Bourbon’s Unsung Heroes – Martin Duffy

I first met Marty Duffy in 2010 when I was invited by Andrea Wilson to speak to a gathering of Diageo’s Masters of Whisky at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Marty was already an experienced whiskey ambassador at that time. Marty is a native of Chicago and started as a waiter in the 1980s and moved up to become a bartender. In 1996, Marty was hired by United Distillers to become a brand Ambassador for Johnny Walker Scotch. In the year 2003, Marty was one of the chosen Ambassadors to become a Master Of Whisky and represented seven states in the Midwest. As a Master of Whiskey, Marty represented not only Johnny Walker, but also Dewars Scotch, George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, Bushmills Irish Whiskey and many of the other brands owned by United Distillers at that time. That meant mostly Scotch Whisky as United Distillers had sold their huge portfolio of Bourbons off to Heaven Hill and Buffalo Trace.

Later that same year after I met Marty, he quit Diageo and the following year started as a brand ambassador for Benedictine and B&B Liqueurs for the next two years. In 2011, along with Dave Schmier, Marty co-founded the Chicago Independent Spirits Expo and became a brand ambassador in Illinois for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Scotch for a year. His experience in whiskey is extensive. In 2014 Marty signed on as brand ambassador for Glencairn Crystal and that is what he focuses on today. He left the Chicago Independent Spirits Expo in 2018. He is also on the Advisory Board for The Council of Whiskey Masters starting in 2019.

Marty Duffy has about forty years experience in promoting whiskey. He has presented whiskey to former President George H.W. Bush when Bush and Former President Bill Clinton were touring the country raising money to help Hurricane Katrina victims. He is a Kentucky Colonel and he has purchased a square foot of Land in Scotland and became a Scottish Lord. He admits that both titles are honorary, but is proud to be both.

Marty is an educator at heart. He does many programs discussing the Glencairn glass and how best to use it in tastings. He also supports education, particularly amongst bar staff. He talked me into taking my Filson Bourbon Academy that I was doing over a four day period of two hours for each class, and turn it into a single day event of about eight hours. On March 3, 2012 I held my first day long Bourbon Academy and it was a success. Marty then asked me to come to Chicago that September and do the class at the Columbia Boat Club. It was a success there as well and I started doing it in other cities. All thanks to Marty and his idea to make it a day long class.

Martin Duffy is a real treasure for Bourbon and whiskey as a whole. A large part of his working career has been dedicated to educating people about whiskey. He likes a good whiskey, but does not have a particular favorite. He has told me that his favorite is whatever someone puts in his hand (in a Glencairn glass of course!). He does have a soft spot in his heart for Talisker 10 year old and I agree with that. I guess all those years working for United Distillers has made an impression on us. Marty is also proud of the fact that he first had made for him the t-shirt that read “If you only know Jack, then try Dickel”. This shirt was later made and sold at the gift shop at Cascade Hollow Distillery.

Martin Duffy is my unsung hero of whiskey, not just Bourbon. He is still involved in educating people about whiskey and I do hope he will be doing it for many years to come.