About Us
IAIN CROUCHER
FROM AN INTERVIEW PUBLISHED IN THE SCOTS MAGAZINE...
What was the inspiration behind you staring up an independent whisky bottling company– did you have a particular light bulb moment?
The light bulb moment came when I was stravaiging through my early 40s, completely unsure what I was going to do. And then I came upon an opportunity to purchase some stunning whisky that was well above my means. It was one of those moments I knew If I didn’t take the plunge and purchase that first parcel of whisky, I would have always wondered, “what if?”.
JIM HUTCHISON
Who are you then:
I am Jim, primary school disco dance champion years 1 to 6 and self-proclaimed oil in the North Star Spirits machine.
My role finds me assisting in most departments, from bottling the precious potions to scaling racks of barrels with deft manoeuvres of a Himalayan ungulate.
In the morning before my colleagues have made it up from their slumber, I’m rolling about on a mat, leading Unfold Yoga classes in person and online. Feel free to join me!
Your favourite North Star Spirits dram to date:
A tough question, as there’s many delights to savour. Perhaps, Caol Ila. Is there a more consistent distillery than Caol Ila? I particularly enjoy what we do here with young fiery CI, re-racked into powerful fortified wine casks. Of course, not for everyone’s taste, but when you’ve played a role in making it happen, you appreciate its complexity even more.
Favourite album to bottle whisky to:
Produced by the late Drexciya producer James Stinson, ‘The Other People’s Place - Lifestyles of The Laptop Cafe’ is a mesmerising techno masterpiece that seamlessly blends into the drone of the air compressor as we embark on the therapeutic work required to get whisky from cask to bottle.
JAMES CRONE
Who are you then:
My name is James Crone. I’m the warehouse keeper at North Star Spirits. You can usually find me in-front of an Apple Mac, nestled tightly by the singular office heater; I tried wrapping myself up in Iain’s 1960s tartan picnic blanket, but was told it was a fire hazard and to ‘man up’. I handle all the in and out bound movements of under bond juice. I also fire through to the bottling room when jobs need completed with haste. I have been told one more than one occasion my calm and soothing nature holds this ship together - I tend to believe them whilst thanking my ponytail for imbibing me with those magical qualities.
Your favourite North Star Spirits dram to date:
Since joining North Star Spirits, Iain fired up a 1972 Ledaig pre breakfast. I’m not usually an emotional man, but this liquid had me crying tears of joy into my high-viz, blubbering about "this is what Bond would serve Frank Sinatra”.
Favourite album to bottle whisky to:
My eclectic and right-on music taste seems to bedazzle the rest of the crew. I'm unsure what they ask more questions about, my Spotify playlists or when I'll join the cool kids and grow a beard. It’s been a pleasure introducing ’Buzz’, the difficult 3rd album from national treasures ‘Steps’ especially the majestic electro pop undertones of ‘The Summer of Love’.
EUAN
Who are you then:
My name is Euan Sinclair, I’m the bottling hall manager at North Star Spirits. If I am not bottling biblical scotch whisky, I’ll be re-racking spirit into sherry casks to create biblical scotch whisky. If you don’t find me there, I’ll be stock taking dry goods; If you’re still on the hunt for me, I’ll be behind the North Star Spirits tiki bar sampling forthcoming biblical whisky juice. Whatever I’m doing, rest assured this boat is sailing because of me. Iain is well known for having many handsome cousins and I’m the one that happens to be most handsome – fact; but when Iain calls me a ‘less edgy’ Jason Donavan, he is talking pure nonsense.
Your favourite North Star Spirits dram to date:
We bottled an 8-year-old peated sherry matured Annandale recently, by gum, what a dram. Great to see such amazing feedback throughout Europe and Asia for this. Like myself, it’s well above its years.
Favourite album to bottle whisky to:
As a drummer by night, I enjoy bottling our scotch to anything with intelligent percussion. I suppose Afro-fusion with a dash of Creole music. Nothing is a better ambassador of that for daytime incidental tuneage than that of Paul Simon’s Graceland.
