The Company’s full name is The Worshipful Company of Distillers. It is one of the City’s historic Livery Companies and remains closely connected to the trade named in its Royal Charter. Membership includes people from production and brand building, education, hospitality, finance, law and related professions.
Our purpose today
The Company no longer regulates distilling as it did in earlier centuries. Its modern role is to bring people together and put their collective experience to work.
We do this by:
- creating fellowship across the spirits industry and the City of London;
- sharing knowledge through education, mentoring, discussion and professional connections;
- supporting vocational training and routes into the industry;
- enabling charitable work through The Distillers’ Charity;
- maintaining meaningful civic, educational, industry and military relationships; and
- preserving the Company’s history, ceremonies and traditions for future generations.
Fellowship, knowledge and charity
Fellowship
The Company creates opportunities for relationships that may not form elsewhere. The programme includes formal dinners and City occasions, tastings, lectures, visits, sporting activities and informal gatherings. These connections support community within the Company and collaboration across the industry.
Knowledge
Members contribute as mentors, speakers, advisers and volunteers, helping people at different stages of their careers gain confidence, insight and opportunity. The Company also supports qualifications, bursaries, work experience and educational partnerships through its Vocational Training and Education programme.
Charity
The Distillers’ Charity turns the generosity, networks and fundraising of the Distillers’ community into practical support. Its work focuses on transforming young people’s lives, supporting the drinks trade and extending the Company’s contribution to the City and Livery movement.
The wider Distillers’ family
The Company’s work is supported by connected organisations and initiatives.
The Distillers’ Charity is the independent charitable organisation through which much of the Company’s philanthropic work is delivered.
The Distillers One of One is the biennial auction created with the Scotch whisky industry to raise funds for charity.
The Gin Guild brings together distillers and industry leaders to promote excellence, education and confidence in the gin category around the world.
These relationships take heritage, expertise and generosity beyond the Company’s membership.
The Distillers’ Company sits at the centre, connected to The Distillers’ Charity, The Distillers One of One, the Gin Guild, education partners, the City of London and industry partners. The Company and Charity are legally distinct.
- Livery companyThe Distillers’
CompanyPeople, knowledge and service - Independent charityThe Distillers’ CharityTurns generosity into practical support.
- Fundraising partnershipThe Distillers One of OneRaises funds for the Charity with the Scotch whisky industry.
- Affiliated guildThe Gin GuildPromotes excellence and confidence in gin.
- LearningEducation partnersBuild knowledge, skills and routes into the industry.
- Civic lifeCity of LondonConnects the Company to the wider Livery movement.
- Spirits tradeIndustry partnersShare expertise, opportunity and reach.
A Company that continues to evolve
The spirits trade has changed a great deal since 1638, and the Company has changed with it. It aims to remain relevant, welcoming and representative of the industry it serves, while retaining the standards and traditions of Livery life.
That means listening to new voices, supporting emerging talent, building international relationships and finding new ways for the Company’s knowledge to be used.
Learn how the Company is governed