Edrington UK has announced the appointment of Raffaele Di Monaco as the latest brand ambassador for the House of Suntory.
In his new role, the former bars manager for The Blue Bar and The Berkeley Bar & Terrace will promote the brands within the House of Suntory portfolio which includes Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki, and Toki whiskies, Haku vodka and Roku gin.
“My love and passion for Japanese culture and the Japanese approach to bartending was first ignited at the Asian-inspired establishments I worked at, such as Park Chinois and Hakkasan,” said Di Monaco.
“The opportunity to build on this and be an advocate for the art of Japanese bartending is a dream come true.”
Di Monaco started his career in Italy, where he studied hotel management and food and beverage science.
In addition to his WSET Wine & Spirit qualifications, Di Monaco completed a Sake training at Hakassan in 2014, as well as an Aspiring Leader Program at The Maybourne Group in 2019.
“Raffaele is the ideal candidate for the role; having worked in some of London’s highly respected establishments, he has the perfect combination of experience between culture and prestige to champion our diverse House of Suntory portfolio,” said Andrea Montague, head of advocacy at Edrington UK.
“Not only does he have the experience, but he also has the passion for Japanese culture which is crucial to the role.”