Advisory Panel

Alan is an Honorary Professor of Heriot Watt University’s International Centre of Brewing and Distilling, Master Distiller Examiner for The Institute of Brewing and Distilling and one of the longest serving Keepers of the Quaich.

Alan is Founder and Managing Director of Caledonian Solutions Limited and is a consultant to the Scotch Whisky, International Whiskey, and similar process industries. He works with clients in the USA, Ireland and the Far East as well as the UK.

Alan entered the spirits industry, after leaving University, with Distillers Company Ltd. (now Diageo) and gained experience in a variety of technical and production management roles across Scotland.

He is the former Distilleries Director for Wm. Grant and Sons operating both a large Grain Whisky (Girvan) and several Malt Whisky distilleries (Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie) with responsibility for sourcing all raw materials and processing them into distilled products (Malt and Grain Whisky, Grain Neutral Spirit and Gin), and also cooperage, maturation and blending.

Blair Bowman is an in demand whisky writer and consultant specialising in Scotch whisky.

His book The Pocket Guide to Whisky: featuring the WhiskyTubeMap was published in May 2017. He is passionate about introducing the world to whisky and has been involved in the whisky industry since he was of legal drinking age, firstly as a co-founder of a whisky society and latterly as the founder of World Whisky Day.

Blair has been actively promoting whisky for over eight years, writing professionally about it as well as sitting on judging panels at competitions and tasting panels. He now acts as a consultant to the whisky industry on a wide variety of matters. 

In addition to his passion and involvement with whisky, Blair also regularly hosts gin masterclasses across Scotland.  He has also judged international spirits and gin competitions such as the Denver International Spirits Competition and is passionate about championing Scottish craft gins.

Alex has enjoyed a Wine & Spirits industry career, starting with Remy Cointreau in 1996, then J&B, then joining Adelphi in 2004 as Sales & Marketing Director. He was appointed Managing Director of Adelphi and the Ardnamurchan Distillery in 2015.

He designed and project managed a new bottling and distribution warehouse for Adelphi in 2010, and oversaw the design, planning and build of a brand new, greenfield, distillery in Ardnamurchan on the west coast of Scotland, utilising 100% local, renewable energy sources and deployment of by-products. The Ardnamurchan Distillery was opened by HRH The Princess Royal in July 2014 with a capacity of 600,000 litres of alcohol per annum.

He developed and blended the first, branded, official fusion of Scotch and Japanese whiskies, The Glover, in 2015 to promote the historical relationship between the 2 countries and has subsequently added further international distilling partners to a growing fusion whisky portfolio.

In 2014, he joined the board of Scotland Food & Drink, the ILG for the industry.

In 2017, Adelphi was the first Scotch whisky company to adopt blockchain technology for its bottles, promoting transparency, authenticity and supply chain security.

Alex was appointed a Keeper of the Quaich in 2006, and a Master of the Quaich in 2016. He was also granted Freedom of the City of London in 2012 and became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers. He is an honorary member of the Whisky Guild of New Zealand and a recipient of the Order of the Scottish Samurai.

Geraldine Coates published her first book on gin over 20 years ago and has been deeply involved in distilling ever since.

She is editor of www.gintime.com, the world's first website devoted to gin, and also writes promotional materials, training programmes and Visitor Centre interpretation for some of the most prestigious drinks brands in the world.
 

Simon is currently Managing Director at the Isle of Harris Distillery, home of the Isle of Harris Gin and forthcoming 'The Hearach' Single Malt Whisky.

His expertise is in the international development of premium brands. After a career in retailing with Marks & Spencer, he was employed in a variety of sales and marketing roles with what is now Diageo, including several years overseas. 

Latterly one of four Executive Directors at Glenmorangie, Simon led the 30 strong sales and marketing teams. Having managed the integration of the business into LVMH, He is now providing strategic marketing and business development services to a small number of companies across a variety of sectors.

Charles MacLean is a writer whose special subject is Scotch whisky, about which he has published ten books to date, including the standard work on whisky brands, Scotch Whisky and the leading book on its subject, Malt Whisky, both of which were short-listed for Glenfiddich Awards.

Whisky: A Liquid History, published by Cassell in 2003 was named Wine and Spirit Book of the Year (2005) by the James Beard Foundation of New York. MacLean’s Whisky Miscellany followed in 2004, expanded in 2006 as Whisky Tales; in 2008 he was Managing Editor of Dorling Kindersley’s Eyewitness Companion to Whisky, and in 2009 their World Whiskies.Whiskypedia was published in June 2009.

