What could the wine industry learn from whisky about branding, storytelling and connecting with today's consumers?

In this episode of the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast, Glen Palmer sits down with Iain Muggoch, founder of Madame F, for a fascinating conversation spanning decades in the international wine industry, entrepreneurship, brand building, social impact — and why wine might need to start taking a few lessons from whisky.

Iain's career has taken him from becoming the first management trainee at Direct Wines to South Africa, fine wine trading, international buying and overseeing vineyards, wineries and wholesale markets.

Then came Madame F.

What began during lockdown as an idea to create a wine label capable of raising money for the opening of Queer Britain developed into a purpose-led drinks brand that helped raise more than £100,000 and now supports and amplifies under-celebrated communities through art, sport and culture.

• The lessons Iain learned from decades in the wine industry • Why networking is essential in the drinks business • Living and working in South Africa • What separates a commercially successful wine from simply a good wine • How Madame F was created • Raising £100,000+ supporting Queer Britain • The story behind Susie the Frog • Building a genuinely purpose-led brand • The difference between authentic advocacy and pinkwashing • The challenges of bootstrapping a drinks company • Cash flow, distribution and funding • Why wine needs to learn from whisky • Why traditional wine branding can alienate consumers • Experimenting with whisky and wine casks • The creation of Madame F's rum RTD • Iain's long-term vision for Madame F • What a life well lived would ultimately mean to him.

It's a conversation about much more than what's inside the bottle.

It's about people, purpose, risk, authenticity and building something that genuinely stands for something.

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iain-muggoch/

🌐 Madame F: https://madamef.com

📧 Email: hello@madamef.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/

🌐 Whisky Wealth Mastery: https://whiskywealthmastery.com

📖 Download your FREE Whisky Investment Guide: https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

🥃 Book a complimentary 15-minute whisky cask discovery call: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/15-minute-discovery-call

🎙️ Want to be a guest on the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast? https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/whisky-wealth-warrior-podcast

#WhiskyWealthWarrior #IainMuggoch #MadameF #WineIndustry #WhiskyIndustry #WineBusiness #DrinksIndustry #BrandBuilding #Entrepreneurship #PurposeLedBusiness #Whisky #Wine

Champagne is one of the world's great symbols of luxury — but what actually creates that value?

In this episode of the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast, Glen Palmer is joined by Jiles Halling, Champagne expert and founder of My Man in Champagne, to explore the fascinating business behind the bubbles.

Jiles' journey took him from discovering an MBA in Luxury Brand Management to moving his family to France and taking an unpaid placement with Moët & Chandon — a gamble that eventually turned into a career in Champagne and international luxury brand management.

During his career, Jiles worked with prestigious names including Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon, developing first-hand insight into how luxury products are positioned, protected and sold across different cultures.

But this conversation goes much further than drinking Champagne.

We explore entrepreneurship, private Champagne brands, luxury storytelling, scarcity, grower Champagne and even Champagne as an alternative investment.

✓ Jiles' extraordinary route into Champagne ✓ Moving his young family to France ✓ Working with Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon ✓ The psychology of luxury brands ✓ Why price doesn't necessarily equal quality ✓ Why storytelling helps create perceived value ✓ Becoming an entrepreneur after corporate life ✓ Discovering lesser-known Champagne producers ✓ Creating your own private Champagne brand ✓ How the economics of Champagne branding work ✓ Champagne as an alternative investment ✓ Scarcity and limited allocations ✓ Why relationships and access matter ✓ Jiles' online Champagne education experience ✓ Building a valuable professional network ✓ What a “life well lived” means to Jiles

Jiles' investment insight is particularly interesting: rather than simply competing for bottles on the open market, opportunities can come through relationships with producers and distributors that provide access to allocations before they reach the wider market.

