“Elayne’s passion for all things spirits and cocktails is truly infectious,” says Gary Regan, author of The Joy of Mixology, and founder of Cocktails in the Country, an intensive hands-on course on bartending and mixology that Elayne attended in 2007.  “She has the personality of a top-notch bartender, a thirst for knowledge and an innate ability to communicate with anyone and everyone.” 

Elayne Duke is a mixologist and spirits ambassador for Diageo (the world's leading premium drinks business with brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories).

She was most recently honored by James Beard Foundation as one of the most prominent women mixologists in the country. Her passion for spirits and the art of creating cocktails began eight years ago when she started in the spirits industry, on the marketing side.  A native New Yorker, Elayne first developed her techniques and talent as a student of the of B.A.R (Beverage Alcohol Resource), America’s premier course on spirits and cocktails, where she studied under world-renowned experts Paul Pacult, David Wondrich, Steve Olson, Doug Frost and Dale Degroff. 

She has been mastering her skills for the past five years, exploring the true integrity of the spirit at some of today’s most prominent spirit distilleries, creating cocktails for prominent New York City restaurants such as Central Park Boathouse, Grand Central Oyster Bar and Balthazar and by training others on brands such as Ketel One vodka, Don Julio, Tanqueray No.Ten, Bulleit Bourbon, Ron Zacappa Rum and Ciroc vodka.

Elayne is currently teaching spirit seminars monthly at Astor Wine and Spirits.
Elayne lives in Manhattan with her husband Ian and their daughter Dylan.