Five things I learned at the 2025 World Whisky Forum
The opening World Whisky Forum session in Bordeaux
The World Whisky Forum aims to be a collaborative space for bold thinking and knowledge sharing. Here are my top five takeaways from three days of discussion with some of the international industry’s brightest minds.
“To unite the world of whisky”. It is at the same time a simple and an audacious mission statement for the World Whisky Forum. Especially right now when international whisky makers face hurricane-force headwinds. We all have less money for discretionary spending, and less of it than usual is going on whisky. Set that against the wildly unsustainable growth forecasts and analyst predictions following a bumper 2022, and it seems bleak. Then there’s the big question: is whisky even ‘cool’ anymore?
There’s the broader theme of unity, too. Ever since I started writing about whisky in 2012, it has felt like a uniquely collaborative industry. Especially when it comes to production gains and sustainability developments. For the most part, knowledge is freely shared. But recent developments suggest a fracturing. From DEI walkbacks to the dramatic closure of investment houses, there’s a sense – to me at least – that those in the business of appeasing shareholders have stepped back from the camaraderie. And while geography alone is not a barrier to togetherness, the structure of the Scotch whisky industry compared to those, say, in France, Australia, China, even Ireland, points to divergence. The pursuit of unity feels more urgent than ever.
It was against this backdrop that around 100 of us gathered in Bordeaux last week for the sixth edition of the World Whisky Forum. Hosted by wildly innovative maker Maison Lineti and moderated by Dave Broom, over three days 12 speakers unpacked navigating downturns, resource management and sustainability, education, character and lots more. Part symposium, part salon, by my count there were over 15 whisky-making nations present in the discussions. You would hope for it from an event called the World Whisky Forum, but the internationality was striking.
A first-time attendee, I was blown away by the event’s format and the frankness of both speakers and participants. Really, there were just two sessions a day. In each, three speakers took to the stage to share their insights. But this was not a series of green-lit corporate and commercial presentations from a series of sponsors. An entire follow-up session, given equal weighting in the schedule, saw the floor open for any and all questions. Nothing was off-limits. And I’ve never seen so much mass spectrometry analysis of flavour compounds and raw materials in my life!
So what did I learn? In short, a lot. And far more than one post could unpack. But if I lump it together into themes, this is what really stood out from the World Whisky Forum.
Solutions for peat was one of many sustainability talking points
Distillers really do care about sustainability
Yes, global leaders are reversing at pace from net-zero commitments and other sustainability targets. And, with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, consumers are less able to prioritise greener choices and practices. But sustainability is genuinely front and centre in whisky – and the production directors in charge are fully committed.
From peat extraction to water use, grain yields to emissions, and even fertiliser production for barley farmers, every stage of production is being studied, better understood and honed to have less of an environmental impact. I asked one speaker if sustainability had fallen down the agenda as we’re seeing in wider culture. He emphatically stated that within whisky, it was not. Away from the politics of it all, distillers really do care about making more efficient spirit. Which is only a good thing for everyone.
With Maison Lineti’s iconic egg fermenters - designed to boost ‘drinkability’
‘Drinkability’ is everything
One word came up again and again as we toured Maison Lineti Distillery, possibly the chicest whisky-maker on the planet. And that word was ‘drinkability’. Co-founder Dr. Magali Picard stressed that everything they did – from fermenting on lees to pre-distillation ‘settling’ experiments – was to enhance the deliciousness of the spirit. This might sound obvious. But, in the recent ‘good times’, when brands struggled to keep up with demand, there is an argument that quality suffered.
This drinkability is critical in tricky times. We’re not going to convince people that whisky is cool if it isn’t even tasty. Now that meeting volume demands isn’t so much of an issue, the focus has pivoted back to quality. Character and essence are back in, as eloquently argued by Alistair Longwell, head of distilling and environment at Suntory Global Spirits. This is only positive for the future of whisky.
Scotch shouldn’t be the default
During the World Whisky Forum I tasted spirit from France, New Zealand, India, China, Norway, England, Wales and others. And it was a delight! In a recent post I loosely referred to Scotch, Irish, American and heritage Japanese makers as ‘trad whiskies’. This is a broad-brush way of looking at it – there are makers doing all kinds of different things in these markets too. But ‘trad whisky’ dominates when it comes to ‘brand sentiment’, or what we think of when we consider the spirit. This is true despite the growing geographic diversity of where it’s made. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – but it is when it extends to regulation, legal definitions and technical files.
Over the last couple of weeks (I was lucky to be in France visiting makers ahead of the Forum) I’ve heard lots about the proposed Geographical Indication (GI) for French whisky. A consortium of distillers are banding together to secure an officially recognised definition for the category. It follows similar moves in Wales, England and the US. What’s interesting – and telling – is how much the Scotch Whisky Technical File, and indeed the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) itself, is influencing proceedings. There’s lots to unpack here, but I will say one thing. I don’t think it’s appropriate for whisky-making methods in Scotland to be seen as the best and default way of doing things. Especially when you consider differences in climate, raw materials and culture. It’s even less appropriate for a governing body to weigh in on process in other countries.
The World Whisky Forum 2025 was held at Bordeaux’s distinctive La Cité du Vin
People matter
Distil it down and whisky is just an aged spirit made from grain. What brings it alive are the people behind it. Flavour-honing decisions all cascade from the philosophies of the maker. The history of a distillery is narrated by the people that worked there and kept it alive. And the stories that make whisky most compelling are those that centre human experiences. We heard a lot about this as speakers grappled with whisky’s current trading landscape.
But the most important when it comes to whisky? The people that buy it and enjoy it. The people who frequent bars with friends. The people that buy bottles as presents for loved ones. The people that just love whisky! When focus pivots away from people and their wants and needs to just numbers in a spreadsheet, that’s when whisky loses its edge. That’s exactly what we’ve seen happen. Distilleries and brands need community, both those who create and communicate the spirit, but also among the folks who enjoy it, too. That’s the magic – and essential – ingredient running through it all.
Jonathan Driver on looking back to step forward
Think in the short-term at your peril
One of my favourite presentations of the week came from Jonathan Driver. The former PR and marketing man turned private client director started out in whisky at United Distillers in 1989. He’s ridden out previous whisky downturns. And he charted the history of modern whisky to extract helpful kernels of wisdom for today.
“When we’re in growth, everyone forgets history,” he stated, pointing to 1943 when there was absolutely no whisky production in the whole of Scotland. Even from the depths of World War II whisky recovered. What we’re seeing now, with a whole load of pessimism but only some production cuts, is nowhere near as severe. The context was reassuring. But he cautioned that “with no recruitment, there is no category”. A sobering warning to makers cutting marketing and advocacy. Now is the time to connect with whisky drinkers – not to batten down the hatches completely. From around the conference there was praise for the distillers laying down quality stock now when others are pulling back. In ten years, when the short termists are left with gaps in the warehouse, they’ll be able to release good bottlings. From both marketing and production it’s clear: it’s a significant risk to let go of that long term view.
A huge thank you to organisers Jan Groth, Ingvar Ronde, Zoe Rutherford and Dave Broom for inviting me to be part of the event. The World Whisky Forum is set to return in late 2026 or early 2027.
Disclosure: While I was not paid to attend the World Whisky Forum and covered my own travel expenses, I was hosted by the organisers and my ticket was complimentary.
