The story of Teacher’s Whisky is one of a hard-working Glasgow mentality, of serving the best Highland creamy peated Scotch and of seeking adventure beyond home.
The accounts and statements in this site form the DNA of the Teacher's brand. These truths shape the brand and help to define its future direction.
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THE DECK
MOMENTS
The story of Teacher’s Whisky is one of a hard-working Glasgow mentality, of serving the best Highland creamy peated Scotch and of seeking adventure beyond home.
The foundation of the Teacher’s brand is built on strong conviction of right and wrong. This foundation was set by William Teacher – who came from impoverished conditions, but succeeded due to his entrepreneurial acumen and his progressive mindset. A mindset that spoke of workers rights, freedom and liberty.
His sons, William Jr and Adam carried these principles forward as they scaled the brand beyond Scotland into England, South America, Australia and beyond.
It is a brand that has an urban soul, a peaty spine and a Highland spirit all coming together with the right spirit.
The foundation of the Teacher’s brand is built on strong conviction of right and wrong. This foundation was set by William Teacher – who came from impoverished conditions, but succeeded due to his entrepreneurial acumen and his progressive mindset. A mindset that spoke of workers rights, freedom and liberty.
His sons, William Jr and Adam carried these principles forward as they scaled the brand beyond Scotland into England, South America, Australia and beyond.
It is a brand that has an urban soul, a peaty spine and a Highland spirit all coming together with the right spirit.
1811
William Teacher is born in Glasgow
1827
William Teacher takes part in several social activism events to promote better rights for workers
1834
William Teacher opens a dram shop in Glasgow
1850
William Teacher starts to blend and sell his own whiskies
1863
The Teacher’s brand is created, selling its blend ‘Highland Cream’
1860's - 70's
The Teacher’s brand expands into England
1884
The ‘Highland Cream’ is registered as a trademark
1898
The Ardmore Distillery is established
1913
William Manera Bergius invents the self-opening (wooden) cap – a world first
1929
The campaign ‘The Right Stuff’ elevates the hard-working mentality and high-quality perceptions of the Teacher’s brand – a mentality that continued into the 1980s.
1938
Teacher’s Whisky is named best blended whisky in the US market
1967
Teacher’s invents the Jigger Cap, doubling both as a closure and a measure/cup
1972
Teacher’s Highland Cream sells one million cases in the UK, leading to further expansion at the Ardmore Distillery
2014
Beam Suntory acquires the Teacher’s brand
Stories
The Quest
The quest for the perfect Highland blend
William Teacher
The Reverent Founder and Moral Compass
Born into a poor family (with a father who died early), William Teacher learned by doing – as an apprentice in tailoring and working at the cotton mills of Glasgow, William understood the value of hard work from an early age. William became a strong voice in promoting worker’s rights, and his strong sense of right and wrong informed the direction of the Teacher’s brand. And while his entrepreneurial spirit was strong, it was his hard-working mentality that gave him his nickname ‘Old Thorough’.
Adam Teacher
The Irreverent Adventurer
The second son born to William Teacher (in 1839), Adam Teacher, was much like his father, not a man who was afraid to do things his way. Together with his brother, William Jr, he expanded the Teacher’s brand into England and through several nautical voyages Adam took Teacher’s whisky to South America. Described as a ‘buccaneer’, Adam was a colourful member of the Teacher’s family – truly irreverent for his time, and an adventurer at heart.
The Dram Shops
Experiencing Quality
William Teacher opened his first Dram Shop in 1834. Coming from working-class conditioned, William was sympathetic to the Temperance Movement of the time – which was enforced by rules that prevented excessive drunkenness.
William offered very fine blended scotch (amongst a few blends, the Highland Cream was poured), which filled his shops, and attracted a finer crowd of people.
The experience of the Dram Shops we focused on elevating the quality of the blended whisky served there.
William offered very fine blended scotch (amongst a few blends, the Highland Cream was poured), which filled his shops, and attracted a finer crowd of people.
The experience of the Dram Shops we focused on elevating the quality of the blended whisky served there.
William Manera Bergius
The Innovator
The grandson of William Teacher, worked at the family company in his younger years. Brought up through the ranks, William learned the trade by putting in the hard work – much like his grandfather, uncles Adam and William Jr had done.
At the time William worked at Teacher’s in a time of expansion (1890s-), and he contributed with a world-first innovation: the self-opening cork. Prior to that, all whisky was sold with a cork, and this innovation made it easy to preserve the quality whisky sold by Teacher’s.
At the time William worked at Teacher’s in a time of expansion (1890s-), and he contributed with a world-first innovation: the self-opening cork. Prior to that, all whisky was sold with a cork, and this innovation made it easy to preserve the quality whisky sold by Teacher’s.
People
The Founder & The Adventurer
William M Teacher
The Reverent Founder
William Teacher was born in 1811 to a mother who worked at the cotton mill and a father who was a sailor, in Duntocher, a suburb of Glasgow. His father was lost at sea which meant William grew up fatherless and had to work at age 7 to help support the family.
