William Mark Sanderson

WILLIAM. Ref: 2011. Male.Fellow RSE (Royal Society of Edinburgh)

Profession: Unknown.

Date of Election: 07/12/1896.

Proposers: Sir I Bayley Balfour, William Craig, Sir A Douglas Maclagan, Andrew Peebles Aitken (Billet 15/6, 6/7,

20/7/1896).

Notes: Died 1907-8.

Fellow Type: OF.

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William Sanderson & Son Ltd, Distillers, Leith:

The story is that in 1822 William put samples of almost one hundred blends in small numbered vats and invited expert colleagues to choose the best. All chose the vat numbered 69. So VAT69 became Sanderson’s premier grade blend and deserving special marketing beyond wholesale in casks.

William, urged by his eldest son, William Mark, chose a Leith made, antique looking, wide shouldered, long-necked bottle, the unmistakable VAT69 bottle. The black label with the VAT69 boldly stencilled in white had “William Sanderson & Son Ltd” in William’s hand then “Distillers, LEITH, Scotland”. From the cap, with “Quality tells” in William Mark’s hand, ran a red ribbon wax sealed on the shoulder with the Sanderson family Talbot hound crest.

The firm expanded in 9 Quality Street (renamed Maritime Street in 1967). William Mark increasingly took over management and became a partner in 1892. His father became a local councillor, magistrate, a Leith Dock’s Commissioner, a director of the Clydesdale Bank, which was used by the firm, partner and later owner of Glengarioch malt whisky distillery, Old Meldrum, and director of Lachnagar Distillery near Balmoral.

In 1885 he became managing director of the new patent still North British Distillery in Gorgie, set up and owned by William Sanderson and other whisky merchants and blenders including Ushers, Crabbie and Robertson towards securing their firm’s sources of grain spirits.

William Sanderson died on 3rd April 1908.

From: www.scotlandswar.co.uk

GEDCOM Note

Inventor of Vat 69 blend of whisky in 1863 after about twent yearsexperience during which he produced many named blends [see RossWilson. 'The House of Sanderson'. Wm Sanderson, 1963].

Moderator of the High Constables of the Port of Leith 1891--92: [seeWood, Andrew Dick, 'The High Constables of the Port of Leith: A ShortHistory'. Edinburgh: A. Dick Wood, 1972].

GEDCOM Note

Inventor of Vat 69 blend of whisky in 1863 after about twent yearsexperience during which he produced many named blends [see RossWilson. 'The House of Sanderson'. Wm Sanderson, 1963].

Moderator of the High Constables of the Port of Leith 1891--92: [seeWood, Andrew Dick, 'The High Constables of the Port of Leith: A ShortHistory'. Edinburgh: A. Dick Wood, 1972].