Masters of Their Craft

A Fireside Chat with Master Distiller Brent Elliott & New Brand Ambassador and Mixologist Abby Martinie 

 
Four Roses recently had the pleasure of welcoming our new Brand Ambassador and Mixologist, Abby Martinie, to our Kentucky community. Earlier this month, a few members of our staff sat down with Abby and our Master Distiller, Brent Elliott, for a Q & A to learn more about their roles, upcoming events, and insights into their extensive knowledge of distilling our bourbon and using its smooth flavor in delicious cocktails.
 
See the conversation below:
 
Q: Abby, you’ve been a part of Four Roses for a while now, how does it feel to be in this new position working alongside Brent? 

Abby: “I am honored and thrilled to be involved with such a legendary brand that shares my passion for creativity and innovation. After working as a Four Roses Sales Manager for the past five years in the Northwest, it is an unbelievable opportunity to now call our distillery in Kentucky my new home. 

And I feel so lucky to be working alongside Brent – he is humble, classic, and I always learn something new when he steps into the room.”

 
Q: Brent, what’s it like working with Abby in this new role? 

Brent: “It’s always great working with Abby. Abby is very approachable and has a natural ability to make everyone in the room feel welcomed. Her high energy is contagious, and she has an extensive knowledge of mixology that I’d love to learn more about; so, having her join in this new role not only gives me a chance to do that firsthand but has given our bourbon a great platform to shine.”

 
Q: What’s your process for creating the new and exciting cocktails you’ve been developing for Four Roses, Abby? 

Abby: “Well, any great cocktail starts with a great base – thanks to Brent, I always have a solid foundation of consistency to work with. My methodology after that is starting from the basics – taking those classic building blocks of standard cocktails, playing with different amounts of each and adding interesting ingredients for a unique flavor.

I’ve always been a believer that what works in the kitchen works in the glass, so I look to what flavors pair well with each other in food and take that same concept into creating new cocktails for our bourbon drinkers.”

 
Q: Will we be able to see both of you in action at any future events? 

Brent: “Absolutely. Having Abby here, we will get to show up together more often. With each event, we want to teach more about our brand – from our history and unique production process to how to use the bourbon in cocktails that appeal to a wide audience. So each of us can offer a different lens to give our bourbon drinkers more insight into what we do and how to turn our bourbon into something new.”

 
Q: I think that provides some great insight into how you [Brent] and Abby can work so closely and well together, from the start of the distilling to the refreshing finish of using Four Roses in cocktail recipes! Before we close out, I’ve got to know, what’s your current go-to happy hour drink? 

Brent: “You know with it being the dog days of summer, I’ve really been craving a mint julep. It’s been speaking to me lately.”

Abby: “I always love a Paper Plane. It’s just become a modern and balanced classic of dry and refreshing flavors.”

 
Abby and Brent are true masters of their craft. Together, they make an unstoppable team of great innovation and flavor, from the start of the distilling process to the last garnish on a refreshing cocktail. We look forward to working with them both at future events and cannot wait for our bourbon drinkers to see them in action together.