Following on from our series of articles introducing some of the people who have got involved in the Nine Rivers Distillery project, it’s time for me to step up and introduce myself. I’m Steve Alexander and I (along with my wife, Aoife) am one of the two original founders. Also, just accept the fact that I’m going to be spelling it WHISKEY with an “e”, because that’s how we do it in Ireland! Here’s my story.
Dublin Born and Bred
I was originally born in Dublin, Ireland but currently I live just down the road in Bray, County Wicklow. More specifically, it’s about 20 kilometers south of Dublin and is known as the “Gateway to the Garden of Ireland.” It’s a seaside town with cliff walks and beaches, so it naturally attracts a lot of tourists. Even though it’s near Dublin, it’s got a wonderful balance of both tranquility and vibrancy.
Throughout my youth, whiskey was seen as an “old man’s drink,” something my grandfather would be seen sipping during family gatherings. I accepted it was just one of those adult indulgements that were beyond my understanding (that, and my grandfather’s laughter directed at my grimacing face when I tried it). I also looked at the other adults around me drinking what would put Ireland on the world map of alcohol: Guinness. I wasn’t ever tempted to try that one as a kid, though.
From a young age, I was fascinated with aeroplanes and flight, so aviation became my passion and career. I could travel the world, fly some amazing aeroplanes, and meet lots of interesting people.
Back in 2005, at the age of 22, I packed a suitcase, booked a flight to the USA, and enrolled in flight school at Flight Safety International in Florida. It was here that I was introduced to bourbon by some of my housemates. It then became a bit of house tradition to celebrate each milestone along the quest to become a qualified pilot. Throughout the two years it took me to qualify and pass all the exams, it’s fair to say I have sampled quite a wide range of different bourbons!
Being a Pilot can be tough. There’s a huge amount of travel involved (obviously!) but the upside is that almost every single airport in the world has a travel retail section, where a lot of rare, limited edition, or specialty whiskey is available. A lot of it will only be available in travel retail, so I would take the unique whiskies back home to share with friends and family. Whiskey became something that sparked amazing conversations and debates over the years.
Moving to China
In 2015, I relocated to China with my wife and our (at the time) two children (yes, I’ve been a little busy). I took a job as a Captain, flying for Hainan airlines.
China had been on our bucket list for a long time and it was an opportunity we were both keen to take. After consulting some friends and colleagues, we settled on moving to Shenzhen.
Living in a largely expat dominated community in Nanshan, it didn’t take long before I was connected to one of the Oak and Barley whiskey groups. Through Oak and Barley I got to know Jay, the group leader. He would frequently chip in with opinions on whiskies, tasting notes, random trivia about distilleries, and the occasional slam to anyone that got a bit out of line. It was his knowledge that made me confident that Nine Rivers was going to be not only a success, but a landmark achievement for whiskey in China. I grabbed a bottle of whiskey and headed up to Jay’s office to meet him, chew the fat, understand a bit more about the project, and get involved.
My Involvement
Initially, I was just a background investor. Flying can be an unsociable career at times, so it’s challenging to have structured downtime from work to be able to get seriously involved in other things. But, thanks to COVID, and the massive downturn in international travel, I ended up relocating back to Ireland with Aoife and the kids, which gave me more time to roll up my sleeves and get involved. Unfortunately, it also meant a move home and a move further from the physical project which in some ways is disappointing for me.
I’ve been part of The Think Tank since the pandemic and that’s given me the opportunity to really get my teeth into a few things. Most importantly, I’ve learned more about whiskey from a production point of view. I’ve had a lot of time to read and learn and this has helped me to make useful contributions to the operational layout and processes that will eventually underpin our whiskey production.
I’ve also taken over leading the Social Media Team, so all the content that goes out, across all the platforms, I’ve had my fingers and thumbs on it in some way, shape of form. It’s hard work, but it’s great seeing these pieces go out so people like you can read them.
Whiskey in China
Many people ask me why I got involved and immediately jump to the assumption that it was purely about seeing the potential for whiskey in China, and the money that can be made from it.
Of course making money is at least some of the motivation. No one wants to lose money, and China has probably the most potential for whiskey than any other market. But, from a sincere point of view, it was more about the opportunity to really get involved in something like this that interested me.
I love whiskey. Almost as much as flying. So the thought of actually being able to say I helped bring amazing whiskey to the world is really exciting. To be able to sit in my local bar in Bray, in a few years time, crack open a bottle with some of my oldest friends from my school days and say “that’s my whiskey – I’m a founder and shareholder in the distillery and I’ve contributed to the mammoth task of bringing this idea to life in the real world” – that’s a day I’m looking forward to.
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