🔗 LinkedIn – Jiles Halling / My Man in Champagne: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mymaninchampagne

🌐 My Man in Champagne: https://www.mymaninchampagne.com/

📧 Email: jiles@mymaninchampagne.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/

🌐 Whisky Wealth Mastery: https://whiskywealthmastery.com

📖 Download your FREE Whisky Investment Guide: https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

🥃 Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/15-minute-discovery-call

🎙️ Book a Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast recording: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/whisky-wealth-warrior-podcast

🥃 Whisky Wealth Mastery

Whisky cask ownership can be fascinating, but it needs to be approached with education, due diligence and a clear long-term strategy.

Download the free Whisky Investment Guide: https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

#Champagne #ChampagneInvestment #WineInvestment #LuxuryBrands #MoetChandon #DomPerignon #AlternativeInvestments #ChampagneBusiness #LuxuryMarketing #JilesHalling #MyManInChampagne #WhiskyWealthWarrior

63 people said no. Apryl Fort kept going until somebody finally said yes.

After spending 25 years in corporate banking, Apryl walked away from the security of a regular paycheque to pursue something completely different: building her own premium spirits company.

Today she's the founder of Infinite Spirits, with products spanning tequila, bourbon and ready-to-drink cocktails.

In this episode, Glen Palmer and Apryl explore the reality of building a drinks business — including the rejection, resilience, relationships and sheer determination required to turn an idea into something tangible.

You'll discover:

✓ How Apryl went from banking to beverages ✓ Why it took 63 NOs to find her YES ✓ The “Beauty and the Beast” founder mentality ✓ The story behind Infinite's tequila ✓ How Papa Teq bourbon grew from a family recipe ✓ Why different spirits attract different consumers ✓ How Infinite expanded into RTDs ✓ The importance of community when building a brand ✓ Why Apryl ultimately wants her children to inherit Infinite

This is an episode about spirits — but it's equally about entrepreneurship, resilience and refusing to let rejection determine the outcome.

🔗 Connect with Apryl Fort

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apryl-fort-nfinite/

🥃 N-Finite Spirits: https://www.drinknfinite.com/

🔗 Connect with Glen Palmer

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/

🌐 Whisky Wealth Mastery: https://whiskywealthmastery.com

📖 Download your FREE Whisky Investment Guide: https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

🥃 Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/15-minute-discovery-call

🎙️ Book a Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast recording: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/whisky-wealth-warrior-podcast

#InfiniteSpirits #AprylFore #Tequila #Bourbon #Entrepreneurship #SpiritsIndustry #WhiskyWealthWarrior

What really sells whisky?

In this episode of the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast, Glen Palmer talks with drinks-industry sales professional Rob O’Brien about what happens between creating a great whisky and actually convincing bars, retailers and consumers to buy it.

Drawing on experience with Clonakilty Distillery, Tullamore D.E.W. and some of the world's major drinks brands, Rob shares fascinating lessons from the commercial side of the industry.

You'll discover:

✓ Why getting behind the bar is only the beginning ✓ How relationships influence drinks sales ✓ Why bartenders can make or break a brand ✓ How tastings turn people into customers ✓ Why smaller distilleries need strong stories ✓ What makes consumers choose one whisky over another ✓ Lessons learned building Clonakilty's presence ✓ Why successful salespeople listen more than they talk

It's a fascinating look at the business behind the bottle — and why ultimately a great brand still needs people willing to recommend, taste and buy the liquid.

🔗 Connect with Rob O’Brien

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-o-brien-377a757a/

🔗 Connect with Glen Palmer

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/

🌐 Whisky Wealth Mastery: https://whiskywealthmastery.com

📖 FREE Whisky Investment Guide: https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

🥃 Complimentary 15-minute discovery call: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/15-minute-discovery-call

🎙️ Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast guest booking: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/whisky-wealth-warrior-podcast

#Whisky #IrishWhiskey #Clonakilty #WhiskyMarketing #WhiskyBusiness #DrinksIndustry #WhiskyPodcast #WhiskyWealthWarrior

Behind every great whisky is a story — but some of the best stories are hiding in places the whisky world hasn't discovered yet.

