Trossachs Cooperage: rekindling the fire of coopering?
It’s no secret that casks are the unsung heroes of Scotch whisky. But behind every great cask, there’s a cooper.
And behind every great cooper, there’s… well, usually another cooper. They’re like Russian Dolls, except actually useful.
In the case of Gary Drummond, founder of Trossachs Cooperage, that’s quite literally true. Both parts.
These are casks. Let me know if I’m going too fast.
Trossachs Cooperage: a revival of experience and ambition
A second-generation cooper with over 18 years of experience honed at Diageo’s Carsebridge and Cambus cooperages, Drummond is putting £1.3 million into a new venture that aims to breathe new life into Scotland’s traditional cask craft.
Set to open this month, May 2025, Trossachs Cooperage will be based on the Cambusmore Estate in Callander, Stirlingshire. The facility is expected to create 12 skilled local jobs in its first year, including four apprentices who’ll learn the ropes from seasoned coopers. One of whom just so happens to be Gary’s dad. Coopering is often a family affair, of course, with skills passed down through generations.
Drummond and co plan to give back by recruiting apprentices as part of a certified training hub. That passing of the torch (or chisel) is being formalised through a customised SVQ Award, and the cooperage hopes to join the National Cooperage Federation.
The intent is clear: part workshop, part space to preserve and pass on this ancient skill. Whether that will be enough to address the industry’s skills gap is a question only time – and training – can answer. But it’s a notable show of confidence in the Scotch whisky industry.
The art of coopering needs preserving. But is there a sufficient market for a new cooperage?
Facing up to a cask crisis
Coopering might be a centuries-old trade, but it’s grappling with modern pressures. A shortage of skilled coopers and limited repair capacity means thousands of casks are scrapped each year, many of which could, in theory, be repaired and reused. That’s a waste of wood, history, and opportunity.
Trossachs Cooperage wants to change that. Its goal is to specialise in the repair, rejuvenation, and hardening of oak casks, making them fit for filling once more. In doing so, it hopes to cut down on waste, bring costs down, and ease the environmental burden on the industry.
Ambitious? Absolutely. Particularly in a concerning period for the industry. If we can ride these choppier waves and bold moves like this work, however, the impact could be significant.
Sustainability at the core
The cooperage also aims to lead by example when it comes to the buzziest of buzzwords: sustainability.
Every offcut, shaving, and speck of sawdust is set to be recycled, repurposed, or turned into firewood, feeding into its traditional rejuvenation process. Power will come from 100% renewable energy, sourced from solar and wind, helping minimise the operation’s carbon footprint.
Not bad for one of your first customers…
The future for Trossachs Cooperage
Interest is already stirring. The Borders Distillery has signed on as the first customer, sending casks to support the traditional rejuvenation process.
Managing director John Fordyce shared his thoughts: “The initiative taken by Trossachs and the investors is forward-thinking and bold. We’re delighted to be sending up our first batch ready for the opening.”
Of course, one partnership doesn’t make a trend. But it’s a strong early signal that distillers are open to exploring alternative routes to cask management, particularly if those routes help preserve both tradition and budget.
Further down the line, Drummond also has his sights set on building a visitor centre and café, offering a space for the public to connect with Scotland’s coopering heritage and providing a potential boost to local tourism.
Without coopers, there’s no whisky
The Last Drop
Trossachs Cooperage might not have all the answers. But in a sector feeling the strain of rising costs and dwindling expertise, it’s asking the right questions.
The future of coopering requires an understanding of the traditions, access to the right training, and a forward-thinking approach to sustainability. If the bright new hopefuls are on the money, it could initiate the first steps of a quiet but crucial revival.
The post Trossachs Cooperage: rekindling the fire of coopering? appeared first on Master of Malt blog.