What Do Women Want? Whiskey
Women and whiskey have been in the news a lot these days!
Not long after CBS This Morning's story about women and whiskey (in which we were featured!), NPR put out its own version earlier this week. Women Who Whiskey wasn't mentioned in that story, but we were asked for a quote for a follow up story on First We Feast, What Do Women Want? Whiskey, which asked industry experts what they think about the rise in whiskey-loving women.
Sarah Theeboom sums up the trend:
"...women represent nearly 40% of whiskey drinkers today, up from 15% in the 90s. The reasons for this are two-fold. On the one hand, a proliferation of artisanal and small batch distilleries plus a robust and sophisticated mixology culture mean that people of all genders are drinking more whiskey than before. On the other hand, the perception of whiskey as a man’s drink that prevailed through much of the 20th century has dissipated, making space for women to reacquaint themselves with a spirit that was once considered unladylike."
She follows up with a series of quotes from industry women explaining more specifically why this is the case, including a quote from us!
Julia Ritz Toffoli, founder of the Women Who Whiskey club
“Women’s false modesty toward dark spirits has faded. It’s been socially acceptable for women to drink in bars for decades, but an invisible line was always drawn somewhere around clear liquors. In the booze-soaked days portrayed by Mad Men, for example, women were daintily sipping Gimlets, Martinis, and Brandy Alexanders, while men poured themselves generous tumblers of Canadian Club, neat. Alcohol is alcohol, but as long as it was happening with ladylike drinks, no one had to acknowledge that women were getting as drunk as men. Now women’s relationship with society has changed. The sexual revolution, the influx of women into the workforce, and decades of evolving gender norms have erased many of the traditional barriers between the sexes—including the invisible line around whiskey.”
It's such an honor to be included in the ranks of these impressive, accomplished women--not to mention a being called an industry expert!
Head over to First We Feast to see what the other ladies had to say!