Contributors
EDITOR, PUBLISHER
Reece Sims
Reece is the Editor and Publisher of the Flavour Report, a spirited publication exploring the intersection of flavour, culture, and connection. Named the 2025 IWSC Emerging Talent in Spirits Communications, she’s also an international spirits awards judge, seasoned writer, and educator. In addition, Reece is the founder of Flavor Camp and owner of SIP Spirits Consulting, where she helps brands bring flavour to life. Her work focuses on data- and insight-driven strategies that shape the global drinks landscape.
CONTRIBUTOR, BARTENDER
Jessica Colacci
Jessica is the 2024 winner of Canada’s Amaro Montenegro Vero Bartender competition and has been recognized on the World's 50 Best Bars list as a young and rising star through the 50 Best Bars Roku Scholarship. She has worked at some of Canada’s most acclaimed bars including Hoof Cocktail Bar and Bar Raval, and currently resides at Bar Pompette (#7 on North America's 50 Best Bars 2025).
CONTRIBUTOR
Davin De Kergommeaux
Davin is the world’s leading authority on Canadian whisky and an IACP award-winning writer. Author of Canadian Whisky: The Essential Portable Expert and founder of the Canadian Whisky Awards, he’s been a celebrated voice in spirits writing for over 25 years. In 2024, he was inducted into the Whisky Hall of Fame and named one of Canada’s most influential in food and drink.
CONTRIBUTOR
Andrea Fujarczuk
Andrea is a Professor and Program Coordinator for Artisan Distilling at Niagara College with over a decade of experience in spirits production, sales, education, and media. A level 4 WSET scholarship winner with an MBA and a BSc in Environmental Science, she is currently completing her DBA at Heriot-Watt University, exploring values and the role of country of origin in the Canadian whisky market.
CONTRIBUTOR
Amanda Horn
From marketing wine to marketing water, Amanda is an ocean entrepreneur, professional scuba diver, and storyteller. She designs eco-conscious brand and product experiences that invite you to Take a Look in the Merroir™ because the ocean is reflected in everything we do and all we are.
CONTRIBUTOR
Erik Kozlik
Eric Kozlik is a spirits judge, cocktail expert, and consultant based in Washington, D.C. He is the founder and Principal Consultant at Direct Fire Consulting, where he helps distillers and hospitality professionals create stunning liquid brands. Since 2017, he has produced and hosted The Modern Bar Cart Podcast, which has been recognized by Tales of the Cocktail and The New York Times as an industry leading drinks podcast.
CONTRIBUTOR
Charlene Rooke
Charlene Rooke is a Vancouver-based drinks journalist and educator. She is the Drinks Editor of LCBO Food & Drink magazine, teaches spirits courses for the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, and leads tastings for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and others. As the Academy Chair Canada West, World’s 50 Best Bars, she's on a quest to discover the world's best rye Manhattan.
CONTRIBUTOR
David T. Smith
David is an internationally renowned gin expert, judge and author. He chairs judging panels for the American Distilling Institute and the International Wine and Sprits Competition, as well as the Gin Masters competition. In addition, he has written a variety of drinks books including Gin Tonica, The Craft of Gin, The Gin Dictionary, and most recently, Disco Cocktails.
LinkedIn — Instagram
CONTRIBUTOR
Heather Storgaard
Heather is a multilingual Danish-Scottish writer passionate about whisky. She loves uncovering forgotten whisky history, as well as researching the future distilling can offer rural communities. This year, she was named one of Harper's Wine & Spirits 30 under 30 and is a Bourbon Women SIP Scholar.
CONTRIBUTOR
Abby Wiseman
Founder of Amuse Bouche Creative Studios, Abby is a photographer, writer, and content strategist who has made her mark in the food and beverage industry by collaborating with prominent food brands and restaurants. With her unique background in journalism and the restaurant industry, Abby uses her lens and words to uplift small food and sustainable lifestyle brands.
CONTRIBUTOR
Eric Zandona
Eric is the director of the American Distilling Institute's International Spirits Competition and principal consultant at EZdrinking a spirits consultancy and media platform that posts reviews, curates spirit events, and helps brands with product development, sourcing, and marketing strategy. Eric has written extensively on spirits and authored three books, The Bourbon Bible, The Tequila Dictionary, and The Atlas of Bourbon and American Whiskey.