Women in Whisky: From Past to Present

I originally followed a career as an architectural curator – I worked out of the Royal Palaces, breathing and experiencing walls steeped with history every day. However, careers in that field are hard to obtain. So I gracefully fell back into hospitality (my first role was in housekeeping at the age of 14!) and worked through pubs and cocktail bars until I was quite good at that.

After moving to London, I gained my WSET Spirits Level 3 and I explored a few different roles including one in tea and non-alc spirits! I worked for Cotswolds whisky, opened the whisky bar Sibin in Great Scotland Yard Hotel, and managed the Whisky Bar at Milroy’s of Spitalfields – 1000 whiskies and no menu! Whilst there I started running a monthly night called Women’s+ Whisky Night, champion women and non-binary people within the industry. I was then approached a Brand Ambassador role in Diageo and here I am…

My role flip flops around dramatically! From chained-to-my-desk admin to running events to sampling whiskies that haven’t been tried before. Out of everything, my favourite part is watching people listen to my stories – seeing the light and joy and ‘aha’ moment of submerging themselves into the subject.

I was truly inspired by a training session that Stef Holt ran during my time at the Dark Horse in Bath. She talked about whisky, in particular Japanese whisky, in such a way that I enveloped myself in the category and liquid. More importantly I decidedly wanted to talk about whisky for a living.

Though Stef was the one that inspired me to work in whisky, it was my first husband who introduced me to it. We started on a blend, but then I quickly graduated to smoky whisky. He hated the taste so refused to kiss after I’d had a dram of it!

Whisky is beyond liquid in a glass. I always say there are three ways you can be intrigued by whisky: flavour, history, and the process. For me I’m obsessed with all three! We are drinking something that so many people have put their hard work, time, and skill into producing. It’s almost a form of art.

My favourite whisky is the one I’ve not tried yet!

If I had to choose one specifically it would be Talisker 10 year old: sweet fudgy vanilla, bright and fresh orange, sea-breeze smokiness, and a tingle of red chilli – exceptional every time.

I do have a soft spot for oysters and Talisker. But personally it’s dessert and whisky – pouring a little Lagavulin 16 year old on an Eton Mess is heaven.

That the people behind it are incredibly humble and so proud of what they do.

We think of whisky as drink neat so often that I would say it’s understandable! Try in cocktails substituting the white spirit for whisky. A French Martini, Bramble, or Espresso Martini is lifted with whisky.

I love science and like to really understand how something works. I was one of those annoying kids that always took things apart and would be reading the ingredients lists, trying to figure out what things were. And whilst I was at school, I realised that I was good at chemistry and enjoyed studying it.

Thankfully, this all made deciding what I wanted to do at university an easy choice, and during that time, a friend shared their enjoyment of Scotch and especially Talisker 10, and that’s where my love for whisky and passion for flavour began.

After completing my PhD, I worked as a process chemist, but I was still holding onto that passion for flavours and science, and I knew I wanted to do something that could involve flavour with my background in chemistry. I managed to accidentally fall into the world of Diageo and whisky when I applied for the role of Project Scientist at Diageo’s Technical Centre in Menstrie, Scotland, and had the sudden realisation you could be a whisky scientist. That crossover of science and flavour appealed so much and I haven’t looked back since!

One of the best parts of the role is working with people across Scotland and the world, talking about whisky! People who make whisky and work in whisky are part of an amazing community with a shared passion for ensuring everyone enjoys whisky as much as they do.

I love being in the lab with others from the Whisky Team, with a row of whisky glasses in front of us, talking about flavour and quality. We ‘nose’ each glass, which involves smelling each glass of whisky and describing the different flavours that come through–perhaps smoky, fruity, or sweet wood–and the experiences and memories each flavour triggers in my mind. Sometimes, a sniff of whisky will transport me back to childhood days at the beach or an apple pie cooking in my gran’s kitchen.

And of course, within in the team, we’re all conscious of being part of an incredible tradition – we know the role we play in brands spanning 200+-year history of craftsmanship and blending. What’s great about Johnnie Walker is that we’re always looking to see what comes next; being curious about the future and what do we want to move towards is in our DNA. My role is about balancing respect for Johnnie Walker’s rich history with the brand’s spirit of progress, which makes for innovations that both respect our brand roots but also spearheading new trends and ensuring that as a brand we are consistently moving and progressing ahead, inspiring people to take the next step forward.

I would love for the wider world to explore the world of flavour that we get to work with in whisky, and especially Scotch! In the team we’re so fortunate to be working with an unparalleled palette of flavour from our inventory of nearly 11 million casks, maturing whiskies from more than 30 distilleries across Scotland, and we have whiskies with flavour notes from sweet vanilla to fresh fruit to umami and bonfire smoke!.

If someone’s new to whisky, there are great people working at point of sale or behind the bar who will help you on the journey – and I would always recommend thinking about the flavours you like in food and serves and find a cross over into whisky.

