‘The mission to make American whiskey the world’s whiskey is going to take a lot of time and focus’ – American Whiskey Association CEO Michael Bilello speaks to Global Drinks Intel

Earlier this year, the American Whiskey Association came into being, followed in September, by the appointment of its first CEO. Global Drinks Intel editor Olly Wehring congratulated Michael Bilello on his new role this month, while also quizzing him on the trade association's aspirations.What was your background prior to joining the American Whiskey Association?I spent six-and-a-half years with the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, working with distributors of wine and spirits. I was also the executive director of Sipsource, the wholesaler depletion data set that shows how the market