Last month, I headed to Mexico, where I hosted a series of whisky tastings and dinners, plus an event to find our next Brand Ambassador for the region.

Now the third largest whisky market in the world, Mexico has become a hotbed for whisky in recent years, so this is a country to be taken seriously!

The first stop on my trip was Mexico City, where I hosted a team training session with Bodegas La Negrita, our local distributor in the country. I enjoy meeting our teams around the world to share ideas – there’s always a great deal to learn, even at this stage in my career!

I also hosted a tasting session with the top 10 bartenders in Mexico City, all of whom work in the Condesa/Roma area. Every bar has its own personality, with a signature drink. There’s a bohemian feel to these venues, with the personality of each bar shining through.

The tasting session involved pairing our 15 Year Old single malt with Lindt orange chocolate. It’s safe to say everyone was blown away – you should try it yourself. We also debated the best way to serve whisky. We all agreed that neat, with only few drops of water, was the way to enjoy it. Absolutely no ice recommended!

The next day, I made to the trip to Guadalajara, where I met 40 whisky lovers, who were the finalists of an online competition to become the Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador in Mexico. I wont reveal anything for now, but I will say by midnight, we were all singing the mythical Solera song.

For the final part of my trip, I met the top 20 local businessmen in the city at the exclusive Hotel Demetria, where I spoke about the quality that makes our single malt stand out. I did my best to teach a few of them the term ‘Slaghe Vah’, but in the end, we stuck to the local way of cheering: ‘SALUD!’

I had hoped to sample a local drink called Pulque whilst I was in Mexico. However, once the, ‘alternative production process’ was explained (the less said the better), I decided against a dram – not that it took anything away from a hugely enjoyable trip.

Until next time, Slainte!