I always joke that picking a favourite whisky is like picking a favourite child or band! Johnnie Walker Black Label is my go to, with its bold flavours and balance making it a great dram and whisky for mixing.

One of the things many people don’t realise is whisky and food make a perfect match - whisky and chocolate, whisky and seafood and beyond. I was honoured to work with Chef Kobayashi on Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami and it was fascinating to understand more about how food and whisky compliment each other, both making the flavours in the other more intense and delicious.

Whisky and bold flavours are a great match – I enjoy a Johnnie Walker highball with an Indian curry!

When we talk about whisky, I love the way different worlds seem to come together. We often talk about whisky blending as a juncture where art meets science. My whisky journey allowed science to fuse with artistry in the whisky sphere. It was whilst studying for a Masters in Chemistry that I had the opportunity to undertake an industrial placement and was fortunate enough to secure this with Diageo’s Whisky Specialist team. I was immersed in the world of whisky whilst conducting projects related to cask quality and maturation. Since the placement in 2012 I have enjoyed every step; developing whisky knowledge, experience and blending skills along the way. I feel very fortunate to get to work with a talented and experienced team, not to mention some pretty incredible whiskies too.

The role of a whisky maker is unique, and no two days are the same. As a team we are responsible for the quality of every whisky produced; we create whiskies for innovation whilst helping to shape stock opportunities for the future; monitoring samples from new make spirit to mature whisky. For example, one day I could be at the bench in the lab spending time with samples, the next with our brand teams and agencies working on a new concept, followed another day with a trip to one of our distilleries spending time with those creating our spirit.

Ultimately we are bringing together years of craft and dedication from those before us; from those involved in malting, through to distillation and then to maturation and every step in between – whether that be three years or five decades in the making.

My formative years in the whisky industry form such a positive memory as I was part of a team of highly skilled, knowledgeable and dedicated people who displayed such passion and craftsmanship in their roles. It was fascinating being around those who started their careers back in the 1970s, hearing their tales and sharing their knowledge and experiences. I hoped that one day I would be able to help inspire and influence that same creativity in others joining the industry.

There are many reasons to be passionate about whisky; the flavours, the stories and the people involved in the whisky journey. Over the years I have been lucky enough to create innovations and help shape whisky making of tomorrow; something I’m incredibly proud of.

It is always difficult to pick just one whisky; it depends on the occasion and the flavours you wish to experience at that moment. We’re incredibly lucky to own so many distilleries, each creating their own unique flavours, all of which help make a diverse array of truly amazing whiskies. Some whiskies are favourites because of the story and meaning to you whereas some are due to the wonderful aromas and flavours.

Personal favourites include the iconic Johnnie Walker Black Label, the smouldering smoke of Caol Ila 12, or the rich, dried fruit characters of Dailuaine 16.

Food pairings are interesting to explore and I enjoy learning how different whiskies complement and enhance flavours in food. I do have a particular fondness, or soft spot, to finding chocolate pairings. Chocolate has many parallels to smoky whiskies for me, you have to search beneath the initial flavour to learn more and allow other aromas to unfold.

To someone who is new to whisky, they are fortunate to be at the beginning of their whisky journey. The road to flavour discovery, fascinating whiskies and intriguing distilleries lay ahead of you and it is a journey to enjoy and share with those close to you.

No two roads will go in the same direction or lead to the same whiskies but that is the beauty of whisky, it is down to personal preference and there is a whisky out there for every taste – just be sure to enjoy that exciting journey of discovery whilst you do so.

I graduated in 2001 from Heriot-Watt University having studied a MA(Hons) International Business & Languages. I spent the first 6 years of my career in The Netherlands, working in various supply chain roles and this is where I first learned about Continuous Improvement. Having managed a Production Team of circa 50 people on shift, and seeing how many reccurring problems and firefighting there was on a daily basis, I decided to move my focus from “Run” towards the “Improve” side of the business, driven by a sheer determination to make life easier for the team.

Seeing the benefit this had for the team, I decided to seek out how others did it and learn best practice on a bigger scale and went into Operations Consulting, working across Europe in different countries and various industries for 6 years. However, this lifestyle of taking between 2 – 6 flights every week and living out of hotels, was not sustainable and I decided to put an anchor down, back in Scotland.

However, the condition was only if I could work in Diageo as I considered it to be the most exciting company in Scotland!

I am now the Senior Site Manager for Glenkinchie and Oban Distilleries. I have to pinch myself every day, that I get to work in such beautiful locations in Scotland (when the sun shines!). I am lucky to work with a very talented team around me who have as much of a passion for the brands and the distilleries as I do. Both sites operate production 24/7 and have Brand Home Visitor Centres on-site, so are open to the public. The role covers a range of topics between health & safety, environment, quality, operations, compliance, risk, HMRC, asset care (maintenance), capital investment planning aswell as people management. I have to travel a lot as you can imagine between East Lothian in the Scottish Borders and Oban on the West Coast of Scotland. To complicate matters, when not on site, my home is in Fife in the Central Belt where I live in a coastal village with my wonderfully understanding and ever patient, husband and our dog.

