Last week the drinks industry lost one of the good guys. The word ‘legend’ is well overused in the exaggerated lexicon of the current day, but Scott McKenzie was exactly that. No fanfare, no circus, no blatant self-promotion on social media, just someone who quietly went about his job, helping to shape drinking habits and expanding people’s knowledge, making our lives more interesting.

With a career spanning four decades, Scott worked on some of the industry’s most iconic brands – Maker’s Mark, Wyborowa, Kraken, Ocho, Benromach, to name but a few. But it wasn’t just the job that he did or the brands that he worked on that made Scott who he was. He delivered his work with passion, knowledge, kindness, and consideration. He was genuinely loved by all his customers and the fortunate people that encountered him.

As anyone who ever knew Scott will testify, we have all been left with a huge hole. It is going to take a long time to heal. This is especially true for all the team at Cask. As a colleague Scott was compassionate, positive, funny, educated. He had the natural flair of a raconteur, and a wide-ranging intellect on any number of topics. All delivered with his signature style and dapper outfits. And anyone who has had the pleasure of Scott’s company at a Cask team meeting will know, there would always be a plethora of Scottish treats – Tunnock’s Tea Cakes and Caramel, in particular. Washed down with his preferred tipple, diet Irn Bru. He thought about others before he thought about himself and always had the time to listen and empathise. The mark of an exceptional human being.

 Some of us at Cask have known Scott since the 90s, some of us much more recently. The result is the same. We are all devastated by his passing and we are all going to miss him terribly. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.

 Rest easy, mate.

 Stu, Herb, Claire and the Cask team