5 women on their hopes for whisky in 2025
As we end another busy year in the whisky industry, five women in whisky look forward to 2025 and tell us their hopes for the future of the category and the women who work within it.
2024 has been an interesting year for the whisky industry. The reopening of distilleries like Port Ellen has been juxtaposed with the sad closure of others. Some of the biggest names in whisky have also celebrated big birthdays like The Glenlivet’s 200th, and also released some of their oldest liquids too with more 50-year-olds now on the market than you can shake a dram at. And finally, American single malt became an official category, as the year rounded off with the TTB giving it its own legal definition.
We’ve also seen some brilliant women making strides in the industry this year, including the 50 mentees we’ve put through our mentorship programme in 2024. But there is still plenty of work to be done when it comes to equity in this industry.
With this in mind, we asked five women around the world to tell us their hopes for the category we all love for 2025 - and what they hope to see for women who work in it too.
Terri Lam, founder, T Lam & Sons
Lam is a previous mentee with the OurWhisky Foundation
What I’m looking forward to in 2025: “My whisky journey hasn’t been a straightforward one, and I want to acknowledge how instrumental mentorship and guidance have been in helping me navigate the challenges of building my business. For entrepreneurs and businesses, I hope they seek the guidance and support of industry leaders who can be invaluable in navigating tough times.
“Looking ahead to 2025, with trends like reduced alcohol consumption, I view brands reinventing themselves and exploring international markets for greater exposure. I hope to see more experienced professionals stepping up to provide leadership, shaping a culture of support and collaboration within the industry.
“On the topic of mental health, I hope businesses continue to address critical issues like burnout and take proactive steps to support healthy lifestyles for their employees.”
My hopes for women working in whisky: “As an entrepreneur, I’ve built my work around a deep appreciation for culture, travelling for whisky and immersing myself in the stories and traditions that define it.
“My hopes for 2025 are that we recognise and honour the diverse experiences and challenges faced by women across different cultures, environments and communities. I believe we need to have conversations that move beyond familiar circles, reaching those we need to engage with most. By doing so, we can create space for meaningful allyship, advocacy, and a culture that thrives on equity and understanding.
“Also, I hope to see more intentional efforts applied to the tertiary sectors and the less visible parts of the industry — we are all integral to this system. May we move beyond simply acknowledging challenges and find the courage to actively address inequities while providing merit-based opportunities, fostering a culture where everyone feels supported, valued, and empowered to thrive.”
Melita Kiely, editor, The Spirits BUsiness
Kiely was this year named the IWSC’s Spirits Communicator of the Year (credit: Eva Slusarek).
What I’m looking forward to in 2025: “I love learning about all the wonderful developments in the whisky world; the experimentation with raw materials, yeast, production styles, cask maturation, strides towards sustainability, and more. It’s fascinating – truly.
“But when I think about my expectations for whisky in 2025, I’d love to see more focus brought back to the simple enjoyment of whisky. Let’s talk more about flavour – and not with overly complicated or pretentious tasting notes. Easy-to-understand, relatable flavour descriptors will be far more effective in democratising whisky further.
“My other hope (I’m greedy), is that we’ll see more realistically attainable, affordable whiskies come to market. Of course, it’s exciting to see older, rare, high-end and exclusive whiskies launch. Chasing the ultra-prestige end of the category should not become the norm, in my opinion. We need to make sure that whisky really is for everyone.”
My hopes for women working in whisky: “I hope more women in whisky will have the chance to tell their stories in 2025 and raise their profiles – plus the profiles of other women. That could be sharing memories about their discovery and enjoyment of whisky, or their career path into the industry. Whatever their story, I hope it inspires other women to find their place in the whisky community, either personally or professionally.
“We still have a long way to go when it comes to equity in the whisky world. But I see so much great working happening in the sector. I’m hopeful it will continue next year and get us ever closer to where we want, and need, to be.”
Holly Booth, lead bartender, High West Distillery
Booth leads a talented team at the Utah distillery’s numerous hospitality outposts.
What I’m looking forward to in 2025: “What I’d I really like to see is more focus on sustainability. I see areas we could all do better but specifically, around swag and packaging. In my experience what people remember, what motivates loyalty to a brand, is creating memorable moments. That means going heavy on experiential marketing and making connections, in real life, with our consumers.
“Of course, bars are also a sustainability focus. Creating more closed loop drinks, and if possible, more programmes that can close those loops on entire menus.
“I also would like to see continued normalisation of sober curious movements among bartenders and more industry events that are activity based rather than consumption based. Fun runs, golf, hiking, skiing, and pickle ball are all great ways to get people together and great opportunities for brands to reach out to industry and create those memorable experiences.”
My hopes for women working in whisky: “My hopes for women in this industry are focused on the things that I see taking talented women away from bartending. We lose a lot of talented people in this industry, not just women, to issues around wellness.
“Our industry is physically demanding and the service industry in general can really take its toll. I happen to think this is a place that we need to see some local government and perhaps national government intervention. People feel as though they need to come to work when they are ill, or when they are experiencing personal hardships. Paid time off at a rate that is reasonable enables people make decisions that support their own wellness.”
Gabrielle Nicole Pharms-Barr, writer
Pharms-Barr writes for the likes of Rolling Stone and Men’s Journal, and is a contributing editor for American Whiskey.
What I’m looking forward to in 2025: “I’m looking forward to the industry applying the collective knowledge we’ve all acquired up unto this moment in history to look at innovation beyond the scope of production and techniques – finally applying that same zeal into marketing efforts and inclusive events emphasising the cultural innovation that drives ingenuity across all facets of the trade.”
My hopes for women working in whisky: “I yearn for the day when ‘women in whisky’ is no longer a necessary topic to highlight. In 2013, I had an inspiring chat with the iconic DJ and BBC Radio 1 host, Annie Mac. When I asked her about sexism in DJ culture, she replied: ‘My theory is that if you’re good at your job, what does it matter what gender? What on earth difference does it make if you have a pair of tits, whether you’re a good DJ or not? It’s ridiculous. It’s about being good at your job.’
“I share Annie’s same energy and sentiments for the whisky world. As long as you’re talented, knowledgeable, and welcoming, why does it matter whether your master distiller, blender, bartender, journalist or whisky influencer is female?”
Stefanie Holt, curator of world whisky, Mangrove
Holt has been a three-time mentor for the OurWhisky Foundation Mentorship Programme, a personal highlight for her in recent years.
What I’m looking forward to in 2025: “A lot of us recognise that it’s going to be an ‘interesting’ year in whisky, with distillery closures, tariffs and a general correction of the industry expected. Saying that, I also think this will provide opportunity to focus on liquid and value, and that people in the industry will get a chance to showcase the creativity and the heart behind it all, rather than profit for big companies being the main driver.”
My hopes for women working in whisky: “Luckily there are more and more opportunities to talk about and build awareness of the additional difficulties women face in the industry. It’s been great to see influential men speak out about and support this as well, so the message is getting out there.
“It's also wonderful, now that there are more women in the industry, to see how they are supporting each other and championing each other’s work, irrespective of company, brand, country, whisky category. The more of this that happens, the better, and some of the relationships being built now will help a lot more of us push even more boundaries than ever before, so I hope to see even more of this!
“Eventually I’d love for us not to have to hold ourselves to a higher standard (as for some reason each of us represent all women globally!) in order to just exist and progress as men do, but I fear we’re a little way off that. Although as some of us get older, we are less and less inclined to care what others think or need to prove ourselves, so potentially that’s something we’ll see some change in now that there are a few more women who’ve been in the industry for a decade or two.”
Discover More from The Cut
