Q&A: Longest serving staff member on five decades working at Tomatin Distillery
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Richard Noble (70) is Tomatin Distillery's longest serving member of staff. Having been dedicated to the Highland distillery for five decades, for him, Tomatin isn’t just a place of work, it’s a whole way of life. He lives in the village of Tomatin, where he raised his family, and throughout his time he has seen many changes as the distillery has evolved.
Q Where were you born / where do you live now?
A Born at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. I was brought up in Tomatin where my dad was the local postman (also for about 50 years!). I moved to Inverness when I got married but soon moved back to the village and have lived here ever since.
Q What year did you start working at Tomatin distillery?
A I originally joined in 1969 and worked for two years in the filling store but left to join the local estate as an under keeper (game keeper). However, I then came back in 1974.
Q What role(s) have you in held in the last 50 years?
A I moved around the filling store, driving the lorry around the site, moving casks and working as a warehouseman. In the late 1980s I was appointed as head warehouseman and have been in that role ever since.
Q What first inspired you to apply to work at Tomatin distillery?
A Having grown up in the village it was quite common for the older school kids to get summer jobs at the distillery, so it had always been a likely option for me to work at Tomatin. When I moved back to Tomatin after my spell in Inverness, I knew a few people working here so it was a natural next step for me.
Q Do you have any personal or family ties to the whisky industry?
A No ties other than growing up in Tomatin which was obviously a big influence in the local area. My brother also worked at Tomatin in the warehouses up until 1984 when the company went into liquidation for two years.
Q What does a typical day look like for you?
A I manage all the stock going in and out of the warehouses according to the filling and collection schedules. I directs which casks are to go where and ensure the Warehouse team know what they’re doing and when.
Q What’s your favourite part of the job, and what’s your least favourite part of the job?
A Best: there's good banter out on site – there always has been. I enjoy all the guys out there working as a team and belonging to a tight community. Worst – The weather!
Q Are there any specific whiskies or releases that are special to you? If so, why?
A I have safely kept a bottle from the distillery’s Centenary!
Q You’ve likely witnessed many changes in the whisky industry over 50 years. Has your perspective on the whisky industry changed since working in it?
A There’s been a huge change in terms of the quality of casks used to mature the whisky. When I first started there wasn’t such an emphasis on wood management, particularly at Tomatin because of the nature of the work at Tomatin. But it’s been great to see this change and what we can release now as a result. The other big change, again particularly for Tomatin, is having seen the brand grow and develop so much.
Q What advice would you give to someone just starting their career in the whisky industry, based on your experience?
A Whilst it was never a personal objective of mine, I see great opportunity for those who want to come in and start at the bottom and work their way up through various roles in the distillery, working up to distiller or distillery manager.
