Barclays backs Glasgow Distillery’s global growth plans

The Glasgow Distillery Company has secured a £5.5m asset based lending facility from Barclays to support its international growth plans. In addition, Barclays has assumed full day to day banking for the distillery which re-opened in 2014 becoming the first independent single malt whisky distillery in Glasgow for over 100 years.

The funding will provide working capital to invest in increasing whisky stocks and continuing The Glasgow Distillery Company’s international expansion. While Europe is currently its biggest export market, the company has seen strong growth in Asia this year. New retail contracts have been secured in Russia with distribution deals currently being developed in Belgium and Luxembourg.

New product development is core to the distillery’s growth plans and in the last two months it has successfully launched two new products, further expanding its award winning range.

The Glasgow Distillery Company has remained operational throughout the current pandemic and pivoted its business to add hand sanitiser to production schedules and maximise e-commerce opportunities, growing online direct-to-consumer sales by 500%. The team has also created a virtual tasting experience, investing in a fully equipped tasting room which will be used to take the distillery tour to international buyers, tackling the challenge of travel restrictions.

Ian McDougall, Finance Director and Co-founder of the Glasgow Distillery Company said “We’re delighted Barclays has chosen to back the next stage of our growth plans, especially in such difficult economic circumstances. This investment will help finance our strategy to respond to increasing worldwide demand for our products. We have ambitious plans and, with the support of Barclays, our customers, suppliers and employees we are confident of our future success.”

The Barclays team was led by Stuart McAleese, Relationship Director, and Mike Kempton-Smith, Asset Based Lending.

Stuart McAleese, Relationship Director at Barclays Corporate Banking said: “The Glasgow Distillery Company is a great example of an organisation with a solid forward-thinking business plan that’s clearly focussed on continued and strategic growth. We worked closely with the founders, applying our industry expertise and understanding of the whisky sector to tailor a bespoke asset based lending funding package that will support further expansion of their award winning product range and international market reach.”

Founders Liam Hughes, Mike Hayward and Ian McDougall revived The Glasgow Distillery Company which originally opened in 1770 before closing in the early 20^th century. The business now employs 24 staff and produces The Glasgow 1770 Single Malt Signature range and Malt Riot Blended Malt as well as Makar Gin, Banditti Club Spiced Rum and G52 Botanical Vodka.

Notes

About Barclays 

Barclays is a British universal bank.  We are diversified by business, by different types of customers and clients, and by geography.  Our businesses include consumer banking and payments operations around the world, as well as a top-tier, full service, global corporate and investment bank, all of which are supported by our service company which provides technology, operations and functional services across the Group.

Glenfarclas Distillery and BI Wine and Spirits team up to bring the Spirit of Speyside to all

Though the Spirit of Speyside whisky festival, set to take place in late April, had to be cancelled due to Covid-19, the family owned Glenfarclas distillery and London based merchant BI Wine and Spirits have teamed up to release the 2020 distillery exclusive. BI will be donating 10% of sales of this unique whisky to the Moray Food Plus foodbank. The foodbank was selected in recognition of the amazing work that they do to help tackle the difficulties of food insecurity in the local Speyside community.

‘The impact of the pandemic has been widespread and has affected all in some form or another, so teaming up with BI to ensure the 2020 release was made available to those unable to make it up to the distillery was an easy decision to make’, says George Grant, Glenfarclas Sales Director and 6^th Generation family member.

Each year, different members from the Glenfarclas distillery team choose a whisky to be sold as the limited release at the festival. The honour of choosing the 2020 exclusive went to the team at the very heart of the whisky making process – the still men. John, Jimmy and Graham enjoyed a break from their day job and were delighted by the opportunity to sample some of the great casks resting at the distillery. Rumour has it, the chosen cask was the first that they sampled – but ever the professionals they are, they tried many more, just to be sure.

The so-called ‘Stillmen’s Dram’ is a single cask bottling of 2009 liquid. Aged for 10 years in First-Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt #1446, this release was bottled at a cask of 60.1% resulting in a limited run of 658 bottles. Offering a complex balance of rich candied fruit and sherry oak spice, this dram is a must have for any lover of Glenfarclas.

