One of Scottish tourism’s most accomplished leaders has been announced as the recipient of the 2024 Dr Jim Swan Award for Services to Scotch Whisky.
Susan Morrison, CEO of the Scotch Whisky Experience, will be applauded for her 36-year career in Scotch Whisky which started as a junior member of the venue’s launch team, while studying at Edinburgh University.
The Jim Swan Award, created in 2018, is decided by a panel of experts from the Scotch whisky industry and will be presented at the Scottish Whisky Awards and celebration in two weeks’ time.
The Scotch Whisky Experience was established in 1988 when 19 Scotch whisky companies jointly invested in a new showcase for the Scotch whisky industry which would educate and inspire international visitors. The Royal Mile tourist destination now works with more than 50 distillers, representing a notable percentage of the industry, and the destination, located next to the gates of Edinburgh Castle, welcomes over 400,000 visitors every year.
Recognised for her passion and determination, Susan Morrison has led a team which has delivered the organisation’s mission to “make the world fall in love with Scotch whisky” over three decades. Alongside the tourist destination, a specialist whisky shop stocks over 500 Scotch whiskies and their Amber restaurant operates a range of high- quality food and drink experiences on site.
Susan commented:
“I am deeply honoured to receive the Jim Swan Award. During my career I have seen the Scotch whisky and Scottish tourism industries come ever closer together, celebrating the best aspects of Scotland and, in my view, the best people. I have been in the extraordinary position of learning from the stalwarts of the 1980s whisky industry who drove collaboration through the establishment of The Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre (as we were then) and The Keepers of the Quaich. Over the decades the people in the industry have developed their teams, diversified their approaches, and to have been part of this journey, establishing new connections, together with cherishing career long relationships, has been a true honour. The absolute icing on the cake is seeing so many “SWEople”: people who established their love of Scotch with us at “SWE”, developing in their roles throughout the Scotch whisky industry.”
In November 2023, the business unveiled a £3.5 million renovation and the creation of the Spirit of Whisky Experience which opened to critical acclaim. This was deemed a major milestone in Susan’s successful career working as part of a team she has led since 2000 when she was first promoted to General Manager. Now she works with a board of 3 other executive directors and 6 non-executive directors who represent the Scotch whisky industry. As well as co-founding the Scotch Whisky Training School in 2001, she also now chairs the distillery visitor centre managers forum which has met biannually at various distilleries for over 20 years.
James Robertson, Chair of the Scottish Whisky Awards, commented.
"The Jim Swan Award is presented to an individual who best displays the qualities and characteristics which Jim Swan displayed throughout his own career. Those being a passionate collaborator, a humble operator and a career in Scotch whisky developed with a love of Scotch. Susan Morrison is a fantastic example of these qualities, and we share our congratulations to her in recognition of her achievements.
“Susan represents a vital part of the success of Scotch whisky and that is our tourism economy. She shares her passion, advice and encouragement to visitors worldwide. She leads a team which inspires newcomers to whisky and teaches ways to appreciate and learn about Scotch. Susan also carries the important responsibility of sharing her passion for Scotch through the training and development of a generation of staff members who will develop their careers within the Scotch whisky and tourism industries with an appreciation and understanding about the enduring quality of Scotch Whisky.”
Susan is the third female of four recipients of the Jim Swan Award and joins Sheila Birtles, the sensory scientist and Maureen Robinson, a former Master Blender for Diageo in receiving the award. She will collect the award at the end of the month in front of an audience of 500 representatives of the Scotch whisky industry.
About The Scottish Whisky Awards
The Scottish Whisky Awards were created in 2018 with the objective to promote Scotch Whisky at home and abroad. Created by KDMedia, the Scottish event company, the programme is chaired by Alan Wolstenholme, formerly of William Grant and Sons. The awards are decided by a panel of over 50 industry representatives which assess both taste and business categories. In 2019, the awards created the Dr Jim Swan Award for services to Scotch Whisky. The award, created with the approval of the family of the late Dr Swan, seeks to highlight the achievements of an individual involved in the whisky industry who works to progress Scotch whisky at home and abroad.
Further information:
Kirsten Speirs, KDMedia Ltd, 0131 337 6232 kirsten@kdmedia.co.uk