From Aberdeen to the world – Porter’s Gin raises a glass to working with alumni team

With its launch in America imminent, the makers of Porter’s Gin are toasting their success in taking the award-winning drink from Aberdeen to the world’s biggest export market.

Bowls of nuts, grains and fruit on a wooden table

How it all began...

Co-created by former University of Aberdeen students Ben Iravani and Josh Rennie, and also Alex Lawrence, Porter’s began life in a micro-distillery set up in Orchid, the bar in Aberdeen city centre which is co-owned by Ben and where they worked together.

Backed by University academics and entrepreneurs Dr Keith Charlton and Professor Andy Porter, the eponymous gin launched in December 2015 and is now sold around the world.

With degrees in mechanical engineering and law respectively, Ben and Josh’s entrepreneurial journey has been unconventional, but through the quality of their product and sheer hard work they have made the most of the opportunities presented to them.

Working with the University's alumni team

Since 2016 Porter’s Gin has worked with the University’s alumni team in hosting a series of tasting events in Aberdeen, London, Berlin and most recently in Paris, an event held in partnership with the Scottish Government and Scottish Development International.

This has provided Ben and Josh with an opportunity to promote the drink through the University’s extensive alumni network, helping to create a buzz around the Porter’s brand in overseas markets.

“We’ve worked with the University at various events in the UK, and internationally as well, and it has been a really great collaboration,” Ben said.

Porter's Gin tasting event in London.

Porter's Gin tasting event in Paris.

“It’s an authentic story – we’re both graduates of the University and that has provided us with opportunities to take Porter’s to different markets and use the time there to our benefit.

“For example we launched in France earlier this year, and followed it up with an alumni event in Paris which helped us introduce the product to a whole range of people and allowed us to meet up with our French import partner, who came along to the event.”

Ben also highlighted an article published in Voice, the University’s alumni magazine, as an example of how working with alumni has helped expose Porter’s to a global audience.

“After the article was published we were contacted by another alumni based in Shanghai who introduced us to contacts in Japan. We flew over to meet with them and that led to us establishing a trading relationship.”

Looking ahead, and discussions have taken place over the possibility of holding a tasting event in the US next year, in collaboration with alumni. But for now Ben and Josh are concentrating on Porter’s stateside launch in January 2020, which will mark its 11^th export market.

It’s all a far cry from humble beginnings, as Ben explains. “When we started Porter’s it was from a base of zero, using a car that I’d stack full of booze and take out to sell to local distributors.

“Since then we’ve been Gold Medal winners at the International Wines and Spirits competition for the London Dry Gin category, and Porter’s is in demand around the world. We’ve come a long way!”