​​What does it take to be Heaven Hill’s West Coast Whiskey Ambassador? We sat down with Jack Choate to find out.

Tell me about your background before joining the Heaven Hill Family.

Before Heaven Hill, my experience was all over the map, but always focused on Sales and relationship building. I worked in Political Fundraising for a while, then the Four Seasons Hotel, Sales and Development in Hollywood selling sponsorships, worked in the non-profit space developing sponsorships, and worked as a sales rep for Young’s Market Company, which is Heaven Hill’s distributor partner for much of the West Coast. I even worked in bars and restaurants for a while, most recently as the manager of a bar in Costa Rica. No matter what I was doing though, talking through things with clients over a drink was always a common thread. Bourbon has always been a drink I enjoyed, and it was part of my family atmosphere growing up in Georgia. When I graduated from college, I received a handle of Bourbon as a gift, and when I got married, I received a set of personalized Mint Julep cups with mine and my wife’s names on them.

How has your role with Heaven Hill evolved over the years?

I actually started with Heaven Hill in 2014 as the Area Manager for San Francisco, California. That role evolved as I began working a bit in the areas around San Francisco, and eventually I transitioned to become the West Coast Whiskey Ambassador and Educator in January 2018. I have really enjoyed the evolution of the position and working with the entire whiskey portfolio. I love telling customers that Heaven Hill is family owned, it really does set us apart from the competition and it’s amazing story to tell and focus on each day.

What does a typical day as a Heaven Hill Ambassador look like for you?

Spreading the gospel of Heaven Hill and the Shapira family is really the crux of my day to day. Still, there really is no typical day. I think the biggest key to being an ambassador is always thinking about who I can spread the word to in this moment. Who may not know about Heaven Hill, or may want to learn more, or who can I suggest a new product to? I think all the ambassadors would agree that we are very lucky to have a job like this – it’s a dream!

What are some ways our sales team can utilize your skills in market to enhance their programming?

As an Area Manager for three and a half years and now an ambassador, I am still very much part of the sales team. In everything I do I’m trying to think about how I can help the sales team by using the information I have to create actionable items for them to utilize. Since I have been in their shoes as an Area Manager, I know that when I’m going into an account it’s helpful to think as a storyteller and think of innovative ways to move bottles and cases. I also like to look at what is already on the back bar or in inventory at an account. I see what I already have to work with, whether that be our product or not, and I think about how I can apply our portfolio to fill those gaps I see. I’m also always looking for opportunities to apply the rest of the Heaven Hill portfolio, not just the whiskeys. We have so many incredible products that compliment one another well, so I like to look for those opportunities too.

There are a handful of different trainings we can also implement with the whiskey portfolio that teach accounts how to use our products outside of the traditional neat or on the rocks. For example, Elijah Craig is one of the most versatile products in our portfolio, it’s a great Bourbon for drinking neat or on the rocks, but it also makes a great Old Fashioned. It’s also important to talk about Heaven Hill Distillery as a whole and the fact that we’re the only distillery offering every mashbill of American Whiskey and that it is produced at the largest single site Bourbon distillery in the country. Focusing on these key points and factors that make our products stand out from the competition is key to selling and helping the customer see how the product could fit into their inventory.

We can also put this into action with tastings and trainings. For example, we may lead an Elijah Craig Small Batching Class, which allows the customer to mingle different ages of whiskey together to make their own Elijah Craig Small Batch. I have even visited an account and served as a guest bartender making Heaven Hill cocktails. I’m totally open to talking through unique opportunities like this to showcase our products with the sales team. My door is always open, they can give me a call any time.

What is your most memorable moment with Heaven Hill?

Probably the first time I went to Bernheim and Bardstown. Seeing the size and the breadth of production at both locations was incredible. It was the middle of August in 2014 and it smelled like Christmas because they were in the middle of a production run with Evan Williams eggnog. Aside from that, there have been so many good memories from market visits to the Lunazul trip in Mexico that it’s really hard to choose.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

There is no rhyme or reason to every day. That keeps things exciting to the point that it doesn’t even feel like a job sometimes. For example, tonight is my first shift as a guest bartender at one of my favorite spots in San Francisco with an account that just purchased its first Elijah Craig barrel. Not only is this a great way to promote product in an account, but I get the chance to learn from the bartender and refine my skills as well.

What is your favorite Heaven Hill product and cocktail?

I have favorites from across the portfolio. I would say Elijah Craig Small Batch is my go-to everyday Bourbon, but I also love Lunazul or an Admiral Nelson’s Daiquiri from time to time. My favorite cocktail is a Boulevardier, closely followed by a Margarita and a Daiquiri. I have also been experimenting a lot with a variation on a Negroni with different base spirits, same with a Moscow Mule and an Old Fashioned.

What is something you cannot live without that is not family or friends?

Probably sports. I love watching University of Georgia football and the Washington Capitals.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?

I love to golf in my free time. Funny enough, that’s actually how I got my start in this industry. I was playing in a tournament and was randomly paired with a man who worked for Young’s Market Company. We talked about spirits the entire time and afterward I asked if I could take him to dinner. I was interested in getting into the industry and this felt like the perfect opportunity. Long story short, six months later that guy was my boss.

I also love to travel. Some of my favorite destinations are Barbados and Greece. When I’m home I love to cook too. I actually just built a four foot by seven foot barbeque pit in my back yard and I’ve been teaching myself how to cook on an open flame. Lastly, I’m just really passionate about health and wellness and learning how to live my best, most fulfilled life. Whether that means eating healthy foods or focusing on my mental health, I enjoy finding new ways to enhance my life. ​