Heather's blooming success

Liza Weisstuch discusses whisky,music and why talking is a good thing with Glenfiddich's Heather Greene.

At a recent whisky festival, Heather Greene held forth at the Glenfiddich table pouring samples of the legendary whisky's various expressions, engaging in hurried exchanges with inquisitive tipplers. One man was asking about the use of various woods, which happens to be a point of profound interest for Heather, so she waxed rhapsodic about the nuances of flavour as it relates to wood and age.

Of all the spirits on the market, whiskies, especially Scotch and bourbon, seem to remain the province of men. Take a look around you next time you're at a whisky festival or take note of the kind of lifestyle magazine you're reading when you come across a Scotch advertisement. But slowly, there seem to be steps, subtle and otherwise, that major, iconic brands, like Glenfiddich, are making to change that connotation.

Heather is the American brand ambassador for Glenfiddich. To see her at work at a dinner or tasting, it's easy to think she defies the traditional profile of a single malt ambassador. First, she's not British. But perhaps more significantly, she doesn't wear a kilt. This can, and has, discombobulated not a few people who consider themselves whisky aficionados. But for most of those she's encountered along her extensive whisky odyssey, the impact has been significant.

In a sense, she's found that consumers – new drinkers and long-time tipplers alike – perceive her as more accessible. Interestingly enough, especially men. “It's a historic and beautiful whisky, and for...

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• By : Liza Weisstuch
• In : Interviews
• Issue : 78
• Page : 46
• Words : 1,054