After a year of chaos in banking systems and turmoil on financial markets, few people would be brave enough to make any predictions about what 2009 will bring.

One thing that is certain, however, is that following a long boom that resulted in many countries recording dramatic growth, there has been a similarly dramatic growth in the number of people who have the money to spend on goods that were once reserved for the few.

Add in the fact that the pound is worth much less than it was last new year's day in lots of countries and there could be plenty for exporters to go for.

This week's SME Focus highlights a veteran of the whisky business who is reaping the rewards for the sometimes gruelling effort involved in drumming up sales overseas, but who says the government could do much more to help at home.

Name: Michael Urquhart.

Age: I'm 54.

What is your business called?
Gordon & MacPhail.

Where is it based? Elgin, Moray.

What does it produce, what services does it offer?
Gordon & MacPhail is a distiller - owning Speyside's smallest working distillery, Benromach, which is located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres. It is an independent bottler - bottling whiskies from throughout Scotland under the company's own labels. It is a retailer with a shop in Elgin famed for its whisky room with around 800 brands. It is a wholesaler - distributing own single malts and a wide selection of wines, spirits and beers.

To whom does it sell?
Own-bottled whiskies are sold throughout the UK and more than 50 markets by our trade customers. The shop sells to people from across Scotland and attracts tourists from throughout the UK and overseas.

We also distribute our own single malts and a wide selection of wines, spirits and beers to trade customers, predominantly throughout the UK.

What is its turnover?
£16m.

How many employees?
There are 129.

When was it formed?
In 1895, with the opening of the Gordon & MacPhail retail shop. In the first year of trading, John Urquhart (my grandfather) joined to assist with the whisky side of the business. John's son, George (my father), joined the company in 1933.

Along with my sister Rosemary and two brothers, Ian and David, we are the third generation of the Urquhart family to own and manage Gordon & MacPhail. The fourth generation of the family has now entered the business.

Why did you take the plunge?
Throughout my lifetime, I have seen first hand how the business was managed and developed over the years. I worked in the business during the holidays, both when I was at school and college, and I always felt a hankering to go back to what was a successful and dynamic family business.

My role in the company has also evolved from when I joined in 1981. I have overall responsibility for finance and information technology and the export side of the business - where export sales have doubled in the last 10 years.

In 2007, I became joint managing director with my brother David, and in addition, I now oversee the whisky supply and production within the business.

The business has evolved over the years from wholesaling groceries, fruit and vegetables, wine, spirits and whisky into a company that wholesales wines, spirits and whisky. The company will continue to develop to meet the changes in society. The small grocery stores have been replaced by large supermarkets and in recent years we have seen the growth in purchasing online. We've just given our Benromach website a complete new look to take advantage of the changing marketplace.

When my grandfather started in business letters were handwritten, and during my time I have seen the introduction of the fax machine and its subsequent replacement by e-mail. In all that time, one thing hasn't changed - the warm glow from enjoying a dram of the finest single malt.

What were you doing before you took the plunge?
I was a chartered accountant in Edinburgh, where I served my apprenticeship with John M Geoghegan & Co followed by two years with Thornton Baker (now Grant Thornton).

What was your biggest break?
It was always a goal of both my grandfather and father to own and manage a distillery. This family dream was realised in 1993, when we purchased and renovated Benromach Distillery for a seven-figure sum. Production at the distillery restarted in 1998, and today Benromach products are enjoyed in more than 30 markets.

What was your worst moment?
Our head offices are based close to the River Lossie in Elgin, and in 1997 and 2002 the river burst its banks causing flood damage to the business.

Understanding customers, supportive suppliers and our superb employees worked tirelessly on both occasions to get us back into operation within a week. Since then we have taken steps to protect the business by building a shielding wall around the premises. A recent challenge has been the changes to duty and VAT announced in the pre-Budget report for implementation on December 1.

This caused a huge administrative test considering we stock more than 4000 product lines. Our fantastic workforce dealt with this in an extremely efficient and effective manner and we turned around these changes in a matter of days.

What do you most enjoy about running the business?
One of the most satisfying roles is introducing people to the wonderful world of single malt; telling them about Gordon & MacPhail and witnessing them enjoy our great range of products responsibly.

What do you least enjoy?
I have been travelling around the world for 12 years now and have spent countless hours in airport waiting lounges. It would be great to have a teleporter to get around the various markets more quickly.

What is your biggest bugbear?
Ever-changing and complex employment law.

What are your ambitions for the firm?
We wish to retain and develop our position as the "world's leading malt whisky specialist" by increasing sales of Gordon & MacPhail bottled products, including Benromach, and offering the largest range of single malt whiskies.

We are determined that Gordon & MacPhail continues to prosper as a successful family- owned and independent business in the future.

What are your five top priorities?
To continue to nurture and develop our relationships with our suppliers and trade customers throughout the world; continue to motivate and develop our employees so that they are well prepared to achieve our company goals and for the challenges ahead; establish good family governance in the succession of the business from the third to the fourth generation; continue to focus on building and developing the Benromach brand in the UK and in markets throughout the world; reaffirm our position as what we believe to be the "world's leading malt whisky specialist" by investing in our marketing strategy for Gordon & MacPhail.

What single thing would most help?
We continue to express disappointment that the last Budget raised excise duty on spirits by over 9% and that further 2% above inflation rises will follow until 2013.

This has implications for industry competitiveness in the UK (at a time when inflation is rising and costs are higher) but also sends out a negative message to export markets that large duty increases on Scotch whisky are acceptable.

We support the Scotch Whisky Association, which is arguing for the annual excise duty escalator in the UK to be abandoned. The escalator will entrench the tax discrimination faced by Scotch, with negative implications for an important domestic industry at a time when we face challenging international economic conditions.

What could the Westminster and/or Scottish governments do that would help?
The industry remains committed to working with government north and south of the border to tackle the misuse of alcohol.

This commitment is highlighted by both company and industry level initiatives. Enforcing the law so that alcohol is not sold to those under age or already intoxicated, better alcohol education, and support for early health interventions with potentially harmful drinkers are areas where more could be done.

However, care is required not to introduce measures that will do little to tackle misuse but could have negative implications for the sector, such as restrictions on availability or minimum pricing.

What was the most valuable lesson that you learned?
In order for Gordon & MacPhail to succeed, we must continually assess market conditions and adapt to provide the consumer with a choice of quality products at a reasonable price.

We must cover all of our costs, always ensuring there is a little more to invest for the future.

We must nurture the skills of our fantastic workforce and continue to develop our relationships with our suppliers and trade customers who all play an invaluable role in providing the consumer with the quality and choice they demand.

How do you relax?
Golf (badly), watching rugby and spending time with my family.

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