From Unknown to Industry Contributor: A Young Woman's Journey in Scotch Whisky

Zoey Darnbrough, a 26-year-old from southern Scotland, has rapidly advanced within the whisky industry, moving from a tour guide to group tourism and events co-ordinator at Annandale Distillery. Her journey began without prior knowledge of the distillery near her hometown, but she found a passion for heritage and tourism in the sector.

Darnbrough's career path was not direct. After studying heritage and tourism in Stirling, she returned to Dumfries and Galloway. Despite initial academic results that led her to work in a hospital kitchen, a position at Annandale Distillery presented an opportunity she embraced.

"My first thought was - there's a distillery in Annan? And my second thought was - whisky?" Darnbrough recalled. "I thought I'd give it a chance and see what it was like because there's a lot of heritage when it comes to whisky. And I've now been here three-and-a-half years and I've not looked back."

She believes the south of Scotland offers unique advantages for young people, including more affordable property prices compared to cities. Darnbrough, who was recently nominated for a "rising star" award at the South of Scotland Thistle Awards, is keen to promote the region's heritage and attractions.

"The south of Scotland has so much heritage and it is a passion of mine," she said. "So I would naturally like to be somewhere where there's a lot of heritage and where I can kind of grow as an individual."

Darnbrough hopes to change perceptions of the whisky world, particularly for women. She acknowledges facing challenges but emphasizes preparation as key to overcoming them. "It has been tricky, I'm not going to lie," she said. "But I always think that if you prepare yourself well, those types of questions cannot faze you."

She advocates for increased outreach to local schools to highlight diverse career paths in heritage and tourism and for better regional marketing. "We've got so much to offer in terms of castles, in terms of scenery, in terms of attractions, accommodation, it's so vast," she noted. "I always like to say that we've got everything that the Highlands have, but just in a much quieter area. But we're going to use that quietness to our strength."

Looking ahead, Darnbrough sees significant potential for her career in the south of Scotland. "I'm only beginning to stick my teeth into the south of Scotland," she stated. "So to leave, it would have to be a fairly big jump."