New book “Opening the Case: The Affairs of Pattisons’ Whisky”

21 May

On this day in 1901, Walter Pattison, the younger of the two infamous brothers behind Pattisons Ltd…

…celebrated his forty-first birthday, having recently walked free from Perth prison after serving his sentence for fraud and embezzlement.

His older brother, Robert, would turn forty-three the following day - although he still had nine months left of his sentence to serve.

It was a case that shook the very foundations of the Scotch whisky industry, revealing the unscrupulous dealings that had not only taken place beneath the polished surface of Pattisons Ltd but also throughout the industry itself.

While Robert and Walter Pattison were convicted, the collapse of their 'empire' left far-reaching consequences, toppling many other businesses in its wake.

Now, over a century later, historian and whisky specialist Justine Hazlehurst reexamines the facts in her debut book, Opening The Case: The Affairs of Pattisons' Whisky, unearthing fresh evidence, unseen photographs, and family insights that rewrite a tale long accepted as truth.

From their grand offices and bonded warehouses in Leith, the name Pattison once stood as a beacon of prosperity within the Scotch whisky trade - until, in 1898, it all came crashing down. For generations, accounts of the scandal have merely repeated the narratives shaped by other powerful institutions, who - after facilitating the Pattisons' supposed rise - later sought to distance themselves from the fallout. But Justine’s meticulous research - enhanced by exclusive access to the Pattison family archives and Walter's personal belongings - offers a fresh perspective into the brothers, revealing them not merely as ruthless, greedy figures entangled in wrongdoing, but as real people navigating the ebb and flow of life.

“The Pattison scandal has long been a cautionary tale for Scotch whisky, but what I uncovered tells a far richer and more complex story,” Justine explains. “This book reshapes our understanding of the brothers, bringing to light aspects of the Pattisons that were overlooked, misrepresented or never even revealed for over a century.”

Having traced the entire Pattison family tree, Justine discovered Walter Pattison’s great-grandson, who granted her unprecedented access to the family's private collection of photographs and documents - artefacts that had never before been seen by the public.

An aspiring whisky historian with deep ties to Leith, Justine is also the creator of the Leith Whisky Trail, a project dedicated to celebrating the history of Scotch whisky in and around the port. This book marks the first in a series that seeks to examine chapters of Scotch whisky's heritage from a fresh perspective.

Justine Hazelhurst: Aspiring Whisky Historian and Author

Renowned writer, Dave Broom, author of The World Atlas of Whisky and A Sense of Place explains: "Though frequently mentioned in accounts of Scotch whisky’s evolution, the knotty story of the Pattison Crash has never been fully explored ... until now. By using primary sources, Justine Hazlehurst has unfankled those knots revealing a hubristic tale of family intrigue, Leith’s forgotten whisky history, and dubious financial practises, plus an unpaid tailor ... and parrots. It is a story which carries lessons for today’s whisky trade."

Availability:

Opening The Case: The Affairs of Pattisons' Whisky is now available for purchase at kaskwhisky.com and at select distillery visitor centres.