Bartender / bar director
Ali Reynolds
- Discipline
- Bartender / bar director
i. Biography
At Stauning, advocacy is treated as part of service: a way to bring the trade into the category with enough context to use it well. Ali Reynolds puts it plainly: “At Stauning, we have an education piece to complete; getting people in the on and off trade to engage with what we represent as a brand.” The work sits between teaching and pouring, with flavour used as the proof point. “Aside from our fantastic flavour – it’s what sets us apart from our competitors in the category,” he says, adding that “Stauning is a great whisky for sipping neat but it also lends itself very well to the range of classic whisky cocktails.”
The Path
The back bar is where timing, pace and conversation get built. Ali Reynolds started at Brass Monkey in Nottingham, then worked as bartender at Haus Bar in Bristol (2006–2008), a stretch that would have demanded clean service and composure under pressure. The progression continued into more defined operational and creative work: bar operations lead and cocktail menu designer at Pollen Street Social in Mayfair, London (from 2011), then Bar Manager at Hawksmoor in London (until 2015). Each step moved him closer to the point where technical control and public communication had to work together. Today, he is Johnnie Walker GB Brand Ambassador of Johnnie Walker.
The Work Today
Today, Ali Reynolds serves as Global Brand Ambassador and Head of Advocacy for Stauning Whisky, while also acting as Johnnie Walker GB Brand Ambassador. One role requires him to explain what a brand stands for; the other asks for a global name to be carried with consistency. At Stauning, the brief is explicitly educational, built around getting people in the on and off trade to engage with what the brand represents. In practice, that means translating identity and provenance into something useful in service, where the recommendation has to land quickly and accurately. Flavour remains the fixed point. Reynolds returns to the whiskey's use in both neat serves and classic cocktails, and that gives his advocacy range without drifting into abstraction. The pitch is direct: explain the category, show where the whisky fits, and let the glass do the rest.
Career - Johnnie Walker GB Brand Ambassador — Johnnie Walker - Bartender — Brass Monkey, Nottingham - Bartender — Haus Bar, Bristol (2006–2008) - Bar operations lead and cocktail menu designer — Pollen Street Social, Mayfair, London (from 2011) - Bar Manager — Hawksmoor, London (until 2015)
Signature
Ali's signature dishes include Stauning Morning Glory Fizz.
In Their Words “At Stauning, we have an education piece to complete; getting people in the on and off trade to engage with what we represent as a brand.” “Stauning is a great whisky for sipping neat but it also lends itself very well to the range of classic whisky cocktails.”
Acclaim
Ali's honors include World Class Bartender of the Year competition, 4th place (2015) and Best International Cocktail Bar in the world at Tales of the Cocktail.
FAQ What is Ali Reynolds's current role? As of 2026, Ali Reynolds is Global Brand Ambassador. Where did Ali Reynolds work before? Ali Reynolds's earlier career included Brass Monkey, Haus Bar, and Pollen Street Social. What recognition has Ali Reynolds received? World Class Bartender of the Year competition, 4th place (2015).
