WHISKY PORTFOLIO MASTER BLENDER, STEPHANIE MACLEOD, JOHN DEWAR AND SONS

Brands innovate to accommodate rising demand, although given that whisky takes time to mature, this trend inevitably produces challenges. How do you balance both elements?

Finishing in casks provides a way of introducing different nuances to our whiskies and forward planning. As a team, we hold regular innovation sessions and take time to experiment with flavors. True innovation takes research, time and careful planning in whisky; you have to have respect for the category guidelines and take inspiration from the creativity that has come before.

Every master blender has their own individual nose and palate. How do you ensure consistency?

We have recipes and cask type profiles for all of our blends, and blend strictly in accordance with these criteria. As well as myself, I have an assistant and a sensory panel who also assess all our blends before they are bottled.

What marketing strategies have the global whisky brands employed to distinguish themselves and what sets them apart?

I especially like what Stranger & Stranger have done with our Aberfeldy gold bar tin; they have brought the story of Aberfeldy to life - the gold in the water, the preciousness of the whisky and the gold color, reflecting the main tasting note of honey.

What do you think the ‘Next Big Thing’ is going to be in whisky in the coming year and why?

For Dewar’s we have a number of beautiful Single Malts Exceptional Casks across our distilleries Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie and Royal Brackla. Also, we have a range of Super Premium Blends which we are about to launch, where I’ve taken inspiration from our first master blender, AJ Cameron, and experimented with our ageing process. These launch in March next year.