Terlato Wine Group has appointed Gregorio Gutierrez MacAllister, the former Diageo President of US Spirits, as its new Chief Operating Officer, effective July 13, 2026. The 18-year Diageo veteran succeeds Sandra LeDrew, who is retiring from her executive role at the family-owned luxury drinks producer. Gutierrez MacAllister joins Terlato at a critical juncture as the company seeks to accelerate its high-end distribution network and expand its global supplier relationships across both premium wine and spirits markets.

For whisky trade observers and cask investors, this executive hire is highly significant. While Terlato is historically renowned for its wine portfolio, the group has quietly built a formidable footprint in the luxury spirits sector through its Terlato Artisan Spirits division. Specifically, their 2016 joint venture with Distell Group, now owned by Heineken, gives Terlato exclusive distribution rights to an impressive portfolio of artisanal single malt and blended Scotch whiskies in the United States. Recruiting a veteran with Gutierrez MacAllister’s deep experience at Diageo, the world's largest Scotch producer, indicates that Terlato plans to aggressively challenge mainstream spirits distributors and elevate its boutique whisky imports.

Under the Terlato Distell Artisan Spirits joint venture, the company commands a highly respected collection of Scotch brands, which includes the following key expressions:

• Bunnahabhain: The famous unpeated Islay single malt known for its rich, oily, and heavily sherried profile.
• Deanston: A Highland craft distillery focusing on organic ingredients, traditional waxy spirit, and zero chill-filtration.
• Tobermory and Ledaig: The Isle of Mull's sole distillery, producing unpeated fruity malts alongside heavily peated, smoky expressions.
• Black Bottle: A historic blended Scotch whisky that retains a robust, peaty backbone.

Prior to accepting the chief operating officer role, Gutierrez MacAllister served in several senior roles within Diageo, managing major operations in Southern Europe, Brazil, and the Andean region. His extensive understanding of multinational distributor mechanics, route-to-market strategies, and premium brand activation will directly benefit Terlato’s specialized whisky offerings as they compete for shelf space and backbar dominance in key metropolitan markets.

Why it matters: This high-profile hire underscores the growing trend of premium wine distributors diversifying aggressively into high-margin craft spirits. With a former Diageo spirits chief at the helm, Terlato is well-positioned to leverage its distributor relationships, optimize the supply chain for its boutique Scotch brands, and potentially secure new import partnerships, presenting a serious alternative to larger, consolidated spirits conglomerates.

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