A maltmaster who has tended to the stills at a Moray whisky plant for more than 50 years has been toasted by his colleagues after being made an MBE by the Queen.
David Stewart recently travelled to Edinburgh, where he was honoured with the distinction during a gathering at Holyrood Palace.
His friends at Dufftown’s Balvenie Distillery welcomed him back to work by uncorking a bottle of the single malt whisky in tribute to him.
They gathered around stacks of barrels at the plant’s yard to raise Glencairn glasses filled with the drink in celebration of Mr Stewart receiving royal recognition.
Mr Stewart joined William Grant and Sons, family makers of the Balvenie single malts, in 1962 and has been the distillery’s maltmaster since 1974.
The industry stalwart is credited with pioneering wood finished whiskies, a process whereby the drink is first matured in a sherry or bourbon cask, and then transferred to another barrel for months or years prior to bottling.
The Balvenie distillery’s brand ambassador, David Mair, has worked alongside Mr Stewart for nearly 30 years.
Mr Mair said: “I have had the privilege of working with David Stewart since 1990.
“His pioneering spirit and dedication to his craft, coupled with his modest, unassuming manner has made him one of the best-loved and respected craftsmen in the Scotch whisky industry.
“The whole Balvenie team so proud of him and it is wonderful to see him recognised through being awarded an MBE medal for his services to the Scotch whisky industry.”
