He joined a Glasgow shipping firm as an office boy when he was fourteen or fifteen, and was later promoted to be a clerk.

In 1868 he joined his brother in the grain business until 1879, when he moved to London as an agent for a company in the whisky trade.

He realized that there was an untapped market in England for bottled Scotch whisky and set about producing his own, the Buchanan Blend.

The De Luxe 12-year, for example, earned a string of 3 gold medals and 2 double-golds from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition between 2005 and 2010.

[2] Buchanan's Forever artists have included: Elton John, James Blunt, Jon Bon Jovi, Fonseca, Fito Páez, Aleks Syntek, Gerry Weil, Franco De Vita, Sting and Ely Guerra.