Glen Palmer welcomes Chris Greta of The Still Life Stories back to the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast for a fascinating journey into the people, places and hidden stories behind independent whisky distilleries.

After decades working as a creative director and brand architect, Chris took his ability to "see what nobody else sees" on the road.

His travels have taken him inside distilleries across Scotland, Germany, Australia and Tasmania, where he's lived alongside distillers and discovered that the magic behind whisky often goes far beyond what's inside the bottle.

🎙️ YOU'LL DISCOVER

✔️ Why Chris swapped advertising for whisky storytelling ✔️ What makes Australian whisky so exciting ✔️ Why Tasmania shares surprising similarities with Scotland ✔️ How geology and water can influence whisky production ✔️ The extraordinary stories behind McHenry, Tria Prima and other independent distilleries ✔️ Why Australia's distillers can experiment in ways Scotch producers cannot ✔️ How Chris discovers the hidden story that makes a brand memorable ✔️ Why whisky is ultimately about far more than the liquid

🌍 Connect with Chris Greta

🔗 The Still Life Stories: https://thestilllifestories.com/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisgreta/

🌐 Chris Greta Official Website: https://chrisgreta.com/

🔗 Connect with Glen Palmer

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/

🌐 Whisky Wealth Mastery: https://whiskywealthmastery.com

📖 Download your FREE Whisky Investment Guide: https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

🥃 Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/15-minute-discovery-call

🎙️ Book a Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast recording: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/whisky-wealth-warrior-podcast

#Whisky #AustralianWhisky #TasmanianWhisky #WhiskyPodcast #CraftWhisky #WhiskyDistillery #WhiskyInvesting #WhiskyStories #ChrisGreta #StillLifeStories #WhiskyWealthWarrior

In this episode of the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast, Glen Palmer is joined by wine writer and independent consultant Desislava Lyapova to explore the fascinating intersection between fine wine, whisky, collecting, auctions and alternative investment.

Desislava shares her unconventional journey from studying theatre, film and television to discovering the cultural world of fine wine — eventually building a career around writing, consultancy and market analysis.

Together, Glen and Desislava explore:

✓ Fine wine vs whisky investing ✓ What creates collectible value ✓ Provenance, rarity and scarcity ✓ Fine wine auctions and secondary markets ✓ Why investors return to established names during downturns ✓ The power of brand equity and storytelling ✓ How wine and whisky differ as alternative assets ✓ What the two industries can learn from one another ✓ The people, places and stories behind great bottles

It's a conversation that goes beyond what's inside the bottle and explores why some wines and whiskies become desirable, collectible and valuable in the first place.

🍷 Connect with Desislava Lyapova

🔗 LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/desislava-lyapova-4b4087133

🍷 The World of Fine Wine: https://worldoffinewine.com/

🔗 Connect with Glen Palmer

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/

🌐 Whisky Wealth Mastery: https://whiskywealthmastery.com

📖 Download your FREE Whisky Investment Guide: https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

🥃 Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/15-minute-discovery-call

🎙️ Book a Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast recording: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/whisky-wealth-warrior-podcast

#WineInvesting #WhiskyInvesting #FineWine #AlternativeAssets #WineInvestment #WhiskyInvestment #WhiskyWealthWarrior

The People Behind the Drinks Industry | Careers, Hiring & Leadership with Elizabeth O'Kelly

Behind every great bottle, brand and drinks business are people — and finding the right people can determine whether a company merely survives or genuinely thrives.

In this episode of the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast, Glen Palmer is joined by Elizabeth O'Kelly, Co-Founder and Partner of VINOKELLY Drinks Recruitment.

From beginning her career in investment banking and FX to building a specialist recruitment business dedicated to the drinks sector, Elizabeth has developed a fascinating perspective on careers, leadership, hiring, personality and workplace culture.

Together, Glen and Elizabeth explore what makes people successful, why careers aren't linear, why founders don't necessarily make great leaders, and why seemingly insignificant professional relationships can ultimately transform your career.

