A woman drinking single malt looks classier than one drinking a sparkly, frothy pink cocktail with a straw in it, and a pineapple jutting out. But why is whisky considered a man’s drink when it has long been appreciated and enjoyed by women the world over? One of the oldest women in Britain, 110-year-old Minnie Smith, attributed her longevity to whiskey and boiled onions. She is in good company; Margaret Thatcher, Madonna and Kate Moss are a few others who appreciate the spirit of whiskey.
Experts say the rise has been prompted by a new generation of female drinkers, prepared to experiment with new spirits and different flavours as well as a series of tasting events that combine whiskey with food.
And that’s what makes them take to single malts such as Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Talisker, The Glenlivet, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain and Caol ILA.
Having hosted numerous whiskey appreciations across the country, I am delighted by the number of women who attend. Most of them don’t come to the tasting because their partner is into whiskey, but because they have a genuine appreciation for whiskey itself. For newcomers, it is also a sense of curiosity and desire to learn more. Annabel Meikle, whiskey creator and sensory expert for Glenmorangie, says, “The new generation of young, professional female whiskey drinkers are also introducing their friends, colleagues and clients to the spirit. Women like to try new things, like to nose whiskey and taste it, and they are not afraid of saying whether they like it or not.” According to ACNielsen, almost a quarter of whisky drinkers in the UK are women, an improvement over the last decade when it was 1 in 10. The new trends also ensure that you do not patronise women with “softer” whiskeys; I have seen most women enjoy the big taste of a smoky Lagavulin, an elegant Balvenie or a lush Ardbeg, all with “wee drops of water in their dram”. I have been part of discussions, where women are planning Scotch whiskey trails, distillery tours and talking about a new Japanese whiskey discovered at a friend’s house.
Leading interior designer Jyoti Punj has her favourite in Oban 14 YO and Talisker, Till a couple of years ago, she did not like whiskey since she felt the standard Scotch was not exciting. Entrepreneur and designer Priya Kapur enjoyed blends but is now quite fond of Dalwhinnie and The Balvenie 21 YO.
For global whiskey brands, traditional myths are getting broken. Women are not a niche market, but a growing one. There is no sexist bias that focusing on women will move men away. Food pairing, nosing sessions and whiskey appreciations are being worked out by brands to facilitate a better understanding and higher appreciation for the product. “There is no defined way to enjoy a glass of single malt scotch, it is a personal preference. I personally love the peaty single malts with delicate complexity and balance of the sweet, savoury and peaty notes that are ever present in good Islay whiskeys,” says Meenu Handa, head of communications for a leading MNC in India.
For a very long time women were scared to drink whiskeys because it had such a masculine image. But times are changing and female drinkers are much more open to trying new things.
The writer is a whiskey connoisseur and director of Spiritual Luxury Living India