Keira Wright
Distillery Operations Technician, Chivas Brothers
Ballindalloch, Scotland
Working closer to the product, being more hands on is what prompted Keira to move into a distillery role after starting in admin 13 years ago.
Even if you don’t know much about whisky, it’s difficult to avoid it here! We’re surrounded by fields of barley and distilleries. The autumn harvest is always a special time for everyone. Now that I live in the countryside, I can see it all from my windows: the crops that change colour with the seasons, turning from green to golden blond.
When the barley arrives at the distillery, a three-day cycle begins that used to be very manual, but is more automated today. My role is to monitor and adjust the machines and ensure the process is smooth and nothing disrupts it. It’s about getting the best out of the grain and having respect for the work Iain and other growers accomplish all year round.
The malted barley is ground in the mill, then mixed with pure Scottish water, and finally it is left to ferment, with the addition of yeast, for two days: each cycle requires careful, meticulous attention.