The bottles will be made available for purchase from the 18^th July 2020 through BI Wine and Spirits’ online platform with an RSP of £100.

Gary Boom, BI’s Managing Director, said:

“BI has always been proud to work with the Glenfarclas distillery. It is a rare family owned business that has retained its integrity throughout the years. That integrity shines through with this bottling and the decision to donate 10% of profits to the Moray Food Plus was an easy decision to make. I am delighted that BI is able to team up with Glenfarclas to bring the release to collectors and drinkers who were perhaps unable to make it up to the distillery due to the global pandemic. I am thrilled the Spirit of Speyside lives on.’

George Grant, Glenfarclas Sales Director and Sixth Generation Family Member, said:

“The impact of the pandemic has been widespread and has affected all in some form or another, so teaming up with BI to ensure the 2020 release was made available to those unable to make it up to the distillery in late April was an easy decision to make. The Moray Food Plus was an obvious charity to pick as the work that they do across the Speyside community is nothing short of outstanding.”

Available at www.BIwine.com 

About BI: 

Established in 1997, BI (www.biwine.com) has grown to become a leading global fine wine merchant. Founded by South African-born Gary Boom, BI’s aim is to make the world of fine wine accessible to a broader audience. The Company has offices in London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Los Angeles, as well as a rapidly growing international customer base.

In July 2018 BI was named ‘Bordeaux Specialist of the Year’ at both the International Wine Challenge Merchant Awards, having previous won this award in 2015, 2014, 2012, 2010 and 2008. In addition in 2016 and 2015 BI was named ‘Fine Wine Retailer of the Year’ by the industry’s leading publication, The Drinks Business, and was awarded ‘Bordeaux Specialist Retailer’ at the 2015 and 2014 Decanter Retailer of the Year awards.

Innovation has always been at the heart of the business.  In 2009 BI launched LiveTrade, the world’s first online wine trading platform; as the only provider of live bid and offer prices for top Bordeaux and other regions, LiveTrade guarantees liquidity to the fine wine market.

Whyte & Mackay employees globetrot 29,000 miles for charity 

The employees of Glasgow based Whyte & Mackay have begun a virtual adventure which will see those taking part clock up enough miles to travel around the world. They have set themselves the challenge of walking, running, rowing or cycling a combined total of almost 29,000 miles over the next eight weeks to raise money for nominated charities.

The challenge – Whyte & Mackay Cares – was inspired by the heroic feats of Captain Tom Moore in the UK. Funds raised will go towards charities nominated by the team at Whyte & Mackay, which includes the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).
A  full lap of the earth is a little under 25,000 miles, but the course will be longer than that as the team clocks up their target distance between 1 July and 26 August with the aim of raising £50,000 for charity in the communities where their colleagues, partners and consumers live. The additional mileage will enable them to ‘visit’ some key cities along the route.

Employees based in Canada, USA, Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong, UAE, South Africa, Germany, France, Spain and Russia are taking part alongside their UK-based colleagues. The challenge was initiated by the team themselves as part of their desire to stay connected and support other people  during lockdown.

Nick Garland, Chief Commercial Officer at Whyte & Mackay, said: “Thanks goes to the organising team for leading the way and creating a fun challenge that everyone can get involved in. We’re living in unprecedented times – as has been widely recognised. That we stay connected and support our community and our friends further afield is really important, especially now. The role charities play in keeping people connected, and providing access to the support that is needed is vital. We are delighted to play our part by raising funds to support their work.”

Holly Johnstone, Communication and Partnerships Manager, said: “I am really proud to be part of this team, which is demonstrating real commitment to our communities. We all wanted to contribute to the well-being of people around the world. Where we cannot meet to fundraise in person, we are doing so online instead.”

Emma Docherty, HR Advisor at Whyte & Mackay, said: “Many of our colleagues have been unable to work in their offices during the pandemic and have had to adapt to working from home. This left some feeling isolated and we wanted to ensure our colleagues still felt connected to their teams and the wider business. To do this, we felt it was vital to put even more focus on employee wellbeing. This challenge not only encourages colleagues to exercise and take time away from their screens, it also has given a platform for colleagues across the world to connect, communicate and challenge each other.

