Kingsbarns Journal

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. In celebration of International Women’s Day 2022, we wanted to share some positivity from the women behind Kingsbarns, and their views on being a woman in the whisky industry today. Isabella Wemyss - Production Director “My side of the business is very much a man’s world, and often I am one of the few women in the room. It’s reassuring to know, however, that as a business we are committed to equal opportunities and I work day to day with some...

As we neared completion of the construction phase, we needed to recruit a production team and start preparing for the spirit to flow from our stills. We hired Peter Holroyd, a brewer by trade, to become the inaugural distillery manager, and he arrived a few months before production started to ensure the equipment was fitted to his satisfaction. The mash tun, fermentation vessels and grist mill all came from different suppliers, but Peter, with the help of our industry friend Ian Palmer, managed to install and test all the equipment without any insurmountable challenges. Peter, together with my sister Isabella,...

The season of romance is upon us! Valentine’s Day for me is a day to be with the ones you love. It's a day to show appreciation and love, whether that’s to your partner, best friends, dog, cat, whomever. It’s about sharing those special moments together and showing your appreciation for a loved one(s) in your life. Full disclosure, I’m fully aware that it’s pretty much a made-up holiday that’s now blown way out of proportion, but I still think it’s quite nice to make an extra effort on that day. After all, showing how much you love someone is...

Michael is our Visitor Experience Manager, home to both Kingsbarns and Darnley’s Distilleries. Our Netherlands-native Experience Manager runs the day-to-day operations in the visitor centre, including the café, shop, tours, ecommerce fulfilment and general upkeep of the property. How did you get into the industry? I’ve always worked in hospitality ever since I was 14 years of age; firstly alongside my studies, then during my (world) travels and eventually I made it my profession when I further developed my skills at Skibo Castle, in the north of Scotland. There I was fortunate enough to really learn about whisky, both while...