In the formative years, William was an apprentice for local tailor Robert Barr where he learned to both read and write, as well as serving clients of status. Following the completion of his apprenticeship, he went back to work at the cotton mills, and being a man of strong convictions he partook in several social demonstrations to promote improved working conditions.
William got engaged to Agnes MacDonald and started to work at her family’s grocer shop. In 1834 William changed the name to ‘William Teacher’s’ and further expanded with a Dram Shop next door.
Having been an active member of the Chartist Movement, and sympathetic to the Temperance Movement which grew popular at the time, William ran the Dram Shops with strong fundamental rules: no smoking, no drunkenness and no buying rounds.
The Dram Shops gave William an opportunity to sell his own blended whisky – a profile was developed using highland peated malts to make Highland Cream (‘cream’ being a nod to both its quality and warming taste profile).
William’s later years was spent learning both German and French, and his methodical and tenacious mentality that he applied in everything he set his mind to gave him the nickname ‘Old Thorough’. He was the moral compass of the family. Progressive for his time throughout his life, and with a clear sense of right and wrong, he never afraid to challenge the established.
William died at the age of 65 in 1876.
In the formative years, William was an apprentice for local tailor Robert Barr where he learned to both read and write, as well as serving clients of status. Following the completion of his apprenticeship, he went back to work at the cotton mills, and being a man of strong convictions he partook in several social demonstrations to promote improved working conditions.
William got engaged to Agnes MacDonald and started to work at her family’s grocer shop. In 1834 William changed the name to ‘William Teacher’s’ and further expanded with a Dram Shop next door.
Having been an active member of the Chartist Movement, and sympathetic to the Temperance Movement which grew popular at the time, William ran the Dram Shops with strong fundamental rules: no smoking, no drunkenness and no buying rounds.
The Dram Shops gave William an opportunity to sell his own blended whisky – a profile was developed using highland peated malts to make Highland Cream (‘cream’ being a nod to both its quality and warming taste profile).
William’s later years was spent learning both German and French, and his methodical and tenacious mentality that he applied in everything he set his mind to gave him the nickname ‘Old Thorough’. He was the moral compass of the family. Progressive for his time throughout his life, and with a clear sense of right and wrong, he never afraid to challenge the established.
William died at the age of 65 in 1876.
Adam Teacher
The Irreverent Adventurer
The second son of William Teacher, Adam had much like his father strong convictions that led him throughout his life.
Born in 1839, he and his big brother William Jr (born in 1936) were raised by both parents. William Teacher was adamant in teaching the two boys the principles he had learnt in his life and this instilled a strong working mentality in Adam.
As the Teacher’s operations grew with several Dram Shops set up all over Glasgow, Adam joined the family company in 1856. They moved the company headquarters to St. Enoch Square in central Glasgow, and together with William Jr Adam expanded the reach of the family whisky in particular Highland Cream into England during the 1860s and 1870s.
In September 1871 at age 32, Adam set sail on a trip to South America on board the Tumuri. While the main purpose of the expedition was the collection and cataloguing of native natural specimens, and it allowed Adam to (over time) open up new markets. On the trip Adam carried a revolver, a two-foot long jungle knife and a breech-loading Snider rifle – taking no chances on his adventures.
Of his uncle Adam in ‘Reminiscences’, William Manera Bergius said:
‘His territory was the borders’.
Upon William Teacher’s death William Jr took over the business, however William Jr dies just four years later, leaving Adam to take over the business. Adam oversees the registration of Highland Cream in 1884, and establishes the London office that same year, and the Manchester office in 1886.
The release of a new whisky (onboard barrel maturation out and inbound to Australia) was overseen by Adam in 1887. In the later 1890s Adam assumes an elevated role at the company, conducting meetings and overseeing expansion, and at the year of his death in 1898, the Ardmore Distillery is completed.
Born in 1839, he and his big brother William Jr (born in 1936) were raised by both parents. William Teacher was adamant in teaching the two boys the principles he had learnt in his life and this instilled a strong working mentality in Adam.
As the Teacher’s operations grew with several Dram Shops set up all over Glasgow, Adam joined the family company in 1856. They moved the company headquarters to St. Enoch Square in central Glasgow, and together with William Jr Adam expanded the reach of the family whisky in particular Highland Cream into England during the 1860s and 1870s.
In September 1871 at age 32, Adam set sail on a trip to South America on board the Tumuri. While the main purpose of the expedition was the collection and cataloguing of native natural specimens, and it allowed Adam to (over time) open up new markets. On the trip Adam carried a revolver, a two-foot long jungle knife and a breech-loading Snider rifle – taking no chances on his adventures.
Of his uncle Adam in ‘Reminiscences’, William Manera Bergius said:
‘His territory was the borders’.
