Scottish Rogue delves into Glasgow’s whisky history and shines a light on the origins of Teacher’s Whisky.

In the beginning…

William Teacher was born in 1811 in Glasgow. As a young man he worked in a mill but in 1830 he applied for a license to sell alcohol from an Anderson-based grocer owned by the mother of his girlfriend, Agnes MacDonald. Within five years the pair were married and soon William was the proprietor of his very own licensed premises. As the population of Glasgow boomed, so too did Teacher’s business. At its height, his personal empire consisted of 20 “dram shops” around the city, making him the largest license holder in Glasgow.

In 1851, William moved into the Wholesale of wine and spirits, operating from a warehouse facility in Argyle Street, Glasgow. By the time of William’s death in 1876, the business was under the control of his sons, William Junior and Adam who oversaw affairs from their new headquarters in St Enoch Square. Now known as William Teacher & Sons Ltd, the company registered their most successful brand in 1884. Teacher’s Highland Cream is still available to this day.

In the late 19^th century boom, many blenders found it increasingly difficult to secure a reliable source of malt and Teacher & Sons was no different. In 1897, it commissioned Ardmore in Kennethmont and the new distillery’s peated malt would go on to form a key component in the Teacher’s blend for many years to come.

Changing times…

The early 20^th century was a tough time for the whisky industry. The downturn known as the Pattison Crash brought many businesses to their knees and the Great War halted production at the majority of Scottish distilleries. Even when peace finally dawned, the USA introduced prohibition, effectively closing down one of the largest export markets (legally, at least).

Teacher’s was able to ride out the storm and in 1960, the firm acquired Glendronach Distillery in Huntley. By 1972, sales of Teacher’s whisky exceeded 1 million cases in the UK alone. That success encouraged Allied Breweries to step in. Teacher’s was acquired in 1976 and under the new owners, Highland Cream became the second-best-selling Scotch whisky in the UK with over 150 export markets.

Through a series of mergers and takeovers, Allied became part of Suntory Global Spirits. Despite no longer having a base in the city of Glasgow, the Teacher’s blend is still a popular dram and the old office in St Enoch Square is still emblazoned with the words Teachers Scotch Whisky Distillers 1871.

Explore Glasgow’s Whisky Story with a Scottish Rogue Whisky Bar Walking Tour.