Inverness man who took a shot at blending whisky with golf for dream job

Every Monday, we ask small businesses key questions. Here we speak to Hamish Malcom who runs The Dram Caddy in Inverness.

How and why did you start in business?

In February, after almost 38 years spent in banking and finance, mostly in the Highlands, it was time for me to start doing things that I truly enjoyed and that offered me some flexibility.

I’ve been golfing for over 40 years and a keen whisky enthusiast for over 10, and a four-day tour of Campbeltown and Islay with some guys from Manchester in April 2023 started me thinking about working in the whisky business.

With so many visitors to the Highlands interested in both whisky and golf, there had to be a way to ‘blend’ (pun intended) the two.

I started off working in the Highland Whisky Shop in Inverness’ Castle Street before becoming a caddy at both Castle Stuart and my home course of Nairn Dunbar, all the while sketching out a whisky tasting menu where all the drams had a connection to golf.

From my research it appeared that nobody else offered quite the same thing.

Hence The Dram Caddy, which I launched in February of this year.

How did you get where you are today?

While it seems like quite a leap from a lifetime spent in banking and finance to golf and whisky, both are about building relationships with a wide variety of people from all walks of life.

I thrive on choice, particularly when it comes to golf shots and whisky, and I love being able to offer clients choices too.

Who helped you?

I’ve had amazing encouragement from many people, making the leap much easier than it would otherwise have been.

There’s my long-suffering wife, Diane, and Jim Aitken from the Federation of Small Businesses – I’ve just joined.

And then there’s a whole list of business people who’ve given me encouragement and support – a list too long to name here, but you know who you are.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?

Loads of wise advice on the questions newcomers to whisky ask from Ferit and Sila at the Highland Whisky Shop. It’s easy to forget what it’s like to be a newbie and their tips are invaluable.

My tastings aren’t all about deep dives into whisky production, or flowery, elaborate descriptions and multiple tasting notes for each dram.

I keep it simple, stick to the essentials, and make it as engaging for people as possible, encouraging them to ask questions and come up with their own descriptions.

What is your biggest mistake?

Not making the jump from the corporate world much sooner.

What is your greatest achievement?

I suppose coming up with the concept of a whisky line-up linked to golf courses and golfing anecdotes. I’m looking for opportunities to roll this out.

How is your business managing rapidly rising costs, and what should government do to help?

Tourist taxes and levies on Scotch whisky worry me. Of the people I see causing scenes in Inverness on a Saturday night, no-one has been swigging 12-year-old malt.

What do you still hope to achieve?

I’d love to do three or four tasting sessions a week over the summer, and to drum up repeat business in the process.

I’ve already done tastings at Castle Stuart and Culloden House, and I’m actively trying to get in front of the decision makers at the other notable courses and hotels in the area.

It’s all about adding experiences, memories – and photos – to visitors’ holidays – all things that will last a lifetime.

Out with the golf season I want to reconnect with old business contacts and offer whisky tastings to them and their customers, perhaps golf-themed or involving virtual tours of the whisky regions.

What do you do to relax?

My work is also my hobby, so I relax watching YouTube: whisky review channels like Let’s Talk Whisky, Aqvavitae and The Whisky Friend; and golf channels like Steve Johnston, who recently featured Steve Bremner of Tomatin at Castle Stuart.

What are you currently reading, listening to or glued to on TV?

I am rediscovering Gary Vaynerchuk’s business books; and for music I love a fellow Hamish – Hamish Hawk.

What do you waste your money on?

Buying whisky books – but I now think of it as investing in research.

What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?

Check emails to see what’s come in from my American contacts overnight.

It’s much less stressful than in my old life, where I’d often wake up worrying about the same client/case that kept me awake the night before.

What do you drive and dream of driving?

I drive with Ping G14, sometimes pulling hard left or spraying wide right.