We have changed our labels...already!
With the latest release I was delighted to make a small but significant change to our labels. They now rightly state that the whisky or rum was “Selected By Mark and Kate Watt” and not just by me.
It took a bit of convincing to get Kate to put her name on the label, but for me it’s very important that it’s on there. Kate has an equally, if not better, palate than me when it comes to whisky and rums etc but maybe not the same background in cask selection or writing ridiculous tasting notes.
When it comes to choosing what we bottle and what casks we purchase Kate is very much involved and I am very glad that she is. Not just that she is much better at many of the other factors of the business than me - such as organising shipping, licences etc and obviously all of the creative side of the business.
The reason that Kate’s name wasn’t on the original releases is not just because of my massive ego! When we first started the business we weren’t 100% sure how much involvement Kate would have. We came up with the idea to start the business in November 2019 when Kate was 3 months pregnant and our daughter Jo was 4 months old by the time the first release came out. (Chuck in a global pandemic and you can pretty much say we nailed it on picking the best time to start a new company.)
There was a thought that Kate might help set up all the “fun” bits, work on the branding etc and then move away from the day to day running of things - especially as we have always said that we shouldn’t work together or we would kill each other.
As things have progressed the work load has sort of naturally divided between us (which has also meant that our work / life balance has managed to align itself very well.) and happily we’ve managed not to kill each other yet.
I am very proud and grateful that Kate is hands on with the business as much as me - as the business wouldn’t be the same, and I honestly don’t think it would be anywhere near as good, if I was left to my own devices!
One of the other benefits is that if we need to have a meeting about anything, we can always have it whilst pushing the pram around Campbeltown Loch on a sunny day!
