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Spencer Gooderham is a highly sought after speaker in the whisky industry. He is a certified distiller and has trained at some of the most iconic distilleries in the world. During his years as the Canadian Whisky Ambassador, he has held over 500+ tastings, masterclasses, and pairing dinners across Canada.
Read his story below.
WHISKY | HISTORY | FAMILY | LEGACY
I’ll never forget my first sip of whisky…
I was 8 years old. No joke. My Father came into my room bringing with him a small 50mL sampling bottle of Gooderham & Worts Original Four Grain Whisky. He waxed poetic about our family heritage, our forefathers as titans of industry, and a legacy that for the most part was lost in time. He explained the importance of the bottle, and that it should be cherished for generations to come as I continue the legacy of our family that built this country. He handed me the bottle in a metaphorical passing of the torch; a family heirloom that should never be opened. Naturally, as soon as he stepped out of my room I immediately cracked open the bottle and took a big swig to see what the fuss was all about! Needless to say, that first sip of whisky did not stay down. However, that moment has never left me. The pride my Father instilled in me and the stories he told me left a lasting impression. From that moment on I knew that my purpose in life was to share our family story, to share history, and most importantly, to share whisky with people we love.
That has never changed for me since that day when I was eight. I knew my path in life, I was bound for the whisky industry… but I always joke that it’s not exactly something your guidance councillor helps you out with in high school. As a young man I had a knack for sciences and found myself in Kinesiology and later in graduate school for Public Health. After grad school I landed an amazing job at a management consulting firm downtown, but after a few months into the job I was miserable - I went to bed every single night thinking about how I could get into the whisky industry. So after a particularly sleepless night, I went into work and quit on the spot! Within a couple of weeks I had packed up my car and embarked on an epic road trip across the country to visit distilleries, learn the industry, and attend the distillation course at the Artisan Craft Distilling Institute, just outside of Seattle.
Credentials
BSc in Kinesiology
MSc in Public Health
Certified Distiller; Artisan Craft Distilling Institute
experience
10+ years public speaking
5+ years bartending
3+ years micro-distillery consulting
3+ years as the Canadian Whisky Ambassador
500+ Whisky Tastings
300+ Masterclasses
100+ Pairing Dinners
Media Trained Speaker
From that moment on, I never looked back. The course was incredible and I visited over 25 distilleries in both Canada and the USA on the road. To this day, the most memorable part of the trip was the people. The distillers, blenders, coopers, and bartenders who brought the spirits to life. When I returned home, I started bartending and set to work manifesting my vision of opening a micro-distillery. I fell in love with every aspect of working a bar. For years I spent every single day researching and putting together a business plan to open the distillery, and then heading to the bar at night. We pitched investors, raised seed money, found a space, and in the months before launching the company… I was offered the dream job. And it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. To serve as the Canadian Whisky Brand Ambassador for one of the top spirit companies on the planet.
Shutting that project down and taking the brand ambassador role was one of the most difficult decisions of my life. But one I will never regret. My world opened up in ways I could never imagine. And most importantly, I was living out my childhood dream of sharing my family story, the Canadian Whisky story, with people across the country. And that I did. For three incredible years, I trained at our distillery and travelled non-stop from coast-to-coast holding whisky tastings, pairing dinners, masterclasses, guest bartending shifts, and private functions. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. I will cherish those memories and experiences for the rest of my life.
That said, all good things must come to an end. After years of #ambassadorlife it is time to pass the torch onto the next chapter. In the interest of continued self growth, evolution, and establishing certain aspects of my personal life, I have decided to take a step back from the travelling brand ambassador lifestyle. For now, I am settled back home in Toronto with my family and loved ones. While my travelling days have slowed down and I’m no longer a corporate brand ambassador, I will continue to represent the spirit I love as a freelance Whisky Ambassador. I am no longer tied to specific brands and no longer tied to specific markets. I now have the wonderful opportunity to share my passion for whisky in my own way and in my own voice.
I look forward to continuing to share my love for whisky with amazing people from all walks of life. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and chat about whisky. Whether you are looking for a whisky tasting for an event, office party, private function, pairing dinner, or looking to elevate a cocktail bar, I can provide you with a whisky experience you and your guests won’t soon forget. I live and breath this industry, and I’d love to share what I’ve learned over my life in whisky with you.
It’s been a few decades since my Father first gave me that mini and I had my first sip of whisky. I still have that little bottle. It’s sitting on my shelf watching over me as I write this. Every time I see it, it reminds me of my path in life. To educate, inspire, and share my passion for whisky with people.
Here’s to good health, old stories, and new friends.
Cheers,