Welcome to the first of our new series ‘Sharing a dram with…’ where we shine a light on people who inspire us. As it’s International Women’s Day this week, this month we are virtually sharing a dram with Abbie Nielson, Co-founder and head distiller at Cooper King Distillery, York.
Cooper King Distillery create sustainable spirits distilled with craftsmanship, honesty and adventure, powered by 100% renewable energy. They produce England’s first carbon-negative gin, it is the first spirit in Europe with 1% for the Planet® accreditation and plants one square metre of English woodland with every bottle of gin sold.
Tell us a little about your business…
“Cooper King single malt whisky is mashed, fermented, distilled, maturated and bottled under one roof, creating an authentic whisky influenced by our Yorkshire surroundings and inspired by experiences in Tasmania. Our inaugural whisky release in 2023 will combine our gold-award winning new-name made from heritage barley, hand-mashing, long fermentation and slow distillation, with small characterful casks of American and French oak.
After completing a PhD in biomedical sciences which left me unfulfilled, my desire to leave the rat race in search of sun, sand and adventure meant I quit my career in 2014 and bought one-way tickets to Australia, together with my fiancé, Chris.
While backpacking in the island state of Tasmania, we discovered the rapidly growing whisky scene and were so inspired by the producers, that we set about starting our own whisky distillery in England. We returned to my hometown of York to establish Cooper King Distillery. I manage all production operations and recipe development at Cooper King, have developed a bespoke range of spirits for a renowned Michelin-starred restaurant and contract distil for the likes of the Natural History Museum, Selfridges and Fenwick. I consult for other drinks brands and am a spirits judge for the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC). This year is an especially exciting one, as we gear up for our inaugural single malt whisky release.”
Until women make up 50% of the audience at whisky shows, we still have work to do.
Abbie, Co-Founder of Cooper King Distillery
Why did you choose to work in whisky?
“On a visit to one of the distilleries in Tasmania, we happened to arrive on a mash day just as the distiller was mashing in. I was overcome with awe and envy for this person before me, crafting one of my favourite spirits by hand and seemingly loving every minute of it. I wanted to be the one stirring that mash, and from that moment, I wanted to make my own whisky.
Swapping the lab coat for a mash paddle was a bold move (especially as it meant self-building and crowd-funding a distillery before I could make any whisky), but the draw of working in an exciting industry centred around flavour and social enjoyment was too great to ignore.”
What are your thoughts on women in whisky?
“Women are an integral part of the industry, so as a woman entering the space a few years ago, I was surprised at how much sexism I experienced. Fantastic strides have been made toward diversity, but it’s still not as inclusive as it should be. Passionate and talented individuals experience barriers to entry that are seemingly invisible to others and that’s a real shame. Let’s stop pretending that sexism and gender bias does not exist in the drinks industry and make every effort to remove the
bias, from company to consumer. Until women make up 50% of the audience at whisky shows, we still have work to do.”
