I first met Dennis Malcolm OBE a number of years ago in the glorious grounds of The Glen Grant Distillery.
It's a Speyside utopia, lovingly landscaped by one of the operation's founding fathers, James Grant, also known as The Major, nearly 140 years ago.
The Major had established the famous Victorian Garden to showcase the eclectic plants and exotic fruits he gathered on his journeys across the globe.
Yet it is here, over the course of 60 years and within the 22 acres of orchards, meadows, and gorges, that Dennis has cultivated a deep sense of contentment (and manifested success) which others scour the world for.
"I was born in these grounds in 1946," says Dennis, now Glen Grant's revered Master Distiller, as I caught up with him again recently.
"As well as my father and grandfather, my uncle was also in the industry before the war. It is a way of life for me - I was destined to be a part of it."
Dennis started at The Glen Grant in May 1961, aged just 15. By July 1971, he had been promoted to Production Brewer
In those early years, however, his life could have taken a different turn...
"When I was young, I was an inquisitive learner - I wanted to know every detail of how the whisky was made, but with the wages at the time, I had to consider other options.
"My uncle was in the police, which inspired me to apply as well, but nobody knows that!
"It was hard to get into police school and I didn't want to take favours to get anywhere.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von The Scots Magazine.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von The Scots Magazine.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
The Bliss Of A Bothy
After a strenuous walk, a mountain shelter can offer all you need
The Long Way Round
When you can only just see the stepping stones under a river in spate, it's time to re-think the route, as two Highland adventurers found out
The New Oyster Cult
A community is helping to restore the once rich biodiversity of Loch Craignish, one species at a time
A Poet's Sanctuary
Hidden on a hilltop, writer Dominic Cooper is inspired by the wild, stormy winters of the Ardnamurchan peninsula
A Rural Housing Crisis
Across Scotland, locals are being priced out and crowded out - but communities are now working hard to address the issue
A Historic Centre
Glasgow's Mercat Cross may not be as old as it appears but it's still seen many changes, along with an ebb and flow in prosperity
A Bird With A Brain
Jim's encounters with the raven in several northern countries have only increased his respect for its intellect and ingenuity
The Warrior King
On the 750th anniversary of his birth, Robert The Bruce's legacy as cultural keystone and historical enigma continues to fascinate
All Going Swimmingly
From Tutti Frutti to Shetland, Monarch Of The Glen to Granite Harbour, Dawn Steele's heart will always be in Scotland - and the sea
Following The Coos
The latest charity art trail aims to a-moos-e and delight visitors to Perth and Kinross this summer