Welcome to Your Whiskey Education!
Curated from our archives and filled with information every bourbon lover will enjoy, here’s list of articles full of whiskey education, our Meet the Makers series, and some fabulous how-to articles. Browse the articles below and head to our members only section for special content built just for bourbon enthusiasts like you!
Winter Warm-Up: Classic Cocktails for the Cozy Season
As the temperatures drop, there’s nothing quite like wrapping up in a blanket with a cocktail that brings warmth to the body and soul. Bourbon as a lovely, high-proof spirit, is the perfect choice for a base spirit for fall and winter drinks. This season, let’s delve...
DIY Sensory Kit for Bourbon and Whiskey
Ever wanted to train your nose like a bourbon pro? Let's talk about how to make a bourbon sensory kit from your pantry! You don’t need fancy gadgets or expensive kits to get started—you can create your own sensory kit with everyday items from your pantry. Smell,...
How to Win Friends and Share Whiskey: A Bourbon Lover’s Guide
Whether Dale Carnegie would agree or not, the basic principles of his How to Win Friends and Influence People could be rewritten as a primer for sharing whiskey and bourbon culture with your friends and family. Those same tenets work equally well whether you're at a...
Custom Bourbon Gifts That’ll Turn You into a Holiday Hero
Bourbon has long been a gift of tradition, warmth, and camaraderie—perfect for holiday celebrations with family, friends, and colleagues. Whether you're shopping for a corporate group, your closest friends, or a family gathering, bourbon and whiskey gifts offer...
Bourbon & the Holiday Table: Elevate Your Feast with These Bourbon-Infused Delights!
This holiday season, bring out the rich, warm flavors of bourbon and impress your guests with a festive table that’s all about indulgence. Whether you’re gathering with family, friends, or fellow bourbon lovers, these bourbon-inspired dishes (some from our very own...
Staving vs. Secondary Finishing: What’s the Difference?
In the world of bourbon, subtle changes in the production process can lead to big differences in flavor. Two popular techniques that distillers use to create unique and nuanced whiskey expressions are staving and secondary finishing. While both methods focus on...
They Can Measure That? Breaking Down Sweetness, Astringency & Acidity in Whiskey
In the final part of our series, we look at the often-overlooked but critical elements of whiskey—sweetness, astringency, and acidity. These aspects, while subtle, can make or break the flavor profile and balance of a fine whiskey. Sweetness Evaluation: The...
They Can Measure That? The Science of Whiskey’s Mouthfeel and Flavor
In the second part of our series, we dive into two of the most exciting aspects of whiskey appreciation—how it feels and tastes. You might think these are purely subjective sensations, but advanced technology helps scientists quantify them in surprising ways. ...
Fall Inspired Bourbon Pairings to Warm Your Soul
As the leaves change color and the air becomes crisp, there’s nothing like cozying up with a glass of bourbon and some perfectly paired fall flavors. Whether you’re gathering around a fire with friends or hosting a fall dinner party, these autumn-inspired bourbon...
They Can Measure That? The Science Behind Whiskey Nosing and Appearance
When whiskey enthusiasts evaluate a glass of whiskey, the experience goes beyond simple sipping. Experts rely on sensory analysis to break down every element of whiskey's profile. However, there’s a scientific counterpart to each sensory evaluation, and it’s...
Barrels of Fun: A Guide to the Hottest Whiskey Festivals Across the U.S.
Whiskey festivals in the U.S. offer enthusiasts an opportunity to explore the world of bourbon, rye, and whiskey in an immersive and educational environment. From the heart of Kentucky bourbon country to the bustling streets of New Orleans and the vibrant whiskey...
Tails of Trouble: The Compounds Whiskey Makers Leave Behind
In the art of whiskey distillation, balance is key. As distillers carefully craft each batch, they pay close attention to the different fractions of the distillate. While the "heads" and "hearts" portions are well-known, the "tails" are equally important in ensuring a...
Raffle: Win an Exclusive Bourbon Adventure at New Riff Distilling!
Bourbon lovers, this is your moment! Imagine spending a day with your closest friends, diving into the world of bourbon at New Riff Distilling—one of Kentucky's most celebrated distilleries. Now, imagine that this experience was crafted exclusively for you and for the...
