Michael Jamieson celebrated in new Glenturret

Glenturret Distillery has released a 29 year old single cask malt, dedicated to long-time cooper, Michael Jamieson, who has worked in the industry for 44 years.

The Glenturret Jamieson's Jigger Edition is a cask strength single malt whisky, priced from £295-£395, with only 170 bottles of  available.

Dedicated to Jamieson, whose whisky career as a cooper has spanned over four decades, the 29-year-old whisky was filled on 20th November 1987 in a repaired cask that would have once passed through the Clyde Cooperage in Addiewell, when Jamieson was at the height of his career.

Jamieson began his career at Clyde Cooperage aged 15 in 1971, following in the footsteps of his father who was also a cooper. Jamieson says: "Coopers are a rough and tough bunch." 

Jamieson was also responsible for hand-crafting the washbacks at distilleries across Scotland, including the douglas fir washbacks at Glenturret Distillery, made completely by hand with no glue, nails or screws.

Now retired and living in Speyside, Michael has hung up his tools after 44 years in the Scotch whisky industry. He spent the last seven years of his career as a foreman cooper, responsible for the movement of 40,000 sherry casks from Spain and 90,000 refill casks.

Glenturret Distillery, which claims to be Scotland's only remaining hand crafted malt whisky made in the traditional way, wanted to honour Michael's commitment to the industry with a retirement gift as a tribute to all his work.

Speaking of the dedication, Jamieson comments: "I'm absolutely delighted and honoured to have been given this special dedication from Glenturret Distillery. I have fond memories of visiting Glenturret throughout my career and I have no doubt that the cask that this special whisky matured in would have once passed through the cooperage all those years ago. It's a great industry to work in and I'll definitely miss the banter but I'm looking forward to enjoying my retirement up in Speyside with a wee dram or two."

Michael Jamieson's dedication is the latest in a series of limited-edition releases from the distillery, all of which pay homage to the craftsmen who have formed the whisky industry over the years. Others who have been given a whisky dedication include James Fairlie, the man who re-established Glenturret Distillery in the 1950s and two stillmen, Chic Brock and Hugh Malloy, who both worked at the distillery in the 1980s, both of which are now sold out. The most recent dedication, Cameron's Cut, went to current distillery manager Neil Cameron, who celebrated 20 years at the Crieff-based distillery last year.

Stuart Cassells, general manager at The Famous Grouse Experience based at Glenturret Distillery comments: "The Glenturret Jamieson's Jigger Edition is another very special, limited edition single cask of the very finest Glenturret malt. We're delighted to dedicate it to a man who spent his working career maintaining the casks and hand-crafting our very special wooden washbacks which give our whisky its unique flavour. With 44-years in the whisky industry as a cooper and foreman, we were delighted to present Michael with bottle number 002 of this delicious 29-year old whisky and we wish him a most enjoyable retirement."

17 March 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor