Distillers Journal Podcast

Last month Paul Skehan was appointed as the new director general at spiritsEUROPE. It marks a return to the organisation he previously led from 2011 to 2017 and comes at what he calls an important moment for the industry.While much has changed in that time what hasn’t, he says, is the extraordinary heritage, entrepreneurship and global success of European spirits, and the passion of the people behind them.There are challenges facing the sector but there is an abundance of opportunities available to producers, too.In his first podcast interview since rejoining spiritsEUROPE, we spoke about where he sees evolution in the sector, how businesses can cater for changing consumer habits and the role he and his colleagues have in helping unlock the next stage of growth of Europe’s innovative and exciting spirits producers.And in returning to the organisation following his role as vice president of EU Affairs at PepsiCo Paul, who is a popular figure in the industry, couldn’t be happier coming back to a sector he knows and loves so well…

When you’ve worked in the fields of technology, restaurants, modelling and music management, where do you turn next? For today’s guest, that meant the world of drinks. And he’s on a mission to bring the diverse, rich tapestry of Asia, and the untold myriad of flavours it boasts, to consumers through a series of spirits designed to showcase just that.Meet Michel Lu. He’s the founder of The Orientalist Spirits. A company described as the World’s first premium pan-Asian craft spirits company.They produce a range with an award-winning collection of artisanal spirits crafted from only the best premium ingredients sourced directly and ethically from the Orient.Before entering the world of drinks, Michel was the man behind Elite Model Management’s success in Asia, where he personally managed supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Claudia Schiffer.Michel also created the world’s first Asian girl band, Jungk, in collaboration with music legend Malcolm McLaren.After exiting the entertainment industry, Michel co-wrote a movie script, launched a record label, and built a mini empire in the food and beverage space.He’s has also made a mark in the tech industry as the Asian director of a New York-based tech advisory and venture fund and is currently exploring the exciting opportunities presented by robotics, artificial intelligence, and other Web3 technologies.But in today’s episode we’re looking at his plans for The Orientalist Spirits. We discuss how his career to-date has led Michel up to this point, the challenges and opportunities presented by working with countless Asian ingredients and why starting a drinks business is his own way of leaving a legacy.

If we’re lucky our careers, coupled with an appetite for new experiences, can allow us to visit, work and live in different countries around the world.And in the case of today’s guest, she’s done just that. And as a result the Scottish distilling industry is all the better for it.Because the Scottish Whisky industry is blessed with a wealth of fantastic, talented individuals. But there’s probably very whose journey has taken them from Sweden via Paris then eventually, aged 21, to Scotland.But that’s exactly how Jenny Karlsson did it.Jenny has a decorated career in Whisky that has taken in roles at outfits such as Springbank, Kilkerran and Brown-Forman, as well as studies at the world-famous Heriot-Watt University. And for the last four-plus years, she has been the marketing communications manager at Ardnamurchan Distillery.Established in 2014, the distillery embodies the spirit of its namesake peninsula, renowned for its wild landscapes and untamed character. From traditional double distillation to blockchain technology, Ardnamurchan embrace heritage, innovation and sustainable practises throughout the whisky making process. They use a traditional mix of American and European oak, ex-sherry casks and American oak ex-bourbon casks to mature the biggest share of their whisky, but they also enjoy having fun with other types of oak casks that have previously held anything from white wine to Mezcal, and Sauternes to Madeira.And in this episode of The Distillers Journal Podcast, we delve into Jenny’s career in the whiskey industry and the impact that social media and video-sharing platforms such as YouTube have had on the sector.We also discuss the importance of striking a work/life balance, especially when you have a young family, Jenny’s love of knowledge sharing and education and why now, after roles at a number of other revered distilleries, she says her position at Ardnamurchan feels tailor-made for her.

Launching a new business is always an exciting time. It’s also a challenging one, too. In our sector, you need a quality liquid, great branding and a team that knows the industry. Thankfully, with today’s guests you have all of those and more. Earlier in the summer, a trio with a wealth of experience in the world of spirits ventured out and as a result, the cider category welcomed one such new addition. Developed by a team with decades of experience in building successful brands, Red Fin Cider is all about offering licensees a medium dry cider that can be stocked as an added value product, alongside existing offerings. The team is made up of the trio of Graeme Baldwin, David Tugwell and Freddie Rouse. Graeme was the first employee at Orchard Pig and heavily involved in the meteoric growth and eventual exit deal for the brand. David Tugwell has worked with huge growth challenger brands, including Estrella Damm and Orchard Pig cider, as well as in the craft beer sector, heading up the sales function at Big Smoke Brew Co and Double-Barrelled Brewery. The third founding partner, Freddie Rouse, has worked with several craft breweries establishing them throughout independent pubs and groups across the UK and most recently at Amathus Drinks, helping grow its agency list with other UK Wholesalers. And after a successful whirlwind few months, Red Fin has just announced a new initiative with Berkshire-based Siren Craft Brew enabling it to service pubs and venues in Berkshire, Brighton and London. So what better time to catch-up with Red Fin co-founder Dave Tugwell to talk through the company’s journey so far. We also discuss the trio launching into a competitive category, its place in the wider world of drinks and its commitment to showing consumers that cider can, and should be, fun.

When America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold… We’ve all probably heard that saying, or at least a variant of it. In sectors away from spirits, such as beer, it’s no secret that many US brewers appreciated and were often inspired by classic British styles. And in turn many brewers in the UK, Europe, and beyond have been galvanised by the wealth of creations to emerge from modern US brewing.  One such outfit operating in that landscape is Finback. Founded in 2011, Finback Brewery is born from a passion for brewing and experimentation. After a long search combing through back streets, along canals, under bridges and industrial no-mans lands, the team found a space in Queens in 2013.  Finback would go on to release its first beers brewed in Queens in January of 2014 and the brewery is proud to call Queens home, being part of the diverse and rich culture of the borough. Basil Lee, if the co-founder of Finback, a business that continues to brew exceptional beers through iteration and rotation deploying a variety of hops, ingredients, and techniques as a creative journey in bringing unique beers to the consumer.  With a previous career in design, Basil brought strong training in process and collaboration in building Finback as an engaging beer experience. And with that in mind we invited Basil to deliver the keynote address at our sister event, The Brewers Congress. While Basil operates within the world of beer, in this episode, he shares some expertise that all sectors can learn from.He discusses how the industry has evolved in the decade Finback has been in business. He also looks at the ways consumer tastes have changed and why, 10 years in, he feels that much of beer and brewing is now about going back to basics.

What happens when a duo, bound by a love of adventure and the pursuit of the perfect gin, decide to take the plunge and start a distillery of their own? Well, in the case of husband and wife team Rachel Hicks and Andrew Parsons, you get The Sky Wave Distilling Co, an Oxfordshire-based business that has been picking up a wealth of awards for its regarded spirits since starting out in 2018. And when it comes to the world of distilling, it’s probably safe to say that few companies have founders that have been BBC reporters and nightclubbing with former Home Secretaries or those that have delivered humanitarian aid into Communism-ravaged Albania or commanded the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. But when it comes to Sky Wave, that’s very much business as usual.Nestled in the heart of Rachel and Andrew’s home county of Oxfordshire, Sky Wave was born from a commitment to craftsmanship. Founded in 2018, Sky Wave gins combine quality produce, with globally sourced premium botanicals. And in the case of their flagship release, the Signature London Dry Gin, they can boast it being The World’s Best Contemporary London Dry Gin thanks to the raft of accolades it has picked up along the way.But for the duo, running a distillery wasn’t always part of the plan and in this episode Andrew tells us how they’ve navigated the rollercoaster of distilling, catering for demand and ensuring their priority is always world-class liquid.

