Is it possible for one word or one brand of spirit to encapsulate an entire way of life?

It’s a big ask, but for tens of thousands of people who worked in the deserts of the Middle East over the last 68 years, the word ‘Siddiqui’ will conjure up images of hot and heavy work under clear Arabian skies, and chilled evenings around the fire with the tranquil Persian Gulf ahead and star-strewn skies above.

Siddiqui - pronounced Sid-dee-key - was a way of life for the ex-pat set in the desert of the Middle East as they sought for, and extracted, oil. Part guilty secret, and part a welcome tonic, Siddiqui gave solace to thousands of workers living in a harsh climate with a challenging environment.