The Glasgow Times is featuring the six candidates hoping to be voted Glasgow's Favourite Business for 2023.

The award, sponsored by this paper, is part of the Glasgow Business Awards organised by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce with Royal Bank of Scotland as the main sponsor.

Combine the mysterious Spanish origins of Leche de Pantera and the entrepreneurial spirit of Paul Crawford and you get a much-loved Glasgow drink brand poised to take the UK by storm.

The milky liqueur, known locally on the streets of Barcelona as leche de pantera, was invented in the 1920s but rose to prominence in the 1970s among the city’s college kids.

When Paul discovered the beverage over a decade ago in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, it was a sea of Glaswegians he found downing the drink.

Glasgow Times: The team behind Panther Milk at their Glasgow offices from left, Paul Miller (head of Commercial), Prerna Menon (Head of Brand), Rory Maclean (customer engagement), Paul Crawford CEO, and Neil Mowat (Head of Marketing). By Gordon Terris.The team behind Panther Milk at their Glasgow offices from left, Paul Miller (head of Commercial), Prerna Menon (Head of Brand), Rory Maclean (customer engagement), Paul Crawford CEO, and Neil Mowat (Head of Marketing). By Gordon Terris. (Image: Gordon Terris)

He said: “I decided at that point I wanted to bring it back to Glasgow as a secret bar, selling only leche de pantera.”

Panther Milk Bar operated as a speakeasy in the back of Tabac on Mitchell Lane from 2015 to 2019 and the concoction developed a cult following.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Paul was made redundant from his full-time job at a tech start-up.

The 53-year-old said: “They say necessity is the mother of invention. I put all my energy into launching Panther M*lk as a drinks brand.”

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As founder and CEO, Paul brought his commitment to sustainability into the firm’s ethos and Panther M*lk as we know it was born.

Panther M*lk liqueur is made with a premium blend of overproof spiced rum, white rum, gin, brandy, and a combination of oat milk and condensed oat milk from Minor Figures.

Paul said: “We now have three permanent flavours: strawberry, coffee, and the original with vanilla.

“We also have a limited edition mint flavour which has been really popular.”

Over 100 bars in Scotland now serve Panther M*lk, and in May this year, it was revealed supermarket giant Asda would be stocking the brand’s original flavour in 40 stores nationwide.

Paul and his team of four are excited to be nominated for the Glasgow’s Favourite Business Award.

He said: “The Glasgow Times has a special place in my heart because my dad worked there for 35 years.

“I was chuffed when I saw the nomination come through and that people think enough of us to go to the bother of nominating us.

“It’s always really nice when an award is voted on by the general public. It gives you the feeling you’re doing something right."

The winner of The Glasgow Times Award for Glasgow's Favourite Business will be revealed at the annual Glasgow Business Awards ceremony, taking place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central on Thursday 5 October 2023. Voting closes at midnight on September 18, 2023.

Place your vote for The Glasgow Times Award for Glasgow's Favourite Business here.