To celebrate his excellent keynote address at our Brewers Congress event in London earlier this week, we return to one of our most listened-to episodes. David Gluckman was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on 1st November 1938, the day Sea Biscuit and War Admiral fought out the race of the century at Pimlico Park, Baltimore. Educated in Johannesburg, he joined a local advertising agency after university and soon fell in love with the business. He made the pilgrimage to London in 1961 and worked as an account executive on Procter & Gamble, Kerrygold, Lyons teas and several Unilever accounts. Always a frustrated copywriter, he escaped into product development in 1969, met a man from IDV and his life changed forever. The author of “That s*it will never sell!” David also helped create Bailey’s Irish Cream. During its time, it has sold billions of bottles across 160 countries with 220 million litres of fresh, Irish cream consumed annually. You can read more about these in David Gluckman’s compelling autobiography – That Shit Will Never Sell – a book crammed with entertaining anecdotes drawn from over forty years of brand creation in and around the drinks business. In this podcast, we recount some of those tales and speak to David about the early days of his career in advertising and his advice to keep the faith and how to earn valuable buy-in when doubters pour scorn on your creativity. We also discuss when to push hard in a pitch and when to ease back and take a critique, why the best ideas are the most simple and obvious, and also his pride in helping create a beverage that is sold across 160 countries with more than 220 millions bottles consumed annually. 

Welcome to Gotland. The largest and most mythical island in the Baltic Sea. Famous for its cultural heritage, vast beaches, cobblestone streets, limestone quarries and ancient sea stacks.With a brewing tradition going back to the Viking Age and the privilege of having the best soils in Sweden, a climate that is perfectly suited for agriculture and last but not least many years of experience in the field of sustainable and organic agriculture.And since 2012, Gotland is also known for its very own whisky, the Isle of Lime, an organic single malt that has achieved great success among whisky lovers.Back in 2004, in Roma Sockerbruk’s old industrial premises, a modern distillery was created, with specially designed machines, to be able to produce 60,000 liters of organic malt whisky per year. Eight years later, in 2012, the first drops were distilled and in 2016 the first edition was released.So who better to tell us more about the distiller’s fascinating story to-date than Christer Roslund, chairman of the board at Gotland Whisky. In this episode, Christer tells us about the early days of the distillery, it’s importance to the people of Gotland, why he’s more enthused than ever about the liquid they are producing and of course, the road ahead.

How much do you know about the barrels you use and the impact these have on the drinks you produce? The answer, as we probably all know, is far-reaching. The type of wood, the barrel’s previous contents, the level of char and the time the liquid spends in the vessel are just some of factors in-play here.  And during whisky aging, we can break the process down to the stages of extraction, oxidation, evaporation, filtration and maturation. To learn more about this, and also the broader effects barrels can have on aging drinks such as beer, we recently invited two experts to speak on the matter.  Since 2010, Proof Drinks has built an exceptional business model to ensure they’re always at the forefront of the industry.  The company’s aim is develop brands using their expert knowledge of the on-trade, elevating them to be as exciting and appealing as possible.  And one such business they work with is Heaven Hill, which owns the largest single site Bourbon distillery to still be family owned & operated. Chris Smith is a Heaven Hill brand ambassador and he has spent nearly a year living, breathing, and educating people about Bourbon, Rye, and Corn Whiskey.  To mark the return of our Brewers Journal event next month, here we revisit a panel hosted by the award-winning Melissa Cole during our Brewers Congress event in London last year.Chris was joined by Alex Lippens. Alex is the co-founder of Brouwerij ‘t Verzet based in Anzegem, Belgium. Together, they shared their expertise when it comes to working with barrels, experiences that can be creative, complex but always rewarding.

A wonderful Whisky is something to enjoy, to savour and to treasure.So when a regarded and respected distillery proudly releases a single malt 50 years in the making, you know it’s going to be something special.And last month, Loch Lomond Whiskies did just that by unveiling a new 50-year-old single malt, the latest addition to the brand’s premium portfolio.  A whisky five decades in the making, Loch Lomond 50 Year Old is drawn from Loch Lomond Distillery’s oldest reserves and is exclusively limited to 100 individually-numbered bottles worldwide.   Distilled in 1973 in the distillery’s unique straight neck pot stills, it uses 100% unpeated malted barley. It was then aged in a combination of refilled American oak casks, first fill bourbon casks and Oloroso sherry hogsheads.  The maturation process was carefully managed by Loch Lomond Whiskies’ master blender, Michael Henry, who joined Loch Lomond Distillery in 2007. And the distillery’s oldest and rarest whisky casks remain exclusively under his personal care.In this episode, Michael talks us through in his involvement in this special project, he talks us through his career to-date and also tells us what keeps him driven and inspired.