ensuring their consistent quality and taste experience year after year. Another part of the job is looking at the new spirit made today with a view to the future, securing the right stock for the next generation of Master Blenders, thus ensuring a seamless continuity.”