Whiskey’s Dirty Little Secret: What Hides in the Heads of Distillation
The art of distillation is at the heart of crafting whiskey, and it’s a delicate process that requires precision and care to achieve the perfect balance of flavors. One of the critical steps in distillation is separating out the different fractions of the distillate....
Power of a Shared Pour: Using Bourbon to Build Your Network & Business
Bourbon isn’t just for sipping by the fire or toasting with friends. In fact, it can be a powerful tool for building your network and business. Whether you're at a networking event, business dinner, or simply gathering with colleagues, bourbon can help foster...
Whisky Magazine and American Whiskey Magazine VP of Sales Position
Many of you enjoy reading Whiskey Magazine and American Whiskey Magazine. They have a position open for USA-VP Sales for their publication and events portfolio. They are looking to recruit a VP of Sales For American Whiskey Magazine and Whisky Magazine. The role is...
Bourbon 101: Understanding Key Whiskey Terms
Whether you're a seasoned bourbon enthusiast or a curious beginner, understanding the terms used in whiskey-making can deepen your appreciation for this rich spirit. In this Bourbon 101 guide, we’ll break down some essential whiskey terms that play a crucial role in...
Bourbon Women Job Opening: Manager of Branch Operations
Bourbon Women is Hiring! We are looking for a Manager of Branch Operations. For more information, reach out to Heather Wibbels, Managing Director: heather.wibbels@bourbonwomen.org Bourbon Women Manager of Branch Operations Location: Remote / National Office...
WOW (Women of Whiskey) 2024 Awards Winners Honored at Bourbon Women SIPosium
Bourbon Women is thrilled to announce the winners of the second annual WOW (Women of Whiskey) Awards, presented in collaboration with the Bourbon Women Foundation. The awards were presented at a ceremony during the Bourbon Women SIPosium on Friday, August 16, 2024....
Bourbon & Blazers – A SIP of Service Collaboration with Dress for Success Louisville
Bourbon Women are as dedicated to elevating fellow women as we are to raising an exceptional pour. This year Bourbon Women is introducing a SIP of service to our annual SIPosium to bring action to our dedication. We're calling it Bourbon and Blazers - a nod to our...
2024 Angels Share SIP Scholarship Winners
The Bourbon Women Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Angels Share SIP scholarships. These women, selected from the strongest pool of applicants ever, represent the change and empowerment our consumer organization is dedicated to. The Angels...
Meet the Makers: Priscilla Spall, Food Scientist and Beverage Specialist
Priscilla Spall, Account Manager - Beverage Enzymes at IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances), strode into the beverage industry and didn't look back once she found out innovation was prized. While her original path pointed towards a career in the pharma...
Meet the Makers: Johanna Welter, Co-Founder/Brand Curator at Journeyman Distilling
Johanna Welter, Journeyman Distillery, Co-Founder/Brand Curator had her introduction to whiskey next to another woman drinking it, and hasn't looked back. Her background in hospitality informed the "customer-first" culture she's nurtured at Journeyman Distillery. Our...
Meet the Makers: Rachel Sykes, Lead Distiller at Nashville Craft Distillery
Rachel Sykes, Lead Distiller at Nashville Craft Distillery started her path to distilling with an interest in spirits from bartending and serving, but quickly to the home brewing community as she immersed herself in the distillery world. When Nashville Craft...
Bitters, Bourbons and Bites Indianapolis – the Cocktails
Let's talk cocktails and bitters - two things that go deliciously with bourbon. The following cocktails were served at the Bourbon, Bitters, and Bites class in Indianapolis on Nov 29th at Gallery Pastry Bar with support from Kroger! Little Black Dress - Black...
Meet the Makers: Kristin Shirtz of Thoroughbred Spirits Group
What's it like working with brands to hone in on their brand story and design? Kristin Shirtz, Thoroughbred Spirits Group, Head of Client Services / Design Director, took a few minutes to answer some questions as to how she found herself in that career. Her company...
Not Your Pink Drink Cocktails 2023
You've made it to the page with the full recipes for the Finalists for the 2023 Not Your Pink Drink Competition sponsored by Beam Suntory! Cocktails are listed by category, then alphabetically by Cocktail Name. Finalists used a combination of Maker's Mark, Knob Creek,...
