In this first instalment of a double-header we talk to Mark Reynier, former major stakeholder of Bruichladdich Distillery and now owner of Waterford Distillery in Ireland and the new Renegade Rum Distillery in Grenada. Mark has had quite a journey through various facets of the drinks industry. It would seem that at times he has been in the right place at the right time, but in reality he is one of those rare people who seem to be able to spot opportunities where many others see potential disaster. His revival of Bruichladdich Distillery is probably somewhat taken for granted these days but at the time it was a gamble, one that fortunately paid off. The sale of his stake in the company helped fund the Waterford Distillery which has been shaking things up in Ireland, and more recently the Renegade Rum in Grenada. Mark likes to court controversy, disrupter is a word often used in the tech industry but in the spirits industry there a few who have managed to change so much in such a short space of time. He's been a target for many who are keen to rubbish some of his ideas like 'Terroir' in whiskey. I was also a skeptic on this subject matter, after listening to Mark I am now more convinced but still want to see the proof in the taste of the finished product! We had a long conversation and you can catch the second instalment shortly. Sláinte!