The Worshipful Company of Distillers works closely with a number of educational bodies including the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust (WSET) to provide bursaries and awards to enable students to not only study but also continue their studies beyond the courses taught.

Further to financial assistance, those awarded bursaries are offered a place on the livery’s mentorship program, matching them up with liverymen to offer advice and support as they develop their careers in the drinks industry.

We are very pleased to announce the applications for 2025 bursaries for WSET courses are now open, in partnership with The Drinks Trust. Details of how to apply are available on the WSET website.

Last year, the livery supported 25 individuals facing financial barriers, enabling them to take WSET spirits courses. This consisted of funding for eighteen places for the WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits and seven places for the WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits. All the bursaries are administered for WSET and the livery by The Drinks Trust’s DEVELOP programme, the charity’s education and training one-stop-shop for industry individuals looking to upskill and further their career prospects.

Chris is among those who benefited from the bursary scheme and was supported by the Distillers’ fund. He said:

“I completed my WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits at the beginning of 2024 through WCD X DEVELOP funding. My ambition was to eventually go on and start my journey as an educator in spirits and given my final grade was Distinction, I’m thrilled I have since begun that journey.

“I live in Cornwall where there is a lack of opportunity if you want to get into spirits training and so the WCD X DEVELOP funding has enabled this to happen by covering the cost of the course itself”.

Another bursary recipient, Daniel from Bath, whose course starts this month (January), said:

“I wouldn’t have been able to do the WSET course without funding, as you have to spend time away from work to take the course and it wouldn’t be feasible to take on the cost of the course, as well as missing out on earning potential.

“With WCD X DEVELOP funding, I’ve been able to alleviate some of the burden of self-funding and begin to pursue my formal education in spirits. The course funding was introduced to me by the educators at Independent Spirit in Bath – through them I have learned a great deal and continue to train with them”.

In addition to bursaries, the livery also sponsors two prizes at WSET’s annual graduation and prize ceremony, giving students who have taken its Level 3 Award in Spirits courses funding to continue study into their areas of interest.

Through our partnership with The Worshipful Company of Distillers, we’ve widened access to drinks education and enabled more students to take WSET’s spirits qualifications. This initiative provides life-changing learning opportunities for individuals who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access our courses and the opportunities they create for their careers.

Michelle Brampton, CEO of WSET

One of our principal objectives is to support spirits education and vocational training across our industry. Every year, through our longstanding partnership with the WSET, we are proud to offer students, who might not otherwise have the means, the opportunity to advance their understanding and appreciation of distilled spirits. WSET, in coordination with The Drinks Trust’s DEVELOP Programme, provides an integral part of our charitable endeavours, helping educate and inspire the next generation within our vibrant industry.

Nick Carr, Master of The Worshipful Company of Distillers

Mentorship

Through our work with the WSET, as well as other educational bodies and within the livery, our mentorship scheme continues to grow. We currently have 56 mentors enrolled in the scheme and have added nine mentees over the past 12 months.

With our work with the bodies such as the WSET continuing, we are always looking for new volunteers to join the scheme. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please contact Clive Bairsto (clive.bairsto@distillers.org.uk)  for more information and to apply.

Rum was the topic for the Worshipful Company of Distillers, 2024 lecture, and we were very privileged to have Bacardi deliver the presentation.

Dickie Cullimore, Global Brand Ambassador for Bacardi Rums, joined us in the room and Astrophel “Troy” Arquiza, Bacardi Global Master Rum Blender, joined us on Teams from Jacksonville, which was even more remarkable as Hurricane Milton had just passed through Florida and it was touch and go if he would have a working internet connection.

To start with we were given some of the of the impressive Bacardi backstory from the insight of the founder Don Facundo Bacardi Masso, the early days in Cuba then the move to the current Bacardi rum distillery in Puerto Rico.

The students were then taken through the process with Dickie setting the scene and Troy providing the technical detail when required.  We discovered that Bacardi rum has a unique yeast strain that has been used since the beginning, the importance of cask selection in maturation and the role charcoal plays in shaping the final products.

The discussion on the process was taken up a level when Dickie produced a couple of aces in the form of two separate distillates from the Puerto Rico distillery.  The first was aguardiente, literally fire water in Spanish, the second,  redestillado a smoother lighter tasting spirit.  The former provides  body and depth to the rums with the latter more refined and being used to balance the aguardiente.  To produce the final rums the Master Blenders will mix these spirits from different ages and cask types to create the final Bacardi Rums.

