Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Colomb.
Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story in this space started in the same place as many others. I’ve been in hospitality for over a decade and a half and about 8 years ago, I decided to further my education by studying to becoming a Sommelier in the Court of Masters. This is where my tasting journey began. I was fascinated with the tasting process and dedicated myself to learning more about it and still try to add to my wine knowledge today. My foray into whiskey is a little different, I can honestly say that it started because I ordered a whiskey-based drink at a bar, and I was told by another patron, “why don’t you try something sweeter, whiskey isn’t for everyone.” Being stubborn, I took that as a challenge and started only drinking whiskey and was constantly trying to learn more about it. I can honestly say that that comment led me on an incredible journey of education. After building my knowledge and collection over the last 5 years or so, I was sitting at a friends house and they said the magic words, “Wouldn’t it be funny if you started your own social media page about whiskey?”. The rest is history at this point. I started my page shortly after that and now 1.5 years in, I’m so happy that I did. I’ve had the opportunity to build an incredible community of whiskey-enthusiasts, and I love that my followers trust me to share my honest opinions about whiskey and the industry as a whole.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being a female in the Whiskey space is a challenge in and of itself. The spirits industry as a whole tends to be a male-dominated space, whether you’re talking about whiskey, wine, or any number of industries. After close to 14 years in hospitality, I decided to start posting about my foray into spirits in the hopes that it would encourage other women to share their passion of the whiskey space. When you don’t look like the “typical” whiskey lover, it takes longer to build credibility and rapport with your audience, but at the end of the day I think my passion showed through and I’ve been able to carve out a welcoming space for new and seasoned enthusiasts alike.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I thrive primarily in the social media space as a content creator. I strive to educate and entertain whiskey enthusiasts from around the US, whether they are new to the scene or not. Being a creator means I have to wear a lot of hats, I’m the photographer, videographer, copywriter, marketing manager and conceptual team.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Tasting Whiskey – Lew Bryson
Whisky Rising by Stefan Van Eycken
The Philosophy of Whisky by Billy Abbott
Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America’s Whiskey by Reid Mitenbuler
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bourbon_and_bikinis
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bourbon_and_bikinis
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@bourbonandbikinis
