44. Proof 8: Why whisky's digital revolution starts in the warehouse

44. Proof 8: Why whisky's digital revolution starts in the warehouse

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 main focus of our discussion centres on the development of digital deeds, and the Warehousekeepers and Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations (WOWGR) reform that came into effect last year. Technology is moving quickly across all industries, and spirits is no exception – and Stuart gives great advice on how to utilise the latest tech to boost business and create more efficient, transparent ways of working. 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/spiritsbusiness Find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@spiritsbusiness Take a look at our videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSpiritsBusinessMagazine The Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business. This podcast episode was edited by Matchbox Motion. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

43. Creamy Creation: how cream liqueurs became a standout spirits category

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 Matthew Benny, chief commercial officer for the Americas at Creamy Creation, to discuss both the category and company in detail. The conversation starts by debunking some common misconceptions about liqueurs before also covering trends shaping the category, how to discover new opportunities for growth in a challenging economy, and the future direction Matthew envisions, both for the broader liqueur category and Creamy Creation. 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/spiritsbusiness Find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@spiritsbusiness Take a look at our videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSpiritsBusinessMagazine The Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business. This podcast episode was edited by Matchbox Motion. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

42. Maison Ferrand: inside the Planteray rebrand with Alexandre Gabriel

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 brand known today as Planteray, and all of the challenges that rebranding brought for a brand of this scale.  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/spiritsbusiness Find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@spiritsbusiness Take a look at our videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSpiritsBusinessMagazine The Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business. This podcast episode was edited by Matchbox Motion. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

41. ProWein: analysing market insights from the ProSpirits Report 2026

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 researcher of the annual ProSpirits Report, professor Dr Simone Luce, head of the Institute for Wine and Beverage Business Research at Geisenheim University, along with Paul Dempsey, sales and marketing director for Brave New Spirits, and Gernet Allnoch, partner of Mezcal San Cosme. The group goes into detail about key findings from the report, as well as navigating geopolitical challenges, how to successfully target market expansions, and their outlooks for 2026. 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/spiritsbusiness Find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@spiritsbusiness Take a look at our videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSpiritsBusinessMagazine The Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business. This podcast episode was edited by Matchbox Motion. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

40. Tipple – why spirits distribution needs a shake-up

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 comes to growing distribution, and how Tipple is creating new ways to grow. He also shares details about what it was like to grow a gin brand to the point of sale, and shares some candid insights into what he’d do differently if given the chance to go back and do it again. This episode is an important listen for any spirits business seeking distribution and open to hearing about less traditional routes to market. 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/spiritsbusiness Find us on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@spiritsbusiness Take a look at our videos on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSpiritsBusinessMagazine The Spirits Business Podcast is hosted by Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business. This podcast episode was edited by Matchbox Motion. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.