The Spirits Business Podcast

What if one of Poland’s most historic spirits could be on the brink of a new beginning? Starka is a centuries-old rye vodka-based spirit, aged in oak for years – and sometimes decades – creating something that sits intriguingly between vodka and whisky. And now, its historic distillery in Szczecin is up for sale. So, what makes Starka so unique, what potential lies in its extraordinary stocks...

Since 1993, Chopin has been spearheading the luxury, super-premium vodka category. This is a brand that was one of the early adopters of promoting how good-quality base materials can create flavoursome vodka, and debunking the age-old assumption that vodka is neutral – because as fans of this versatile spirit will confirm, it is anything but. I recently connected with the founder and CEO of C...

Spirits fans will likely know Speyside in Scotland for its world-class whiskies, but there’s one distillery that’s showing a different side to the Scottish region, and that’s Glenrinnes Distillery, which is showing Speyside can also make brilliant clear spirits like vodka and gin. After taking a little time out to rethink its branding and marketing strategy, Glenrinnes is back with Eight Lands Vod...

Since October 2025, Stuart Maxwell has been the chief operating officer at Proof 8, a technology company that strives to improve efficiency and transparency across the spirits industry. Our conversation for this podcast episode starts by gauging Stuart’s expertise on the current state of the spirits industry, particularly whisky, and what the first half of 2026 has been like for Proof 8. But the m...

Liqueurs have long been positioned as a supporting act in the drinks world, but in recent years they've played more of a starring role in cocktails and other serves. One company that knows more than most about the versatility of liqueurs is Creamy Creation, a leading business-to-business (B2B) developer and manufacturer of cream liqueurs. Our podcast host, Melita Kiely, recently caught up with Mat...

If you’re part of the spirits industry, you probably know the name Alexandre Gabriel very well. The founder of Maison Ferrand is particularly well known in the worlds of Cognac, gin and rum. In this episode, Alexandre covers topics such as terroir and provenance and growth across the rum category, and speaks openly about his decision to change what was formerly known as Plantation Rum to the...

For the second year in a row, ProWein reached out to members of the spirits trade to gauge their honest insights into the current state of the industry. The latest findings have just been released, and The Spirits Business was fortunate to get a preview of the results. Editor-in-chief Melita Kiely was joined by three experts to discuss the findings on this podcast episode. First of all, the lead r...

From distiller to distributor, there are few roles that Eoin Bara has not tried his hand at. The founder of Mór Irish Gin created his digital distribution company Tipple to offer flexible solutions for direct-to-consumer and business-to-business distribution – a challenge he felt first hand while growing Mór Irish gin. Eoin goes into detail about the challenges he sees brands facing when it c...

For this episode of The Spirits Business Podcast we’re sharing a special recording from our International Women’s Day panel discussion in March, which was a conversation centred on the role mentorship plays in the spirits world. We explore mentorship from both sides of the relationship, looking at what mentors gain, how mentees can make the most of mentoring opportunities, and why meaningful...

Nestled in the English countryside in Wiltshire, is Witchmark Distillery. A whisky distillery first and foremost, the distillery is also creating award-winning gins and vodka – and it’s even bottled its new make spirit – as it waits patiently for the first casks of its whisky to reach three years old. I headed to Witchmark Distillery in December to see the historic site the distillery calls home,...

With close to 30 years in the whisky business to his name, Brian Kinsman perhaps needs no introduction. The malt master for William Grant & Sons is renowned for leading the whisky development of some of the most beloved Scotch whisky brands, including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Monkey Shoulder, Grant’s and, more recently, The Famous Grouse. Brian is always incredibly generous in sharing his st...

Agave spirits have been a particularly hot commodity over the last decade. And in the last couple of years, countries outside of Mexico have looked to utilise their nations' agave supplies and create their own takes on agave spirits. Leading the charge in India is Maya Pistola, India’s first aged 100% agave spirit, which was founded by Rakshay Dhariwal, who’s originally a restaurateur by trade. Ho...

