BEHIND THE STILLS WITH ...STUART FEAR

Having made a career out of sharing his love for scotch, Stuart Fear is a Keeper of the Quaich and regional ambassador for Brown-Forman, dedicating his life to spreading the joy of whisky across Asia. Here, he reflects on the craft, the culture, and what makes a good dram.

- COLIN GOMEZ

In many ways, you could say Stuart Fear was destined for a career in scotch. A proud Scotsman, he also happens to live in Taiwan, one of the world's biggest whisky markets. He spends his days travelling Asia in his current capacity as the regional ambassador for Brown-Forman, where he looks to spread the joy of whisky and share the stories of Scotland's three best-kept secrets: The Glendronach, Benriach, and Glenglassaugh.

Stuart's also been inducted as a Keeper of the Quaich, one of the highest honours in scotch whisky. There could hardly be anybody better to talk whisky with, I thought to myself as I made my way up to the seventh floor of the Four Points Sheraton in Chinatown for our interview.

I find Stuart unfurled across a sofa, engaged in relaxed conversation with the representatives who helped put our little tête-à-tête together. Dressed in a neat blazer and a warm smile, he stands up to welcome me into the fold. There's an air of approachability about him, a gentleness in his demeanour that puts you at ease. He speaks with a soft, lilting Scottish accent, his youth spent in Newcastle not leaving much of a Geordie trace, at least as far as I could tell.