Ruaraidh McLeod celebrated his 90th Birthday on June 1st.

Ruaraidh, originally from Skye, came to work at Bruichladdich in 1962. He puts his long active life and good health down to a daily dram. In those days an official distillery dram was issued to encourage/reward workmen for doing the more unpopular chores - this was clear new spirit at around 70% alcohol.

He worked as both a mashman and stillman before retiring in 1984, though he made frequent returns to distilling when the distillery was  short of staff.

Ruaraidh is living proof - so-to-speak - that a daily dram does you no harm. He has no intention of slowing down: to his family’s consternation he recently bought himself a fishing boat.