Jodie Moir is The Macallan Regional Brand Ambassador for Edrington, Middle East and Africa. Her aim is to promote and raise awareness of The Macallan in the on trade market.

She grew up in a small town, Elgin, in the highlands of Scotland, surrounded by the whisky industry. On leaving Elgin Academy she attended university in Edinburgh and Glasgow, where Jodie gained a B.A. in Acting and Performance – but the call of home remained strong.

When she saw an advertisement for a brands heritage assistant at The Macallan Distillery it seemed too good to be true. She returned home to her beloved Speyside and immersed herself in the whisky industry; and what better brand than the prestigious Macallan!

Working within the Visitor’s Centre, Jodie gained a great deal of knowledge and a unique insight into all aspects of Macallan production and marketing. Surrounded by people who had worked at the distillery for years, she learned all there was to know about the whisky making process.

Working with Bob Dalgarno and Nick Savage, the whisky makers of The Macallan, she found that her passion for and pride in The Macallan was growing with time. Selling such a precious whisky to people in all corners of the world, being promoted to senior guide and team leader were Jodie’s proudest achievements.

Her delight in being part of The Macallan family ignited a desire in her to raise awareness of, and promote this wonderful product which epitomises all that is special in a Speyside single malt.

Jodie has trained over 3,000 on-trade bar members and hosted numerous events for collectors and advocates for the brand. On her first visit to Mumbai (and India) recently for The Macallan Legends, she answered some questions:

Jodie, can you tell us about the brand (Macallan) and what makes it the “ultimate” luxury spirit?

The Macallan is seen as the world’s most valuable single malt whisky. There are so many reasons for this, but for me personally, it is our obsession with quality. We are sourcing the most beautiful raw materials for our spirit and taking the time to do so.

From our estate grown barley, our hand-picked sherry-seasoned casks to our stunning distillery, every aspect and ingredient that goes into making our precious spirit have been watched over for the entire journey.

Getting to being the Brand Ambassador… How did it happen?

I first began my journey with The Macallan at our brand home in Speyside (Scotland) as a tour guide. This is when my passion came to life and I realised I had found my calling in life.

I worked at our brand home for over 3 years and then was given the exciting opportunity to come to the Middle East (Dubai) as a junior ambassador. This was a whole new world for me, as I’m sure you can imagine.

But over the last three years I have met some wonderful single malt whisky fans and my passion has grown even more for our wonderful brand!

How has the journey been for you so far? What are the pros and cons of being a brand ambassador?

The journey has been amazing, in all honesty. I am able to share my passion with people from every corner of the world and educate them on something that I hold very close to my heart. I have the best role in the world; and for me there are no cons to a role you love.

What are the challenges and what does it mean to be an ambassador on a day-to-day basis?

As I said, there aren’t any ‘challenges’ to a role you love. My day-to-day role is about building relationships with the trade and consumers. Education is key, and I will hold numerous educational sessions and events throughout the week to engage everyone with The Macallan.

What would be your preference: speaking more to the whisky novice who is still getting his/her bearings, or the whisky aficionados who knows exactly what they like?

To me, we have never finished learning. Even I, as a Brand Ambassador, am always learning new things in the industry. If someone is starting their journey I love to be able to guide them through this and explain the entire process from start to finish.

However, the whisky aficionados have some of the most amazing stories I’ve ever heard in my 7 years in the industry. If I could, I would gather both in a room, share a dram (a drink) and just enjoy The Macallan moment together.

What has been your overall experience on your first visit to Mumbai and India for The Macallan Legends? Can you elaborate on it from a brand perspective as well as personal?

Mumbai has always been somewhere I have wanted to visit, and I am very lucky I was able to visit for such a momentous event as The Macallan Legends in conversation. Everyone I was lucky to meet was warm, kind and welcomed me with open arms, which I can’t thank them enough for.

For The Macallan we are very excited for the future, where we can see a lot of growth and appreciation for our brand. I and The Macallan cannot wait to return!

What would be your message to the women out there who seek a career in the alcohol industry?

There are so many amazing women in the industry, shaping the future of the alcohol industry as we know them. Ladies, if you have the passion and the drive, you can achieve anything!