Olivier Ward

Speciality
Spirits
Company

Journalist & Spirits Consultant

Position

Member of the Spirits Judging Committee

Olivier is a total gin nerd. He is one of only a handful of people in the entire world who have explored the spirit to such an exhaustive extent, travelling extensively to visit distilleries and taste the regional differences within Gin. Having spent over a decade at the forefront of the craft gin boom, he is widely recognised as a gin expert and a true ambassador for the category.


Olivier was the editor of Gin Foundry and Spirits Beacon and has taught dozens of producers how to build their distilleries, helping fine tune recipes that have gone on to win top international honours. His Botanical Tasting Wheels pioneered new ways to help others articulate flavour. Olivier is a member of the Gin Guild, won the prestigious IWSC’s Spirits Communicator of the Year and is Channel 4’s resident Gin Expert on Sunday Brunch, having also regularly presented sections on gin cocktails for ITV This Morning, the BBC and commercial radio stations.

Olivier Ward