opening
18th november 2024
whisky - collaboration - projects
Get in touchwith John Glaser
‘Design for a Flying Machine’ is a name that honours Leonardo da Vinci, whose genius spanned art and engineering. His conception of a flying machine, 400 years before the Wright brothers took to the skies, stands as a testament to his boundless imagination and belief in human ingenuity.
I like making things.
For most of my working life I’ve been a whiskymaker. In 2000 I founded The Compass Box Whisky Company to help make Scotch more interesting and relevant to more people. With a gifted team, we tried new ideas and, when needed, politely questioned orthodoxy, winning many awards and accolades along the way. In 2024 I stepped away after nearly 24 years to make room for new interests.
These days I’m learning my way into English wine—making wine and preparing to launch Marian-Reppert, a small English wine company with a focus on thoughtful, site-driven Chardonnay. The mission is to find the ‘Grand Cru’ vineyards for English still wine—and champion them.
I’m proud of the years spent building Compass Box, and even more grateful to the people who made it possible. Now I’m excited to work with the growers, makers and partners who will help bring this next chapter to life.