I’ve been reporting on SXSW for nearly a decade, and each year is as exciting as the last. It’s a place where you could have spotted a budding Kendrick Lamar in 2011 and received inspiration in 2016 from then-President Barack Obama during his impactful keynote dialogue with Evan Smith, The Texas Tribune’s ex-CEO and editor-in-chief.
SXSW, which began as a modest music festival in 1987, has evolved into the colossal event it is presently. But “South By”, as it’s commonly known to Austinites, is more than just about attending band shows and watching film premiers. Presently, you can join in on topical cultural dialogues and explore emerging cultural trends. Nearly a decade ago, Gabby attended to interview bands and enjoy free drinks. While I continue to enjoy live music and complimentary cocktails, I’ve been fortunate enough to share the stage with influential figures in sustainability (2023), and this year, I facilitated a discussion among three prominent women in whiskey.
On March 8, 2024, the opening day of SXSW, I presided over a panel aptly titled The Spirit of Women. This was in sync with a film of the same name produced by the panelists and director Leigha Kingsley. We were joined by award-winning Master Distiller and Co-Owner of Forbidden Bourbon Marianne Eaves and fellow multi-award-winner Victoria Eady Butler of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. The purpose of the panel was to shine light on women in whiskey who are dispelling stereotypes and creating opportunities for other women seeking careers in the industry.
If you didn’t get a chance to join our discussion, here are the top three takeaways from The Spirit of Women panel.
Eaves has gone down in history as Kentucky’s inaugural woman master distiller. Further, Butler made her mark as the first known Black woman master blender in whiskey, a distinction that resulted in her becoming the first woman rewarded with the Master Blender of the Year title at the 2021 American Icons of Whisky Awards by Whisky Magazine. She also took home this award in 2022.
Discussing her accolades, Butler shared: “I’m not one to brag, however, these achievements hold weight. Therefore, we shouldn’t shy away from celebrating our awards, praise, expertise, and power. It’s crucial that we stand resilient and proud.”
Carving a niche in a sector traditionally dominated by white males isn’t a walk in the park, to put it mildly. However, Butler persistently emphasized that the real leveler is authentic success.
“Your competence and expertise will always shine through and cannot be unnoticed,” she expressed. “We, at Uncle Nearest, with the industry’s first all-woman executive team, have demonstrated that women certainly deserve a dignified position in the liquor industry.
Speaking of the Uncle Nearest brand, she added: “We’re the fastest-growing American spirit in history, and that did not happen by accident. I was a bit reluctant in the beginning because I was so new, but I know what I’m doing, and our record proves that I know what I’m doing.”
Bottom line:
Stand in your truth and be proud.
Eaves, who has a chemical engineering degree and has been working in whiskey for over a decade, initially went through a master taster training program through one of the world’s largest spirits and wine companies, Brown-Forman. Describing her start in the industry, she shared a couple of jaw-dropping experiences of feeling marginalized that date back as recently as 2015.
Firstly, she shared an experience that occurred at a new product release event with Woodford Reserve’s Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris. A man approached them, acknowledging Morris with a robust handshake, before turning to Eaves and referring to her as the “taster girl”. Morris promptly and proudly corrected him, asserting, “No, she’s the master taster.”
Eaves reflected on that moment: “I felt like Morris was rectifying a misunderstanding, not just with the stranger, but also with me. It reminded me, as Victoria pointed out, that we should not minimize our achievements and the respect we’ve earned.”
She also shared a more public encounter which happened when she moved from Brown-Forman to the former Old Taylor Distillery, now known as Castle & Key. Here, she was assuming the master distiller role.
Her transition was met with skepticism. “Some people questioned my eligibility for the role. They perceived the bourbon industry as a male-dominated space. Even the most reputable distillers’ organization in Kentucky contacted the distillery’s founders and questioned her title, implying she wasn’t really a master distiller.”
After regaining my composure from the shock of that narrative, I found solace knowing another respected figure in the whiskey world defended her. The person? Celebrated writer, reporter, and podcaster Fred Minnick.
“Fred came forward for me and continues to do so,” expressed Eaves. “I am immensely thankful that he has supported me since the start of my journey—even when I was a master taster at Brown-Forman. There was a panel similar to this one, filled with master distillers, all older white men on the stage, and Fred publicly introduced the new master distiller. Her name is Marianne, and she has just assumed charge at the Old Taylor Distillery.”
