Thank you for coming to our little celebration.

I know some of you have taken the trouble to travel from far away, over the seas - New York, Paris, Moscow - even Colonsay. By the looks of things, some of you East Coasters will be ‘dating’ Irene for a second time in just a fortnight.

You may think you have come to Scotland, but you would be wrong - you have come to Islay, to Gaeldom, once a kingdom within a kingdom. A land apart. By history, by genetics, by blood, Islay is different, and we do things our way.

I know it is a long distance to come for a dram in the rain. The tedious miles, the boring airport waits, missed connecting flights, the stress, the security police - and that’s just at Islay Airport.

We are here to celebrate.

At this humble gathering, we have the farmers who produce the barley from which we make our whisky; shareholders who invested in the stills that produce the single malt.

We have the management, our hosts, that run the distillery. The distributors that buy what we produce. Skilled journalists that spread the Laddie’s name and fame, and the salesmen that sell it.

And, judging by what I see in front of me, a fair few who, like to sample it.

For the first time we have come together to pay tribute to Bruichladdich. It’s coming of age with the arrival of the Laddie 10.

Yes, this is a rather unashamedly, self-gratifying, occasion: we are here to honour Bruichladdich, we are here to celebrate - US.

This project has been a long time in the making. By definition, single malt whisky takes time. It takes patience. It takes vision. By heavens it has taken a whole decade of our lives.

The French philosopher Diderot said: “Only passion, great passion, can elevate the soul to great things”.

But Cicero also observed: “He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason”.

Passion and Reason - two very human traits. Here, in a nutshell, we have the Laddie enigma: Passion and Reason. The coming together of people and ideas. Their pride, their passion, but also their imagination, foresight and resolve.

I have had the onerous task (I would say pleasure, but that might be pushing it) of being Chairman of this company. The fact that I have endured two knee replacements and a cardiac arrest is purely coincidental.

It was on a river bank, casting a fly, one lazy summer’s afternoon in 2000 that Mark came up to me and told me of his plan. Somewhat rashly I accepted the challenge.

Bruichladdich was the first distillery to have been bought out of what was in effect an industry cartel.

A close friend of mine, a highly successful whisky industry player, said it could not be done - many agreed: it was a crazy idea; and they were almost right; almost...

When distilleries were shut down and knocked to the floor, they don’t expect them to get up again.

Many didn’t expect us even to come round.

When, to their surprise, we slowly rose on one knee, they didn’t think we would make it all the way. And then, to their surprise, we painfully dragged ourselves onto our trembling feet.

Teetering, we brushed ourselves down. They still said we wouldn’t last. But we stumbled a bit, and walked on. Now, with the Laddie 10, we are breaking in to a run...

Churchill confessed, when he put together his War Cabinet of diverse talents, in those vulnerable, dark, lonely days, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.”

And I can assure you as Chairman that there has been nothing but pools of blood; heroic levels of toil; bucket loads of tears and an undignified volume of sweat. And that’s just me.

From the Major of Islay Peru, to Yellow Submarines, flying Health Inspectors, WMDs, Mossad and the CIA; from Ugly Betty to Perilous Whisky in Radical Racing cars running on our whisky, it has been quite a ride.

A glance at our excellent new website - have we really done all that stuff?

I guess we have - shows the world that we have not been idle while we waited for the Laddie 10 to come of age.

As Chairman it gives me great pleasure to lead the board of a business, one that is genuinely leading the agenda in its field, and which is doing so well in these difficult times.

With the company now securely financed for the future growth in the years ahead, who knows where it will all lead? One thing is for sure, this journey has not lacked for want of excitement, as my cardiologist reminds me.

Now - I believe it would not be too presumptuous, nor indeed dare I say, too arrogant, on this special occasion, to allow ourselves just a little pat on our back. The Boy’s done good.

Let’s raise a glass - To the Laddie!