Not Your Pink Drink Finalists for 2023
Congratulations to the finalists for the Not Your Pink Drink Contest! We had submissions from across the country, but only five professionals and five amateurs were selected as finalists: Amateur Category Adina Ewaldz, Chicago Branch: Thai One On BillyJo Avy:...
WOW (Women of Whiskey) Awards Winners Honored at Bourbon Women SIPosium
Bourbon Women is thrilled to announce the winners of the inaugural WOW (Women of Whiskey) Awards, presented in collaboration with the Bourbon Women Foundation. The awards were presented at a ceremony during the Bourbon Women SIPosium on Friday, August 25, 2023. The...
BW Launches Trailblazing WOW (Women of Whiskey) Awards, the first to Honor Women’s Achievements in the Whiskey
Program Recognizes Whiskey’s Extraordinary Women Across the United States Louisville, Ky. (August 10, 2023) Bourbon Women is thrilled to unveil the esteemed finalists for the inaugural WOW (Women of Whiskey) Awards, presented in collaboration with the Bourbon Women...
Meet the Makers: Ellie Reed – Distiller at Kentucky Peerless
Sometimes the less predictable choice is the one that gives you joy in a career path. and Ellie Reed of Kentucky Peerless Distilling is a primary example of that. Ellie's love of boubon and distilling had a lot of do with being raised in the heart of Bourbon Country,...
How to Read a Bourbon Label Like a Pro
Learning how to read a bourbon label like a pro isn't hard - you just need to know a few tips and tricks to understand what the label is REALLY saying. It’s true - we love bourbon and many whiskies, but whiskey labels can be full of color, hype and numbers without...
Meet the Makers: Laura Walters – Head Distiller at Ironton Distillery
For Laura Walters, Head Distiller at Ironton Distillery and Crafthouse, a history of wine class was her wake-up call to move into fermentation science and her eventual role as a distiller. The vibrant craft distillation community in Colorado served as great support...
Bourbon Tasting 101: Understanding the Essentials
Welcome to the World of Bourbon and Whiskey You just started your bourbon journey, or you’re looking to upgrade your whiskey appreciation skills to be able to drink bourbon and talk about it with confidence. The first step in this is learning how to taste whiskey....
SIPosium 2023 Add-On Experience Tickets start SOON!
Add-on experience tickets for the Bourbon Women SIPosium National Conference start Wednesday, May 31 at 12 noon EST. To set up for the add-on ticket sales, the SIPosium Eventbrite ticket page will be unavailable from Tuesday May 30 at 12 noon EST to the following day...
Meet the Makers: Boss Molly Bourbon Co-Founders
Who else has started a business over bottles of bourbon and a girls' poker night? Brandi Bowles, Kate Rosante and Victoria Horn, founders of Boss Molly Bourbon hatched the idea of a bourbon brand that celebrated women without alienating men set their sights on their...
Meet the Makers: Hannah Lowen, VP of Operations at New Riff
Hannah Lowen, VP Operations at New Riff Distilling, moved from running political nonprofits to running a distillery as their VP of Operations. We hear a bit about her journey here, and learn what a VP of Operations does (spoiler alert - a little bit of everything)....
Meet the Maker: Claire Marin of Catskill Provisions and Pollinator Spirits
Claire Marin wears a lot of hats as Founder and Head Distiller and Beekeeper at Catskill Provision Distillery and Pollinator Spirits. One of them even includes a beekeeper's veil! Her path from publishing to distilling started in 2009 and she's gone from selling...
Sonja Hunt of ABVJobs
Sonja Hunt, Founder and CEO of ABV Jobs, started in hospitality, transitioned out, then returned with a passion for transforming the whiskey industry and using her expertise in Human Resources to facilitate diverse hiring and development of individuals. Our favorite...
Meet the Maker: Denaya Jones-Reid of DEEstilled Co, Seelbach’s and Soul Palate Podcast
Catch up with Denaya Jones-Reid, DEEstilled Owner, Seelbach's Managing Partner, Soul Palate Podcast Co-founder & Co-host in this week's Meet the Maker. From her background in bartending to her current role with Seelbach's, and her own DEEstilled mobile boutique...
