Robert is extremely knowledgeable and exciting to watch as he takes new/existing consumers into the world of whisky. He captures the true heritage of each and every distillery, details the quality of ingredients to where you can taste / smell them without even doing so, and he brings out the rich essence of whisky through his professional demeanor.
Robert is not only a specialist in whisky, he is a true bon vivant. He has a gift for engaging consumers and members of the trade and is able to translate his passion for food and drink with ease. His warm personality and confident demeanor make him ideally suited for any audience who seeks to strengthen their knowledge of the liquid he represents so well.
In many ways he is a throwback to a much more appealing time in the country when men behaved like gentlemen. He commands the audience’s attention with flair and holds their attention regardless of noise factor or audience size. People tune in to what he has to say. He can take a consumer, gatekeeper, distributor sales person or supplier through a tasting with an effortless style. He simplifies without dumbing down the message. An amateur will walk away with a comprehensive understanding of Scotch whisky and a ‘so-called’ expert walks away a ‘true’ expert.
His stories paint a beautiful picture, his words touch the hearts of many, his humor brings smiles to faces, and his knowledge brings everything together to create a memorable experience. His palate for flavor tastes and food pairing make him a valuable asset in an industry growing with celebrity chefs, mixologists, and spirits experts.
Robert is truly a delight to work with and I will jump at any opportunity to work with him again. I was born and raised in Scotland, and can say with sincerity that I am proud to count on him as an ambassador for the country and its products. He’s one in a million, and I’m certain that he will be a fabulous asset to you and your business.
I have attended Robert’s tastings and events and I am always amazed at the way Robert engages with the crowd as well as his vast knowledge of the Whisky category and his portfolio as well as the competitive set. He brings a level of professionalism, insight and entertainment that is unrivaled.
I have had the pleasure of knowing Robert for 5 years and his passion for Scotch whisky is truly inspirational. Being a native Scotsman myself I was overwhelmed by his extensive knowledge and passion for whisky and how he manages to relate to the customer. On several occasions I have reached out to Robert to assist me with various consultancy projects for Diageo and he has delivered every time with a professionalism that is becoming rare in our industry.
Over the past few years, I have always been amazed at how effectively Robert engages retailers, consumers, and wholesale representatives. He is widely regarded as one of the foremost experts in his field in Colorado, and travels across the nation helping out in other markets. His ability to mentor customers is truly amazing, and his ability to get consumers excited and educated about Single Malt Scotch makes working with him at events very enjoyable. Not only is he great at representing whisky but he also knows more than most about food, travel, arts, and a wide variety of different topics. His easygoing personality, passion for life, and mentoring teaching style sets him apart from the thousands of individuals that I have business interactions with each year. On top of personal interaction, his weekly e-mails, newsletter, and Facebook page keeps me informed of new products, tastings, classes, and just about everything else that is happening with Scotch Whisky in Colorado.
Robert speaks to the entire whisky category with confidence. He is well versed in the whisky industry as a whole, and his presentations reflect an individual who takes genuine ownership of the products he represents. One of his greatest talents is his ability to connect with a broad spectrum of individuals. He was as engaging and genuine to our front of house staff as he was to our distinguished guests and upper management. He is truly a world class representative of whisky.
I have worked with other spirits specialists but
none have the style, flair, product knowledge, or sheer showmanship that Robert brings to each event. He is not only totally knowledgeable about the product he represents; he is a born entertainer with a heart that understands the masses. As a pitchman, I have never heard anyone sell anything with the conviction and sincerity that Robert brings time after time.
I’ve been Robert Sickler’s friend since the first time I attended Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans several years ago. I’ve met some very interesting people along my path to knowledge in the alcohol industry, but Robert stands out amongst the crowd. His benevolent nature and firm, “look you in the eye” handshake is memorable. He truly likes people and “sharing” the gospel of distilled spirits is only one of his many attributes. Generosity and kindness follow his words along with his love of the written word, be it of describing his love of food or of drink.
The night when I first met him in New Orleans, he was eating paella, alone in what appeared to be a state of deep thought; he took time to talk to me. It was one of the great moments of my life to be recognized in public by this man, a real Master of Whiskey. But that is only the beginning; I learned that Robert is a benevolent man in all of his interactions with people and he possesses many classical talents. Poetry and intellect, of art and for style are just a few of his possessions in his tool-kit of assets.
He is kind, forthright and when he speaks in front of a group- he smiles. That unconscious movement shows through everything he does. A persuasive trait, unfortunately lost today to most, but thankfully alive and well within this gentleman, Robert Sickler.
He would be a great asset to any organization or group that values intellectualism over the brute force of words. He gets right in there and does his magic. Robert brings history to life. Robert makes it happen, rather than just speaking about a topic in a boring monotone like so many in this field.
