At the helm of The GlenAllachie Distillers Company is celebrated Master Distiller Billy Walker who boasts over 50 years in the Scotch whisky industry. Having worked across household-name brands throughout his illustrious career, his learned philosophies are at the heart of everything we do at The GlenAllachie.
Growing up in the whisky-producing town of Dumbarton, Billy developed a keen interest in the industry from a young age. This passion, coupled with his BSc Honours Degree in Chemistry from The University of Glasgow in 1967, provided the perfect foundations to enable him to build an intimate knowledge of the science behind the production process, flavour development and blending.
- BILLY WALKER, MASTER DISTILLER
Billy’s whisky journey began in 1972 at Hiram Walker & Sons – the company behind Ballantine’s at the time – where his role covered almost all aspects of production. The years that followed entailed stints at Inver House and Burn Stewart Distillers.
In 2004, The BenRiach Distillery Company was created by Billy and his business partners, and over time, it expanded to include three Scotch whisky distilleries: BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh. It was at this point in his career that Billy truly made a name for himself, leading the brands’ rejuvenation and subsequent phenomenal success.
Since acquiring The GlenAllachie Distillery in 2017, Billy has transformed the single malt slumbering in our 16 on-site warehouses into something truly spectacular.
Having previously been used exclusively as a component for premium blends, The GlenAllachie was finally given the limelight it deserved with the launch of a single malt brand in 2018. His work has not only caught the eye of many a spirits connoisseur but has also bagged remarkable awards, including World’s Best Single Malt (World Whiskies Awards, 2021), amongst others.
- BILLY WALKER, MASTER DISTILLER
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