Operational Empowerment
Drinks Scholarships
Drinks Scholar 2022
Anthony Gallant, Anthony’s Mobile Bar, Biggar Spirits Distillery
Expanding Whisky Expertise
Scotch Whisky is a global industry, more than 500 years in the making. Today Scotch Whisky is enjoyed in almost every country around the world. In 2022, exports of Scotch Whisky surpassed £6bn for the first time, 53 bottles of Scotch Whisky shipped each second from Scotland to markets across the globe, helping to support tens of thousands of jobs in Scotland and ensuring that hundreds of millions of consumers can enjoy a dram.*
In 2019, there were 2.2 million visits to Scotch Whisky distilleries, making the industry the third most popular tourist attraction in Scotland.* Visitors expect our hospitality and tourism professionals to know their stuff when it comes to our national drink, so it was no surprise that Anthony Gallant chose to take part in Edinburgh Whisky Academy’s Single Malt Whisky Diploma for his scholarship experience!
Anthony has been working in hospitality for around 16 years, with 11 years in the drinks industry where he found his passion.
He said: “In my years as a bartender I have developed a hobby of learning about different spirits & beers, attending different seminars and tastings to develop my palate and knowledge. I worked at Edinburgh airport as a whisky ambassador, this job was selling all of Pernod Ricard’s products which was the second largest in the airport, and gave me a better insight into the scotch whisky industry and really helped set my sights on where I wanted to go in my career. I completed a bar apprenticeship with William Grant & Sons taking in the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown where my passion for whisky was cemented by spending time with the Glenfiddich brand ambassador Mark Thomson. Getting expert tuition on all things single malt set my sights on a career in whisky.”
Having decided that whisky was to be his specialist subject, Anthony then applied for a HIT Scotland scholarship, to get some formal training in Single Malt whisky.
He said: “I got to know HIT Scotland when I worked as a Drinks Ambassador at Tennent’s Training Academy. We produced drinks for some of HIT’s fundraising events including one of the Truffle Club networking lunches, where I created a whisky cocktail for everyone and did a talk about it. It’s fantastic to have someone like HIT Scotland who can provide experiences for those working in the industry, to help them improve their skills and knowledge, which then helps their business too. I was delighted to receive the Drinks Scholarship, and get the chance to take part in the Single Malt Whisky Diploma. Covid delayed things a little, but it was great to eventually take part in this when it was safe to do so.
“The scholarship was excellent for me, a really detailed and informative course, taught in a relaxed but professional way. The sensory part of the course was fascinating, and learning more about the distillation process and then seeing it in real life at Glenkinchie was great.”
Anthony was always keen to use his knowledge to educate others, inside and outside the hospitality industry, and the scholarship will help him to do that.
Anthony said: “The scholarship has really added to my knowledge, and it will also come in handy for my new business! I started Anthony’s Mobile Cocktail Bar last year to provide a mobile bar for events, and part of the business is on trade training, so to be able to give back to the industry I have grown up in will be amazing. I like to keep expanding my spirits knowledge, so I’m also working as a Distillery Assistant at Biggar Spirits Distillery, a small batch gin company. Thank you HIT for helping me on my drinks journey!”
Thank you to Edinburgh Whisky Academy (EWA) for their support of our scholarships, and for providing us with this fantastic learning experience for Anthony. Ian McKerrow, Head of Finance & International Development at EWA said: “At EWA we have a team of passionate, experienced whisky professionals – with relevant industry expertise – ready to guide you through the intricacies of Scotch with the goal of enhancing your appreciation and enjoyment of all things whisky. We’re delighted to support HIT Scotland and help develop those working in the industry. It’s great to see someone like Anthony, eager to learn more about whisky, and share his love of this fantastic drink.”
HIT Scotland scholarships open again September 2023. Take a look then at our website and see what learning experience will help you!
*Facts taken from Scotch Whisky Association website April 2023
Drinks Package Scholar 2018
Greig Thompson, Assistant Restaurant & Bars Manager, Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow Westerwood Spa & Golf Resort
“Throughout my 5 years at the Westerwood Hotel, I have developed a real interest in the drinks industry. I initially worked in the Conference and Banqueting department as a supervisor, then moved to the position of ‘Bars and Stores Supervisor’, where I looked after the cellar and hotel bars. This involves a great deal of responsibility, such as ordering stock for the whole hotel, writing new cocktail menus and running promotions on drinks, whilst maintaining a motivated and efficient bar team - with the aim of providing the best possible customer experience.