Watching him teach whisky takes great prowess, one he shares readily with ease and humor.
Robert Sickler (The Voice of Whisky), recently helped host an event at Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen. His passion and cunning spirit brought joy to every patron for a grand tasting of Scotch paired with an eight-course menu. With every pairing, Robert delivered a candid presentation of not only the history of each beverage, but a personal story of his travels and experiences. Without Robert, the event would have not been executed with such a high level of expertise. Robert has become a leading advocate for the education of whisky, and is creating a community within Denver and abroad to share his passion and knowledge of the world of whisky.
Robert not only met all of the necessary qualifications as a Master of Whisky, but consistently went above the call of duty, always bringing new ideas to the table. His well developed palate and creativity has enabled him to work successfully with top chefs on menu creation and food pairing, bringing the whisky experience to consumers and trade in an exciting way. I have attended many of Robert’s whisky dinners and presentations and I saw that he has a gift for connecting with his audience and making whisky accessible and memorable for them.
Robert has a talent for reading the listeners, fine-tuning his presentation, and providing maximum impact and education about whiskies and their history. Robert can deliver an equally effective presentation in a room of more than 100 participants or a room of 10. His knowledge and passion of food, wine and – of course – whisky, provides for wonderful and interesting insights into the world of spirits.
I first met Robert Sickler at a Scotch whisky dinner in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was obvious that he had worked extensively in his collaboration with the chef in preparing food+whisky pairings for the dinner (an effort that demonstrated a culinary background as extensive as his whisky expertise). The event was attended by an eclectic mix of young and old; foodiesand whisky fans; but also folks relatively new to whisky — and all were blown away by the creative pairings that elevated their understanding and appreciation of each spirit. What’s more, Robert has mastered the delicate art of balancing well thought out instruction with humor and collegiality: his events are neither “data dumps” nor are they just “parties” — in this single event, new whisky fans’ eyes were opened to the vast flavors and experiences available to them in Scotch, and seasoned drinkers learned even more information and background on their favorite spirits, and experienced some new ones along the way. Regardless of your background, a Robert Sickler whisky event is an elevating experience.
Just one of these dinners would never be enough: based on this one whisky event, my friends and I immediately joined Robert’s event mailing list and have been to many dinners and events since. I attend each one that I can with eager anticipation, knowing that both my taste- and my knowledge-horizons will be expanded. I recognize other repeat-attenders as well, and that sort of following is only possible because each event is unique, informative, entertaining, and memorable.
I’ve also been photographing Robert’s events for the last year or two, and in that capacity have observed more of his behind-the-scenes interactions with vendors, proprietors, chefs, owners, bartenders, etc., and have learned much about customer service and flexibility from the experience. It seems that every time an event concludes, I always hear a manager or owner begging Robert to return and plan another event. These events are an incredible way for venues to build relationships with their best clientele.
It’s my pleasure to recommend Robert Sickler for any event you and he can dream up.
When it comes to hosting an event, Robert Sickler is the perfect entertainer. Having worked together on a number of projects, he consistently delivers a professional, unique and well thought out concept from start to finish. Robert’s ability to transform each venue into a memorable experience is a testament to his personable presentations, vast knowledge of the industry and true passion for his craft. Additionally, Robert has created strategic relationships with many of the fine, local artisans giving him a ton of resources to make each gathering distinctly different and special. He does a phenomenal job of aligning what the client wants to get out of the event with what the guests are hoping to take away from it. I would strongly recommend Robert to host your next event and I certainly plan on using his services a number of times well into the future.
I first met Robert two years ago when he came to Pradera looking to add a few whiskies to our shelves. Thanks to a tornado in the area, which forced us to remain indoors for several hours, I was able to get a thorough training on whiskey and spirits, but I was also able to get to know Robert and learn of his passion. I went into our initial meeting a novice at Scotch and have become a full-fledged junkie since. I credit most of my knowledge to him and our shelves still bear most of the products he represented. His personality and knowledge are outstanding and his customer service has been exemplary. We have now hosted three separate Scotch dinners featuring Robert and are planning yet another one. He is a great worker who’s knowledge and passion for his products is unparalleled, but he’s also a terrific person who can make any training, tasting, or dinner a memorable experience.
Robert has an equally attuned sense to pairing whisky with food in a way to compliment both. He’s never afraid to explore creations and pairings influenced from Latin, Caribbean and Asian culture. Being able to see the beauty of an old world whisky and its influence in a new world way is one of Robert’s strengths! His most striking attribute, though, is a remarkable ability to connect with people. (And he looks smashing in his kilt!) His passion for his craft is a unique experience not to be missed! To spend an evening tasting whisky and food with Robert, I liken to listening to Shakespeare, spoken by the man himself. Always a joy, a consummate professional and a downright joy to work with!
