Whisky Mastery & Innovation Specialist

Scotch Whisky; Aberlour; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

37 days holiday

Pension contributions

Share Reward scheme

Private medical insurance

Wellbeing support

Product allowance & staff discount

Parental leave

Job summary

The Macallan Estate is seeking a Whisky Maker to craft vattings and releases with expert whisky production and sensory insight. You will lead quality and innovation efforts, assess maturing stocks, and support stock planning decisions.

You will mentor junior team members and collaborate with Brand Creative, Education and Product Development to drive technical excellence and future concepts. VIP visits and stakeholder engagement are part of the role.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in spirits industry, ideally whisky making, blending, or sensory assessment.
• Advanced nosing and tasting skills; ability to analyse and communicate technical and sensory data.
• Experience supporting innovation and new product development, plus stock planning decisions.

Responsibilities

• Create whisky vattings and releases that meet quality, colour, age and sensory specs.
• Assess and approve marrying samples, tankers and production batches within defined authority levels.
• Evaluate maturing stocks and provide recommendations on stock grading and utilisation strategies.
• Conduct sensory assessment of new make spirit and maturing whisky stocks for quality and stock planning.
• Contribute to innovation, liquid trials, sensory descriptions, and technical recommendations.
• Support development of future whisky concepts and sustainable innovation initiatives.
• Provide technical whisky expertise to internal stakeholders including Brand Creative and Product Development.
• Support VIP/trade and media visits to The Macallan Estate with senior team members.
• Coach and support Assistant Whisky Makers and Trainees, building future capability.

Skills

Sensory evaluation

Nosing & tasting

Stock management

Quality improvement

Communication

Coaching/mentoring

Stakeholder management

Technical whisky knowledge

Education

Science/spirits qualification

Job description

The Macallan Estate is seeking a Whisky Maker to craft vattings and releases with expert whisky production and sensory insight. You will lead quality and innovation efforts, assess maturing stocks, and support stock planning decisions.

You will mentor junior team members and collaborate with Brand Creative, Education and Product Development to drive technical excellence and future concepts. VIP visits and stakeholder engagement are part of the role.