Keep up to date with the latest spirits and cocktail news from The Spirits Business here: https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/ Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spiritsbusiness/ Is there anything in spirits Olivier Ward has yet to turn his hand to? Possibly yes, possibly no – but goodness, he’s done a lot. From co-founding and being editor of Gin Foundry, to establishing Spi...

Pedro Mendonça is almost a year into his into his role of global senior vice-president for Bacardi and rums. His experience is vast, spanning more than 30 years in the spirits industry, and working for the likes of Diageo, leading teams in Latin America, Asia Pacific and worldwide. As you’ll hear during our conversation, at Bacardi, Pedro’s focus is on building on the rum brand’s 163-year legacy....

While most of us are tied to computers, mobiles or any other form of technology for most of the working day – and let’s face it, probably in our spare time too – Geraldine Kavanagh’s experience is the polar opposite. Her passion for outdoors led her into foraging, which she has turned into a full-time career, creating award-winning gins at Ireland’s Glendalough Distillery. In this episod...

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is one of the most renowned distribution companies in the US. But what sets it apart? And what are the key challenges facing brands looking to expand their distribution footprint in the States at present? This week’s podcast guest is Zachary Poelma, who is Southern Glazer’s senior vice-president of commercial intelligence. During our conversation, Zach goes int...

There’s good PR and there’s bad PR, and then there are those who truly excel in communications – and Emily Harris is one of the best. In 2012, Emily took her experience in both agency PR and in-house communications, and established her award-winning company, May Fox Communications. In this episode, I asked Emily about the key differences between working for an agency and being in-house, and w...

Beanie Espey has had such an interesting career. From the world of big beauty brands to spirits, from sales to marketing and even brand establishment, Beanie’s expertise is vast. In this episode, you’ll hear us chat about Beanie managing The Last Drop Distillers and working with her father, industry veteran James Espey, the highs and lows of launching a brand, and importantly her role with The Dis...

It’s been 10 years since twin sisters Joyce and Raissa de Haas launched their acclaimed tonic and mixer brand Double Dutch, a brand that has been instrumental in shaping the premium mixer market. To mark the occasion, Double Dutch has undergone a significant rebrand this year, which we’ll cover later in this episode. We also discuss the business decisions and strategies that helped grow the brand...

Stock Spirits Group CEO Jean-Christophe Coutures has his sights set firmly on growth in Europe. Where many are chasing super-premium-plus spirits sales, Jean-Christophe is confidently building a loyal audience with affordable, high-quality products. Following a few years of high-profile mergers and acquisitions for Stock Spirits Group, and heavy investment in categories such as Scotch whisky, Jean...

There are two parts to The Diplomat bar in Hong Kong; the first is akin to an American tavern, with high-counter seating, and low lighting. Then down a pink corridor is the exclusive Social Club, with a contrast of dark seating and pink stools, an impressive vinyl collection, and a DJ booth to really get the party started. American John Nugent shares his journey and the concept behind his bar, and...

If you’re a brand owner, hospitality worker, distributor – or involved in any other facet of the spirits trade, and are feeling somewhat frustrated or concerned about the multiple headwinds and challenges facing the industry, then do not skip this episode. Our podcast host, Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business magazine, sat down with Nick Gillett from Mangrove Global to chat about...

Bar Leone in Hong Kong has gained an incredible reputation worldwide – and after visiting the venue first hand earlier this year, our podcast host Melita Kiely says it is easy to see why. Founder Lorenzo Antinori has brought a slice of Italian hospitality to Asia, where guests can expect approachable but delicious cocktails, satiating food offerings alongside, and a vibrant, warm, welcoming atmosp...

On today's podcast episode, our host Melita Kiely is speaking with Jack Sotti, who is the brand ambassador for Bar Convent London. The first Baar Convent London event will take place from the 30 June to 1 July. But even if you tune into this episode after these dates, do keep listening because Jack has had an incredible career and offers so much great advice during this episode. Throughout the con...

Spend just a few minutes in the company of Ilaria Carone and it’s hard to believe that someone so vivacious and chatty moved from Italy to London a short seven years ago speaking next to no English. Armed with as much experience as she could gather in her home country, Ilaria headed to London to pursue her dream hospitality career. Not afraid to rise to the challenge, she secured her first positio...