Like all spirit drinks, sustainability now plays an important role in the production process and Dickie shared some examples such as the work done in converting to Biogas from fuel oil and the work being done to reduce the water usage.  There was some novel work being trialled on purifying sea water without using the traditional energy intensive processes.

All in all a fascinating insight into the production process and although Troy had to leave us at this point, the night was far from over.

We moved into the bar area where in a more relaxed environment Dickie conducted a tutored tasting of some fabulous Bacardi Rums, Bacardi 8, Bacardi 10 and to finish a recent addition to the Bacardi portfolio, Bacardi Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Finish.  The questions were now coming thick and fast with Dickie doing his best to answer as many as he could.

There were a lot of smiling faces by the end of the evening, and while it  may have had something to do with the wonderful rums we tasted, it was clear to me that the knowledge and professional approach of Dickie and Troy really made the difference and led to a wonderful evening.

On behalf of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, I’d like to put on record  our thanks to Bacardi, in particular Dickie, Troy and Sorcha Gall (supporting Dickie).  I’d also like to thank our military affiliate 603 Squadron for lending us the use of their HQ for the evening.

Hawaii could soon be welcoming a new distillery after a postgraduate student at Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University won a prestigious entrepreneurial award.

Canadian student Ethan Wang, 42, wants to open a new distillery on Hawaii’s scenic volcanic island of Maui and said he was in “total shock” after winning cash and support from an industry membership organisation to help make his idea happen.

The award, called the Worshipful Company of Distillers’ Entrepreneurship Award, is designed to help students apply their science in the real world and is run jointly by Heriot-Watt’s respected International Centre for Brewing and Distilling and The Worshipful Company of Distillers, a historic trade association in the City of London.

“Maui is an ocean paradise and is one of the finest places in the world to get botanical ingredients and clean flavours,” said Ethan, who is currently studying online with ICBD to complete a Master of Science degree in Brewing and Distilling.

“Winning this award was such great news to wake up to in Hawaii. It will help me buy additional expensive tools for flavour extraction – and having an experienced industry body to guide me with my planning will be a huge help.”

Ethan is originally from Victoria in British Columbia, Canada, where he studied a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Victoria. He first visited Hawaii during his early career in accountancy and finance and got married there in 2011. Since then, he has visited Maui, the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, every year.

Ethan says the £5,000 prize money from the award is an important addition to the personal savings he is investing to open the distillery, which will produce spirits including gin, vodka, blended whisky, Japanese shochu – a spirit typically distilled from ingredients including rice, barley and sweet potatoes – and Korean soju, also traditionally made from rice.

Called the Kamehameha Distillery, Ethan’s distillery will be based in Kula, a scenic rural area of Maui on the slopes of a dormant volcano called Haleakalā.

“The site offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the lush, rolling hills of upcountry Maui,” Ethan says. “Hawaii’s tropical climate is warm and humid, but up in Kula, the air is cooler and crisper, especially in the evenings. This variation in temperature, along with the volcanic soil and the sea air, has a profound influence on the ingredients we use, from the hibiscus flowers to the sea grapes. The clean, fresh environment helps preserve the natural flavours, giving our products a unique and authentic taste that truly reflects the land they come from.”

Kamehameha’s products are designed to appeal particularly to American and Japanese markets. But Ethan’s longer-term vision is to expand globally and to create opportunities locally in Hawaii.

“Supporting the island’s economy is vital – and I want to create meaningful opportunities for the local community, including creating jobs and fostering partnerships with local farmers and suppliers,” he says. “In the long term, I see Kamehameha Distillery expanding beyond Hawaii and introducing the world to unique, authentic Hawaiian flavours. International expansion is a goal, as I want our spirits to be enjoyed globally, not just as beverages but as an experience of Hawaiian culture.”

Dr David Jenkins, Assistant Professor in Brewing and Distilling at ICBD and also an MSc programme leader, said: “Ethan’s plans for his Hawaiian distillery are incredibly exciting and it’s fantastic to help fund his vision. Jumping from a science degree to the real world can be challenging – so our focus is on helping students apply what they learn to their own entrepreneurial ideas. There are always new opportunities in the drinks industry – and we look forward to seeing Ethan’s business grow.”

Lorne MacKillop, Master Distiller said: “Education is an important part of our role and we support a number of awards and scholarships in the science of distilling. These are designed to help students achieve excellence in their craft and apply their knowledge to real-world businesses and innovations. We were hugely impressed with Ethan’s submission for our Heriot-Watt University award and are delighted to support him in his new venture.”

