Dan Szor - Founder and Owner of The Cotswold Distillery

2014 - to date

CEO and FOUNDER COTSWOLD DISTILLERY

The Cotswolds Distillery is now in its 9th year, producing award-winning single malt whisky and other “Outstanding Natural Spirits” including its much-loved Cotswolds Dry Gin.  Over 100,000 visitors come to the distillery and its local shops every year, and the brand is now distributed nationally and in over 35 countries. 

Daniel also sits on the board of the Wine & Spirits Trade Association and is vice-chairman of the newly-formed English Whisky Guild, representing the exciting new category of English Whisky with over 40 whisky distilleries in England now in some stage of production or planning.

1984 - 2014

INVESTMENT BANKING

Daniel’s first career was in foreign exchange trading and investment management and spanned nearly 30 years and took him to Paris for over 10 years and then to the UK, where he has lived since 2006.  

It was during his time in France that Daniel was first bitten by the whisky bug, his passion fuelled by regular tasting events and trips to distilleries across Scotland.  

In 2012 Daniel gazed out of the window of the North Cotswolds farmhouse he and his London-born wife Katia had bought as a weekend bolthole, and he was transfixed by a field of spring barley swaying in the breeze.  His thoughts naturally turned to whisky, and he decided to be the first person to make a Cotswolds single malt, using local grain.