David has dedicated almost 54 years of his life to the Scotch whisky industry. His pioneering techniques have had a profound impact on Scotch whisky production methods, and he is renowned for his ground-breaking work particularly around cask finishes for The Balvenie.
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| Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart awarded MBE |
David will also be honoured with a book of congratulations, carefully designed in the style of an original whisky store register. Over the coming months pages from the book will travel across the globe, gathering well wishes and messages of congratulations from whisky enthusiasts, before returning to Scotland to be bound and presented to David.
Commenting on his MBE, David Stewart, said: “I feel very humbled to receive this award. I started my career as a whisky stocks clerk in 1962 and I didn’t expect to become a malt master. I feel incredibly proud. I’ve been very fortunate to work for a family run company and it has allowed me the freedom to experiment throughout my career. It’s a privilege working in this industry so to be rewarded and recognised in this manner is very humbling.”
He went on to say: “I’ve received a number of messages from people all around the world. I’d like to thank those who have been kind enough to congratulate me on the award and to all of the wonderful people I’ve worked with since I started almost 54 years ago.”
David has also been recognised with a number of high profile industry awards throughout his career, including the Grand Prix of Gastronomy by the British Academy of Gastronomes, and lifetime achievement awards from the International Wine & Spirit Competition and Malt Advocate magazine. He has also been named as an Icon of Whisky and a Master of the Quaich.
Posted by Steve Rush