Meet the Makers: Denise Petty Tasting Room Manager of Catoctin Creek
This week we catch up with Denise Petty, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, Tasting Room Manager. Her path from fiber optics to hospitality to tasting room manager may not have been expected, but it's clear she and Catoctin and thriving in their success. Her perfect...
Best Bourbon Book List: Curated for Bourbon Women
Member's Only Resources: Your Best Bourbon Book List There are hundreds of books about bourbon and whiskey out there, but these are the books we come back to again and again. We asked leaders and members what books they loved as reference books to learn about whiskey...
Bourbon Women Book List: The Best Bourbon Books for your Bookshelf
There are hundreds of books about bourbon and whiskey out there, but these are the books we come back to again and again. We asked leaders and members what books they loved as reference books to learn about whiskey and bourbon culture. Enjoy! History and...
Meet the Maker: Kate Douglas, distiller at O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co
Kate Douglas, distiller at O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co got her introduction to distilling when started as an intern at Old Elk Distillery. With her degree in Fermentation Scient and Technology from Colorado State University, she gets to distill, blend, promote and...
Meet the Makers: Creola Dickerson, Lead Single Barrel Ambassador of New Riff
Hear from Creola Dickerson, Lead Single Barrel Ambassador, New Riff Distilling in this week's Meet the Makers to find out more about how she got into the industry, her experience at New Riff and her excitement about how the industry is changing and where it's...
Meet the Makers: Jennifer Cissell of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Meet Jennifer Cissell, Vice President of Operations and Administration for Kentucky Bourbon Festival. She plans and executes one of the largest whiskey festivals in the country (and that's saying something). Learn how she went from tour guide at Beam to her current...
Meet the Makers: Barbara O’Connor of Hermitage Farm
Hermitage Farm in Oldham County, Kentucky, may be one of the few places in the country you can sip bourbon in a horse barn. And Barbara O'Connor, Director of Tours and Tastings of Hermitage Farm brings bourbon to new drinkers on a daily basis. In this Meet the Makers,...
Meet the Makers: April Gray of The Bourbonaire
This time on Meet the Makers, we talk to April Gray, who took over The Bourbonaire Group in St. Louis after her husband passed away in 2020, continuing his legacy and also supporting the education and connection between new bourbon drinkers throughout the city. Rather...
Meet with Makers: Wendy Peveich, Whiskey Review Podcaster and Consultant
We're talking with Wendy Peveich, whiskey review podcaster (at 51 and proof podcast) and consultant out of Columbus, Ohio for this week's Meet the Makers. She's known for her exacting palate and her ability to describe the merits of the whiskies she's sipping to make...
2022 Not Your Pink Drink Winners
Bourbon Women is pleased to announce the winners of the Not Your Pink Drink contest held on November 10, 2022, in Louisville, KY. This event, sponsored by Beam-Suntory's James B. Beam Distilling Co and Maker's Mark showed the attendees the expertise and beautiful...
Meet the Makers: Connie Baker, CEO, Co-Founder and Head Distiller at Marble Distilling Co.
Connie Baker, Co-Founder, CEO, and Head Distiller at Marble Distilling Co in Carbondale wears a lot of hats at her Colorado distillery, but one thing always shines through, her fierce dedication to sustainability and educating others in the craft and heritage spirits...
2022 Not Your Pink Drink Finalists Announced
Bourbon Women is thrilled to announce the finalists competing in Louisville, KY for the title of best Amateur and Professional Not Your Pink Drink Cocktail on Nov 10th. Tickets for the in-person cocktail contest sponsored by Beam-Suntory's James B. Beam Distilling Co...
Jennifer Brandt, Master Blender of Luca Mariano Distillery
Like so many women, Jennifer Brandt's journey in the whiskey industry just fell into place, and it all started with a Strawberry Bourbon Iced Tea. She's currently Master Blender for Luca Mariano Distillery and and she discussed with Bourbon Women the importance of...
Meet the Makers: Courtney Sandora, Go Social Owner
Leading a spirits-focused communications company sounds like a dream job, but originally journalism major Courtney Sandora chose PR over a position at Reuters for a better salary in New York. She never looked back. Today she owns and runs Go Social, a communication,...