One area that I felt I need to improve on was my knowledge of wine, so I applied for the HIT Scotland Drinks Package scholarship, and am pleased to say that I am now a wine convert!
HIT organised for me to do the WSET level 2 award in Wines and Spirits at Tennent’s Training Academy, which was excellent. The trainer was clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about wine, and I learned about all the different styles, regions and the tastes that these create. I have experienced lots of new flavours that I would probably never have tried. I now look at wine in a whole different perspective, with a great deal of respect to winemakers.
HIT also organised a unique experience for myself and another scholar, visiting Wine Importers in Livingston to spend time with their team learning about how wine is selected, imported and distributed. The highlight of the day for me was getting a tour around the warehouse, seeing the huge selection of wines - on various budgets! The wine tasting with Wine Development Manager Graeme Broom was (as expected) also a highlight, as we tasted wines I would never have experienced otherwise. We found out how the company source their wine and what's involved, pricing, and then what restaurants look for and what staff need to know to encourage customers to buy. We also learned how to design a wine list, which I am eager to become involved with in the future.
I will never forget the experience of meeting my first Master of Wine, owner Billy Bell Birse-Stewart - the wealth of knowledge he had was inspiring. Although this may not be the level I am personally aiming for, it has made me want to further my knowledge.
In terms of drinks service in the hospitality industry, I think a lot of servers lack knowledge. This knowledge is essential as it can really help a customer understand the drink and what it is they order. If a server can educate their customer as they serve, the customer can apply that knowledge they've learned to future experiences. I plan on applying my scholarship by doing exactly that, passing on my knowledge to anyone who will listen! Not only is this impressive service technique, it can really help engage my team in their own job.
Many staff in hotels shy away from learning even a basic knowledge as it is seen as too difficult or confusing. When in reality it is relatively easy once you get started! I have been able to apply my knowledge already in the hotel. I served a taster evening for our VIP conference, where I paired wines and made recommendations. This was really exciting and a great opportunity for me to upsell to some wealthy clients - helping to drive extra revenue for the business. This shows that the HIT scholarships are good for both personal and business development!
I would definitely recommend a scholarship as it is a great way to expand your own personal skills and knowledge, and it allows you to grow and aim for that next step in your career. Our hotel has now become a Doubletree by Hilton, and I have become Assistant Restaurant & Bars Manager, and I look forward to using and expanding on my wine knowledge, feel free to stop by the hotel and ask for a wine recommendation!”
Drinks Package Scholarship 2017
Kirsty Bullen, Bar Supervisor, The Chester Hotel, Aberdeen
(now working at No. 1 Bar and Grill)
Thanks to the Ben for their support of this scholarship
"I’ve been working in the hospitality industry for a few years now, which has seen me hone my skills both on the bar and be involved in hotel operations. I’ve been working as a Bartender at The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen for about a year, with a promotion to Supervisor back in March. I’d love to progress as much as I can in the bar management side, learning all that I can from my manager, both front of house and behind the scenes, but in the future I would love to expand my knowledge even more to different departments throughout the running of the hotel. I applied for the Drinks Package scholarship to develop my skills and help me to move forward with my career in this industry.
For my scholarship I took part in the Liquid Academy’s Silver Award course for The Modern Professional Cocktail Bartender. We first learned about the development of bartending and cocktail creation, then some tips on improving your efficiency behind the bar, and onto the art of cocktail making, tasting, and creating.
It was great to meet people from different bars, but my highlight had to be winning the cocktail making competition at the end of the course! We were each given the task of creating our own twist on a classic cocktail and then presenting it to the group. I created a twist which combined a classic negroni and a sour by using aperol, botanist gin and sweet vermouth, along with blood orange juice, lemon juice, rosemary and egg white. I was so pleased when they announced that I had won and my hard work had paid off!
It was a fantastic experience, and I feel I have definitely improved my skills and confidence in this area. I have already been using the knowledge learned to create a new cocktail menu for The Chester, a fun challenge which I’m both nervous and excited about! And of course my winning cocktail will be part of the new menu at the Chester Hotel!
The smooth running of a team is paramount in this industry to providing a top quality service, so I am passing on the skills I have learned to the rest of my team, meaning we all gain from this experience. I’d definitely recommend a Drinks Package scholarship to any bartender looking to improve their knowledge."