Whisky Mentoring

Ann’s contribution to the Scotch Whisky industry was recognised when she was made a Keeper of the Quaich, an honour only gifted to those who are recognised to have made a significant contribution to the world of Scotch whisky.

In October 2023 Ann became one of relatively few women to be elevated to the rank of Master of the Quaich, an honour which was bestowed on her when she was inducted by the Grand Master, the Duke of Argyll at the recent Banquet at Blair Castle.

There are more details in the blog post.

With her background in tourism as well as Scotch whisky, Ann is uniquely placed to harness her experience to support and mentor whisky organisations or events.

With over 20 years’ experience as a key player in the creation of successful events and the overall development of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, now recognised as one of the unmissable events in the world’s whisky calendar, Ann has a wealth of experience to share. In 2007 she was honoured to be appointed a Lifetime Ambassador of the Festival and until recently she served as one of its volunteer Directors.

Ann now chairs the Committee which runs the Festival School in partnership with the Headmaster, Alan Winchester which will take place from the evening of Sunday 28 April to Wednesday 1 May 2024. It offers a unique opportunity to explore all aspects of malt whisky making including malting, mashing, brewing, distilling and maturation.

The Whisky School is aimed at whisky enthusiasts who wish to learn more about the technical aspects of the creation of malt whisky. All delegates will depart with a Diploma. The Whisky School is held immediately before the Festival to allow delegates to enjoy Festival events.

As the Dram Queen, Ann continues to create original events for every Festival.

Ann was delighted when the Our Whisky Foundation https://www.ourwhiskyfoundation.org/ invited her to mentor some of the younger generation of women entering the industry. She continues to find it a rewarding experience.

An accomplished linguist, Ann is always happy to speak French or Spanish and to deliver every aspect of her whisky experiences in these languages.