Rob Patchett - from The Cotswold Distilling Company - Interviewed

Rob Patchett of The Cotswolds Distillery shared his limited time in this exclusive interview answering some very personal questions and topics about himself, his role as a Global Brand Ambassador, and whisky in general. Thank you, Rob!

Could you tell us a little bit about what you do and how you became a Brand Ambassador for The Cotswolds Distillery?

My job as a brand ambassador is probably a little different than most BA’s. I started with the company in 2017 in the sales team and transferred to the BA role at the beginning of 2022. I have kept some of my accounts due to the relationships so I still have sales responsibilities as well. 

Prior to the distillery I had spent a decade running cocktail bars and hotels in Italy and France. I trained to be a sommelier and ran independent wine merchants too. I have worked in just about every element of the drinks industry. Needless to say after 24 years I still love the industry. 

Certain abilities are required to be an Alcohol Brand Ambassador; which do you believe are the most crucial to get started in the spirits industry?

Knowledge, communication, temperance and an understanding that not everyone is an expert in alcohol. Other elements of the job that I think are important are relationships, building strong relationships and trust with suppliers, accounts and other members of the industry is so very important. The more people that know they can call you and you will say what you can do and do what you say is so important. Be reliable, goes a long way. 

Describe a typical week as the Cotswolds Brand Ambassador, including your daily duties?

There’s no such thing to be honest, everyday is different. I spend time in trade building our relationships with key on trade accounts, whisky festivals across the world, staff trainings with trade partners, hosting VIPs at the distillery and activations of new products mean you are all over the place all of the time. You have to be very conscious of your calendar and your time because it can feel like you’re being pulled in ten different directions at once. 

What are some of the misconceptions about your profession that people have because you work with and around alcohol every day?

Drunk all the time, hanging out at fancy bars and living like a rockstar with a big expense account seem to be pretty ubiquitous opinions of ambassadors. These days the trade is extremely competitive and you have to be focussed on how you can better help build the brand and be there for the sales teams. I have often been heard using the phrase ‘is the juice worth the squeeze’ meaning what’s the win or the result from doing something. 

Cotswolds Whisky produce some of my favourite whisky, but can you explain some of the differences and characteristics that English whisky has as opposed to Scotch whisky?

There are loads of differences and similarities. The principle is the same but given that English Whisky production in total is the same as a single Scotch Whisky Distillery there is the luxury of being small producers. That allows for a concentration on quality, flavour development and experimentation. English Whisky then allows us to be part of the bigger picture which is ‘World Whisky’ which is even more exciting. 

What challenges arise when attempting to promote a product when rivals release new expressions on a near daily basis?

The market is quite a competitive place with more and more brands coming out every day but we are now in year eight and brand loyalty is growing. We host over 60,000 people at our distillery every year and we’ve been very lucky to have so many of those people become loyal supporters of the brand and even investors. Match that with consistency of a high standard of spirits produced means we feel confident we’ll be able to maintain and grow our market share. 

Can you describe Cotswolds Whisky to someone who has never had it?

Cotswolds Whisky is a simple brand to understand. Good into good, creates good. 

We create a fantastic new make spirit full of fruit flavours, use the highest quality casks and the result is a well balanced, flavour forward whisky. Everything is done from a quality standpoint and that always shows in the final product. Concentrating on putting the Cotswolds at the forefront of everything with regards to the barley, the production, the maturation and the bottling done in the Cotswolds is important to us and makes it truly a Cotswolds Whisky. 

What do you do to unwind, any interests outside of your regular job life?

Walking my dogs and cooking is my happy place. We live in the middle of the nowhere and taking myself out of the hustle and madness of the drinks industry is so crucial. I also love playing basketball whenever I get the opportunity. All of these things help me have a lifestyle balance.

More information about the Cotswolds Distillery may be found at: www.cotswoldsdistillery.com