Sebastien Gavillet

Sébastien Gavillet is a Swiss executive with over 25 years of experience in wine, spirits, and luxury retail. He is COO of Wine Aromas – Le Nez du Vin in the United States and co-founder of NOCO Distillery, an award-winning U.S. craft distillery recognized as Micro Distillery of the Year, Best Single Barrel Bourbon (2024) and winner of Best Small Batch Bourbon & Best Rye Whiskey in (2025).

As a global consultant, Sébastien advises clients across wine, spirits, hospitality, and luxury retail on strategy, market entry, acquisitions, valuations, and executive leadership. His career includes spearheading retail rollouts across the U.S. and Europe, navigating compliance in highly regulated industries, and guiding businesses through growth and transition as a fractional COO and shadow consultant.

A published author and advisory board member of the Council of Whiskey Masters, Sébastien is also recognized for his work in AI innovation, pioneering the use of digital “twins” for business training and efficiency.

Born in Switzerland to a Swiss father and Swedish mother, he grew up across Kenya, Tanzania, Japan, and Switzerland, and has lived in the U.S. for 25 years. Fluent in French and English, with additional languages in progress, he brings a multicultural perspective and global network to every engagement.

Publications

• Discovering & Mastering Single Malt Scotch Whisky

• The International Whisky Guide (2016–2019 editions)

• Contributor to global wine & spirits media, with readership in more than 180 countries

Innovation

Sébastien is the creator of the WhiskyVibe App, an AI-powered whisky tasting tool. The next-generation release, launching in 2026, will feature voice-to-app capability and a built-in digital “twin” assistant, reflecting his commitment to innovation and the future of whisky education.

Connect with Sébastien on LinkedIn for his latest projects and insights.