Martin Duffy

Whisk(e)y Educator Martin C. Duffy is an internationally known spirits educator and enthusiast. His appreciation of adult libations started during his early years as a bartender and continues on to this very day. A stellar presenter on the finer qualities of spirits (ham always goes well with a good whiskey), he has studied the art of distilling with some of the most accomplished distillers, blenders & craftsmen in Scotland, Ireland, France, Holland, Canada and the United States.

For over 20 years, he has preached the gospel according to spiritus frumenti to well over 100,000 people throughout the world. Starting as one of the original Johnnie Walker Scotch Brand Ambassadors, and finally achieving the title of Sr. Master of Whisky for the entire Diageo whisky portfolio. In the spring of 2008, Martin assumed the newly created role of Diageo Reserve Spirits Brand Ambassador for the Republic of Ireland based out of St. James Gate (the famed Guinness Brewery) in Dublin. During his 2 years on the Emerald Isle, he trained over 700 restaurant, pub, and hotel staff plus conducted over 60 consumer spirit seminars.

He has represented such brands as Johnnie Walker, The Classic Malts, Bushmills, Ciroc Vodka, Ketel One vodka, Jack Daniels, Baileys Irish Cream, Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, Old Pulteney, Tanqueray gin, Grand Marnier, FEW Spirits, Journeyman, anCnoc, Glen Grant, George Dickel, Bowmore, Bulleit Bourbon, Benedictine D.O.M., Redemption Rye and Glenrothes.

Martin has conducted the master classes at seven of the past Whiskyfests in Chicago, as well as at the Whiskyfest New York, Whisky Live New York, Whiskies of the World in San Francisco, Portland Cocktail Week, The Boston Cocktail Summit, The Manhattan Cocktail Classic and Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, plus teaches an on-going course on Irish whiskey for the Irish-American Heritage Center in Chicago. Starting in 2011, Mr. Duffy has co-produced The Annual Chicago Independent Spirits Expo, the world’s largest exhibition of independently owned spirit brands from around the world, with over 155 exhibitors (and counting). He has also been called upon to be a spirits judge for the American Craft Spirits Association’s spirits competition as well as for the Beverage Testing Institute.

In 2014, Mr. Duffy was selected by CHILLED Magazine as one of their top 100 Drink Industry Influencers in the United States. Since August of 2014, Marty has been honored to be selected as the sole U.S. Brand Representative of the iconic Glencairn whisky tasting glass, a product of Scotland.

In addition to his love for his enviable roles, his Celtic heritage, family and country, Mr. Duffy is an accomplished cartoonist, a fanatic barware collector and a self-confessed know-it-all.