In Dialog With Dennis McBain Retired Coppersmith at Home of Hazelwood- The Luxurious Editor
Dennis McBain has devoted his complete profession to the ‘water of life’. As one of many industries longest serving Coppersmiths having began working in 1958, he has seen the whisky business evolve immensely over the past 65 years.
His position as Coppersmith and Guardian is one in all nice significance, overseeing every a part of the method, tending and caring for the distinctive whiskies produced by whisky pioneers, Charles and Sandy Gordon, many expressions of which make up the gathering that’s as we speak referred to as Home of Hazelwood.
For nearly 100 years, generations of the Gordons, the famend Scottish household of distillers, rigorously laid down shares of whisky for particular events and private consumption. Spanning seven many years and each nook of Scotland, the various whiskies held in cask inform tales of outstanding locations, misplaced methods of working, first casks, final casks, the ambitions and achievements of a number of lifetimes – none of which might be repeated once more.
On this Q&A Dennis shares with us his personal classes alongside business insights, from his lifetime profession as a real craftsman within the age-old business. Learn on to find extra.
Learn extra about Home of Hazelwood right here
Please inform us the way you found that this artisan craft was the profession for you.
On my option to college every day I’d move the Copperworks the place they made the Copper Stills and I used to cease and watch the coppersmiths engaged on these massive sheets of copper and all the time puzzled how they had been capable of find yourself with a Pot Nonetheless. When the chance got here alongside after I joined the corporate to work with the coppersmith whom Charles Gordon had head-hunted from the Copperworks to take care of the distillation tools, I jumped on the probability. I used to be additionally supplied a 1Penny elevate in pay which was a good deal.
Not solely did your father work on this however your son does too – did you encourage this choice?
My father inspired me to hunt work with the corporate due to its good status with its employees, so when one in all my sons was within the business, he had my full backing as I informed him that it was an excellent business to be a part of.
Please inform us the most effective recommendation your father gave to you and what you handed on to your personal son.
The very best recommendation that I obtained from my father was to respect the corporate that you simply work for and do your greatest and you’ll be sorted.
You joined the business in 1958 – you need to have seen a whole lot of modifications in that point. Which have been probably the most important and if/ how have they impacted the enterprise because it stands as we speak?
Trendy know-how has been the massive change within the business in contrast with the previous hands-on methodology of distilling which has helped the corporate to develop however the household stay the identical all the way down to Earth individuals.
Your position as an in-house Coppersmith was an business first. Please inform us extra about this modern choice and its impression not solely on the enterprise however the business.
It was an excellent concept of Charles Gordon to make use of his personal tradesmen to take care of his distilleries as he not needed to depend on outdoors contractors to maintain the whisky working and that’s nonetheless the case as we speak.
Though you’re retired now you continue to work on choose tasks. How do you determine that are these you’d prefer to be concerned with?
I nonetheless take pleasure in going to the distillery to meet up with what’s going on and to maintain my hand in doing a little small copper gadgets to assist the corporate in some small manner. I nonetheless take pleasure in making one thing new out of copper.
Which is your all-time favorite whisky and why?
In my profession with the corporate, I’ve been fortunate sufficient to take pleasure in whiskies of all ages and kinds, however I do have a smooth spot for the First Drop as that was the 12 months that I obtained married and it’s such a novel whisky.
Lastly, please inform us your life motto (in case you have one)
To all the time attempt to be the most effective person who I might be.
