Women and whisky

The feminine side of whisky

An unusual combination?

A waiter with two drinks on his tray is going to approache a couple: when he reaches the table, he does not ask any questions and just gives the fruity cocktail to her and the pint of beer to him. When he walks away, the man and the woman look perplexed at each other and just exchange the glasses.

This is the scene of a commercial launched by Heineken a few years ago: the purpose is to explain alcohol does not belong to any gender.

This bias survives for some types of alcohol : women and whisky, for istance, still sounds like a weird combination. Thinking of a young woman sipping a glass of whisky may be strange: we tend to associate this alcoholic with a middle-aged man and we tend to think it has always been in this way and it always will be.

The reality is quite different.

Whisky and women: a winning combination

The history of women in whisky business dates back more than two hundred years ago: Helen Cumming founded Cardhu in 1811 and she became the first woman to manage a distillery in the world . After her death, the company passed to her daughter-in-law Elizabeth.

Today, the most famous business woman in the field of whisky is Scottish and her name is Rachel Barrie: she has worked in the industry since 1992. Her passion for whisky is so strong that, immediately after graduating in Chemistry, she started working as a researcher for the Scotch Whisky Research Institute.

In 1995 she was promoted to Quality and Research Manager for Glenmorangie and her career has advanced more and more: she is a Master Creator and a Whisky Blender since 2003, moreover she collaborates with very important companies of whisky and spirits industry, such as Bowmore and Brown- Forman.

What does it mean to be a Whisky Blender? It means Rachel Barrie is so expert about whisky that she can create it herself, selecting the barrels that compone blend. As she revealed to Forbes in 2020, she was just a researcher when she decided this would be her job.

“I also dug out some of those first bottles that were lying in the archives and tasted them, and then tasted what we had going in the shelves at the time as well. Both were fantastic, but there was something about that 1990s style that I wanted to reimagine in the new range, a depth of character that I had in my mind that would bring a rounder flavor than what was on the shelves. So I set about refining things and preparing a recipe".

Whisky and women: in Italy

Scotland and Ireland are the largest whisky producers in the world, but in recent years the consumer market has been expanding and many enthusiast people are coming.

Even though it is a niche industry for us (according to ANSA, every year in Italy people consume 0.16 liters of whisky), Italian people are approaching this historic and refined product too. In addition, we have important news about the consuming public: the average age is decreasing and many women are coming.

Andrea Giannone is the founder of Milan Whisky Week and he claims one in four whisky drinkers is a woman: sure, this audience is still formed by mostly men, but things are fated to change.

What kind of person is a woman who prefers whisky? He answers: “Or she had a dad who gave her Macallan shots, unlikely, otherwise she is a woman of great culture. Getting to drink whisky is a long process, even for men. When you get there, you never go back”.

Whisky and women: the most feminine brands

Among the many existing types of whisky in the world, some brands stand out for charm and femininity.

Grace O’Malley

The name of this brand derives from a legendary Irish noblewoman of the Sixteenth century: she decided to rebel and ran away in order to be a pirate.

This distillate is distinctive and unique, just as Grace had to be: it combines several batches of whiskys of various ages in a Caribbean barrel with spicy notes, getting a smooth and fruity result.

Hedonism – The Muse

Compass Box released this limited edition after discovering a mysterious and exquisite barrel of pre-blended wheat whisky.

The taste is wonderfully rounded, with a hint of marzipan, honey and vanilla; moreover, this whisky is also known for its amazing packaging. The label, in fact, is a celebration of women, since the company consists for the most part of them.

Jane Walker

This is the female version of Johnie Walker Black Label. Diageo launched it on the market in March 2018, in conjunction with Women's Day.

The purpose of the company was to celebrate the part of women working in whisky and spirits sector: they stated almost half of the expert blenders of the brand is formed by women.

Sweetens Cove

In 2021, the new version of Sweetens Cove was launched in Tennessee, a blend of 4.5 and 15 year old bourbon.

The brand is still emerging, but the audience is enthusiastic and all credit goes to the Whisky Blender Marianne Eaves. She is first female bourbon distiller in Kentucky since Prohibition-era.

Mackmyra Brukwhisky – The Swedish Whisky

Mackmyra was the first whisky distillery born in Sweden and we find here again a woman Whiskey Blender, Angela D'Orazio.

The brand is known for its fresh, delicate and crunchy aroma, but not everything is as it appears. Despite her fragile appearance, just like a woman, this whisky hides a strong and irrepressible personality: the taste is of creamy vanilla and warm red fruits.