Stories

Whisky is a passion to explore. From the history of the spirit to the evolution of the industry, the story of whisky helps fuel that passion. Often, it’s easy to forget that whisky is also a global multibillion dollar industry. The stories of whisky — from news and new releases to in-depth inquires and what goes on behind the label — blend together to help us appreciate the spirit of whisky.

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Edrington Group Fined For 2011 Warehouse Fire

The UK’s Health & Safety Executive has fined Edrington Group £40,000 GBP ($61,600 USD) for safety violations blamed in a 2011 warehouse fire at the company’s Great Western Road campus in Glasgow, Scotland. Two workers were forced to escape from the warehouse after an accidental spray of spirit hit a light fixture and caught fire.

The BBC reports the Health & Safety investigation found that the light fixtures were not designed for use in flammable environments, and should not have been installed in the warehouse. The workers were using hoses to fill 450-liter casks with spirit from vats in the warehouse, and one testified that he felt his hose relax just before a jet of whisky shot straight up into the light fitting. Both men escaped safely, but the fire resulted in the loss of 17,500 liters of spirit.

The filling system in use at the time was replaced several months later with a new tank facility.