During my visit to Beefeater Gin Distillery I got to meet Tim Stones, Global Brand Ambassador. Aside from scaring me to death by jumping out on me during my tour, he was a great guide to all things Beefeater and I’m thrilled he agreed to be interviewed, even though I am massively jealous of his “office”.
How long have you been a Brand Ambassador?
6 awesome years.
How did you become a BA?
After doing some freelance work for Beefeater I was asked to look after BA duties in Europe while the original BA Dan Warner went to launch Beefeater 24 in the US for 6 months. When he came back they decided to keep me on.
What is the best thing about your job?
The travel, getting to experience cocktail cultures around the world, and all the wonderful people I get to meet. The drinks industry is a wonderfully close-knit community.
Describe a typical week?
There’s no such thing! The nature of the job means there’s always something different going on. I divide my time between the distillery in Kennington, the office in Hammersmith and the rest of the world and it can change quite quickly. It’s rare to have a month planned out far in advance. The main consistencies though are travel, hosting and expenses.
Who/what inspires you?
I’m lucky enough to work with (in my opinion) the best gin distiller in the world, Desmond Payne. His knowledge and dedication to making a great gin is quite amazing. He’s also hilarious.
Your favourite gin cocktail and why?
The martini. It’s such a simple, elegant drink that really shows off the gin.
Which are your favourite bars (anywhere in the world)?
In no particular order: The Gin Joint, Athens, Happiness Forgets, London, Casita, London, Delicatessen, Moscow, Mother’s Ruin, New York and Collage, Barcelona
What’s next? Any future plans?
I’m currently training to be a distiller, so when I finally decide to hang up the suitcase I’ve got something gin-related to keep me busy.
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