Scholarship received: Wine Business MBA

Caitlyn Krug’s journey into the world of spirits began in San Sebastian, Spain, where she learned to celebrate the art of hospitality while working as a bartender at a seaside locale in 2013.

This is where she cut her teeth mixing the perfect Spanish gin and tonic and learned how to expertly prepare ginebra, Spanish for ‘gin’ and the inspiration for her future gin brand’s name. After her time abroad, Caitlyn began a corporate career in operations and management consulting, spending the next five years dreaming of the day she could leave her safe desk job to pursue her true passion. This year, she finally took the plunge and acted on her goal to craft a gin that would enhance and elevate the botanical flavors of the Spanish-style gin & tonic. She hopes her gin will make a big splash, leading to the next cocktail trend in the United States. Caitlyn is currently finalizing logistics for an early 2020 product launch in New Orleans, the birthplace of the American cocktail, while simultaneously finishing her MBA from Tulane University where she is specializing in Entrepreneurial Hospitality.

Note: She incorporates wine grapes into her gin recipe!