Introducing our new Brand Home Ambassador, Phoebe!
We are delighted to introduce Phoebe Hall as Brand Home Ambassador for Lochranza Distillery, home of Arran Single Malt. Regular visitors to our distillery might recognise Phoebe, who is already an active and passionate member of the team. Read on to learn a bit more about her.
I am relatively new to island life - I was born and raised in West Yorkshire and came to Arran in 2021. I’ve been working at Lochranza Distillery for just over a year and it has been the most incredible whirlwind so far! I am thrilled to be the new Brand Home Ambassador for the distillery, a new challenge I will seize with both hands.
A little bit about me - I consider myself to be a creative individual and my passion took me to art school. I spent five years at Leeds Arts University, graduating with a First Class BA in Graphic Design. Although I left university with many fruitful opportunities in the creative field, I found myself yearning for a different challenge. I became enamoured with the thrill of adventure that comes when crossing the border to Scotland. I’m never one to dwell and so, just after a couple of weeks of daydreaming, I took the plunge and moved to the Isle of Arran.
I didn’t move to Arran for the whisky, but discovering my passion for it certainly helped me stick around. I moved in November, so I was immediately trying to get through my first Scottish winter - fellow islanders will tell you this isn’t for the faint hearted! As I integrated into my new home, I found comfort in frequenting my local pub in Brodick, The Ormidale. With its warm, smouldering fireplace and the friendly locals, from the moment I walked through the door I felt that this was a safe space. My favourite part quickly became their cracking shelf of whiskies from far and wide, but with Arran Single Malt sitting proudly centre stage. Every time I sat at their boat-shaped bar I’d choose a new Arran dram to taste. Safe to say I fell hook, line and sinker for island living, and now I consider those friendly locals to be like family.
With my new found passion for Arran and its whisky, making the switch from the creative world to the distillery felt like a no-brainer. I began working as at Lochranza Distillery in November 2022 - exactly one year to the day of my move to the island. If that’s not a good omen, I don’t know what is! Within my first year at the distillery, I made it my mission to learn each and every working cog in the business (which is no easy feat - safe to say, I’m still learning to this day!). No matter what questions our guests asked while I guided them through the distillery, I wanted to know the answer. I’d constantly pester the production team for more information on how we create the incredible Arran Single Malt. Sometimes I have to pinch myself that such a world-renowned whisky comes from our wee distillery and I feel so honoured to be part of that story.
I am overjoyed to embrace this new challenge as the Brand Home Ambassador for Arran Single Malt. Every week is going to bring something different, whether that be hosting experiences for our valued customers or travelling to global whisky shows to share our story. Arran Single Malt is such a hidden gem in many ways. Nothing brings me more pleasure than introducing people to the brand and continuing to share or whisky with friends who have been there since the beginning, particularly as we approach our 30th anniversary in 2025.
I like to think my journey is one of passion and purpose. Passion for the incredible island I am fortunate enough to call home, for our team here at Lochranza Distillery (who are by far the most enchanting and charismatic group of people I’ve ever worked alongside) and for our single malt which, for me, will always be second to none. My purpose? To see as many places and meet as many people as possible, all while singing from the rooftops about our Uisge Beatha, our water of life. For me, that is what it truly is.
You can follow Phoebe’s journey on Instagram @arranwhisky_phoebe