Victor De Benito, a world-class alcohol maker and distiller, is a passionate and innovative expert in crafting exceptional spirits. Starting his journey as an engineering student, Victor's interest in the world of alcohol grew during his time as a quality control manager at Thames Distillers in London, where he immersed himself in learning the science and artistry behind spirits.

Tell us a little about your background and journey into distilling.

I hold 2 Masters degrees, one in Agricultural Engineering and the second in Product Development. I started my career developing technologies for Samsung in the UK, along with other product engineers and designers. It was one of the funniest and most demanding jobs I have had.

I have always had an interest in biology, and chemistry, so after my stint in consumer electronics, I started working as a Quality Assistant with Thames Distillers, the largest distillery in London. Six years later I was overseeing the manufacturing of their portfolio of more than 200 contracted brands of spirits.

In 2021 I joined East Side Distillery as Head Distiller. I helped build the distillery, train the production team, and produce the company spirits.

Your current role and what does your day look like?

I work as Head Distiller and Global Ambassador, so my work location is split between the distillery and travelling.

When I am at the distillery you will probably spot me supervising a distillation, discussing blending with my production managers or creating new recipes in the laboratory.

When I am on the road you will likely find me in one of our markets in India, or overseas, meeting F&B managers, bartenders, store owners or the general public.

What inspired you to become a distiller?

After one month in my first job at Thames Distillers, I had been watching the line manager create recipes for new spirits, and I knew then that I wanted to become a distiller.

What are some of the most important skills for a distiller?

A distiller normally works with other distillery peers (blenders, bottling managers, suppliers) and sometimes they have to interact with the press and the market. Having social skills, numerical abilities and a calm attitude is key.

How do you think a distiller can help in driving marketing and sales personally?

A distiller can work with their marketing and sales colleagues to impress the market. I do this with East Side Distillery. I meet some of our on-trade and off-trade accounts, to create awareness of our brands, and most importantly, to share knowledge and create a human connection.

What is the hardest part of a distiller's job?

Breakdowns of machinery can be frustrating, especially, when there is a close shipping deadline.

What's your elevator pitch to a bartender when pitching your brand?

I have distilled or blended most categories of spirits during my career, so my pitch would obviously depend on the specific brand. That said, I would normally start with a sense of place (the place where the spirit is made or where its ingredients come from) and link that to the aroma and taste. Next, I would work with the bartender on what cocktails would work best with my spirit.

What are the current challenges the spirits industry is facing according to you?

It depends on the geographical location, but classic challenges are the availability and price of ingredients and packaging.

What skill or topic you are learning currently and why?

I am learning Japanese and Hindi. I have a flair for learning foreign languages and these are spoken in 2 of the markets where East Side Distillery has their products.

What is your idea of a good life?

A good life is one where one takes each day as a learning experience. When we approach every day and situation in life with curiosity, life can become very interesting.

Which is your go-to drink and what is the perfect setting you enjoy it in?

I love a gin sour made with yuzu puree. I can see myself savouring it by the ocean side.

Your favourite 2-3 distilling or spirits books?

For those interested in understanding how spirits are made I would pick WSET level 1 and work your way up. For those into cocktails, I can suggest the Encyclopedia of Cocktails or the Infused Cocktail Handbook.

What do you look for in a supplier when sourcing bulk spirits / NGS if you do?

Before I work with a supplier of spirits, I always ask for a tasting sample of the liquid that they are about to send to me and a certificate of analysis.

If they should provide both to prove they can deliver consistently and legally.

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Take us through your process of blending.

Blending is the step of making the final liquid. In gin, this is where I mix several distillates with water. For example, to create a barrel-aged rum, I would blend rums aged in different barrels for different periods of time with water, to achieve bottling strength, around 40% ABV.

By blending rums of different ages, I am creating complexity and diversity. Normally, the style of a whisky or rum blend is more interesting than the sum of each of its individual parts alone.

Blending is also important to achieve consistency from one batch to the next. If there is a variation in any of my distillations or ingredients, I can modify the overall blend to correct it to the right colour and taste.

What steps do you take to become more sustainable?

Any alcohol not used in one batch is blended in the next, so our losses are minimal. We also compost all spent botanicals from our gin distillations.

How do you explore new markets for your spirits and focus on business development?

Our brands are distilled and blended using Indian and Japanese ingredients, hence they fit naturally in markets where there is a demand for premium Asian spirits. When we meet someone who could help us enter one of these markets, we make it happen. Our liquids have been born between 2021 and 2023, so their markets are fresh. We are looking for importers in Asia and Europe!

What trends do you anticipate in the beverage industry in the coming months? Or Where do you see the domestic craft distilling scene going? What's next for the industry?

I can see more good-quality Asian spirits arriving in Western markets, driving the curiosity of consumers. As for Asia, there is going to be a larger offering of premium brands.

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