Halewood Artisanal Spirits has announced the appointment of Dr Kirstie McCallum as its new master blender, as the business looks to strengthen its growing whisky portfolio.
McCallum will be responsible for evolving and developing Halewood’s core whisky brands, which includes Crabbie whisky from Scotland; Irish whiskeys Gelston’s and The Pogues; Aber Falls Welsh whisky; and Peaky Blinder English whisky from Halewood’s newest distillery in the West Midlands. In addition, she will work with the group on new projects and expressions.
McCallum has over 20 years’ experience in the spirits industry, and joins Halewood from Glen Turner, where she worked as head of whisky creation for the Glen Moray brand. Prior to this, she was the senior blender at Distell International, working across the Bunnahabhain, Deanston and Tobermory brands.
Lee Tayburn, Operations and Production Director at Halewood Artisanal Spirits commented: “As a business, we are dedicated to growing our portfolio of artisanal spirits, and of course whisky plays a very important part in this. Over the last five years we have invested heavily in distilleries across the UK and globally, and are constantly evolving to ensure that we provide our customers with premium, quality spirits with provenance. With her extensive experience and expertise, Kirstie will be integral to this, and we look forward to working closely together as we grow and develop our whisky credentials.”
Kirstie McCallum added: “From brands like Crabbie’s, with its rich whisky history dating back to the 1830s, to new expressions from younger brands such as Peaky Blinder and The Pogues, Halewood Artisanal Spirits has a very diverse and exciting whisky portfolio. I’m really looking forward to working alongside the team to develop these brands, and using my industry experience to help create the best possible whisky offer.”
