Our People

For The Gin Cooperative, great Scottish Gin is in equal measure about the people as it is the actual gin. Our exclusive ‘Our People’ editorial feature series finds out what life is like working for a Scottish Gin business. The distiller, the brand ambassador, the social media manager, the office admin, the handyman, the cooper, the shop assistant, the delivery driver and more. It’s these dedicated, passionate and hardworking people we will meet over the course of the series that will hopefully give you a little insight into what working for a Scottish Gin business is really like.

Next in the series features some of the team from The Glasgow Distillery Co. The distillery is a true urban working distillery and can be found just a stone’s throw from Glasgow’s industrial heartland of the river Clyde. Home to Makar Gin and a number of spirits which now include whisky, rum and vodka, the distillery is Glasgow’s first legal distillery in Glasgow to make gin. We recently caught up with the The Glasgow Distillery Co. team to learn more about life in the distillery and more. In an industry that is traditionally characterised as male dominated, The Glasgow Distillery Co. are proud to be nurturing a workplace that values equality and inclusion across all aspects of the business including sales, distilling and marketing.

Eleanor Quigley, Marketing Executive

Responsibilities

Content Creation and management of digital marketing communications, including all social media profiles across four brands (Glasgow Distillery Company, 1770 Glasgow Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Makar Glasgow Gin & Banditti Club Rum), email marketing and website blog posts. Further to this, I write and deliver all PR related to each of the brands. Communications, to sum it up in one word!

What does a typical day look like?

Despite my job being fairly ring fenced into digital marketing and PR, I get involved in pretty much anything and everything in the distillery from conducting and hosting tour groups, to attending events. However, the majority of my time is spent writing copy and collating content, whether that’s for any of the thirteen social media profiles, or for blog posts, award entries, email communications or press releases. 

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is, without a doubt, the freedom and level of responsibility Glasgow Distillery bestow upon me. We are all very much trusted to do our jobs and our professional opinion always matters. If we have an opinion that differs from the rest of the team, it is always respected. In fact, playing devil’s advocate is encouraged! It is never a bad thing to disagree (politely) with colleagues. After all, when two creative ideas meet in the middle, it almost always results in a better outcome. 

Further to this, I have only been in Glasgow Distillery Company for one year, but have been fortunate enough to be heavily involved in the successful launch of our very first whisky, 1770 Glasgow Single Malt Scotch Whisky Release No.1., our 2019 Release of 1770 and our very first rum, Banditti Club Rum. Still young in my marketing career, this level of experience is truly invaluable, and I have learned an inordinate amount from ‘getting stuck in at the deep end’. In my opinion, there’s no better way to learn!

What is unique about your place of work?

I’d say one of the things I love about Glasgow Distillery Company is the small team ethos we have here. We are a very close team and we have all witnessed the significant growth of the distillery over the last few years. Not just on the premises itself, but with each of our brands and products. As a result of this, each member of the team understands that we are all a part of something truly exciting, and we work very hard to ensure we are the best we possibly can be in each of our various departments – whether that’s on the production floor itself or up in the office. 

Female inclusion and equality are very much encouraged at Glasgow Distillery; two things that have been traditionally lacking in the whisky industry for many years. This is something I am very passionate about and it’s great to look down on to the production floor and see an array of female distillers on the floor. 

Heather Findlay, Fine and Rare Account Manager

Responsibilities

My main responsibilities are managing our Cask Club and Prometheus range. Selling all of our products but mainly focusing on our Prometheus range, 1770 Whisky, Casks and bulk spirit. Keeping our customers happy and encouraging them to continue working with us.

What does a typical day look like?

There isn’t really a typical day in my role, every day is different and that is what I like about it. I can be talking to a customer from the other side of the world about a cask sale one minute and the next I can be getting my hands dirty inspecting and sampling casks for a sale or an upcoming bottling. The main part of my job and the most important is making and maintaining good relationships with our customers. I like to think we are an approachable company and will go out of our way to make sure our customers are happy and have the support they require.

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part for me is working with the casks and the raw spirit, I find that every day I am learning something new. I love being able to witness the whole process from grain to glass and the influence the different cask finishes have on the end spirit. With the Gin and Rum, it’s incredibly interesting to observe the process, taste the new recipes the distillers are working on and watch them come to life. As I have been with the company from the beginning, I have had the pleasure of watching the company grow and change massively over the years. With more and more products launching and the team growing, we really have gone from strength to strength.

What is unique about your place of work?

It is not like any other job I have ever had before. Looking out to a sea of casks with the aroma from the stills in the air is something special. The setting is pretty unique, you really are part of a working distillery that is hidden in the heart of Glasgow. If you want to have a first-hand look or learn more, you just have to walk out to the distillery floor and it is all there for you. You really get to see the whole process and have the chance to be hands on, which you don’t always get in a larger company.

Eilidh Dunn, International Business Development Coordinator

Responsibilities

Coordination of international events and getting product to market all over the world.

What does a typical day look like?

My day to day is pretty varied, no two days are the same. As we grow, we are selling product to more and more places, meaning there is often new regulation, market entry and documentation to learn about. It is my job to make sure we have everything in place to ensure the shipment gets to its destination without any hold ups, so a lot of my time is spent researching and communicating with our customers to make sure we are fully compliant and all the information is completely accurate. In addition to that, I help with customer service and the processing of online orders.

What’s the best part of your job?

I love learning about new markets and different cultures. No two places are the same and all require different things. It’s always a great feeling when you know your customers are happy and Glasgow Distillery products are being sold all over the world.

What is unique about your place of work?

We are not your usual shiny distillery and there is something so raw and genuine about it. I joined the distillery just a year ago and seeing how much we’ve grown in that short space of time is amazing. We are a small team but ultimately, we all have one vision and I for one am very excited to see where we end up!

Madalena Moreira, Distiller

Responsibilities

As a distiller I am responsible for overseeing the production of spirits including sourcing and testing raw materials, product development and quality control.

What does a typical day look like?

As we are lucky enough to combine gin, whisky, rum and vodka production in one place, there is no such thing as a typical day. And as part of a small team I get to diversify what I do from working the barrels, running tours, attending events, and of course lots of tasting! I might start and finish my day operating the stills, but I definitely get to do many activities throughout the day.

What is unique about your place of work?

Diversity. Glasgow Distillery has an incredibly diverse team which allows creativity to flow naturally. All departments share the same facilities and that really improves communication and co-working. Quite often we have the marketing and sales team on the floor, so I get a chance to be on top of their game and see what they’re doing. And of course, we have a handful of bright distillers who are always ready to be challenged!

You can learn more about Makar Gin, made by The Glasgow Distillery Co. here.