Learning opportunitiesTales of the Industry

First-hand stories from the spirits trade

Tales of the Industry records those experiences and shares them with a wider audience. It draws on knowledge within the Livery, and records first-person accounts of important brands, categories, innovations and moments of change.

A living record

Individual companies preserve their own histories. Tales of the Industry can look across businesses and take a broader view, linking personal memories with the development of the trade as a whole.

The series is intended for a wide audience: students looking for context beyond formal study, professionals interested in the ideas that formed their field, researchers exploring recent industry history and enthusiasts curious about the people behind familiar names.

Tales of the Industry Playlist

1. Episode 1

   The History of Jameson Irish Whiskey

   Martin Riley

   Past Master Martin Riley on the development of Jameson as a brand.

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2. Episode 2

   The History of Gordon and MacPhail

   Michael Urquhart

   Michael Urquhart on the history of Gordon and MacPhail.

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3. Episode 3

   Innovation in the Drinks Industry

   Steve Wilson

   Liveryman Steve Wilson on how ideas move through the drinks industry.

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Future recordings will continue to range across companies, categories and careers. The aim is an accessible library of interviews with people who witnessed, and took part in, important developments in the industry.

Subscribe to the Tales of the Industry RSS feed to follow new conversations as they are published.

Supporting learning

These stories add to The Business of Spirits by giving learners a close view of how decisions were made in practice. They preserve knowledge that might otherwise be lost and make it available to people coming into the industry.