Women and Whiskey.

A favored (or is it 'fevered') dream of whiskey marketers, much like the growth of Asian markets, has been growth among young female drinkers. Hard core whiskey enthusiasm is still mainly male, but that may be changing.

It has been said about the success of the American women's soccer team that in countries where soccer is big -- which is everywhere except the USA -- everyone knows women don't play soccer. Because soccer is such a minor sport here, no one knows that, so the American women don't have that mental block to overcome.

I taught a bourbon class last night and the most enthusiastic students were two young women, one of whom plans to do the Bourbon Trail on her motorcycle this summer. I described to her the drive to Woodford Reserve. It has been a long time since I've gotten a woman that excited.

Young women are getting into whiskey because they don't know women don't drink whiskey. It's not the same as self-consciously defying a social norm when you don't know the social norm exists. That is whiskey's best hope for significant growth in the female demographic.