A "legendary" Scotch whisky master blender has become a viral sensation at 74 years old after racking up over 25 million views and nearly two million likes on a single TikTok video.
Richard Paterson, a third-generation whisky expert with over 50 years of experience in the industry, is affectionately called ‘The Nose’ as a result of his renowned palate.
The viral clip, which features Paterson going through his signature whisky tasting routine, originates from an educational video Paterson created in 2010 on how to taste single malts. It has now been introduced to a new audience by @bosshuntingofficial on TikTok.
In the video, the expert swirls a single malt around, before throwing the whisky on the carpet to get rid of any odours on the lip of the glass. He then dips his famous nose in, encouraging viewers to take the time to say “hello”, “how are you?” and “quite well, thank you very much”, when warming up his senses to the whisky’s aromas.
Commenting on the unexpected re-emergence of the clip, Paterson said: "It is fabulous to see so many young people taking an interest in a video we recorded over a decade ago. It shows that learning the right steps really does stand the test of time when it comes to tasting the new and unique flavours of Scotch Whisky.
"I’m not much of a social media user myself but I’m pleased the platform is helping my videos reach a new audience. The events I go to are filled with young people, and moments like this video blowing up remind me that we’re passing whisky onto a new generation, which is absolutely fantastic."
Paterson hopes new fans enjoy whisky responsibly and advises viewers not to "knock it back like a cowboy", but to take the time to appreciate the full complexity and beauty of Scotch Whisky.
He continued: "People often ask, ‘do you really pour whisky onto the carpet during your tastings?’ and I say ‘yes, I do!’ It’s important to make tastings engaging and memorable, so people continue their interest in whisky going forward after the event."
The whisky aficionado's viral TikTok fame arrives as he releases a rare 30-year-old premium blended Scotch whisky — the first from Wolfcraig Distillers and a product of his partnership with fellow master distiller Ian MacMillan.
The distillers’ inaugural release – hailed by Paterson as a ‘flawless diamond’ – is available on the Wolfcraig Distillers website.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our newsletter here.
