He has worked tirelessly to spread the word about Scotland’s national drink for nearly 40 years.
So there was understandable delight among his family and friends when Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Dr Jim Beveridge, was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty The Queen yesterday for his outstanding service to the Scotch whisky industry.
Recognising a remarkable career with the world’s leading distilling company, Diageo, he was presented with his OBE during the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.
Throughout his career, he has established himself as one of the most highly respected figures in the industry, renowned for his skill and dedication.
Dr Beveridge is only the sixth person in two centuries of the company’s history to have held the position of Master Blender, the first being founder John Walker himself.
He will celebrate 40 years with the firm in 2020 and, to mark the occasion, has been asked to work with his team on a unique 40-year-old whisky.
Based at Diageo’s blending rooms in Clackmannanshire, he leads a team of 12 blenders responsible for the quality and consistency of all the company’s brands.
He has been the recipient of several industry accolades, including being inducted into the World Whisky Hall of Fame in 2015 and he was named Master Blender of the Year by the International Whisky Competition in 2016 for the second consecutive year.
Dr Beveridge yesterday dedicated his award to his colleagues across the Scotch whisky industry.
He said: “It was a wonderful experience to receive this award and it’s an honour that I am delighted to receive on behalf of all the people I have worked with in Scotch whisky over the past four decades.
“I dedicate this award to all the women and men in our distilleries, coppersmiths, cooperage, warehouses and bottling halls across Scotland.”
Diageo’s chief executive, Ivan Menezes, said: “This is a very special day for Jim and his family and I am delighted to congratulate them.
“Jim is renowned in the Scotch industry for his dedication to the craft of whisky-making and for the incredible whiskies he creates for Johnnie Walker, but he is also known as an exceptional colleague and friend.
“This is worthy recognition of an extraordinary career spanning four decades.”