Not Your Pink Drink Cocktail Contest 2022
Get your shakers ready to win the bourbon cocktail contest of the year, the Bourbon Women Not Your Pink Drink Cocktail Competition! We've been getting questions about our Not Your Pink Drink contest and it's BACK and sponsored by our friends at Beam Suntory! We're...
Meet the Makers: Lauren Riggleman, Master Distiller of Silverback Distillery
In this week's Meet the Makers, Lauren Riggleman, Master Distiller at Silverback Distillery discusses her whisky education in Scotland and what it's like working for a small family operation where she has to wear many hats and fulfill many roles to succeed. BW: Tell...
Meet the Makers: Sheila Jackson and Natasha McCrea of Jackson McCrea Whiskey
Both Sheila Jackson and Natasha McCrea had known one another as wine entrepreneurs and entertainment industry producers before a revelation over an Old Fashioned: they both enjoyed whiskey and had long thought of creating a whiskey brand. The two Co-Founders of...
Meet the Makers: Tia Edwards, Co-Founder of Fresh Bourbon
Tia Edwards, Co-Founder of Fresh Bourbon discovered there was no one bourbon to start a bourbon journey and decided to create one, and to create more acceptance of drinking your bourbon however you like it! BW: Tell us about how you got started on your path to...
Meet the Makers: The Bourbon Bohemian – Ramona Jackson
For Ramona Jackson, the Bourbon Bohemian, the interplay of whiskey flavors with cocktail elements is a palate to paint with, and her cocktail business thrives with unusual and compelling flavor combinations. Read more about her journey as the Bourbon Bohemian below....
Meet the Makers: Jill Kuehler of Freeland Spirits
In this week’s Meet the Makers we talk to Jill Kuehler, Founder and CEO of Freeland Spirits in Portland started in 2017. Freeland Spirits is dedicated to hiring diverse employees and understands the strength and resilience that builds into any company. We talked with...
Whiskey Brunch Cocktails are a Girl’s Best Friend!
Brunch doesn't have to be all bloody marys and mimosas! Reach for the whiskey instead fo celebrate brunch with girlfriends. At Captains Quarters in Louisville, the Kentucky Branch met to learn a little about whiskey and a little about brunch cocktails. With three...
Meet the Makers: Abisola Abidemi, Founder of Abisola Whiskey
Abisola Abidemi, founder of Abisola Whiskey, made her first whiskey sales just shy of a year ago, May 10, 2021, after starting her journey to her own whiskey brand a year before. Find out a little about how her passion for whiskey led her to start a whiskey brand with...
Meet the Makers: Molly Troupe: Master Distiller at Freeland Spirits
We talked with Molly Troupe, Master Distiller, and partner at Freeland Spirits in Portland, Oregon about her role at the woman-led and run distillery that’s putting women first both in their company and as their mission within the spirits and beverage community. As...
Meet the Makers: Shaylyn Gammon, Whiskey Director at Blue Run Spirits
Shaylyn Gammon, recently named Whiskey Director for Blue Run spirits, has moved from working with one whiskey legend (Jimmy Russell at Wild Turkey) to another (Jim Rutledge at Blue Run Spirits), and her new role as Whiskey Director at Blue Run soun ds like every...
Meet The Makers: Kings County NY Market Specialist Jennifer Blair
Kings County NY Market Specialist Jennifer Blair leverages her loves of both nightlife and theater to predict whiskey market changes.
Meet The Makers: Raise A Dram Founder Marcy Rudershausen
Marcy Rudershausen is more than just the first and only woman to become a Master of Scotch, she’s also a two-decade spirits industry veteran.
Meet The Makers: 3 Floyds Distilling Vice President + Head Distiller Abby Titcomb
Abby Titcomb’s degree in art history went a long way toward setting expectations in a career in distilled spritis.
Meet The Makers: Kings County Distillery Visitor Experience Manager Kelci Koonce
Kelci Koonce can trace her lineage back to moonshiners, but working in the legal spirits industry only recently landed on her radar.
Meet The Makers: George Dickel General Manager And Distiller Nicole Austin
Nicole Austin worked at several distilleries before becoming the general manager and distiller at George Dickel.
