An experienced whisky educator
With an impressive 17 years’ experience in the Scotch whisky industry under his belt, Matt has worked as a retailer, influencer, writer, presenter, after dinner speaker and brand ambassador. He’s seen and done it all.
In recognition of his achievements, Matt was made Keeper of the Quaich in April 2015 for services to the Scotch whisky industry. He remains one of the few influencers/bloggers to have been honoured this way.
Matt has worked with prestigious whisky brands and been on judging panels for the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), The Spirits Business Masters, World Whiskies Awards and Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards. Since 2008, he has co-written the second most read whisky blog in the UK – Whisky for Everyone – and occasional top ten in the world.
Above all, what I most admire about Matt is his keen interest in educating people about all things whisky. That’s why we’re delighted to make our relationship more official.
You’ll certainly be seeing and hearing a lot more from Matt in his new role as Master of Whisky.
What will Matt’s new role entail?
1. The roll-out of our independent bottle range
Matt advised us on cask selection for our first bottled Scotch whisky – a 35-year-old Glenburgie. Launched in June 2024, ‘Edition One’ of The Collection has since won multiple industry awards on the strength of Matt’s expertise.
Matt will continue to select casks for our range, oversee the bottling process, and advise on go-to-market strategy drawing upon relationships established over his long-standing career.
2. Improve the service we offer investors
Our clients will benefit from access to Matt’s insights. He will be available to offer non-investment-based advice, including sharing profiles of whisky distilleries and casks. Investors can also request a cask assessment and tasting notes.
In Matt’s words, “It is always a privilege to share my passion for whisky with others. The portfolio managers can refer their clients to me if they have any questions about whisky in general, or if they want a sample of their cask to be analysed and a set of tasting notes provided. This is quite a unique service offered by Whisky 1901.”
Matt will continue to join our exclusive whisky tasting events.
3. Expand our in-house expertise
Our company motto is ‘we educate ourselves, before we educate others’. Being able to tap into Matt’s expertise very much reinforces and enables this.
Matt will also deliver a training programme to further the depth of knowledge in our team – most of whom hold an Award in Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and have completed the Introduction to Scotch Whisky at Edinburgh Whisky Academy (EWA).
From portfolio managers to the marketing department, we want to ensure that all staff have an understanding and appreciation for Scotch whisky beyond its investment potential.
With Matt’s guidance, our ambition is to improve the proficiency and confidence of our team so that everyone can host a whisky tasting event.
Why do we need a Master of Whisky?
Matt is a highly respected and influential person in the Scotch whisky industry, and we are delighted to have him on board. Having someone of his standing and calibre in-house to oversee our bottling range, as well as developing the knowledge and expertise of our team to better advise investors, really sets us apart in this industry.
To find out more about how to invest in whisky, get in touch with one of our team.
**Disclaimer**
Whisky cask investments are unregulated in the UK. The value of investments is variable and can go down as well as up. You have 14 days to change your mind and request a full refund under our cooling-off period. The volume of spirit will decrease over time (known as “the Angels’ share”). “New Make” spirit has to be matured for 3 years, during which time its alcoholic strength could be reduced. However, for the product to be classed as “whisky”, it must retain a minimum strength of 40%.
Fees apply, see terms and conditions for details and terms around exiting your investment. An investor may get back less than the amount invested. Information on past performance, where given, is not necessarily a guide to future performance. The capital invested can fluctuate and the price of casks can go down as well as up and is not guaranteed. The investments and services offered by us may not be suitable for all investors. If you have any doubts as to the merits of an investment, you should seek advice from an independent financial advisor. The Whisky 1901 Ltd sale price includes a discretionary markup to cover the cost of services provided, including but not limited to, storage, movement and maintenance of casks, insurance, front and back-office software.
