Heriot-Watt Opens Global Spirits Conference

More than 700 delegates from the global distilled spirits industry gathered in Edinburgh this week as Heriot-Watt University opened the 9th Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference, a four-day meeting focused on research, production challenges and the future of the sector.

The conference, organized by the Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers, ran from May 4 to May 7 and brought together technical specialists, scientists, brand executives, supply chain partners, academics and policymakers. The agenda covered sensory science, big data, sustainability, workforce skills and new technologies, reflecting how distillers are trying to balance tradition with pressure to modernize.

Heriot-Watt played a central role throughout the event. Professor Chris Turney, the university’s deputy principal for research and impact, opened the program with a keynote address that argued for a stronger place for science and innovation in daily operations across the spirits business. He pointed to climate change, regulation, labor shifts and rapid technological change as forces reshaping the industry and said companies would need closer partnerships with universities to respond effectively.

The university’s International Centre for Brewing and Distilling, led by Professor Dawn Maskell, also presented research across several sessions. Topics included sustainable Scotch whisky fermentation, the resilience of malting barley, flavor development, authenticity testing and circular approaches to spirit production. The presenters included Alan Philp, Dr. Calum Holmes, Matthew Pauley, Madeline Dysart, Seulbi Lee, Michael Bryan, Ross Sanders, Shanine Smith, Takehiko Hiura and Professor Annie Hill.

Heriot-Watt said its role at the conference reflects more than 120 years of brewing and distilling education. The university has been trying to position itself as a bridge between heritage production methods and newer scientific tools that can help distillers manage cost, quality and environmental pressure.

That effort is tied to a broader fundraising campaign for a proposed Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distilling in Edinburgh. The university has said it wants to raise £35 million for the project, which it describes as a hub for industry collaboration, training and research aimed at helping brewing and distilling adapt to carbon constraints, resource limits and workforce needs.

The conference came at a time when spirits producers are facing tighter scrutiny over sustainability claims, supply chain resilience and product authenticity. Researchers at Heriot-Watt said those issues are increasingly linked: better fermentation control can reduce waste; stronger testing methods can protect brands; and circular production models can lower environmental impact while improving efficiency.

Organizers said the meeting was designed not only to share research but also to connect people working in different parts of the sector. The mix of academic presentations and industry discussion underscored how much distilled spirits producers now rely on applied science to solve practical problems in production, quality control and long-term planning.