“The Scottish Association of Mental Health (SAMH) supports those who are struggling and has a great variety of resources available, including  information and tips for those who have been impacted during the pandemic.”

The team clocked up enough miles after day one to travel from Glasgow to London. Whyte & Mackay hosted a virtual pub quiz on 1 July after the journey from Glasgow had ‘arrived’ in London that evening.

Keep track of the team’s progress over the next eight weeks by following them on Instagram @WhyteandMackayCares / #WhyteandMackayCares.

About Whyte & Mackay Group Ltd.

Whyte & Mackay was founded in Glasgow in 1844, and today celebrates its 175^th anniversary with a multi-award-winning portfolio of brands which includes The Dalmore, Jura, Tamnavulin and Fettercairn whiskies alongside its namesake Whyte & Mackay Blended Whisky.

The award-winning whisky makers are proud partners of Flor de Caña, Camus and RumChata distributing their distinctive brands in the UK, while in recent years their focus on pioneering innovation has seen them reveal a plethora of brand extensions and new to world brands. From an exclusive 50 Year-Old Highland Single Malt from The Dalmore celebrating the career of Master Distiller Richard Paterson to a full range revamp on Jura. In the last twelve months, more than five new brands have been revealed, to name a few – Shackleton, Woodsman, and Wildcat, as well an independent boutique bottling arm The Whisky Works, fronted by whisky maker, Gregg Glass.

The global spirits business is headquartered in the heart of Glasgow, and employs over 500 people around the globe, across five international offices, five distilleries and a state-of-the-art bottling plant in Scotland.
Today, with the support of its owners Emperador Inc,. Whyte & Mackay is building a progressive, passionate and ambitious company for the future. Emperador is a subsidiary of Alliance Global Group, Inc (an international conglomerate listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange).

Whiskey Website Data Proves That Drinkers

Maintain Consistent Bourbon Preference 

Crowd Sourced Brand Arriving in Stores Now 

        FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (July 9, 2020) –Buffalo Trace Distillery launched an interactive website (www.yourperfectbourbon.com) in the fall of 2015 designed to teach people about bourbon whiskey. Two years later, 2017, more than 100,000 fans had participated in crafting their perfect bourbon and the results were amazingly similar. In response, Buffalo Trace released a new product to offer fans what they were asking for. This crowd sourced brand was called Weller CYPB, short for Craft Your Perfect Bourbon. Now, just two years since the launch of Weller CYPB, the number of people using the website has tripled to 300,000, and the results remain overwhelmingly consistent. The interactive “Craft Your Perfect Bourbon” website data shows whiskey drinkers prefer wheat recipe bourbon, aged 8 years on the top warehouse floors and bottled somewhere between 90-99 proof.

Fans will again have the opportunity to enjoy this crowd-sourced favorite, as the annual release of Weller CYPB will begin arriving in stores this summer. Although very limited, one batch of this bourbon is produced each year. The recommended price is $49.99.

“Two years ago we were amazed to see the website data indicate such a strong preference amongst countless possibilities,” Senior Marketing Director Kris Comstock said. “We took that feedback from 100,000 fans to heart. Now with more than 300,000 participants, it is wonderful to see an overwhelming majority of fans still prefer bourbon with the specifications of our Weller CYPB. We are happy to continue giving bourbon drinkers more of what they crave every year.”

The Craft Your Perfect Bourbon website allows users to choose the recipe and grain percentages, select the warehouse level, how long it ages, and the proof for bottling. The latest website data shows stark differences between each variable and the next closest preference. There is nearly a 50,000 response difference between the wheated bourbon recipe and the second recipe preferred, Rye Mash #1. The data shows 23% of respondents would age their bourbon for eight years, compared to only 10% who would age their bourbon 23 years. About 73% of fans chose to age their perfect bourbon on the top floor compared to the middle or bottom floors, and nearly 48% of fans proofed their bourbon at 90-99.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

Glencairn launches The Glencairn Glassroom: 

A sneak behind the doors of some of the US’s most trailblazing distilleries with the world’s favourite whisky glass…

As part of this year’s Glencairn Glass 20^th Anniversary milestone, the award-winning family owned Glencairn Crystal has launched The Glencairn Glassroom: a compilation of behind-the-scenes Q&A conversations with some of the most innovative and trailblazing American distillers.

