SCOTLAND'S pride and joy is promoted from smart offices behind London End in Beaconsfield Old Town. This is the world headquarters of The Keepers of the Quaich, an exclusive society which "honours whose around the world who recognise the nobility of Scotch whisky by working, writing or speaking on its behalf".

But why Beaconsfield? Julia Thorold, director, explains: "My predecessor lived locally and set up the offices here. It's as convenient as anywhere, and very pleasant."

The Keepers of the Quaich, set up by the Scotch whisky industry in 1988, is as rich in ritual as you'd expect.

Its patrons are Scottish earls and dukes, it meets at the romantic Blair Castle for grand banquets, and its 1,300 members have the right to wear the Keepers' own tartan whose colours represent whisky: blue for water, gold for barley and brown for peat.

Its motto is "Water of Life Forever", and its symbol is a quaich, or drinking bowl.

Julia says: "It's not a secret society but it's very selective. It's not just for enthusiasts, but for those who have proved to have benefited the industry rather like a latter-day livery company."

She loves the job of running the society from its Beaconsfield base: "I think it's a fun and exciting industry to work in, with a lot of exceptionally nice people in it."

Julia has acquired a taste for whisky no doubt that's a demand of the job but accepts that "you need to work at it a little to appreciate it".

Scotch has a massive following around the world, she says, with Spain, surprisingly, now the biggest export market.

"There's a much stronger fashion for young people to drink whisky overseas in countries like Spain and France. In Spain no one goes to bed before 4am so there's lots of social opportunity."

Apparently they don't associate Scotch with heather-clad glens steeped in the mists of time and mystique. It's considered aspirational, sexy and upmarket, drunk in tall glasses with ice and Cola by clubbers."

Equally surprisingly, the Greeks drink more Scotch than ouzo. The French buy more Scotch in one month than Cognac in a year. And the value of Scotch sales in France exceeds that of pastis. Can you believe it?

Looks like those Keepers of the Quaich are doing their job well.