Once seen as a drink only for men, women are getting into whiskey in a big way these days. According to Forbes, women currently account for 37 percent of whiskey drinkers, up from 15 percent in the 1990s.
Not only are more women drinking whiskey, but more women are making it too. Koval is a Chicago-based brand started by Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart and her husband. Uncle Nearest is led by an all-female team, including the first Black woman to head up a major spirits brand, Fawn Weaver.
As more women try whiskey, one woman wants to make sure they have a safe space to sip. Julia Ritz Toffoli started Women Who Whiskey in 2011 to allow women to enjoy and learn about whiskey in a gender-inclusive environment. “We need to be able to feel comfortable drinking whiskey in our own city. So why don’t we get together and do that?” she said in an interview. Today, they have grown to over 16,000 members, with 24 chapters in 5 countries. To learn more or find a chapter near you, visit www.womenwhowhiskey.club.
Whiskey comes in several varieties which can be intimidating for a beginner. If you want to try, but don’t know where to start, here’s some Whiskey 101 to help you decide which is right for you:
Canadian Whisky is lighter and smoother than other varieties, making it a great place for beginners to start.
Popular brands include: Crown Royal, Canadian Mist
As the name implies, Scotch is a whiskey made in Scotland. It is made with water, malted barley, yeast, and caramel and aged in oak barrels. Although it comes in a variety of flavors, most have a smoky, malty taste.
Popular brands include: Johnnie Walker, Macallan
The Japanese drop the “e” in whiskey like the Canadians, but they learned their craft from Scottish distillers, which explains why it has a similar smoky taste as Scotch.
Popular brands include: Suntory
Bourbon is made with at least 51 percent corn. The rest is a combination of malted barley and either rye or wheat. Bourbon also comes in a variety of flavors, but it tends to have a sweet and smoky taste.
Popular brands include: Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam
Tennessee whiskey is similar to bourbon, except it is made in Tennessee and goes through an extra charcoal filtering process that removes impurities. Tennessee whiskey is often described as lighter than bourbon with a slightly sweeter taste.
Popular brands include: Jack Daniels
Good whiskey can be enjoyed neat (without water or ice) or with a few ice cubes. But if you’re looking for something with a little more flavor, check out these recipes for deliciously simple whiskey cocktails:
Ginger Highball
2 ounces of any type of whiskey
2-3 ounces ginger ale
3 lemon slices
Add lemon slices and ice to the bottom of the glass. Top with whiskey and ginger ale.
Mint Julep
5 mint sprigs
½ ounce simple syrup
2½ ounces bourbon
Muddle mint with syrup at the bottom of the glass. Fill the glass with ice, add bourbon, and stir.