Speyside, Scotland’s north-eastern region is synonymous with whisky: more than 50 per cent of the country’s malt whisky distilleries are based here.

Whisky tours are popular in this area: buses unload tourists as they embark on their “whisky trails”. We would experience something more valuable. Colin Scott, Chivas Regal’s master blender, would host us during our stay at Strathisla Distillery, Chivas Regal’s home.

Built in 1786, it is the oldest in Scotland. “I’ll be your shepherd, you are all my sheep,” quipped Colin Scott, before he commenced his tour around Strathisla Distillery.

“What we do today is the same as what people did 200 years ago. But, instead of having 60 people working at the distillery, we can do it with just a few people because of modern technology,” said Colin. “But at the end of the day, we still need the skill of the distiller when it comes to distillation.”

He led us to a warehouse to show us where they stored the maturing casks of whisky. Sweet notes and woody scents lingered heavily in the air.

Colin’s most important instrument in his job is his olfactory tool. His nose is highly sensitive, able to discern the nuanced floral, fruity and spicy notes of diverse malt and grain whiskies to blend and balance Chivas Regal’s range of whiskies.

Colin’s signature adorns the bottle of Chivas Regal 18 Year Old. In 1997, driven by a goal to do something unique for Chivas Regal, he created the blend. “People call [whisky making] a science, and chemically, it is a science,” he mused, “but to me, it’s an art.”