As promised some time ago, here is a tribute video to « Women in Whisky », a theme I wanted to cover for a long time, but I was waiting to have the right approach regarding making a video with whiskies to match the theme & remain coherent regarding the tasting line-up. That said, this topic being a rabbit hole, as I have met a lot of women in the whisky industry & all that is around it (the preselection, just for whisky, was of beyond 40 women, mind you), including consumers, including several ones that have become friends over the years, I had to contain it & do difficult choices. So, I have to thank a good friend of mine, Anna, for being the first to be presented a prototype of this video theme during a private tasting. To put a long story short, after a short historical context presentation of women in spirits in general & in whisky (short because the idea is to record a whisky video, not to prepare a dissertation), I will pick 8 whiskies to illustrate the work of these women (15 in portraits, but more are mentioned...), directly or indirectly involved, but for practical reasons, I have limited my choice, here, tasting wise, to UK & European whiskies. This video is dedicated to #anna (K.) #sonia (T.) #leeann ( #scotchonthebayou ) #lunaarran & #helene (W.).
Important : As I had technical issues with a sudden cut of the recording (but it was welcome, hence the long duration of this topic !), the video is cut in 2 parts, so you will get the second part next week end, thanks for your understanding & patience. I hope you will find it interesting. In the second part, you will hear about women working (or having worked in the past) at the following distilleries or brands/I.B. brands : Cardhu, The Balvenie, Penderyn, Glenmorangie, Mackmyra, Nc’Nean, Isle of Harris, Ardnamurchan, Laphroaig, plus a tribute to 2 whisky writers, and there will be a final shout out to other women, some from other spirits too.../ As usual, you will find time chapters below...
TIME CHAPTERS :
0:00 Intro & Disclaimer
6:03 Times are changing & it’s a good thing
8:35 Shout outs & decications
10:30 Centuries of History (1/Early days : from brewing to distilling grain)
17:00 Centuries of History (2/18th to 20th Century, in UK/Europe)
PORTRAITS & TASTINGS :
23:38 -Stephanie MacLEOD, master-blender, for Dewar’s blended whisky & 5 Single Malts : Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, The Deveron (Mac Duff distillery), Royal Brackla. Stephanie started to work for Dewar’s in 1998, ans was elected Master Blender of the Year at the International Whisky Competition (IWC) 2023 for the fifth consecutive year since 2019.
29:44 (Tasting 1)-DEWAR’S « Signature », a nas discontinued Blend (replaced by the 25 yo) with casks from 14 to 30 yo including a 27 yo Aberfeldy & a 30 yo MacDuff, 40 % (Blended Scotch Whisky)
31:50 -Rita TAKETSURU, born near Glasgow Jessica Roberta Cowan, wife & right-hand woman of Masataka Taketsuru in Japan since 1920.
38:10 (Tasting 2)-NIKKA « Taketsuru/ PURE MALT », nas, bottled in 2016, 43 % (Blended Malt Whisky, Japan).
41:30 -Cara LAING, daughter of Fred LAING, managing director, ex Bowmore/Whyte & Mackay since 2024
Preselected but not tasted there : - « The EPICURIAN/Paris Edition 2019 », nas, bottled in 2019 by Douglas LAING, Lowlands, Bourbon & Cognac casks, (intially released in 2016 at 46,2%), ncf, nc, 48 % (Blended Malt Whisky, Scotland/UK).
45:55 -Lynne McEWAN (the elder daughter of Jim & Barbara McEwan, who did start in 2001 for the reopening of the distillery) Global Marketing Manager, Brand Ambassador for Bruichladdich distillery (including Port Charlotte & Octomore) & Murray McDavid Independent bottler.
47:50 (Tasting 3)-BRUICHLADDICH 15 yo (2nd Edition), bottled (Sauternes finish), Bottled 08/09/2008, ncf/nc, 46 % (Single Malt Whisky, Scotland/UK).
Note : The video was cut at the moment I was going to talk about CARDHU, with Helen & Elizabeth Cummings, so you will have to see this topic & the following portraits & tasting in the Part 2 of this video next week end...
Link to E.W.A.’s article about pioneer women in Scotch Whisky :
https://www.edinburghwhiskyacademy.com/blogs/feature/pioneering-scotch-whisky-women-of-the-past-present?srsltid=AfmBOoo2uIf9QURuWUHWvY3w_p9QuSbHxr0HqzOyWrDfUEFVRqoc132P
Link to a video from Youtube channel Binnysbev about Stephanie McLeod :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwOBmXW4pTk
Link to my previous main video about Japanese Whiskies :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnpqQ41KtEs
Link to a video from Bruichladdich's Youtube channel, with Lynne McEwan & distillery's co-founder, Simon Coughlin :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udf1T67ql8k
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