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Brian Kinsman: named Master Blender at one of the world’s leading whisky houses |
UK/INTERNATIONAL. Global premium spirits business and independent family distillers William Grant & Sons Ltd has named Brian Kinsman as its new Master Blender, with effect from 1 December 2009.
Kinsman will become only the sixth Master Blender in the company’s history when he takes over the reins from David Stewart, who, after 47 years’ service, will remain with the company to continue his role as The Balvenie Malt Master.
Brian Kinsman, a qualified chemist, joined the company in 1997 and has undertaken an eight year apprenticeship, having worked closely with Stewart, the longest serving malt master in the industry, during this time. From December, he will assume responsibility for all spirit quality, both new make and maturing inventories, for the company’s brands distilled around the world, and become Glenfiddich’s Malt Master and the Master Blender of Grant’s Blended Scotch Whiskies.
David Stewart, who will celebrate his 65th birthday in February next year, will continue to be The Balvenie’s Malt Master and will select and monitor The Balvenie’s rare and vintage collection and continue as a judge at the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) and International Spirits Challenge (ISC).
Stewart has been instrumental to the success of the quality of William Grant & Sons’ spirits brands for more than four decades and has helped the distillers win many awards including, most recently, the coveted International Spirits Challenge (ISC) Distiller of the Year 2009, an accolade the Company has won four times in the last five years.
Following a 12-year apprenticeship, Stewart was appointed Master Blender of William Grant & Sons in 1974; a position he has held since, making him the longest-serving master blender and malt master of any distillers in the industry. He has helped William Grant & Sons become Distiller of the Year for an unprecedented four times in a row.
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William Grant’s Malt Master David Stewart on the creation of the landmark Glenfiddich 50yo earlier this year |
His key achievements include the crafting of The Balvenie DoubleWood, arguably the first single malt to be finished in a different wood type, and of Glenfiddich Solera Reserve, using the innovative Solera maturation process, another first in Scotch whisky.
Stewart also developed the world’s first blends to be finished in Ale and Sherry Casks, with the introduction of Grant’s Ale Cask Reserve and Sherry Cask Reserve.
Plus he was instrumental in choosing and marrying the casks that created the landmark Glenfiddich 50yo, which was launched this year.
Kinsman said: “It’s an honour to join the exclusive roll call of Glenfiddich Malt Masters. Not only to be taking on the responsibility for producing the “˜best dram in the valley’, but to be taking over from David, who is the best nose in the business and has been for a long time. I’ve been lucky enough to have learnt and benefited from David’s knowledge and years of experience in much the same way David did from his predecessor, Hamish Robertson. He learned from Gordon Ross and Gordon from John Grant. John learned from his father, William Grant, our founder.
“My apprenticeship may be complete, but you never stop perfecting and exploring new possibilities for the time-honoured techniques that have been passed down – this is a lifetime of work and one I am looking forward to.”
Stewart said: “I recall when I first took over the reigns as Malt Master in 1974 when I felt a personal responsibility for ensuring a continuity of skills and time-honoured techniques to ensure all our whiskies were as complex and characterful as the last. Having spent a significant period of time with Brian, helping him to refine his Glenfiddich “˜nose’ I am confident that he will take up the mantle with the passion and commitment required to guarantee excellence in all of our award winning single malts.”
Grant’s global ambassador
In related news, William Grant & Sons has named Ludovic Ducrocq as the first ever global ambassador for Grant’s Blended Scotch Whisky.
His travels will take him to the Americas, Russia, China and Southern Europe as well as his native France, as he shares Grant’s product quality and its 100-year-old story with a new generation of whisky drinkers. He will be responsible for sharing his expertise among trade and consumers and using his in-depth whisky knowledge and connoisseurship to build passion for the award-winning range of Grant’s blended Scotch whiskies.
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Ludo Ducrocq: charged with spreading the Grant’s message around the world |
Starting his career in the whisky industry in 2000 as a guide at the distiller’s Dufftown Distillery in Speyside, in 2002 he was invited to join the distillery’s nosing and new product development tasting panels. Today he is still an active member.
Charged with recruiting, training and mentoring a team of ambassadors, Ducrocq’s appointment follows last year’s successful brand re-launch, which re-packaged the 110 year old blend and kicked off a £35 million investment package designed to take Grant’s to podium position amongst Scotch whiskies.
“There is such a richness of heritage and five generations of expertise contained in this exceptional Scotch whisky- it’s a story that deserves to be told,” said Ducrocq.
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