The Spirits Business Podcast

This episode's podcast guest, Felipe Schrieberg, is an award-winning journalist. He's also a musician, a whisky bottler, and importantly for our conversation today, passionate about uniting the whisky industry against fraudulent whisky cask investment schemes. Having recently launched Portectyourcask.com, a website dedicated to informing people about the potential pitfalls of whisky cask investments, we delve into the pros and cons of this complex subject. 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/Keep updated on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirits-business/Follow along on X (formerly Twitter):https://x.com/spiritsbusinessThe Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inspired by their father’s passion for winemaking, sibling duo Alex and Emma Watson are adding to the family story with their own brand: Renais Gin. But this is more than just another celebrity spirit; Alex and Emma have poured their heart into this project, leaning on Alex's extensive experience in the alcohol beverage world and Emma's creative mind. In this episode, Alex shares the important role family has played in shaping the brand, what it was like creating a gin brand with his sister Emma, why a life in the spotlight wasn't for him, and his ultimate ambitions for Renais. 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/Keep updated on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirits-business/Follow along on X (formerly Twitter):https://x.com/spiritsbusinessThe Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ian Burrell and Aaisha Dadral, co-founders of Equiano Rum, share their inspiring journey from music to spirits. They delve into rum's rich history, linking it to Olaudah Equiano's legacy, while discussing the innovative blend of African and Caribbean rums. The duo highlights the growing premiumization trend in the rum industry and the importance of quality in spiced rum. They also reflect on their entrepreneurial challenges and aspirations, emphasizing collaboration and transparency as key to establishing Equiano as an iconic brand.

"Do you even like whisky?" Becky Paskin, founder of the OurWhisky Foundation, has been asked this question all too frequently during her career – and a recent study showed many women in the industry have similar experiences to share. The OurWhisky Foundation works to promote gender equality in whisky, providing a free modern media library, a platform to share women's stories, and a global mentorship scheme to help women achieve their whisky-related goals. In this episode, Becky discusses how the OurWhisky Foundation came to be, the challenges women continue to face working in whisky – and also the positive changes she has seen across the sector. 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/Keep updated on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirits-business/Follow along on X (formerly Twitter):https://x.com/spiritsbusinessThe Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business. Editing is by Paul Machnicki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to find purpose in your work, the importance of boundaries and thoughts on cancel culture are all up for discussion in this week’s podcast episode with Lorraine Copes, founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality. Multi-award-winning social entrepreneur Lorraine Copes founded Be Inclusive Hospitality four years ago at the height of the pandemic. Its aim is to advance racial quality across the hospitality, food and drink industries. From her time working across the drinks industry supply chain, Copes explains how she has noticed a constant underrepresentation of people of colour across the industry. But how can the industry work to improve this?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/Keep updated on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirits-business/Follow along on X (formerly Twitter):https://x.com/spiritsbusinessThe Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business. Editing is by Paul Machnicki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our fourth episode, The Spirits Business editor Melita Kiely caught up with the three founders behind The Pinnacle Guide – Siobhan Payne, Hannah Sharman-Cox and Dan Dove – the day after the inaugural pinned bars were announced. A total of 37 bars were award one pin and two pins – but so far, no venue has met the requirements for that coveted three-pin status. Siobhan, Hannah and Dan talk us through the years-long journey to launching The Pinnacle Guide, the positive impact it has already had on helping bars improve their service, sustainability and staff welfare, and what comes next.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/Keep updated on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirits-business/Follow along on X (formerly Twitter):https://x.com/spiritsbusinessThe Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business. Editing is by Paul Machnicki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How much do you know about Peru's hospitality scene? Well, this episode is set to change any preconceptions you may have had about the country's vibrant cocktail culture. Earlier this year, our editor, Melita Kiely, flew to Lima to spend a week exploring what the capital city's food and drinks scene has to offer. In this episode, Diego Macedo, founder of speakeasy bar Sastrería Martinez, discusses everything from his professional acting background to launching a bar in the midst of a pandemic, and how Peruvian flavours play an important role in his bar's offerings. 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/Keep updated on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirits-business/Follow along on X (formerly Twitter):https://x.com/spiritsbusinessThe Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business. Editing is by Paul Machnicki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deano Moncrieffe is arguably one of the industry's most respected bartenders. Not only is he the founder of award-winning bar Hacha in London and bottled cocktail brand Mirror Margarita, but he is on a mission to create a more equitable hospitality industry for everyone through his non-profit Equal Measures. In episode two, Deano candidly opens up about his personal experiences of discrimination and racism, and why paving the way to a truly inclusive hospitality industry is imperative.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/Keep updated on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirits-business/Follow along on X (formerly Twitter):https://x.com/spiritsbusinessThe Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business. Editing is by Paul Machnicki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guests today are actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, co-founders of the award-winning Brother's Bond Bourbon. It was while filming acclaimed TV series The Vampire Diaries that the pair discovered a shared love of Bourbon and embarked upon their own whiskey venture. In this first episode of The Spirits Business Podcast, we discuss everything from sipping Bourbon on set, blending, new releases from the brand and their passion for sustainable whiskey production. 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/Keep updated on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/spirits-business/Follow along on X (formerly Twitter):https://x.com/spiritsbusinessThe Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business. Editing is by Paul Machnicki. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.