The Possibilities of Innovation in Whisky are Limitless
Stephen Martin just loves whisky and the job he has as a Global Single Malt Whisky Specialist is perfect for him. His deep connect with whisky led him to his current position of working with premium single malt brands of Whyte & Mackay Ltd. like The Dalmore, Jura, Fettercairn and Tamnavulin across different markets. He describes his advocacy experience with Whyte & Mackay as incredible because he gets to handle four different single malt brands, which are targeted at a variety of consumers with varied taste preferences.
Stephen Martin’s enduring affair with whisky was not love at first sip. It was a love that evolved and matured with time and stayed on. “One of the things that initially drew me to whisky was the image of gravitas. I remember whisky advertising in the 80s and 90s and the message was ‘drink Scotch whisky and you will be successful, people will respect you and put you on a pedestal.’ That hooked me,” reminisces Stephen.
Stephen’s date with whisky began with Laphroaig, at the age of 18. The heavy smoky feeling gave him a hangover. “The first whisky I liked was from a distillery called Balvenie. It was just very approachable; I liked its style. Moreover, its bottle was very self explanatory, like that of Jura, which helps consumers understand the product easily,” conveys the expert.
Honing his Craft
His career in the hospitality industry began in 2002. It was an exciting time as a renaissance in cocktail culture was gaining momentum in the UK and Stephen divedinto this heady movement as a bartender. He worked in cocktail bars, restaurants, night clubs and hotels across the globe for over 10 years. During this time,Stephen visited some of the world’s most important distilling regions, which enhanced his industry knowledge and helped him hone his skills.
He says that the hospitality industry imparted many life lessons to him, which include discipline and hard work. From hospitality he moved to brand advocacy. Stephen’s work involved spending a large percentage of his time at distilleries all over Scotland, sharing his passion for whisky. Stephen assumed the role of Global Single Malt Whisky Specialist at Whyte & Mackay, in November 2018.
Prior to his ongoing stint with Whyte & Mackay, he worked with the training team of Bacardi and then with Diageo.
