
Shortly after graduating from the University of Glasgow in 1934, Elizabeth "Bessie" Williamson began working as a temporary secretary at the Laphroaig Distillery on the Scottish island Islay. Williamson quickly found herself joining the boys in the tasting room, studying the distillation process, and winning them over with her knowledge of Scottish whisky.
After the owner of Laphroaig passed away, Williamson took over the prestigious company and became the spokesperson in America for the entire Scotch whisky industry. Impressing clients and showing her passion as the Scotch Whisky Association's trade ambassador, she soon gained fame within the industry. Whiskey Women tells the tales of the women who created the industry, from Mesopotamia's first beer brewers and distillers to America's rough-and-tough Prohibition bootleggers. Women have long distilled, marketed, and owned significant shares in spirits companies, including Bushmills, Johnnie Walker, and Maker's Mark. Williamson is one of many influential women who greatly influenced Scotch, bourbon, and Irish whiskey. Until now their stories have remained untold."Fred Minnick gives us an entertaining look at booze's little-known history--including its links to childhood medicine, witchcraft, and the eighteenth-century mail order bride business. This book goes down smooth."--A. J. Jacobs, New York Times best-selling author of The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible-- (6/10/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"The known history of whiskey changes with Whiskey Women. Fred Minnick has dug deep and come up with gold on the tremendous contribution women have made at each step in the history and evolution of this much-storied beverage. Whiskey Women is a real game changer."--Davin de Kergommeaux, award-winning author of Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert
-- (6/10/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"Deeply researched and takes an interesting angle (the role of women) as a way to talk about whiskey from a fresh perspective."--Kara Newman, Tipple Sheet-- (10/8/2013 12:00:00 AM)
"[Whiskey Women is] an enjoyable read of thoughtfully-assembled facts and stories illuminating the forgotten women of apothecaries and distilleries past."--Virginia Miller, Liquor.com-- (9/1/2013 12:00:00 AM)