Tag Archives: whisky women

Sarah Burgess – Lead Whisky Maker for The Macallan

With over 20 years of experience, Sarah Burgess knows a thing or two about making quality single malt. Born and raised in Speyside, surrounded by distilleries, it wasn’t until she began traveling as an adult that she realized there weren’t distilleries around every corner! It was a natural progression of her whisky passion to beginContinue reading “Sarah Burgess – Lead Whisky Maker for The Macallan”

Kelsey McKechnie – Apprentice Malt Master at Balvenie

In 2018, at the age of 26, Kelsey McKechnie became one of the youngest women to ever achieve the rank of Apprentice Malt Master, studying the craft under David Stewart (one of the longest serving Malt Masters in the industry). She’d only been working for William Grant & Sons (parent company of Balvenie) for aContinue reading “Kelsey McKechnie – Apprentice Malt Master at Balvenie”

Kirsteen Campbell: The Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker

If there’s someone to inspire women in the world of whisky, it’s Kirsteen Campbell. She’s the first woman to hold the title of Master Whisky Maker for Scotch Single Malt giant The Macallan, a brand that was created back in 1824. With a background in food science, she didn’t realize a career could be madeContinue reading “Kirsteen Campbell: The Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker”

Julieann Fernandez – From Criminal Science to Whisky Blender

At just 29 years old, Julieann Fernandez is the Master Blender for the Distell Group, which includes Bunnahabhain, Deanston, and Tobermory distilleries. Always interested in science, she went to university with an eye towards becoming a forensic scientist, but when doing her placement between her 3rd and 4th year, she was drawn to a labContinue reading “Julieann Fernandez – From Criminal Science to Whisky Blender”

Maureen Robinson – Master Blender for Diageo

Diageo is the world’s biggest whisky producer (although they provide other drinks, as well) with over 200 brands under their umbrella. Maureen Robinson has been working in the whisky industry, and with Diageo, for over 40 years. She is Diageo’s Master Blender and oversees Single Malts, blends, as well as their yearly Special Releases, whichContinue reading “Maureen Robinson – Master Blender for Diageo”