Aris Aristidou is the master distiller and co-founder of Aristides Distilling. He holds a degree in Operations Research from the College of William and Mary and a Master’s in Finance from the University of Stirling, giving him a strong academic background. His career began in the United States, where in 2008 he partnered with Jim Blansit to establish the first craft distillery in the Ozarks region of Missouri after Prohibition. Their collaboration earned three awards from the American Distilling Institute. In 2016, Aris returned to Cyprus with his wife Marianna to found Aristides Distilling, bringing with them their experience and philosophy of quality distillation. Aristides Distilling contributes to the revival of the Cypriot distilling tradition with modern approaches, supporting the local economy by working with local farmers and producers, and promoting Cyprus as a tourist destination by attracting visitors through tasting and experiential tours. Aristides Distilling’s products have been recognized in international competitions, proudly representing Cyprus.