Isabella Wemyss from the Wemyss Development in Scotland is announced as the winner of the 2015 Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) Simpsons Malt Award.
Executive Director at The Wemyss Development Co, Isabella Wemyss, successfully achieved the highest grade in the Diploma in Distilling Module 1.
Isabella was involved in the opening of Kingsbarns Distillery last year, and as Company Secretary she is responsible for the management of the distillery, production and stock. It was this new venture that prompted her in to learning more about distilling. Her previous experience with distilling was of essential oils at a distillery in Kenya.
The annual award is presented to the one candidate who demonstrates best practice and results during the Diploma in Distilling Module 1. This year Isabella will receive a £500 cheque presented at the IBD Scottish Section Dinner next year.
Simpsons Malt Vice Chairman Richard Simpson commented: “This award recognises and supports talented individuals in the industry, and is one that we are proud to be associated with. We wish Isabella the best of luck in her future brewing and distilling career.”
On winning the award Isabella Wemyss said, “For the last 10 years, I have been at the heart of our family business independent bottler, Wemyss Malts. In 2013, we embarked on building our first distillery at Kingsbarns in Fife. The course has been invaluable in building my knowledge to ensure that we not only sell great Scotch whisky, but produce it too.”
Previous winners of the Simpsons Malt Award have included Flavien Desoblin, owner of the Brandy Library Lounge in New York, Tambudzai Makunde of African Distillers Limited and Karan Singh of South Pacific Distillery.