Upon William Teacher’s death William Jr took over the business, however William Jr dies just four years later, leaving Adam to take over the business. Adam oversees the registration of Highland Cream in 1884, and establishes the London office that same year, and the Manchester office in 1886.
The release of a new whisky (onboard barrel maturation out and inbound to Australia) was overseen by Adam in 1887. In the later 1890s Adam assumes an elevated role at the company, conducting meetings and overseeing expansion, and at the year of his death in 1898, the Ardmore Distillery is completed.
Place
A soul, a spine and a spirit
Glasgow
Where William Teacher was born, and the city that instilled a working-mentality and resolute soul in him. William built his Dram Shops across Glasgow, and while the brand expanded to have both a London and Manchester office, it was Glasgow that was the crucible of the brand.
The Highlands
Our fine malts come from the Highlands. Its peat gives our whisky a robust peaty spine, and the malts a creamy and rich finish. The peaty spine gives the other flavours a nice centre to work from, and William Teacher knew that the quality of his whisky depended on sourcing great malts with Highland characteristics.
The Ardmore Distillery
In 1895 Adam Teacher took a significant step in ensuring the consistent quality of Teacher’s whisky when commissioning the construction of The Ardmore Distillery. Following the purchase of land in Aberdeenshire, the construction of The Ardmore distillery started (Adam died before it was fully constructed).
The Ardmore’s whisky since became a signature part of the Teacher’s blend. The sweeter, malty notes of Ardmore comes through in every Teacher’s whisky, and while the proportions of the malt to other Highland malts have changed, The Ardmore Distillery is the soul place of the brand – what truly gives it its spirit.
The Ardmore’s whisky since became a signature part of the Teacher’s blend. The sweeter, malty notes of Ardmore comes through in every Teacher’s whisky, and while the proportions of the malt to other Highland malts have changed, The Ardmore Distillery is the soul place of the brand – what truly gives it its spirit.
Liquid
House Style Liquid
Crafting Perfection in the form of the Perfect Highland Blend
House Style Liquid
The Perfect Balance of Highland creaminess and peaty character:
A spine of peated Ardmore Malt and a Majority of top-notch and 1st class Highland Malts.
Highland peated character with a dry spicy smoke, mouth-warming creamy maltiness with honey sweetness including citrus fruit aromas, and an impressive robust highland dry smoky after taste.
The fundamental flavours of the Teacher’s House Style should be creamy with Highland smoke.
The Master Blender is responsible for marrying whiskies with different flavour profiles together to maintain the consistency of Teacher’s flavour: A highland peated character with a dry and spicy smoke, mouth-warming creamy maltiness with honey sweetness including citrus fruit aromas, and an impressive robust highland dry smoke after taste.
There are three immutable characteristics the Teacher’s House Style, The Perfect Highland Blend:
- Robust Highland peated malt whiskyThe spine of all Teacher’s whiskies is the Highland peated Ardmore -Virgin American puncheon barrel matured giving the whisky the distinct peat character and body.
- Sufficient amount of additional top-notch 1st class ex-bourbon barrel Highland malts.The top-notch malts (including Speyside) are balanced with Ardmore; To obtain creaminess, sweetness and fruitiness.
- All well-aged to release flavour of the malt whiskies.Bringing depth and flavours to the Teacher’s blend.
Experience
The quintessential
The quintessential Glasgow Dram Shop setting
Dram Shop setting
Teacher’s Whisky has historically been enjoyed in the Dram Shops of Glasgow.
The Dram Shops allowed people to enjoy the fine drams served by William Teacher especially the Highland Cream.
A Teacher’s whisky comes alive with a drop of water. It’s peaty spine allows for the malty core to open, and the warmer notes of honey and orchard fruits from The Ardmore malt comes to the surface.
And where other blended whiskies may be a bit bland, a Teacher’s whisky is not afraid to challenge when needed just like its founder.
In many ways the drinking experience today should be as William Teacher intended – one that does not take anything away from the thoroughness that has gone into making a perfectly balanced, blended Highland Scotch.
A Teacher’s whisky comes alive with a drop of water. It’s peaty spine allows for the malty core to open, and the warmer notes of honey and orchard fruits from The Ardmore malt comes to the surface.
And where other blended whiskies may be a bit bland, a Teacher’s whisky is not afraid to challenge when needed just like its founder.
In many ways the drinking experience today should be as William Teacher intended – one that does not take anything away from the thoroughness that has gone into making a perfectly balanced, blended Highland Scotch.
Teacher’s is a robust whisky. Mixed with a drop of water the full flavours open.
Personality
Personality & Behavior
A thorough character
Strong Minded. Single Minded.
Thorough
Speaking of the high quality Scotch created by William Teacher, and the measures taken to ensure the higher malt content delivers a whisky we are proud to put our name to.
Resolute
An intelligent and confident tone – always backed up by strong convictions in what is right and wrong. And never being afraid to challenge the established.
True
The tenacious spirit of the Teacher family, the principles of quality set fourth by William, William Jr and Adam still holds true.
