Still game
A DISTILLER has started a new chapter in his life after retiring aged 70.
A MASTER distiller has seen many malts mature since joining Glen Scotia in the early sixties.
Finally, Jim Grogan, 70, has decided to put the cap on his working life at the Campbeltown distillery. He has seen the business go through turbulent times, including being made redundant himself twice and rehired on each occasion.
It was straight into heavy lifting in the warehouse when Mr Grogan first turned up, aged 16, at what was then known as A Gillies Distillers.
Mr Grogan said: ‘There were no forklift trucks and all the barrels were moved by hand.
‘My first boss was Barry Smith and his son, Mike, was learning the ropes at the same time.’
In his time with the business there have been a number of owners, including Gibson International before Loch Lomond Group took over in 1996.
Boss Iain McAlister said: ‘Jim started work at Glen Scotia Distillery in the early sixties, a time when the industry was very different from the industry we have nowadays. The work was hard, but the characters and individuals within the distillery were timeless.
‘Jim is highly respected within the industry and has worked in all parts of the Glen Scotia process. He started his career within the warehouses and finally ended up as a skilful distiller, so I guess you could say his DNA is an integral part of the place.
‘He has seen the highs and lows of the whisky industry and most recently was part of the team which has taken Glen Scotia Distillery to its new dizzy heights, passing on his unique skill set to the younger generation, which will make sure the whisky industry is prevalent and strong in Campbeltown for the foreseeable future.’