🥃 You'll discover:

✅ Why curiosity and adaptability are powerful career traits ✅ Why specialising can help your career — until it doesn't ✅ The difference between founders and leaders ✅ Why businesses lose talented employees ✅ What personality profiling can reveal ✅ Why onboarding and culture matter as much as recruitment ✅ Why career expectations are changing ✅ Why the drinks industry often seems to “choose” people ✅ Why money isn't the only thing driving career decisions ✅ Why small professional interactions compound over time ✅ How weak connections can lead to unexpected opportunities ✅ Elizabeth's advice for breaking into the drinks industry ✅ Why trying too hard to “stand out” can actually be the wrong strategy

👤 Connect with Elizabeth O'Kelly Elizabeth's

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eokelly/

LinkedIn Company Page

https://www.linkedin.com/company/vinokelly/?utm_source=chatgpt%2Ecom&originalSubdomain=uk

🔗 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/

🌐 Whisky Wealth Mastery https://whiskywealthmastery.com

📖 Download your FREE Whisky Investment Guide https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

🥃 Interested in whisky cask investing? Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call to discuss your goals: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/15-minute-discovery-call

🎙️ Do you work in the whisky or wider spirits industry? If you'd like to be a guest on the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast, you can book your recording slot here:

https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/whisky-wealth-warrior-podcast

#WhiskyWealthWarrior #DrinksIndustry #DrinksCareers #DrinksRecruitment #WhiskyIndustry #WineIndustry #SpiritsIndustry #Leadership #Recruitment #VINOKELLY #ElizabethOKelly #GlenPalmer

I particularly like the “Does the drinks industry choose you?” angle from this episode, Glen. That's a cracking hook for one of the Shorts and the social campaign too.

🍷 Is English wine entering its breakthrough moment?

In this episode of the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast, Glen Palmer sits down with Martyn Pollock of Nine Oaks Vineyard to explore the remarkable rise of English wine — and what it really takes to build a vineyard from scratch.

Martyn's journey has taken him from growing up beside Oban Distillery to military service, engineering, renewable energy and diplomacy before he and his wife made a life-changing decision: sell their home and pursue their dream of creating a vineyard.

Today, Nine Oaks produces small-batch, estate-grown wines from its boutique vineyard in Kent.

🍇 Glen and Martyn discuss: ✔️ Building Nine Oaks Vineyard from scratch ✔️ The rise of English wine ✔️ Entrepreneurship, risk and embracing failure ✔️ Selling the family home to fund a dream ✔️ English terroir and unpredictable weather ✔️ Sustainable vineyard management ✔️ English wine versus Champagne ✔️ Building an authentic premium brand ✔️Wine and whisky cask experimentation ✔️ The future of the English wine industry

It's a fascinating conversation about wine, whisky, entrepreneurship, farming, resilience and building something for the long term.

🍷 Connect with Martyn Pollock

👤 Martyn Pollock – LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyn-pollock-a66a0681/

🍇 Nine Oaks Vineyard – Official Website Visit Nine Oaks Vineyard : https://www.nine-oaks.co.uk/

🥃 Connect with Glen Palmer

🔗 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-palmer-online/

🌐 Whisky Wealth Mastery https://whiskywealthmastery.com

📖 Download your FREE Whisky Investment Guide https://whiskywealthmastery.com/free

🥃 Interested in whisky cask investing? Book a complimentary 15-minute discovery call to discuss your investment goals: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/15-minute-discovery-call

🎙️ Do you work in the whisky or wider spirits industry? If you'd like to be a guest on the Whisky Wealth Warrior Podcast, you can book your recording slot here: https://app.onecal.io/b/glen-palmer/whisky-wealth-warrior-podcast

🎧 Listen on Podbean: https://whiskywealthwarrior.podbean.com/

#EnglishWine #NineOaksVineyard #MartynPollock #KentWine #WinePodcast #Entrepreneurship #EnglishVineyard #WhiskyWealthWarrior