🥃 Down The Rabbit Hole: Part 3 - Richard Day

“Good enough is the enemy of humanity”.

This line, from the film Blackberry, resonated with me last week when - on the grounds of keeping up my weekly schedule - I nearly sent out a half-arsed email. But, to be honest, half-arsed efforts annoy me more than no effort at all.

After reading it over a few times, it became clear that it was just good enough. And whereas some subscribers might think my emails are long - perhaps too long - others, like me, believe it’s worth doing justice to the people who’ve built the Scotch whisky industry into what it is today. And that, oftentimes, requires more time and effort than I was able to allocate last week.

And so, the content that I’d planned for then is here now.

Looking ahead, there’ll also be a slight change to my emails. With Scotch whisky’s history being so deeply intertwined, I’ve often found myself wandering down random paths - perhaps sometimes at the expense of connecting those stories to the industry as it stands today.

So, from now on, I’ll aim to link the past to the present and highlight why I think it’s relevant.

Which leads us to the third and final part of Down The Rabbit Hole.

The first part focused on J&A Davidson - whisky merchants, distillers and brewers based in Coldstream - and, as mentioned previously, the firm went into voluntary liquidation in 1922, possibly due to the post-war difficulties in the whisky trade.

But then, the following year, a former J&A Davidson employee acquired both the goodwill and the premises of the whisky and spirits side of the business.

This employee - Richard Day - had begun his career with J&A Davidson in 1895 as an office boy. By 1901, he had moved up to the position of grocer’s assistant and had become involved in whisky blending, having learned the craft himself.

1901 Census

With the outbreak of war in 1914, it wasn’t long before men of Richard Day’s age were enlisted. Just before his thirty-fifth birthday, the married father of two, was enlisted into No. 5 Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery.

His service record gives us an insight into the type of man he was. “Talking and laughing in camp after lights out” gave me a wee chuckle.

All in all, though, he was considered to be an excellent worker.

He was awarded the British War and Victory medals - issued to all service personnel who entered a theatre of war between 1914 and 1918.

Having served his country in Palestine and Egypt, he returned to Coldstream in 1919 where he continued the business right up until the mid 1930s.

Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Richard had sold up and retired.

During his time at the premises of 1 Duke Street, Day created The Tweeddale Whisky: a blend of eight single malts and one single grain with a 50:50 malt to grain ratio.

Before his death in 1965, this original recipe - which had been noted in his cellar book - was passed down through the family. Firstly, to his son James. And then on to James’ son, Richard.

And then the cellar book was passed down to the next generation.

Image Credit: Alasdair Day

Richard Day’s great-grandson, Alasdair Day, is, of course, the co-founder of the Isle of Raasay Distillery - continuing the family’s long tradition of whisky blending and distilling.

There’s more information about the Isle of Raasay Distillery in the follow-up email for paid subscribers. And for those paid subscribers who’ve sent me their details, you should by now have received your very own sample from a private Raasay cask to dram along with.

And if you’re enjoying these stories, you might like to consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Paid subscribers get access to some great bonus content as well as the occasional cheeky free whisky sample to enjoy at home.

Now, Alasdair, as well as co-founding a distillery in one of the most remote yet beautiful corners of Scotland, also brought The Tweeddale Whisky back to life. I had the chance to taste The Last Centennial at The Plough Inn in Leitholm and it’s pretty safe to say that it was delicious.

That was a wee while ago - maybe 2019? - and it’s probably all gone now. But you never know - the owners, Sarah and David, may still have a drop or two left. Either way, it’s well worth a visit on a Sunday just for the fantastic roast.

So, the Rabbit Hole trilogy is now complete!

Although I have a list as long as my arm of topics I’m planning to cover in future emails, if there’s anything, or anyone, you’d like to read more about, please do get in touch.

Slàinte! Justine