The series offers Glencairn’s partner distillers the opportunity to talk candidly about their businesses, backgrounds and personal insights into their whisky journey. From across the US, Glencairn has spoken to some of the most exciting and high profile distillers, as part of the company’s desire to support and promote their much-valued international customers.

Throughout the summer months, interviews will be appearing on a regular basis at www.whiskyglass.com/glassroom/ showcasing a different distillery, their team and their insights every week. Each interview will be supported through a social media campaign via The Glencairn Glass.

Jason Kennedy, Sales Director at Glencairn Crystal, heads up the US sales side of the business and commented: “In these challenging times, we are very keen to work together and support fellow businesses within the spirits industry. We are proud of our relationships across the world and wanted to highlight these through The Glencairn Glassroom – starting with our friends and counterparts in the US. It provides a chance for the people behind some of the world’s most innovative distilleries to talk openly about their business journeys, whilst wearing their hearts on the sleeve.”

Distilleries that have taken part to date include: Garrison Brothers, Few, Nelsons Green Brier, Balcones Distilling, Heaven Hill, Ironroot, Journeyman and Copperworks.

Interested distilleries wanting to work with Glencairn Crystal and feature in The Glencairn Glassroom should contact Marty Duffy at: marty@glencairn.co.uk

The Glencairn Glassroom is just one of many initiatives being run by Glencairn Crystal this year, as the company celebrates 20 years of The Glencairn Glass. Others include The Glencairn Podglass – a podcast series showcasing the history of the Glencairn Glass, the people who made its creation possible and insights into the whisky industry. The company will also be announcing more initiatives later in the year to mark the momentus occasion for the world’s favourite whisky glass.

Notes 

The Glencairn Glass is endorsed by the Scotch Whisky Association as the official tasting glass for whisky. Glencairn Crystal makes over 3 million glasses every year, distributed to over 140 countries worldwide.

Glencairn’s clients over the last 20 years include leading drinks companies, brands and other organisations, including: Liverpool FC, BP, Brown-Forman, Cunard, Diageo, Houses of Parliament and Scottish Parliament, Muller, Google and the majority of the Scottish Whisky manufacturers, in addition to many of the international whisky and spirit producers and distillers.

SIX MILLIONTH BARREL RAISES MORE THAN $1 MILLION FOR CHARITIES

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Bottles from the Six Millionth Barrel Exceed $500,000 Goal

FRANKFORT, KY (July 07, 2020) – In May 2019, Buffalo Trace Distillery chose 378 charities to receive special edition bottles from the six millionth barrel of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The whiskey filled 375ml bottles was exclusively distributed to non-profit organizations in the United States to raise funds for charities.

To date, 332 non-profit organizations have raised $1,145,162 for charities of their choosing, while 56 others have had to reschedule or postpone fundraising efforts due to Covid-19. This number exceeds the original goal of raising $500,000 and is expected to grow as non-profits come up with creative ways to safely raise funds in the next few months. Causes that have benefitted include education services, ecological foundations, leukemia and lymphoma, arts foundations, veterans, animal rights and many more. The full list of charities can be found online at www.6millionthbarrel.com.

Each organization that was chosen received a bottle with a beautifully handwritten description on the glass. The bottles were packaged in a hardwood showcase box that included a piece of the charred oak stave from the historic barrel and a small brochure that explained the significance of this collector’s edition.

The top fundraiser, Bourbon Charity, raised $69,125 from a donor base of bourbon enthusiasts through their Six Millionth Barrel to Give Thanks event. The fundraiser was set up as online sweepstakes which allowed donations starting at $10.

Behind them was the Wood River Community YMCA in Ketchum, Idaho. Their annual Y Classic event helped raise $39,000 toward scholarships and programs for the organization. In total, $225,000 was raised for the Wood River Community YMCA.

The Lovely Project in Orlando, Florida raised $24,000 with their efforts. The Lovely Project exists to provide girls with tools, education and peer-mentorship to live a purposeful, productive life. The Lovely Project held its second annual Pappy & Friends event, a rare whiskey tasting and dinner experience, that concluded with an ask for donations. The highest donor received the limited edition bottle, which resulted with two individuals matching donations and sharing the bottle.

