Jennifer Newton is a graduate in Food Science and Technology of Pennsylvania State University. She then moved to Scotland and received her MSc and PhD degrees from Heriot Watt University. Following her time in Edinburgh she worked as a Brewer at the Stroh Brewery before returning to Scotland in 1995 to join Tatlock and Thomson.

In 2003, following the division of the old partnership of Tatlock and Thomson, Jennifer was responsible for setting up the associate microbiology  division of Express Microbiology Ltd where she is managing director and sole shareholder.

Dr Jennifer Newton has served on the Institute of Brewing Scottish Section Committee and is a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society flavour assessment panel and member judge on the International Wine and Spirits Competition. She has also served on the steering committee for the Distillers Analytical Proficiency Scheme since 1999.

Jim Swan is a graduate of Heriot Watt University and has specialised in oak maturation of alcoholic drink. Over the past 3 decades he has project managed a number of innovative R&D programmes which have developed understanding of the complex processes determining maturation of wines and spirits in oak wood.

He was the representative for the Distilling Industry on the Institute of Brewing Analysis Committee (1993-1996) and for the Distilled spirits industry of the Institute of Brewing Flavour sub-committee. He is also a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society flavour assessment panel, member judge on the International Wine and Spirits Competition.

Tatlock and Thomson won 2 successive SMART awards for innovation in the field of barrel utilisation and chemistry under Jim Swan's direction. He is the author of many articles in leading journals and has been a contributor to a number of books on the use of Oakwood in barrel production for the maturation of spirits and fine finishing of quality wines. Jim Swan continues to lecture all around the globe and travel extensively throughout Europe, America, Africa and Australasia.