Diageo has announced that Andrea Montague (pictured), former bar manager at renowned London bar Callooh Callay, has become brand ambassador for Diageo Reserve’s whisky portfolio.
The award-winning bartender will look after Johnnie Walker Super Deluxe, Bulleit whiskeys and the single malt Scotch whisky portfolio that includes Singleton, Talisker and Lagavulin.
Andrea has worked in many top bars, including Lab, Aura and Floridita in London, and also opened Callooh Callay’s second venue, Beard To Tail in Shoreditch. With bartender Stuart Hudson, she set up drinks and training consultancy Forgotten Hospitality.
Andrea has won numerous cocktail competitions including the Don Julio Masters of the Margarita and was shortlisted for the title of world’s best bartender Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards. While she was at Callooh Callay, the Shoreditch bar won world’s best cocktail menu in the Spirited Awards and last year rose to 11th place in the list of the world’s 50 Best Bars.
Andrea said: “There are so many people who have taught me really valuable lessons and shaped my career, so now after all these years, I’ll be able to share my learnings too.
“I’m especially excited to be working alongside Diageo Reserve’s whisky ambassador Colin Dunn who is a legend in the industry and someone I have always looked up to.
“I am passionate about whisky and it’s a great time to be part of it. It’s very on-trend at the moment and it’s really breaking out of its traditional halo.
“Most other categories shook things up and challenged the way consumers saw them a while ago. Whisky is only just doing that, but it’s doing it quickly, and it’s incredibly diverse – we see it with food pairings and in cocktails, whilst master blenders are playing around with different wood finishes.
“It’s very exciting because it’s such a huge category. To have this role which will allow me to input my ideas and help shape the trends is a fantastic opportunity.”
As well as providing education to bartenders and off-trade customers across the UK, Andrea will play a key role in the education and judging of the Diageo Reserve World Class competition.
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