The company’s industry mentoring capacity will involve providing a hand-picked mentor from amongst those members freely giving their time to help support mentees like Ethan. The WCD has run its mentoring scheme for three years and has about 45 mentees presently in the programme, chosen from those students who are sponsored with bursaries at the training providers used.

Ethan hopes to have the Kamehameha Distillery open by the end of 2024.

Continuing the Livery’s successful programme of outreach and education, a team of Liverymen led by Past Master Martin Riley recently delivered The Business of Spirits course to a group from the Gin Guild.

This course brings together industry experts from within the Livery to share their experience and knowledge with groups of students and, with this session of the course, industry professionals. Business Development Director Clive Bairsto kept things on track during the day, joined by Martin Riley, Liveryman Steve Wilson, Past Master Richard Watling, Upper Warden Nick Carr, Vocational Training and Education Committee Chair Chris Pitcher, Liveryman Abhi Banik and the Master to present a wide ranging day of presentation and discussion.

The day started with an introduction to the Livery from the Master, before diving into the course proper. With sessions touching on innovation, pricing, categorisation, industry trends, production and more, the group of more than 30 members of the Gin Guild were led through a wide range of topics. Unlike previous occasions when the course has been delivered, where most of the attendees were students, this group had much wider range of experience of working in the drinks industry, with start-up owners joined by established producers and others from throughout the world of hospitality, marketing, journalism and gin production. This led to in-depth questioning and a lively and informative Q&A panel to close out the day, with topics including pricing models, the evolution of market segmentation, brand differentiation and how important social media might be. If it wasn’t for the Gin Guild dinner happening that evening, the Q&A would have run on significantly longer.

Speaking with some of the attendees after the session, feedback was very positive:

“That was one of the most empowering and educational days I can remember having in a very long time.”

“It was a great day yesterday, so many great anecdotes and speakers.”

“There was context, a little bit of theory, worked examples, real life experience, storytelling and useful take homes.”

“The connectivity of every single topic created a great narrative that ran through the day.”

“There was just so much experience in the room, and the fact that they all wanted to share it was just great.”

“It was fantastic to be in a room with this kind of audience – everyone had a level of understanding as well as an eagerness and passion that meant we were all on the same page.”

The Vocational Training and Education Committee would like to extend its thanks to Richard Harding and the team at the WSET School in Bermondsey for providing us with the space for the day, and to the Gin Guild for so enthusiastically taking part.

The Business of Spirits continues to develop, with new speakers and topics being introduced and planned for the future. The team is looking forward to the next session, presenting the course to students from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling later in the year.

As part of the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust’s yearly graduation ceremony at Guildhall on 24 April 2024, the livery was delighted to present two of the top performing students with awards celebrating their achievements in the WSET Level 3 Spirits course.

This year’s recipients of The Worshipful Company of Distillers’ awards were drinks educator Timothy Powers who studied at the Commonwealth Wine School in the USA and journalist Laurent Cuvier (who couldn’t be there in person) who studied at WiSP in France.

Timothy gave a speech at the graduation, and the Master and VTEC chair Chris Pitcher grabbed him for a few words afterwards:

“I am truly honoured to have received this prize, and I am grateful to both Commonwealth Wine School and WSET for the opportunity to have successfully completed my course of study. I hope to be able to use this opportunity to dive further into my love of spirits and spirits producing regions by visiting these regions and getting to meet the individuals, families, and organisations who have been producing these beverages for countless years.”

We would also like to congratulate spirits ambassador Nathan Shearer, who took home the The Incorporation of Coopers of Glasgow Earl of Forfar Scholarship for his Level 3 Spirits results.

The Distillers’ awards go to a student from the Americas and one from Europe, the middle east or Africa, and come with a bursary to be used to further the student’s exploration of a spirit producing region. Previous winners include celebrated Australian distiller Dave Withers, who will be using his bursary to further expand his knowledge of spirits production in Japan later this year.

The livery has been a supporter of the WSET since its earliest days and contributes a trustee to its board. The Vocational Training and Education Committee works with the WSET through the year to provide scholarships to help those involved in the drinks industry to study its courses, as well as bursaries and mentorship for the top performing students. We will be welcoming Timothy Powers to our mentorship program this May.

Billy Abbot
Liveryman

“Would You Adam and Eve It…?”