Meet The Makers: Three Chord Barrel Program Manager Laura Webb
Though Laura Webb spent most of her life in Bardstown, Kentucky, working in the Bourbon industry wasn’t always on her radar.
Meet The Makers: Widow Jane President & Head Distiller Lisa Wicker
Lisa Wicker has had a dynamic career in beverage alcohol. She grew up in Indiana and always seemed to have some science experiment bubbling in her grandmother's sauerkraut crock. Little did she know she would eventually find her career path first in winemaking and...
Meet The Makers: Buffalo Trace Single Barrel Program Associate Susannah Hubler
Buffalo Trace Single Barrel Program Associate Susannah Hubler may have a science background, but she loves teaching consumers about whiskey.
Meet The Makers: Wild Turkey Visitor Center Coordinator Katrina Egbert
Katrina Egbert was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2019 after more than 30 years with Wild Turkey, often being credited as Jimmy Russell's right-hand. BW: How did you end up working in the Kentucky Bourbon industry? KE: Lawrenceburg, KY where Wild...
Meet The Makers: Beam-Suntory Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Victoria Russell
Victoria Russell is the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Beam-Suntory, parent company of Jim Beam Whiskey.
Meet The Makers: Spirit Works Distillery Co-Founder Ashby Marshall
When Ashby Marshall co-founded Spirit Works Distillery right in the heart of Sonoma wine country, it was after a lifetime love of whiskey.
Meet The Makers: Great Wagon Road Distiller Michelle Piechowicz
The road to becoming a distiller isn't always a straight one, and it can start just about anywhere. In the cast of Great Wagon Road Distiller Michelle Piechowicz, the road started with a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science. BW: How do you use your background in...
Meet the Makers: LA Spirits Awards Co-Founder Nicolette Teo
After a career as a three-time Olympic swimmer in her native Singapore, Nicolette Teo pivoted to a career in wine and spirits. This career included a stint as the Managing Director of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) from 2015 to 2018 before she...
Meet The Makers: Blaize & Brooks Founder Cara Osborne
A bout of homesickness and a reading of Fred Minnick's Whiskey Women led Bourbon Women member Cara Osborne to create her own whiskey brand, Blaize & Brooks. BW: What led you to the decision to start your own whiskey brand? CO: In November of 2019, I read Fred...
Meet The Makers: Catoctin Creek Master Distiller Rebecca Harris
Rebecca Harris had a background as a chemical engineer when her husband and business partner, Scott, came up with the idea of opening a distillery. Eventually Catoctin Creek was born and the rest is history! BW: How did you find yourself owning a distillery and...
Meet The Makers: Sonoma Distilling Production Operator Roxanne Tiburolobo
Roxanne Tiburolobo (he/they) is the Distillery Production Operator at Sonoma Distilling Co, whose background in forensic pathology led to a career first in brewing and later in distilling, a career path he began back in 2013 when California had just changed the laws...
Meet The Makers: Reservoir Distillery Education Director Shelley Sackier
Shelley Sackier is a writer of novels on top of being a whiskey educator at Virginia's Reservoir Distillery. Her passion for whiskey was ignited on a trip to Scotland, and these days she is passionate not only about educating consumers about whiskey, but also about...
Meet The Makers: Uncle Nearest Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler
Victoria Eady Butler is a force of nature in the whiskey blending world. A descendant of Nearest Green, Butler had barely retired from her decades-long career in law enforcement before embarking on her new passion project, blending whiskey for the Uncle Nearest brand....
Bourbon Books For The Beginner
With so many options available for Bourbon books, it can be daunting to figure out where to start in your Bourbon education. Podcasts, websites, and magazines are full of more information than you could ever possibly digest, and it's important to have a broader...
Meet The Makers: Big Nose Kate Co-Founder Melissa Heim
Melissa Heim was distilling at Rogue Spirits back in 2008. Her whiskey journey didn't stop there, and today she is co-Founder and Master Blender of Big Nose Kate Western Whiskey. BW: I love what you said on your LinkedIn profile about believing in potential over...