He was trained in ‘the sensory evaluation of potable spirits’ by the Scotch Whisky Research Institutein 1992 and has presented numerous tastings and talks in the U.K. and abroad for whisky companies, corporations, universities and clubs, and on radio and TV. He is a member of the Judging Panel (Spirits) of the International Wines & Spirits Competition, and was runner-up as ‘Communicator of the Year’ in the 2003 IWSC Awards.

Charles MacLean is Scotland’s leading whisky expert” The Times, March 2010
He acts as a consultant to the whisky industry on a variety of matters, and over the past 20 years has written promotional materials for all the leading companies and brands. He is also Whisky Consultant to Bonhams Auctioneers.

He was elected a Keeper of the Quaich  in 1992 for ‘his services to Scotch over many years’ and granted the rare honour of being elected Master of the Quaich, the industry’s highest accolade, in October 2009.

He holds degrees in Art History (St Andrews) and Law (Dundee), is a Writer to Her Majesty’s Signet, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, a Visiting Lecturer to the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, an Honorary Fellow of Massey College, University of Toronto and of Champlain College, University of Trent, a Councillor of the Clan Maclean and a member of the Society of Authors

Ian has grown up immersed in the Scotch whisky industry, with his father being the CEO of Glenmorangie and his mother’s family having started Mackinlay’s in 1815.  Improving whisky education and knowledge is Ian’s passion.

He founded Hong Kong’s first ever whisky festival, Malt Masters, in 2013 and ran it successfully for three years before moving back to Scotland in 2016 to join his sister, Kirsty, in developing the Edinburgh Whisky Academy.  At the Academy, Ian is in charge of developing business with whisky brands. 

Annabel has been in the role of Director of the Keepers of the Quaich since May 2015,
when she relocated the office north of the Border. Her role is to organise the two
ceremony and banquets each year where new members are inducted into the society at Blair Castle.

She has worked in the whisky industry since 2001, organising events and tastings, then as the global brand ambassador for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. She established her own consultancy, the Whisky Belle, where she was contributing editor on two publications and well respected for her sensory evaluation and tasting notes. Annabel has delighted audiences all over the world with her knowledge and passion for Scotch Whisky.

David Moore is a founder of Fusion Whisky Limited, which has developed the ground-breaking “Glover”, “Kincardine”, “Winter Queen” and “Brisbane" premium fusion whisky series, now in global distribution (www.fusionwhisky.com). He is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers.

David spent 13 years in Asia Pacific with Diageo based in Sydney, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh and Shanghai. During his time David served as Managing Director of Diageo’s Asia Beer business and subsequently MD of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Since returning to Scotland in 2013, David has developed a range of investments and business interests in the beverage, tech and export sectors.

David is a founder shareholder and Director of Craft Beer Clan (www.craftbeerclanscotland.com), the export portal for Scottish craft drinks and international division of JW Filshill Group (www.filshill.co.uk). He is also a Director of of flavourly.com, a leading UK online craft beer and spirits discovery business and Good Spirits CIC, brand owner of the world’s first social enterprise gin, Ginerosity (www.ginerosity.com).

James is an experienced International Sales Manager with core strengths in developing relationships, branded awareness and global exports in markets such as the USA, Canada, Asia, Europe, the Nordics, Russia and the former Soviet Republics.

Over the past year or so he has been advising a wide range of companies on export and brand building and working as a business mentor with the Institute of Directors.  Previously James was the Global Brand Ambassador and International Sales Manager for Tullibardine Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky. He was synonymous worldwide with Tullibardine presenting on TV, Radio & to live audiences.

Known as a charismatic public speaker with excellent presentation skills, attending the key Whisky Festivals around the world. Prior to this he worked as a Regional Sales Manager looking after Taittinger, Louis Jadot, Errazuriz and Villa Maria. James holds the WSET Diploma and has been a judge with the IWSC.

Keir is the Director of Royal Mile Whiskies in Edinburgh’s historic Old Town.

Set up in 1991, Royal Mile Whiskies has become one of the most respected whisky merchants in the world, winning Whisky Magazine’s Retailer of the Year Award in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015. An important part of that success is down to the people and the fact they share a passion for all things whisky – especially Scottish Single Malt Whisky.

Karen is a highly experienced, accomplished and well-respected marketeer with global exposure.

She is now a marketing consultant, specialising in the spirits industry.  Utilising 25 years’ experience, she is focussed on adding value to fledgling, growing or established businesses.

Karen is an appointed Life Member of the Keeper of the Quaich since 2007.