Women in Whiskey

Powerful drams from powerful dames.

Let’s unmask the invisible heroines of Whiskey! Women have been saving the day (and the Whiskey industry) for generations, all while flying under the radar: from secret distillers and recipe keepers to prohibition-era bootleggers and WWII barmaids. The Whiskeys in this Tasting Box are more than just Spirits; they're stories of Wonder Women going against the grain (literally). Who needs a golden lasso when you've got a golden dram?

The first sample, Jimmy Red Straight Bourbon Whiskey comes from a South Carolina heroine called Ann Marshall. Ann's and her husband’s journey from home brewing to craft distilling is like a comic book hero's journey - full of twists, turns, and a little bit of magic (in this case, magenta-hued Jimmy Red corn). This isn't your average Joe corn. We're talking heirloom variety, saved from extinction, and now it's kicking butt in a Bourbon that boasts notes of soft graham, vanilla, baking spice, and hazelnut. Talk about a comeback kid!

Then there's Uncle Nearest 1884 Premium Small Batch Whiskey, curated by award-winning first African-American mistress blender (it’s a word now!) Victoria Eady Butler. This Whiskey is like the secret identity of the Whiskey world, named after the unsung hero who taught Jack Daniels everything he knew. With no preconceived ideas or blending habits, Victoria, who’s also the great-great-granddaughter of Nearest, created a sweet, low-proof expression with notes of honey, stone fruit, and cinnamon.

Last but not least, we have Freeland Spirits Bourbon. Born from founder Jill Kuehler's vision of celebrating Oregon's terroir, it's as if she lassoed the essence of the land itself, bringing out the flavorful truth of the local land and grains. This blend of two Bourbons of 3 and 12 years is a captivating narrative of caramel, vanilla, cocoa, and spice.

So here's to the Wonder Women of Whiskey - proving that when it comes to creating memorable Spirits, they're in a League of their own!

SMARTASS CORNER

1) No Mary the Jewess, no merry! This gal from 0-200 CE invented distilling. Without her, ‘happy hour’ would be a dry affair. Her three-armed distilling gizmo, the tribikos, made spirits happen.

2) Queen Anne: unintentional Ginfluencer! Originally a Brandy babe, she accidentally sparked the UK's Gin craze by nixing a distilling monopoly in London. Suddenly, Gin joints were popping up faster than royal scandals.

3) Ellen Jane Corrigan was the original 'Whiskey Woman' the first CEO of a major spirits company back in 1865. After her hubby Patrick kicked the bucket, she took Bushmills from a local distillery to a global powerhouse - negotiating leases, guarding water supplies, and even making the place sparkle with electricity!

4) The only American whiskey distillery owned by a woman in the 1800s that’s still in production is George Dickel, established in Tennessee as a liquor wholesale company in 1861.

5) Bessie Williamson, a.k.a the 'First Lady of Scotch', not only saved Laphroaig Distillery from becoming a WWII ammunition hub but also switched America's Scotch love from blends to single malts. From secretary to savior, she ensured no one laid hands on her precious stills or whiskey!

6) Before Johnnie Walker took a step, Helen Cumming was the whisky world's leading lady at Cardow. She was the OG whisky bootlegger, inviting tax agents for dinner and hoisting a red flag - her version of 'cops are here!' The only female Scotch Whisky founder till recently, she passed her legacy to Elizabeth, who sold old stills to a startup you might know - Glenfiddich!

7) Rita Taketsuru, born Jessie Roberta Cowan, put the 'high' in 'highballs' for Japan. Helping her husband Taketsuru Masataka set up the Nikka distilling company, she is now known as the ‘Mother of Japanese Whisky.’

8) Castle & Key's Marianne Eaves is shaking up the Whiskey world, one Bourbon at a time. The first lady of distilling in Kentucky since Prohibition, she's pouring a new era into your Whiskey glass!