The Best Sommelier in the World Is Taking a Break From Wine to Explore a New Passion: Whiskey
The “World’s Best Sommelier,” Raimonds Tomsons, was just hired as Global Brand Ambassador for The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. (Photo: The Craft Irish Whiskey Col/Instagram)
On Monday, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. announced a new global brand ambassador, according to The Drinks Business. One of the most expensive Irish whiskey brands in the world made the interesting choice of appointing a sommelier for the role — and not just any sommelier. The brand chose to hire the “World’s Best Sommelier,” Raimonds Tomsons.
Tomsons recently won this year’s award for Best Sommelier at the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale. The annual Parisian contest was hosted in February, and the Latvian sommelier impressed judges with his deductive tasting abilities and knowledge of pairings.
He is set to join founder and CEO Jay Bradley and the rest of the team.
“Raimonds’ depth of knowledge and his ability to detect nuances and layers of flavor aligns perfectly with the way I make my whiskeys, each bottle of which offers a unique complexity of flavors, because of our pioneering approach to barrel-craft,” Bradley said, according to The Drinks Business.
Tomsons also hosts the credentials of serving on the board of the Latvian Sommelier Association and having worked in multiple fine dining restaurants in Latvia. Though he made his name in the beverage industry by working in wine, whiskey has always captured the interest of the sommelier.
“Fine whiskey has always been a spirit which I especially loved, so by joining Jay [Bradley] and his team as global brand ambassador, I will have the opportunity to learn from the best, explore fine Irish whiskey in-depth, and work on innovative whiskey and food pairings, sharing my knowledge and passion with others, and elevating the overall experience,” Tomsons said, per The Drinks Business.
About The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
According to the brand, Craft Irish Whiskey Co. claims to be disruptive, yet deeply rooted in tradition. The brand experiments with under-filling its barrels, allowing oxidation to occur sooner.
The Irish whiskey brand captivated media attention in July 2022 when it released rare whiskey sets as part of a collaboration with the jeweler, Fabergé.
Dubbed “The Emerald Isle Collection,” the distinctive set housed the oldest triple-distilled Irish whiskey in the world and sold at auction for $2 million.
All proceeds were donated to the Correa Family Foundation, a nonprofit that was launched by the baseball player Carlos Correa to support children with cancer.
Tomsons continued to express enthusiasm for his new position according to The Drinks Business:
“Joining the team at The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. is an exciting milestone in my professional career. For me, being a sommelier means perpetual learning, and exploring the diverse world of wine, spirits and other beverages.”
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