This is the third time Buffalo Trace Distillery has offered commemorative bottles for non-profits to use for fundraising purposes. In 2011 the Distillery offered its Millennium Barrel of bourbon, put up to age on Dec. 31, 1999. That effort raised more than $150,000 for various charities across the U.S.  In 2016, its inaugural O.F.C. Bourbon Whiskey from 1980, 1982 and 1983 were released in the same manner, and non-profits reported back they had raised more than a million dollars for charitable causes.

Buffalo Trace is not currently offering any bottles for charity fundraising, but in order to keep potential partners informed of periodic charitable offerings, non-profits can register their causes through a form on the Distillery’s Contact Us page of its website at https://buffalotracedistillery.com/content/charity-sign.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

WATERFORD DISTILLERY BRINGS FORWARD NEW SINGLE FARM ORIGINS AFTER SELL-OUT DEBUT

After the dramatic success of its first commercial bottlings, which sold out within a matter of hours in major retailers across Europe, terroir-driven producer Waterford Distillery has brought forward four new whisky bottlings to meet demand.

The Single Farm Origin whiskies form part of Waterford’s highly sought-after range of uber-provenance, natural single malt whiskies, which explore Irish terroir one farm, once place, at a time.

Influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, Waterford Distillery obsessively brings the same intellectual drive, methodology & rigour to single malt whisky. For the first time the focus is on barley, the origin of whisky’s complex flavours. Irish barley is widely considered to be the world’s finest.

Waterford’s Single Farm Origin whiskies are expressions of precision and purity showcasing barley flavours derived from individual Irish farms and harvests.

THE PRECISION OF PLACE  

The debut of two entirely new Single Farm Origins editions are:

Ballymorgan: Edition 1.1 – grown by Robert Milne on one of Ireland’s premier malting barley terroirs – the famous Clonroche Series in Co. Wexford, with its loamy, clay soils derived from slate and granite.

Sheestown: Edition 1.1 – grown just outside the historic town of Kilkenny on an undulating, well-drained, lowland terroir predominantly derived from limestone, by Phil O’Brien, father of one of our distillery workers.

In addition, a reprise of the original two sold out bottlings, slightly older second editions, has been brought forward to meet demand:

Bannow Island: Edition 1.2 – the second release, now 3 months older, was grown by Ed Harpur on the extreme southern coast of Co. Wexford, where salt-laden Atlantic winds and sandy soils create a unique, if challenging, terroir.

Ballykilcavan: Edition 1.2 – the second release, now 3 months older, uses barley grown by David Walsh-Kemmis west of the Barrow in Co. Laois in the barley heartlands, where his fertile fields are sheltered by ancient woodland.

Bottled at 50% ABV without colouring, chill-filtration or any additives – totally natural – each bottle is priced at €70-80/£70 and will be available from specialist retailers from the end of July 2020 onwards.

9,300 bottles of each whisky will be available throughout Europe, Taiwan and Japan, with totally unique Single Farm Origins coming to the US in September.

Supporting the unparalleled provenance is the full disclosure on each whisky, including barrel breakdown, barley agronomy, farm origin maps, distillation data, farm photography and field audio accessed via each bottle’s unique TÉIREOIR Code.

Waterford Distillery Founder & CEO Mark Reynier says: “We knew there was great interest from the inquisitive, curious and open-minded in our unique philosophy but we were totally unprepared – and mighty humbled – by such an enthusiastic reception. We know this has meant some frustration for people getting their hands on a pair, but please bear with us.

“Our distributors say this is the most successful launch of a new distillery brand they have ever seen, and we have all been taken off guard. Everyone associated with Waterford Whisky from farmers to maltsters to distillers to warehousemen should be very proud. Sure, it’s early days, but our novel, traceable, transparent, terroir approach seems to have found a niche appreciated by today’s enlightened consumers.”

