Ian Murray Scholarship recipient announced

Craig Moody from the Stoke branch of The Whisky Shop impressed the judging panel with his obvious passion for the product and the category and a clear desire to progress his career in the industry.
 
The scholarship, which was set up in 2014, will allow Craig to develop his knowledge through the WSET Level 2 qualification, courses to help with communications and presentation skills, event support and a visit to one of the William Grant & Sons UK distilleries.
 
“We are delighted to announce that Craig is the newest recipient of the Ian Murray Scholarship. The scholarship aims to channel Ian’s passion for whisky into a new generation of spirits enthusiasts, and through this we hope to equip Craig with the practical experience and the education needed for a successful career in the drinks industry,” said Kirsten Grant Meikle, fifth-generation Grant family member, who was part of the scholarship’s judging panel.
 
The Ian Murray scholarship is designed to offer people working in the off-trade spirits retail industry the opportunity to further their knowledge of the spirits category. Craig Moody stood out amongst considerable competition, and following the announcement of his success he commented: “I would like to thank everyone involved, especially Ian’s family, for this unbelievable opportunity. William Grant & Sons UK is one of the most well respected companies in the industry and the chance to learn from people at the top of their game is a dream come true. I’ve been working for The Whisky Shop for a couple years, there is an infectious passion for whisky in the company and I am excited to be at the start of a long career in the whisky world. I would have loved the opportunity to meet Ian but from what I have heard he was a very inspirational person. Everyone comments on how likeable he was and his ability to hold an audience and to excite people about whisky which are the skills that I hope to learn most from this scholarship. I am determined to make the most of this opportunity and can’t wait to get started.”
 
William Grant & Sons UK launched the Scholarship in January 2014 to honour much loved former colleague and founder of education and consultancy business, Spirited Solutions, Ian Murray, who passed away in 2013.

9 June 2015 - Rebecca Sterritt Paragraph Publishing, content manager