Planning A Bourbonism Trip To Louisville
Welcome To Bourbonism Louisville is the epicenter of Bourbon. It's easy to get flights into Louisville and if you are driving there are three interstates that will lead you to the Bourbon City. Once you get here, there are numerous distilleries just in downtown...
Meet The Makers: Bardstown Bourbon Co Quality Control Chemist Meghan Mattingly
Can a childhood passion for forensic chemistry lead to a career in the Bourbon industry? That's exactly how it happened for Bardstown Bourbon Company Quality Control Chemist Meghan Mattingly! BW: How did you first become interested in chemistry? MM: Becoming...
Meet The Makers: Reservoir Head Distiller Mary Allison
There are a surprising number of theater majors in the whiskey business. We recently caught up with one of them, Mary Allison, who is the Head Distiller at Virginia's Reservoir Distillery. BW: At what point did you decide to become a distiller? MA: I do not think...
Meet The Makers: Rex Whiskey CEO Chaunci King
Chaunci King is the Founder and CEO of Royalty Spirits, which includes a line of CBD cocktail mixers, Miru Vodka, and Rex Whiskey, a rye whiskey aged in Bordeaux and Burgundy wine barrels from the Pacific Northwest. She can best be described as a "serial...
Meet The Makers: Tropical Distillers Master Distiller Devin Walden
From a job at Woodford Reserve to becoming Master Distiller of Tropical Distillers in Miami, Florida, Devin Walden has yet to become a household name but she's well on her way. BW: Your career has ranged from bartending to bottling to sales to production. How has this...
Meet The Makers: Pinhook CEO Alice Peterson
Pinhook Whiskey releases whiskeys in "crops" each year, so you never get the same whiskey twice. It's released when it is deemed ready, and one of the revolutionary ways the brand has found to connect with its fanbase is a text-to-buy option. We recently caught up...
Meet The Makers: Koval Founder Sonat Birnecker Hart
Koval Distillery is a Kosher-certified distillery in northern Chicago founded by two former university professors from the Washington DC area. Koval is Yiddish for "black sheep," a reminder of the Jewish side of the family. Meet Koval Founder Sonat Birnecker Hart and...
Meet The Makers: Jeptha Creed Production Supervisor And Procurement Specialist Alicia Burton
Alicia Burton started out behind the bar at Jeptha Creed Distillery and has worked her way through various job titles including production planner scheduler at Jeptha Creed to her current role of production supervisor and procurement specialist. BW: How did you first...
Meet The Makers: SIA Scotch Founder Carin Luna-Ostaseski
Carin Luna-Ostaseski is in a rare class of whisk(e)y brand founders: one of the few Hispanic women to found a Scotch brand. She also took an unusual path to start SIA Whisky in starting with a Kickstarter campaign! Oh, and she's also one of the only 6% of pilots in...
Meet The Makers: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Inspector Perri Kostecki
Barrel inspectors ensure barrels can be resold and reused without issue. Meet Kentucky Bourbon Barrel inspector Perri Kostecki.
Meet The Makers: Blinking Owl Distillery Co-Founder Robin Christenson
Meet Blinking Owl Distillery Co-Founder Robin Christenson, whose vision included setting up a distillery in Southern California.
Meet The Makers: Waterford Distillery Agronomist Grace O’Reilly
An agronomist is a handy person to have on staff at a distillery, and Grace O’Reilly of Waterford Distillery in Ireland is up to the task!
Meet The Makers: The IX Bourbon Founder Brittany Penny
Brittany Penny is the Founder of The IX Bourbon, pronounced "The Nine," a project she dreamed up during sleepless nights with her newborn. She wanted to do something that not only honored the "firsts" achieved by African-Americans but also that would rise above the...
Meet The Makers: Crooked Water Spirits CEO Heather Manley
Crooked Water Spirits Founder and CEO Heather Manley started with an idea: what if she could bring a unique spirit to market?
Meet The Makers: Skrewball Whiskey Co-Founder Brittany Merrill Yeng
Skrewball Whiskey Co-Founder Brittany Merrill Yeng knew you wanted peanut butter whiskey before you did, and now you love it.
Meet The Makers: Country Smooth Spirits Founder Lori Carcich
Country Smooth Spirits Founder Lori Carcich wants to see more women join the distilled spirits industry – and join Bourbon Women!
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