Mike Harrison of Berry Bros & Rudd: 'Pink Floyd with a 1968 Glen Rothes'

Saturday, 16 August 2025 at 12:03

What if you suddenly get a sign during a job interview? It must be a match made in heaven, right? This happened to Mike Harrison, sales development director at Berry Bros & Rudd, and since then, he has been sailing on an incredible whisky journey.

This article was previously published on our Dutch website.

Mike Harrison (63) is a salesman and whisky enthusiast through and through. He came on board at Berry Bros & Rudd 38 years ago. Since then, his adventure in the world of divine spirits began and never stopped.

A young boy received whisky from his grandfather

Harrison grew up in Greenwich. As a young boy, he received a small bottle of Bell’s from his grandfather. That turned out to be his first infinity bottle.

‘I took it with me to a local football team where I was a fan with a friend of mine. We took this miniature bottle along and had a sip when we were 14, 15 years old. And then I kept refilling it with my father's whisky bottle.’

In the hallway of Harrison's parental home, a photo of the Cutty Sark, a world-famous ship docked in Greenwich, always stood. Although Harrison walked past it every day, he could never have predicted how significant the role of that one ship would be in his life.

Coincidence or fate?

When Harrison outgrew being the little boy and the football field and had already been working for several years, he decided to apply to a whisky brand. He was invited for an interview. When he walked into the room, it seemed predestined.

‘When I was interviewed in the boardroom, there hung the original of this photo that my parents had hanging in their hallway. So this is just coincidental, you know. This is meant to happen.’

Mike got the job at Berry Bros. & Rudd as a staff member of the Cutty Sark whisky brand. His job in the whisky industry is a dream that renews itself every day.

Whisky journey: from Africa to Canada

Harrison started in the shipping department of the brand but continued to progress towards different roles. He evolved into a hunter within Berry Bros. & Rudd. The Englishman does not hunt animals, but he hunts new opportunities for the company, including new customers, new ventures, and new markets.

He traveled around the world from Africa and the Middle East to Europe and Canada with Cutty Sark whisky on behalf of Berry Bros. & Rudd.

'And that's where my instinct was honed. I could go there to play and find new markets. Think of Kazakhstan and Angola and Mozambique and all those strange and wonderful places where no one would ever go.'

From spirits trader to independent bottler

Not only has Harrison evolved, but so has the world around him. Berry Bros. & Rudd let go of Cutty Sark in 2010. The shops have changed drastically over time, as has the offering.

‘If you look at some of our old price lists, you’ll see very old Macallans and Taliskers from the late 1800s that we were selling by the bottle in the 1900s. If only we had kept some of those spirits, we could have all retired super rich.’

The brand has been pursuing independent bottling for several years. Although Cutty Sark once beat its competitors on sheer speed in the tea races, Berry Bros takes its time. A whisky is bottled only when it is ready. Not before.

Quality is paramount at Berry Bros. & Rudd. And the bottler doesn't stick just to Scotland.

'So we have a wide range of casks on stock, a healthy stock assortment. And not only from Scotland. We also have barrels from countries like Israel, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia.'

In addition to whisky, Berry Bros. & Rudd also independently bottles rum, tequila, mezcal, vodka, and wine.

Whisky is for everyone

The philosophy of Berry Bros. & Rudd is that whisky should be for everyone. This is reflected in their stores. Most whiskies are accessible in price, says Mike. Berry Bros. & Rudd's whiskies are intended for a wide audience.

The company wants its whisky to be drunk and not gather dust on a shelf. Yet there is sometimes a bottle that is anything but standard. One of the whiskies is about the Titanic, Harrison reveals.

‘In 2012, we bottled a commemorative bottle to mark the 100 year anniversary since the Titanic sank. And it was a bottle of The Glenrothes single malt whisky, of which there were 100 for 100 pounds each. It was only for sale in the Berry Bros. shop.’

The whisky has been bottled in honor of the Plucky Little Countess, or rather the countess of Rothes. She was on board the Titanic when it hit the iceberg and personally rescued several people.

Fun fact: In Berry Bros. & Rudd's store in London, you can still find a telegram from the ship, which Harrison tells us all about. The telegram mentions the loss of 69 cases of champagne, wine, and whisky bound for the Metropolitan Hotel in New York.

Healthy competition is good

As for the landscape with more and more independent bottlers emerging, Harrison isn't worried. Berry Bros. is an established name with a specific market focus.

'I mean, there's a saying, water finds its own level. And many independent bottlers could emerge. We call them armchair bottlers because they're not always as big as they appear.'

Berry Bros. caters to the market with two series. One is for the seasoned whisky geek who wants to know all the ins and outs of their bottle. The other is an introduction to the world of Berry Bros & Rudd's whisky for the novice whisky drinker.

There's always room to adjust

In his 38 years at Berry Bros. & Rudd, Harrison has seen many industry changes, including times where the market was under pressure. He compares it to four wheels. If one wheel falls off, you have to maintain the other three better to keep going.

'We often analyze why something works or doesn't work in a specific country. Is it because of the economy? Is it the distributor, the retailer, or the price? There are several variables that we can adjust for.'

Harrison says his colleagues are all just as passionate about the nectar of the gods as he is. That passion extends to the slight current dip in whisky's popularity, which he considers temporary. If lovers of the liquor continue to hold it dear as they do now, everything will be fine.

Whisky is an experience

Whisky is more than just a drink to Harrison. It's an elaborate experience. One of his most cherished whisky memories involves a dinner where an old Glenrothes was served.

'Our guests were welcomed in an old house in Soho, London. We were treated to Pink Floyd, but blindfolded and with an amazing sound system in place. And then we listened to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and savored a The Glenrothes from 1968.'

Harrison has more such stories, where whisky literally tantalizes all the senses. At 63, his passion for whisky continues to burn brighter than ever. He hopes to remain in the industry for many more years.

Favorite Whisky: A sherried Caol Ila.
Glasses of whisky per week: Maybe three or four.
Favourite whisky bottle owned: A Berry Bros Benrinnes 1979.
Most expensive whisky ever drunk: Glenrothes 1968.
A distillery country to watch: Israel with Milk & Honey
A whisky you wish you'd invented yourself: The Macallan.
Least favorite whisky: 'If you go to someone's house and the whisky is warm, it's not in the right glass, and the surroundings aren't right. That's the least favorite whisky. Whisky should be a treat, an experience. Or at least it should be.'