Topic: A Sip of Knowledge with Raymond Davidson, Founder of Glencairn Crystal

Hosts: Liz Rhoades, Lew Bryson, & Martin Duffy

What You'll Learn: Join a trio of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Raymond Davidson, founder of Glencairn Crystal, joins the group.

Raymond left Airdrie Academy at 18 years of age and joined Honeywell, an American company, as a technical apprentice. He soon became an environmental test engineer; a job where innovation played a major part. Raymond always wanted a career in sales and moved to work for Crown Paints before moving on to Matchbox Toys.

One day, a colleague asked if he would be interested in setting up a new division for Edinburgh Crystal to manage their new corporate business. Shortly afterwards, he realised that Edinburgh Crystal was unable to supply the needs of this new range of customers.

Raymond found that the corporate customer was far more demanding than the consumer; looking for faster lead times and innovative design. Their technical demands (such as exacting fill levels, effective closures, prevention of lead leaching etc) indicated to Raymond that there was an opportunity to establish a business that could better meet these requirements.

Raymond established Glencairn Crystal but always had an interest in music; organising dances, playing the guitar in bands or as a solo performer. Raymond was enjoying his music on a part-time basis and thought that if the new company proved difficult financially he could pursue his music career more fully. Fortunately, the business made good progress.

Raymond was always insistent that his products should be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional and, shortly after establishing Glencairn, he was privileged enough to be introduced to Jim Drysdale; a remarkably talented and experienced artist who was a true gentleman with a terrific wit and sense of humour. In the early days, the only people in the original factory were Jim and Raymond and, as Raymond says, “Glencairn would have had a very difficult start without Jim’s input.”

The business has grown over the past three decades into an international success story. Raymond was delighted to be able to encourage his sons to join the company to develop and progress the business; and from the days of Raymond and Jim working late into the night, there are now over fifty employees servicing the needs of over sixty countries around the globe.

Liz Rhoades, founder of Spirit Safe Consulting, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.

Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.

Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.