For so many reasons! I love the history that come with each distillery. Every site has a story to tell and some of them are quite comical from days gone by, while others are so inspiring. Whether working at the distillery or just visiting, it’s a great place to just soak up the atmosphere and enjoy as a place to spend time.

The people I work with are so talented and I love learning from them and watching them execute their craft. There are too many roles to mention, but include the Coppersmiths who look after our stills, the Operators who make our wonderful spirit, the Coopers who take care of our wooden casks or the whisky specialists who come up with the next innovation that intrigues us all.

They all use traditional methods and are part of a legacy to keep these special brands alive for the generations to come. It’s also fascinating to me how efficient the process is with zero spirit wasted during manufacturing from such minimal ingredients going into it. The team have such a sense of responsibility, taking care over our natural resources as well, particularly the use of water which is understandable given we are so reliant on rainfall and the water coming off the nearby hills which runs through the rivers supplying our site. At the other end of the process, the by-products end up either being returned to the environment or used to supply farms for animal feed and ending up in the food chain, so it’s a very circular industry and has been a pioneer in the sustainability space for generations but there is still so much more that we can do, which is the exciting opportunity.

Generally, I really enjoy whiskies finished in a sherry cask as I like the sweetness. However, I’d be remiss not to have Oban and Glenkinchie in my top 3 - but picking a favourite would be impossible, like being asked to pick your favourite child!

I enjoy them both but having tried the various selections, I find the Oban 14 year old hard to beat from the brand’s range of whiskies and I do enjoy the fruity character on the nose, while the Glenkinchie finished in a Hungarian red wine cask is outstanding. This is a single cask that we have at the distillery, which smells as amazing as it tastes!

Cranachan is great with whisky... not to mention being traditionally Scottish! Although this summer, I tried toffee ice-cream with a drizzle of Glenkinchie as a topping. I have a sweet tooth as you can gather.

You don’t have to appreciate only those that come with the prestige of being an aged single malt. A blend is far from being an inferior product, but for some reason can get a bit of a hard time. Blends, such as Johnnie Walker, involve such a high level of skill and craftsmanship to create a consistent end product, and considering the number of variables (distillery, wood type, wood finish, spirit age, spirit character etc) it’s truly astounding and I wish people appreciated that more.

You should try it in different forms to find out what your perfect pour is – neat or over ice, in a cocktail or simply with a syrup flavour. Try malts from different regions as well as blends with different profiles. Just experiment.

There is something for everyone to enjoy about this wonderful spirit and it suits so many different occasions and time of day as well. For example, I personally really enjoy it with a few drops of water, at the end of a meal but it makes a great aperitif as a cocktail too before dinner.

I’m originally from Edinburgh but have been coming to Islay since I was a wee girl. I decided in 2022 (after the pandemic) to have a career change from fashion retail management into the world of whisky. I came to Islay for a new role as Assistant Compliance Manager for Lagavulin and Caol Ila but fell in love with process of operations. In August 2023 I was offered the role of Senior Operator at Lagavulin. I’m very proud to be the first woman in the history of the distillery to hold this role.

What I love most about my role is running the entire process from grain to cask. We focus a lot on sustainability. Making the most of every part of the process to make the dram everyone loves with as little impact to the environment, but keeping the world famous high quality that Lagavulin is famous for.

Whisky, especially Islay Single Malts, have been a huge part of my upbringing. My father was a huge whisky enthusiast who had an array of whiskies alongside a cask on the island. We would frequently visit distilleries on our travels around Scotland. My partner also has his own engineering business and worked in a lot of distilleries in Speyside (where we met and lived before we moved to Islay) so his work has always interested me.

My first memory of whisky was when I must have been around seven or eight years old, not drinking it obviously, but being at a distillery with my parents. I was in awe of the smells – smoke from the kiln and fermentation in the wash backs. Plus the sounds and heat in the stillhouse.

Not only because of the huge part it had in my upbringing but it’s a huge part of Scotland’s history and economy. Also, when I think of occasions with family or friends, happy or sad, whisky is always a key part to celebrate or commemorate – I can’t think of anything else that brings nostalgia and people together like whisky does.

Not sure I have a favourite whisky but the most memorable one I had was during the Lagavulin Warehouse Experience. It was an 18YO red wine finish, very similar to the new Lagavulin Jazz 24.

I love oysters with a wee splash of whisky, such an amazing food pairing. My mum also makes a delicious Cranachan – perfect for a summer evening pudding.

I wish people knew how versatile a drink it is. It’s not just for the stereotypical ‘country gent, sitting at a fire, smoking a cigar’. It’s fabulous in a cocktail, I’d recommend the Peat & Plum served in Lagavulin's Malt Mill Bar.

I remember someone once saying, ‘It’s not that you don’t like whisky. You’ve just not tasted the right one yet’