Women in the Whiskey industry

Whiskey is immensely popular throughout the world. But one fact that most people are unaware of, is the role played by women in its production and consumption over the years. According to a recent book, Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey, women have been an important factor in promoting whiskey throughout its history in the US.

The book tells the story of how prostitution in America during the 1800s brought whiskey into the forefront, when according to Forbes, women sold more than $2 million of whiskey per year in brothels. “While it wasn’t illegal for women working in brothels to sell sex, it was illegal for them not to pay their whiskey tax and they were notorious for this,” says the author of the book, Fred Minnick.

This connection with prostitution and the Temperance movement, later led to the banning and advertising of whiskey to women in the country. According to the book, women entered the whiskey industry again in 1990s. Just like ‘Sex and the City’ boosted the popularity of ‘Cosmopolitan’ and Vodka sales; whiskey became famous amongst women because of the women who worked in the industry.

Telegraph>

According to Minnick, “Women apply a certain connoisseur-ship to whiskey. They buy heavily-peated scotches and they have great palates and noses, much better than men’s,” says Minnick. He adds, “Once women get past the heat they find these incredible floral characteristics; they also get caramel, vanilla, hints of smoke and all these complexities that you will never find in vodka,” adding that women, according to him are better tasters and that is why many women are now a part of the industry, as told to Forbes.

ORIGINAL SOURCE: Forbes

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nancygagliardi/2014/12/17/how-women-shaped-the-whiskey-industry-2/