The Queen of Glen Scotia, Kate Renton – who championed whisky to thousands during Covid and beyond – is being mourned by her family and friends.
Kate died suddenly aged 57 after spending a “perfect weekend” doing all the things she loved.
It is not a coincidence the last photo taken of her was at a heroes’ bench near Rosebank distillery in Falkirk.
Her funeral took place today.
‘Whisky played prominent role in our lives’
Nicknamed ‘The Queen of Glen Scotia’, Kate found her love of whisky in the strangest of places while on holiday with Callum, her best friend and husband of 36 years, in 1989.
Callum, who belongs to Campbeltown, explained: “We were at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris and our flight was delayed.
“With all our francs spent we only had a bottle of Glenfiddich and some mineral water, and that is where – quite honestly – our whisky journey began.
“Whisky played a prominent role in our lives.
“Kate treasured the friendships we made through visits to distilleries and whisky festivals, as well as online and in-person whisky tastings.
“She was always much better than me at whisky-tasting notes, and would invariably find the words to describe what others were struggling to define.
“So much so that she was recently, and aptly, described as ‘the First Lady of Glen Scotia’, which has always been our favourite distillery.”
Through the couple’s Blind Whisky Tastings, which was “something to do during Covid” they made countless friends across the world.
Callum continued: “Kate was often the only woman taking part. Most of the time we were the only couple taking part.
“Kate was always so accepting of everyone.
“I don’t think I ever heard her say anything bad about anyone.”
Their children’s partners have also started to “appreciate whisky”, something Callum says Kate would be very proud of.
Kate didn’t let condition stop her
Kate was born on October 31, 1966 in Birmingham, the first child of Dr Peter and Margaret Twigg.
She grew up in Halesowen with her mum, dad and brother Steven.
Callum describes a very happy childhood even after Kate was diagnosed with type one diabetes at the age of six, a condition she lived with and controlled for the next 51 years.
Callum said: “Never once did she complain about her diabetes or let it hold her back despite having about 70,000 insulin injections throughout her life.”
Although Kate, a flautist, lived hundreds of miles from her future husband, they were both involved in the National Wind Band competition at Wembley Conference Centre in 1985.
Callum, a young trombone player, played in the same competition that day.
But it was to be a further three years before Kate and Callum met.
Kate earned a place at Oxford University to study zoology and anthropology at St Hilda’s.
Graduating in 1988, she unusually turned down the chance of a PhD at Oxford in favour of a complete career change.
Kate joined the Birmingham office of the national firm Neville Russell to begin her chartered accountancy training contract. At the same time, Callum joined their Glasgow office.
Within a few weeks, all the new trainees were sent on a two-week training course at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester.
Five days later they started going out, and for the next 36 years the couple were inseparable.
They married on leap day in 1992 at the University of Glasgow.
The following year, their son, Callum, was born followed two years later by Jamie. The couple’s family was complete in 1998 when Fiona was born.
Trying to find words to speak about his wife, Callum said he and the family did a bit of “brainstorming”.
He said: “We have a big long list of words – selfless, hardworking, caring, considerate, helpful. But I think the most important word we had was contented.
“She was a contented, happy woman who loved every moment of her life. She wouldn’t have changed anything.”
Callum said: “Kate loved our family more than anything in the world.
“She stayed at home for the next ten years to bring up our children, a full-time career which she was delighted and honoured to do. And what a wonderful job she made of it, as everyone who knows our children will testify.”
Kate began working again, initially during school hours only so that she could continue to be there for the couple’s children.
For the last nine years of her life, Kate worked at the University of Glasgow in the Adam Smith Business School.
Callum continued: “She enjoyed her work, and in particular sorting out everyone else’s problems.
“She was the ‘go to’ person for so many academics and admin staff alike. Her knowledge, calmness, problem solving and, yes, her motherliness will be sadly missed.”
One of Kate’s passions in life was encouraging her three children to have “roots and wings”, a phrase she used often.
All three children met their partners at university in Edinburgh “so our strategy paid off”, Callum joked.
Once their children left home, Kate and Callum had space in their lives for new adventures.
Callum said: “On her 50th birthday we climbed our first Munro, Ben Lomond, with dozens more to follow later.
“We also undertook many long walks throughout Scotland, just the two of us, often in the middle of nowhere, beautiful scenery, sometimes even decent weather.”
Gardening, cooking, and holidaying in remote cottages in Scotland also featured highly on the couple’s list.
Callum said: “If it seems that all our hobbies were things we could do in each other’s company, it’s because they were.
“We were at our happiest and most contented, alone together.”
He said their final weekend together “was perfect”.
“On Saturday we managed a 13-mile hike along the canals and Roman sites around Falkirk, a walk we hadn’t done before, then took part in an online blind tasting with a group of great whisky friends,” he said.
“On Sunday we cooked lots of healthy meals, intended to keep us fed for a few weeks, then spent the afternoon gardening, before settling down with a couple of drams.
“If Kate had scripted the weekend, that’s what she would have chosen to do.
“Kate went to bed happy, in my arms, and never woke.
“That night I lost my best friend, the love of my life, my hiking buddy and my whisky pal.”
At a funeral held earlier today, her family chose Wind Beneath My Wings to be played sharing more than 50 photographs of Kate, her family and doing all the things she loved in life.
Callum added: “She lived a wonderful life, and I am so heartbroken right now – but we had the best life together.”
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