She’s the most accomplished whisky maker you’ve probably never heard of, the hidden nose behind The Dalmore’s success. Now, after 50 years in the industry, most spent as the right-hand woman of master blender Richard Paterson, Margaret Nicol finally has her name on a bottle.

Counting the likes of Rachel Barrie, Stephanie Macleod, Ron Welsh and Sandy Hyslop among her mentors, Loch Lomond blender Ashley Smith is one of Scotland’s most exciting whisky makers.