#1 A wee dram with… Steven Hastie, Deeside Water Company

Deeside Water Company’s Commercial Manager chats with Lost Loch Spirits about water, strange German spirits and taxi fare confusion
Did you know?
Water from Deeside is fundamentally different. Deeside Water Company’s Mineral Water has a unique natural chemistry and smaller molecular clusters than most other spring waters. It’s also one of the ingredients in Murmichan absinthe.
Deeside Mineral Water flows from an ancient spring in one of the most beautiful, unspoilt parts of Scotland. It is a remote area located 600 feet above sea level within the protected Cairngorms National Park and close to Balmoral Castle.
Over a billion litres of rain falls around the springs every year. The water spends around 50 years being gently filtered through the layers of underground rock and miles of crevices. It is during this time that the water’s unique qualities are absorbed and captured.
So on World Water Day we caught up with Steven Hastie, Commercial Manager of Deeside Water Company.
What does your job involve?
As Commercial Manager, I am mostly responsible for new and existing business development, plus growing bottled water opportunities and promoting bulk IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container – basically a big tank used or shipping and storing liquid) supply of our water as a product ingredient.
Tell us something interesting about your work.
Water is more interesting than you would think and despite common misconceptions, water is not just water. Our water has a unique natural chemistry and smaller molecular clusters than most… who knew!
How did you get into doing what you do?
I started getting involved in membership sales, when I was masquerading as a fitness instructor in my first job. I have been involved in business development since then in a few different industries.
What’s your favourite cocktail?
I love (and make) a good Mojito.
What’s the most unusual spirit you’ve tasted?
Underberg, a German spirit with herb bitters taken for digestion. It’s quite popular with my wife’s family in Norway… but not so much with me!
What was your first experience trying gin?
I was relatively late to the gin scene – I had collected a few samples from a trade show and thought I better give them a try. The rest, as they say, is history… judging by my gin cupboard!
What’s your favourite joke involving drink?
A man walks into a bar with a roll of tarmac under his arm and says: “Pint please, and one for the road.”
What’s your party trick?
I can open a beer bottle with a soft-drink bottle.
If you could buy a drink for anyone, who would it be?
I’d like to buy Jack and Victor a pint in the Clansman pub (from the BAFTA award-winning Scottish sitcom Still Game)!
What’s the funniest thing that has ever happened to you in a bar?
It actually happened on leaving a bar. We jumped in a taxi and my wife shouted to the taxi driver: “Oi mate, how come the meter’s at £10.43 already? We’ve just got in.” To which the taxi driver replied: “That’s the time, love!”

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