Beefeater gin has introduced the retirement of grasp distiller emeritus, Desmond Payne MBE, following a profession spanning nearly 60 years.
Payne has spent 30 years on the helm of Beefeater, having stepped into the grasp distiller emeritus position three years in the past, as Adam Cocker took on the position of head distiller.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to be the guardian of Beefeater Gin and see the model thrive over these final three many years. However all good issues should come to an finish, and it’s time for me to retire and go the baton onto the subsequent technology. This has been greater than a job to me; it has been an opportunity for me to comply with my ardour whereas honouring the traditions and craftsmanship of those who have come earlier than. I do know Adam and the remainder of the distilling staff will proceed to champion Beefeater, creating solely the very best high quality liquids deserving of the Beefeater identify,” mentioned Payne.
Payne’s retirement comes with a listing of achievements all through his tenure, comparable to being awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II, being inducted into The Gin Guild Corridor of Fame in 2020, and gaining its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
Murielle Dessenis, international vice chairman of selling gins for Beefeater, mentioned: “Desmond has been a revered and trusted custodian of the Beefeater model, and his lifetime of service shall be felt for a few years to come back. We all know the model is in glorious palms with Adam, an distinctive distiller who will proceed to drive the model ahead.”
