The Dram Caddy

Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about how you became The Dram Caddy

I’m a born and bred Invernessian who ‘stumbled’ into banking straight from school—and ended up staying in banking and finance for 38 years! In early 2024, I felt the time was right for a change. That change came in the form of combining caddying at Castle Stuart with working in the Highland Whisky Shop. At the shop, I began doing more whisky tasting sessions, as well as advising on bottle sales. After a few months, the concept of a whisky tasting where all the drams have a link to golf started to develop—which led me to The Dram Caddy!

What does it mean to you to be ‘The Dram Caddy – and how did your passion for whisky become a business?

It’s incredibly satisfying to give visitors to the Highlands a unique experience with whisky and golfing stories—especially when it’s at the end of a good round of golf and in some amazing venues.

I’m completely independent when it comes to choosing whiskies, and I’m not tied to any particular golf course, so I can give honest opinions on the pros and cons. I think my clients find that refreshing.

How do you see whisky as a reflection of the Highlands — not just in flavour, but in culture, history, and landscape?

One of my favourite quotes about Highland whisky is from a book by Dave Broom, who describes our region’s whiskies as a “loose bag of possibilities.” With his permission, I now try to crowbar that into every tasting I do! Alongside the history of so many distillery locations in the Highlands, there really is something for everyone—from light and fruity Glenmorangie 12, to peated Raasay or Cù Bòcan from Tomatin, to highly sherried Dalmores. I’m a big fan of independent bottlings, such as Inverness Whisky Shop’s cask-strength Glen Ord, and pretty much any indie bottling of Teaninich or Royal Brackla.