Eaves mentioned that their distillery team had not even announced the new identity or her designation. Also, Minnick didn’t let Eaves know in advance that he intended to make that declaration.
“I don’t believe I had finalized with my partners that I was going to accept the role,” she shared with the audience at SXSW. “But it reminded me of the moment with Chris Morris. I thought, ‘Now, I get to choose.’ If I deny and say, ‘No, he was mistaken. I’m only a distillery manager,’ then all the progress I’ve made, the hard work I’ve put into the industry, the products I’ve developed, and all the tasks I’ve completed would have less value. And I didn’t want to let that happen.”
Concluding thoughts:
You shouldn’t be hesitant to acknowledge your achievements and glory, especially when influential people are more than ready to enhance it. Give them a chance!
In the year 2022, the movie titled The Spirit of Women made it to the “Top 20” list of projects from over 55 countries that were submitted to Breaking Through the Lens, an initiative promoting female directors, in association with the Cannes Film Festival. This film, approximately 85% of which has been completed, narrates the tales of women such as Eaves and Butler, and also Peggy Noe Stevens (recognized as the first ever female Master Bourbon Taster and one of the very few women, nine to be exact, who got inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame), and the late Margie Samuels, rememberd for setting the pathway for what is now known as Maker’s Mark.
While striving to not give away a lot of juicy detail, it can be assured that this film is set to bring to screen a variety of intriguing stories of women engaged in the whiskey world, starting from distillers and tasters to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultants and many more. Needless to say, I have high hopes for it.
Kingsley, although hailing from Kentucky — known for its rich bourbon heritage — didn’t realize women’s integral role in whiskey’s past and present until seeing the cover of the June 2021 issue of American Whiskey Magazine.
“I was standing in the middle of Whole Foods and saw American Whiskey Magazine featuring Fawn Weaver and the entire female executive team of Uncle Nearest on the cover,” she says. “I had never seen four women on the cover of a whiskey magazine — and I grew up in Kentucky surrounded by bourbon and whiskey! I was like, ‘How do I not know about this?’”
The magazine cover compelled Kingsley to take a deep dive into the history of women in whiskey and subsequently birthed the idea of The Spirit of Women documentary — initially a step outside her comfort zone.
“I don’t come from the documentary film world,” she says. “I come from film and television in the narrative world, but I was inspired when I learned how vital women’s roles have been in whiskey and bourbon — which hadn’t been spotlighted in mainstream media. In fact, this is the very first documentary ever made dedicated solely to women in the world of whiskey and bourbon. It really moved me.”
Filmmakers behind documentaries must be incredibly passionate about the story they’re presenting, especially since it’s often difficult to raise capital. Added to the funding hurdle is getting people on board with your film’s concept. Kingsley told the audience about the amount of “Are you kidding?” feedback she got when telling people about the goal of making a documentary about women in whiskey. Yet, she’s getting the last laugh — The Spirit of Women is slated for release this fall. She stated, “This film taught me that women can literally do anything. They can make the impossible possible — and I get really emotional about it — but making the impossible possible is what these women have done. And it’s incredibly rewarding to see that happen and be able to tell this story.”
Bottom line:
Always bet on yourself. Simple as that. (Also, check out the magazines when you’re at the grocer, you never know when inspiration will strike!)
We ended the discussion with a whole lot of appreciation.
“There was a minute when I wasn’t really feeling doing women-only panels,” Butler said. “But this is empowerment. I get to share the stage with three powerhouses. You get to share a tiny bit of yourself with other women, and some handsome fellas too.”
I, too, usually resist the “women-only” discussions as they feel a bit dated and counterproductive (less chat, more action). However, this panel felt different as audience members, regardless of gender, took the platform to ask great concluding questions and praise the panelists.
No male bashing, no complaining – just uplifting stories and lessons learned and shared, along with Eaves’ high-proof closing statement that resulted in a collective cheer: “Don’t make assumptions about people, about women in particular, that we want the softer, sweeter, weaker product. We want the high strength. We want something spicy. So, that’s something that I would encourage y’all to walk out of this room with.”
Amen (and I’ll drink) to that.
Click here to listen to the full audio recording of “The Spirit of Women” panel.
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