The Annual WCD/ICBD Talk took place in Edinburgh on the evening of 22 January, at the home of 603 Squadron RAuxAF, our military affiliates.

Around 25 Heriot Watt ICBD students and staff enjoyed a taste of Cotswold Signature Single Malt English whisky on arrival. Before the main talk a short welcome (and recruiting pitch!) was delivered by Squadron Leader Derek Read, Officer Commanding 603 Squadron and recently installed Liveryman by Presentation.

Michael Urquhart, Chairman of the Distillers Scottish Committee, officiated and introduced Morag Garden, former head of sustainability and innovation at the Scotch Whisky Association and now CEO of the English Whisky Guild. Morag described the formation, scope and development of the Guild and its progress in seeking to establish a Geographical Indicator (GI) for the English whisky industry.

Michael then introduced the main speaker, Nick Franchino, Master Blender at The Cotswold Distillery, who delivered an entertaining ‘nuts and bolts’ talk on the development of English whisky and the trials, tribulations (and pleasures) of its production in a relatively small-scale distillery. With examples and imagery, Nick successfully emphasised the need for a very much ‘all hands on deck’ philosophy.

Finally Jerry Riley of the Scottish Committee, and on behalf of the Distillers VTEC, advertised to the students the forthcoming Business of Spirits session, taking place at Heriot Watt on 22 February, as well as the opportunity to apply for the WCD Entrepreneurship Award.

The evening was rounded off by sampling the Cotswold Distillery’s Sherry Cask and Founder’s Choice bottles together with an opportunity to see a little of 603 Squadron’s fine HQ in the former 19th century home of Arthur Sanderson of that ilk.

A huge thanks to Nick for travelling north in the aftermath of Storm Isha and delivering such an excellent insight into English (and especially Cotswold) whisky production. Thanks too to Morag for highlighting the development of the English Whisky Guild. And of course thanks to 603 Squadron for their ubiquitous support in hosting this series of talk.

Jerry Riley
Liveryman

The JOINT DISTILLERS MARKETORS PANEL EVENT (JDME) took place on the eve of 1^st November 23 at HMS President, just off St Katherine’s dock, adjacent to the brightly-lit Tower Bridge, and beside a dark and appropriately ruffled River Thames.

The subject of deliberation was the present-day USA market great disruptor ‘Tequila in the Spotlight’. With a highly-charged panel of Nuno Teles (Diageo MD UK), Marina Santos (white spirits, Campari UK), David Haigh (Marketor), and David Elmer (Marketor, and one-time resident for many decades in South America) the scene was set. Overseeing all and posing questions was once again, our house Moderator David Wethey of Agency Assessments.

The evening got underway with a warm welcome to the hundred-plus Distiller and Marketor Liverymen and guests, and a few tequila anecdotes, from Master Distiller Chris Searle – with an intro to a philanthropic moment from Reverend Canon Dr Alison Joyce of St Brides. For those of slim tequila knowledge (many in fact), Past Master Martin Riley then swiftly gave a 4-5 minute treatise on the origins and nature of tequila, before handing over to the panel.

From thereon, the audience were treated to a fast-paced analysis on the successes and challenges facing tequila – such as supply for an 8-year production cycle, protection of the integrity of the brand, and production origin. Much discussion centred on the emergence of celebrity endorsement, the phenomenal growth of the brand in USA, the parallel positioning of mezcal, all rounding off with panellists briefly describing their preferred cocktail and mixers of choice (for Nuno Teles of Diageo this turned out to be soda and lime, particularly so as not to break his keto-diet!)

Turning to audience questions, like the growing Storm Ciarán outside, David Wethey as moderator was battered with energetic engagement from an array of directions to direct to the panel including LO/NO (alcohol), culinary matching, more on celebrity-styling, and was tequila out in front on endorsement (likened to perfumery) ahead of the other alcohol categories?

All too soon, it was time for the panel to ‘draw stumps’ and introduce top mixologist Daniele Umoette from Brown-Forman who described with zeal the “sipping table” he had organised in the Wardroom next door, together with the wide range of cocktails to try all freshly-made and beautifully served from Campari, Diageo and Brown-Forman – accompanied by  stupendously delicious Mexican canapés in the warm glow of the lights of a brooding Tower Bridge.

By 10pm, Liverymen collected their rain-wear, and fortified by cocktails various made for Tower Hill tube with a most-heightened understanding of an interesting spirit that has already broken records and was forecast, like Ciarán, to continue its storming passage!

Clive Bairsto
Development Director