Having spent a career creating some of the world's most recognisable consumer brands, Julian had always believed that exceptional branding should be matched by an exceptional product. His ambition was simple: one day, to create both.

The opportunity arose while undertaking a brand appraisal for a so called Welsh rum. The exercise revealed something unexpected. It highlighted not just an opportunity to improve a single brand, but what Julian believed was a significant gap in the market. His vision was ambitious: to create not simply another premium rum, but one of the smoothest and finest rums in the world.

Working with a local distiller, the initial recipes and flavour profiles were developed, laying the foundations for the brand.

Rather than relying on distributors, which would reduce margins, limit customer relationships and dilute control over the brand, Julian took a different approach. Inspired by Ray Kroc's relentless approach to building McDonald's one restaurant at a time, he got in his car and travelled the length and breadth of Wales, meeting independent retailers face to face. Within just two weeks, the brand had secured listings in more than 60 stores.

The journey was far from straightforward. Manufacturing partners retained control of key processes, intellectual property became restricted, critical information was withheld, costs increased and production lead times became increasingly difficult to manage. Rather than accept these limitations, Julian embarked on a three year journey to master the craft himself, learning every stage of the process to gain complete control over both the product and the brand.

Today, Welsh Soul bears little resemblance to where it began. Years of refinement have produced an exceptionally smooth and distinctive rum, with customers and reviewers drawing comparisons to some of the Caribbean's most respected premium rums, including Mount Gay. Innovation remains central to the brand, with the creation of what we believe to be the world's first Cherry Cola Rum and Ginger Lime Rum, alongside a growing range of new expressions that continue to push the boundaries of premium flavoured rum.

For Julian, this was never simply about creating a rum. It was about proving that the strongest brands are built when product, process and branding are developed together from the very beginning.