THE longest-serving female employee at Chivas Brothers was celebrating last week after chalking up 45 years with the company.
Jacqui Farquhar, who is originally from the Isle of Mull, joined the whisky firm in 1968 after a summer trip to Dumbarton turned into a permanent move.
She began working in the offices of Hiram Walker, as the company was then known, before taking up the post of lab technician three months later. Jacqui has worked in quality control ever since, nosing and testing samples of spirit before it is bottled.
“I enjoy my work – that’s why I’ve stayed all these years,” she said.
“I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years, but they’ve all been for the better. I’m a whisky drinker myself – Scapa 16 year old is my favourite – so it’s amazing to see how whisky has grown and how many countries our products are shipped to now.”