Destination Dubai as County Durham Distillery Makes History
- Andrea Stephenson
- Jun 5
- 3 min read
WL Distillery has taken flight to Dubai as part of a UK delegation to showcase the best of British products to the Middle East and North Africa regions, making history in the process as guest exhibitors at The Gulf Bar Show, the MENA region’s first dedicated bar and beverage trade show at Madinat Jumeirah.
With a focus on fostering industry growth through collaboration, increased exposure for up-and-coming brands, and facilitating valuable partnerships, The Gulf Bar Show served as the definitive meeting ground for the bar and beverage community – from frontline professionals to major distributors and investors.
Gulf Bar Show 2025 brought together over 3,000 industry professionals, 115 exhibitors, and 42 speakers, and 2,417 visitors creating a one-of-a-kind industry event in the MENA region.
Scott Wilson-Laing, Founder and Managing Director, WL Distillery said
“The trade mission has been very fruitful, and an immense opportunity to showcase our North East brand on such an exquisite global stage and in one of the most desirable cities in the world – Dubai.
It was extra special to make history and to be one of the first exhibitors in the region, the brand and products were very well received and experiences like this open up so many opportunities for WL Distillery.”
With a number of flavours now under their belt at WL Distillery have established themselves as a key player in the UK gin market, both regionally and nationally. Vibrant creations and continuous innovations are at the heart of County Durham based WL Distillery. The product portfolio range has grown immensely over the years increasing to six flavours including limited edition festive and Valentine ranges alongside their popular 1st Edition and Wilson’s Gin Club ‘Watermelon and Liquorice’.
Sarah Mooney, HM Trade Commissioner for the Middle East and Pakistan, said:
"There is a growing appetite for innovative, premium British spirits in the UAE market, so it was wonderful to see WL Distillery showcasing their exceptional products at The Gulf Bar Show. The distillery's commitment to quality and its celebration of the North of England’s rich natural ingredients represents the very best of UK craftsmanship and provenance. The wider trade mission exemplifies exactly the kind of ambitious export growth we want to encourage, creating valuable international partnerships and enhancing the reputation of UK spirits across the Gulf region and beyond."
The trade mission to the UAE follows a recent visit to India were the distillery secured a coveted place with Santander Navigator, to explore the opportunities in Mumbai and New Delhi, alongside showcasing their award-winning gin range at The Vault Festival as part of the UK Craft Pavilion.
Scott added:
“International expansion is most definitely in our sights and the recent visits to India and the UAE give us a great flavour of the opportunities that are available on the global stage. The networks and connections formed have been priceless.
As we near completion of our distillery site extension plans and our new product developments, the future growth and opportunities for the distillery look really exciting as we scale up to the next stage.”
With accolades including gold at The Gin Masters, listed in the London Spirits Top 100 spirits, through to making Vogues ‘Hot List’, GQ’s ‘Cocktail Club’ and being featured at London’s world-famous Science Museum, the awards keep hitting for WL Distillery in recent months including being named Gin Distillery of the Year in the Corporate Live Wire Innovation & Excellence Awards 2024 and Bronze Design Award at the World Gin Awards.
With an explosion of flavours, their inspiration comes from their Northern roots, ensuring a fresh and classic authentic gin experience for customers. Ingredients have always taken centre stage at WL Distillery and each bottle is infused with nature using handpicked and measured botanicals to ensure the freshest, most authentic taste.
