Wort, Worms and Washbacks: Memoirs from the Stillhouse

These are the memoirs of one of Scotland’s best known whisky distillers and covers his time in the industry from 1963 until the present day. In that time John McDougall has worked in some of Scotland’s most famous distilleries in Speyside, Ayrshire, Islay and Campbeltown as well as holding head office posts in Glasgow before setting up his own whisky brokering business based in Kelso. These memoirs are all about the characters that John has dealt with in the many differing places he has worked and portray as complete a picture of the distillery shop floor, the stillroom and the mashroom and the changes that have been made in them over the past 35 years as possible. Co-authored by whisky authority Gavin D. Smith, this evocation of the true goings on in the whisky trade will delight anyone with an interest in the subject.

Reviews of Wort, Worms and Washbacks: Memoirs from the Stillhouse

'A grand full-bodied read. Cheers!' Ian Smith, The Scots Magazine '… full of humour and interest.' The Highland News Group '… an excellent purchase whether you have any interest in whisky or not … ' The Ileach 'These behind-the-scenes tales of not-so-everyday life in the whisky industry will have you reading and re-reading and … reaching for a drop of the article.' Dundee Evening Telegraph & Post '… a very human, and at times very funny account of life within the world of whisky-making … a very different whisky book, and one which should keep you engrossed from start to finish. I am told that it is already required reading within the whisky industry and that a number of old-timers with tales to tell are kicking themselves for not getting in there first. I doubt if they could have done a better job.' Tarbert Campbell, Perthshire Comment