BELGIAN OWL WHISKY LAUNCHES SALES IN THE USA

NOW AVAILABLE FOR AMERICAN WHISKY LOVERS

[Liège, Belgium]: DEXOWL S.A. today announced a new partnership with Lion Imports LLC. This partnership will initiate the distribution of Belgian Owl Whiskies throughout the United States.

“We are absolutely delighted with this partnership with Dexowl, exclusive worldwide dealers of Belgian Owl Whiskies. The utmost quality of these premium whiskies will please the most demanding palates.” say Cameron KATLIN, CEO and son Kadin, COO at Lion Imports LLC.

“We are extremely pleased with this new partnership, a new fundamental step in the journey Belgian Owl have made towards becoming one of the most prestigious Single Malt Whisky brands. Lion Imports LLC have demonstrated an excellent professional standing for long and this partnership fast appeared as being a major strategic move” says Frédéric SENET, SVP Global Sales & Marketing at Dexowl.

The United States are a key market within the scope of Dexowl worldwide development, with some other important deals to be announced soon in several whisky fans’ countries.

Being awarded several times as Single Malt Whiskies of the Year by Jim Murray (the Whisky Bible), the Belgian Owl non-aged spirit and whiskies will fulfill the most demanding expectations of whisky connoisseurs.

Dexowl are the exclusive dealers of the premium Belgian Owl Whiskies, which have already conquered Europe with their exceptional quality.

Lion Imports LLC, based in Oklahoma City (OK), are dedicating their business to importing exclusively high-end alcoholic beverages, backed by a large network of first-class distributors.

GLEN LUSS DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

Glen Luss Distillery is excited to announce the appointment of Gary Deans and Brian Woods as Non-Executive Directors, effective from the 1st July 2020.

Gary Deans, a former KPMG partner brings over 35 years of experience advising privately held businesses and his work at Glen Luss will focus on raising finance and the business’s growth strategy. Deans, who established Strathblair Associates in 2016, works with a number of growing businesses and is a Director of HALO Kilmarnock, Indinature and social enterprise Freedom Bakery. He was also appointed Chairman of Falkirk Football Club in December 2019.

Deans said: “I am delighted to be joining the team. This is an exciting and unique opportunity and I am looking forward to helping establish Glen Luss Distillery as a premium brand.

Brian Woods brings significant drinks industry experience to the team. He recently founded Alexander David & Co, a vehicle to advise businesses on their route to market, marketing, fundraising, brand development and export markets. He is also a Director of Cane & Grain International, an independent bottler of single casks of Scotch whisky and rum. Prior roles include founder & CEO at Crucial Brands Holdings, where he developed a global spirits portfolio, as well as positions at Paragon Vintners, Angostura, Maxxium UK & Beam Suntory (After Shock) and at Diageo (Smirnoff).

Commenting on his appointment Woods stated: “I’m thrilled to be working with such talented entrepreneurs as Trystan, Patrick and Dan. Their concept of creating an Experimental Craft Distillery on the banks of Loch Lomond is both disruptive and compelling. I am excited to play a part in developing their proposition and seeing it come to life.”

Glen Luss Distillery, which plans to open in May 2021, will be the first craft brewery and distillery on the shores of Loch Lomond and the first within the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. The craft brewery and distillery will host visitor experiences and produce a range of experimental premium drinks, including a single malt Scotch whisky, locally sourced botanical infused gin, aged and new make rums, small batch vodka and a collection of craft beers.

NOTES 

Glen Luss Distillery has been founded by Trystan Powell, Patrick Colquhoun and Daniel Lewis, graduates of the University of Strathclyde MBA. They bring together over forty years of combined industry and business experience to this project across operations management, customer experience and sales.

Luss is a picturesque village in the heart of the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, in the Highlands of Scotland. Luss is the historic home of the Clan Colquhoun and the Glen Luss range will take inspiration from the history of the area and the heritage of the clan. Glen Luss itself rises to the west of the village of Luss and is surrounded by six bens, most of which are over 600m high. These are Beinn Eich, Beinn Lochain, Cruach-Ant-Sithein and Beinn Mhanaich. The Glen is one of the sources of freshwater flowing into Loch Lomond. Loch Lomond itself is the largest body of freshwater (by surface area) in the UK.

RELATED LINK: www.glenluss.co.uk