At Lindores, they pride themselves on being a close-knit team filled with fantastic talents and personalities. We had a chat with Gary Haggart – Distillery Manager at Lindores Abbey Distillery, about his time in the whisky world.
WDF: How did you end up in the whisky industry?
Gary: I had completed my Highers at Breadalbane Academy and at that time they had an excellent careers advisory service. I had always wanted to fly and I loved engineering, so I applied to British Airways, BP, Hydro-Board, the RAF and Tayside Police – a fair mixture of possibilities! British Airways went well, but a young innocent lad from Blair Atholl zooming off to London Gatwick was maybe a leap too far. BP progressed, but ended with a “no thanks.” Thankfully, the very same day that the no from BP came through, a note from United Distillers appeared saying that they were looking for engineering apprentices at their bottling plant at Inveralmond, Perth. I applied, and as they say the rest is history!
WDF: What brought you to Lindores?
Gary: I was working in Oil and Gas at the time and really enjoying my job, but I could see and had witnessed cutbacks. I was lucky I had another skill to fall back on and the itch to get back into the whisky industry never, ever left me. I was then tagged into a Facebook Post about Lindores, 1494 and Friar John Cor, and it stuck with me. Not long after, I spotted a post from Lindores about recruiting for the team. I submitted a letter and CV to Helen, we had a few emails, a lengthy chat, a few more meetings and then I was offered the role of Distillery Manager.
WDF: What is your proudest memory from your time at Lindores?
Gary: Without a doubt, having the privilege of opening Cask No1 in 2017 when it became whisky and then pouring Drew a dram from it. It made me so very proud that we had really done it, we had turned a 20-year dream and passion into something tangible and real.
WDF: What would you say to anyone thinking of dipping a toe in the whisky industry, either as a collector or as a career?
Gary: As a collector, do it for the right reasons, don’t just do it to make money. Do it to enjoy it, do it to make a little money that then buys you that bottle you always wanted to own, and then open and actually taste the bottle! As a career, never in doubt, it is just a fantastic industry to be a part of.
WDF: Money no object, which bottle would you buy (not Lindores!) to enjoy?
Gary: It’s a rare thing, but an early 90’s 12yo Macallan. It was the first single malt my dad introduced me to, and I can still taste it that nectar. Before that it was Bells and lemonade, which also as it happens was my grandfather’s favourite way to drink whisky!
WDF: Who would you most like to share a dram with and why?
Gary: This question comes up a lot and I have managed to answer it honestly and truthfully. It would be Major Richard Winters, best known for having commanded Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division during World War 2, and better known as the “Band Of Brothers.” I would want to ask him about leadership, performing under intense pressure, teamwork and his experiences from Normandy to Berlin. He is a person that often acts as my compass both in life and work, as I will ask myself “What would Major Winters do?”
WDF: Do you have a hero in the industry?
Gary: I do, and it’s a group of people who up until 4 years ago wouldn’t be able to tell you the difference between a mash tun and a potato masher. That’s the Operations team past and present at Lindores – none of them had worked in the industry before, but they have applied themselves to be part of a team that are receiving world wide recognition and picking up awards across the globe. It’s a credit to them and the industry that stories like this can be told!
WDF: Which distillery in the world would you most like to visit?
Gary: Kavalan in Taiwan. I would love to be able to see the extremes of what Dr Jim Swan was involved in and influenced.
WDF: Apart from whisky, what are your great loves and passions in life?
Gary: I love motorsport and that can be from MotoGP to Formula1, WRC to touring cars. If it involves a chequered flag, I will be interested. Golf, reading and military history are also up there, but there is nothing I love better than watching a good film, especially if it involves Daniel Craig as 007!
WDF: Using whisky tasting notes, how would you describe yourself? Mellow? Surprisingly mature? Complex?!
Gary: Well rounded but with many layers!
Slàinte