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Warner’s Distillery – Master’s Distillery Visit
I met the ebullient Tom Warner, one of the speakers at our City Debate in June. Not only was I taken with his ability to win the argument and sway the audience on the night, but was lucky enough to be given an open invitation to visit Warner’s Gin. It was an offer that was […]
An Insight into the Spirit & Wine Committee
The Committee has been in existence in its current form since 2012 when the decision was taken by the Company that Masters should not pay for the wines and Champagne served in their year at Livery functions, as had been tradition in the past. This was part of “easing the Masters burden” and was a […]
Inter-Livery Petanque Competition
On a balmy summer evening in Vauxhall, the first Inter-Livery Petanque challenge took place under the trees in the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, home to the London Petanque Club (LPC) who were our hosts and referees for the evening. A total of 17 teams took part, 3 from the Distillers, 2 from the Educators, and others […]
William Grant & Sons | Glenfiddich & Balvenie Distilleries – Master’s Distillery Visit
I was very honoured to be hosted by William Grant & Sons on my seventh distillery visit during my Year as Master to mark our 350th Anniversary to celebrate the product, people and businesses of our Liverymen all over the country. Family owned and run since 1887, this took us on tours of the Glenfiddich […]
The Charitable Endeavours of The Livery Companies and Guilds of the City of London 2021 -2022
One of the distinguishing features of the City’s Livery Companies and Guilds and their 47,000 Liverymen and Freemen is their remarkable philanthropy. For centuries they have given funds and provided pro bono professional support and volunteering to improve the welfare of disadvantaged groups and helped with education and the nurturing of skills. The grants and […]
The Distillers’ Charity Announces Appointment New Managing Director To Lead The Distillers One Of One Auctions
The Distillers’ Charity announces the appointment of Beanie Geraedts-Espey as the Managing Director of its subsidiary, Distillers’ Ventures Limited, effective immediately. Distillers’ Ventures Limited is the Fundraising arm of The Distillers’ Charity and focusses principally on the organisation and delivery of a biennial Distillers One of One Auction of ultra-rare, one-of-a-kind Scotch whiskies. The inaugural […]
Gordon & MacPhail | Benromach Distillery – Master’s Distillery Visit
My sixth visit of the twelve in my year took me to Elgin and Forres, in the beautiful Moray region of north east Scotland. The purpose of these visits is to focus on our wonderful product, raise our Livery profile, celebrate our charitable partnerships and impact, marking 350 years as a Livery in as many […]
The Distillers’ Charity – Summer Update 2022
This is the first Distillers’ Charity Update this year, designed to give you a thorough overview of our charitable activities and efforts so far in 2022, together with details of where your donations are going, and the impact they have jointly created. We hope this further demonstrates the importance of your ongoing support for the […]
350th Anniversary Banquet at The Guildhall
What an evening we had at The Guildhall to celebrate and mark the 350th Anniversary of the granting of our Livery by the Alderman of the Corporation of London in 1672. When our Royal Charter was granted in 1638, giving the Company control of distilling within a 21-mile radius of the cities of London and […]
Past Master Nigel Strofton Plays International Hockey Match for England
Liveryman and Past Master (1992-1993) Nigel Strofton represented England Hockey over 80s recently. Nigel played two matches against The Netherlands in April at The Hockey Centre at Bisham with England winning both matches 1-0 and 2-1 respectively. Many congratulations Nigel! Great to learn we have an international sportsman in our Livery!
Ginposium brings global industry together again to explore the business of gin in a changing world
After two years of virtual sessions, experts from across the gin industry celebrated getting together again for The Gin Guild’s information-packed networking event, Ginposium. Held at RSA House in London for the first time since June 2019, the event saw long-established and new gin industry representatives from across the UK mingling with distillers and producers […]
The Livery Masters’ Away Weekend in Sheffield
Thanks to the pandemic, the wonderful tradition of Livery Masters’ Weekend Away has not been able to happen over the past two years. However, the Mistress and I were lucky enough for our year to be open to this once more, with The Lord Mayor deciding to take us to Sheffield as his city of […]
Livery members recognised in Platinum Jubilee Honours List
Celebrating Liverymen Michael Urquhart CBE, Ian Urquhart CBE, Karen Betts OBE and HE Sarah Dickson OBE Michael and Ian Urquhart have been awarded the honour of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to Scotch Whisky Industry and to charitable work in Moray in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. They are […]
Master’s Platinum Jubilee Message
I hope that, like me, you are looking forward to the forthcoming Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend to mark the occasion of Her Majesty’s 70 years as our Sovereign. The Mistress and I will be spending it in the company of my father, fellow Liveryman Harold Porter, who, in his 90th year, is one of […]
The Distillers’ City Debate 2022
On Tuesday 17th May at Vintners’ Hall, an audience of 120 people attended the 10th City Debate organised by the Worshipful Company of Distillers, and after a two-year hiatus due to covid, were treated to a lively debate addressing the topic: “This House believes that the consumption trends of today’s younger generations will have significant […]
Distillers to join the City Food & Drink Lecture
Organisers of the City Food Lecture today announce the Worshipful Company of Distillers will become part of the leading food industry event in 2023. They join the seven existing City of London Livery companies involved in agriculture and food: the Worshipful Companies of Bakers, Butchers, Cooks, Farmers, Fishmongers, Fruiterers and Poulters. From its start, back […]
Industry News
Rosebank launches 31 Year Old whisky
Rosebank has announced the launch of a rare bottling, drawn from casks salvaged in the early 1990s before the distillery’s closure.
Scottish Borders Distillery releases paperless gin bottle
Limited-edition Kerr’s Navy Strength Gin from Borders Distillery uses paperless bottle
Fever-Tree toasts bumper US performance in 2021 – trading update
A combination of continued off-premise strength and a returning on-premise have boosted Fever-Tree’s sales for 2021, led by the US. In a trading update today, the mixers company said that sales in the 12 months to the end of December, reached GBP311m (US$416.7m), a 26% increase on 2020. US sales for the year were up …
The post Fever-Tree toasts bumper US performance in 2021 – trading update appeared first on Just Drinks.
Britvic upbeat on 2022 as Omicron fails to dent pre-Christmas growth – trading update
Strong at-home consumption has bolstered Britvic’s performance in the closing three months of last year, despite the emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Two months after reporting a near-7% rise in 12-month sales to the end of September, the UK-based soft drinks group today posted sales from fiscal-Q1 – to the end of December – …
The post Britvic upbeat on 2022 as Omicron fails to dent pre-Christmas growth – trading update appeared first on Just Drinks.