Jesse, forgive me for tossing your business out there, but I just read a really interesting article about the growing population of women whiskey lovers, and it recalls one of our earliest company conversations. I had to share this thought with the world.
So… to set the scene… back in 2016—when Jesse and I were laying the groundwork for New Scotland Spirits—we spent an evening discussing our business goals and brand objectives over a bottle of… I can’t remember now. (Was it your Dad’s scotch?)
We were both firm in wanting to distill spirits that honored our native New Scotland, but I had an extra objective: I wanted our whiskies to be of the highest quality possible, to literally be the “most premium” option available in New York.
That was my sole requirement. It was the only thing that would make this venture worth it to me. The grain, the barrel, the water… no corner could be cut. No matter how much time we’d have to invest in aging our liquor, no matter how much money would be required to distill with the region’s masters, I insisted that our business be all about quality.
And the fact that I, a lady farmer, loved whiskey, didn’t seem strange to me. I didn’t then realize how unique a phenomenon it was for a woman to choose whiskey over wine!
Jesse, on the other hand, was a bit… um… “newer” to the world of whiskey. And even though his primary business imperative struck me as a bit unsophisticated, in retrospect its simplicity was its brilliance. As he so eloquently put it:
“All I want is a whiskey my sisters will want to drink.”
Well folks, half a decade later, Jesse and I are putting the finishing touches on Helderberg Single Malt Whiskey, which you’re soon going to hear experts call one of New York’s finest spirits. Period.
And what occurred to me as I developed the mood and flavor profile of our flagship whiskey was this: to ensure that Jesse’s sisters loved our liquor, I didn’t need to change the whiskey. Rather, I needed to change their understanding of whiskey—as a spirit that’s not supposed to be hidden in 16 ounces of coke to drown out that unfiltered turpentine taste.
In short, I had to show them that whiskey can be the silkiest, smoothest, richest, most velvety liquid they’ve ever tasted. And that’s when I realized that Jesse and I had the same mission.
Well folks, in in conjunction with our partners and after hours of consulting with regional experts, I can honestly say that we’re there.
Christina Hendricks, a renowned (scotch) whiskey enthusiast.
Ours is a whiskey that women will love, as long as they’re the type of women who know quality when they see it. And if only a woman has the sensibility to recognize the mellow, full-bodied warmth of New Scotland Spirits craftsmanship, so be it. Because there’s plenty of that Jack Daniels horseshit to feed all the frat boys unworthy of sipping our spirits.
Women are critical to the world of whiskey, and we’re excited for them to put our products to the test. Chief among them is Jesse’s youngest sister, who in the last half decade has gone on to develop a refined whiskey palette. She’s invested a fortune in amassing a truly imposing collection of rare first-class whiskies, but I defy her to find a candidate in her collection which can hold a candle to our Helderberg Single Malt Whiskey.
And in the end, Jesse, I think I can declare “Mission Accomplished”. Your sisters are going to love this release. As are all women—the fastest growing segment among the whiskey connoisseur demographic.
Hillary Clinton and Margaret Thacher, Christina Hendricks and Mila Kunis, Rhianna and Kate Middleton. Indeed, Women whiskey lovers are everywhere.
I’ll close with a shoutout to one of our favorite whiskey women out there: Jessie Reyez.
Roses and Whiskey, ladies.
Welcome to New Scotland Spirits.
— Rebecca