Welcome to our Muse of the Month series! This series is celebrating women in the industry who are changing the conversation around whisk(e)y. From Master Distillers to Podcasters to Brand Ambassadors stay tuned as we feature the best and brightest females.
For the month of July, we are featuring Master Distiller and Consultant Marianne Eaves.
Born in Tennessee and raised in Kentucky, geography alone may have been telling Marianne Eaves that her destiny was to be a whiskey maker. However, it was courage to buck tradition, her creative engineering mind and a voracious appetite for learning that actualized her place in history as Kentucky’s First Female Bourbon Master Distiller since Prohibition.
Eaves has been recognized in Whiskey Advocate Magazine as “the Next Generation” for the bourbon industry, and has been honoured by Forbes and included in the 2015 Food & Drink 30 under 30 list. As she stepped into the role of Master Distiller herself, taking on the herculean restoration project of Castle & Key Distillery, she was recognized by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as one of America’s Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers.
This year Eaves has transitioned from Master Distiller to Distilling Consultant and Ambassador for Kentucky’s finest spirit. She hopes to use her expertise in process and product development to raise the bar for craft producers and help other passionate makers turn dreams into a reality.
Needless to say, I was so ecstatic to sit down with Marianne Eaves and chat about what’s lead her to career success, what makes the ‘perfect’ whisk(e)y and things she’s excited about in the industry.
Quick Fire Questions
Early Bird or Night Owl: Sometimes both, but probably more of an early bird
Pro-Peat or Anti-Peat: Pro, when it’s balanced
The Best Whisk(e)y + Snack Combination/Pairing: Whiskey and nut, fruit, dark chocolate snack mix, it’s fun to try things individually with the spirit and then all the flavours together, yum!
Favourite Cocktail: A well made Old Fashioned
Worst shooter you’ve ever had (i.e. prairie fire): Three Wisemen (Jim, Jack, Jose) or any peach flavored bourbon
Never Have I Ever: Mixed KY bourbon with coke — only Jack Daniels
Drinking Song of Choice: Depends on the situation, I really love my Wailin’ Jennys ‘Pandora Station’
What mantra do you live by/drink by: What lies behind you, and what lies ahead of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.
Describe yourself in the form of a haiku.
Poems aren’t my thing
To tell you about myself
Let’s go to a bar
Tell me about your first (memorable) experience with whisk(e)y.
It was New Years Eve at a house party with some really low shelf stuff. I wanted a chaser but the guy I was with wouldn’t let me. I had a negative impression of whiskey from then until I started working for Brown-Forman.
What has been your biggest career highlight to date?
Starting the stills at the Old Taylor Distillery with a recipe I created from scratch and a process I designed after nearly half a century of being shuttered.
What personal rules do you abide by that have lead you to success?
Don’t be afraid of what you have yet to learn. Don’t let it stop you from taking opportunities and taking risks.
In your opinion, what makes the perfect whisk(e)y?
Balance and a thoughtful process. I like being able to taste lots of different notes in whiskey, if it’s just oak or just spice I’m bored 🙂 You can tell from the nose if a product is well made or not.
What’s the latest trend you’re excited about the industry at the moment?
I’ve been out of whiskey for about a year having left Castle & Key and then pretty immediately finding out I was pregnant, but unfortunately to me it looks like the industry innovation is staying somewhat the same… proof changes, barrel finishing etc.
What is your advice for someone who is just starting to get in to drinking whisk(e)y?
Drink it however you like it, in a whiskey sour, on ice, whatever… that’s what will start getting you to love the flavour. Also, drink good stuff. I made that mistake, thought all whiskey tastes alike.
There are over 200 different flavours you can pick up in a whiskey, so you’ll find some that you prefer, and once you do it allows you to appreciate others. Like I started out drinking rum and tequila in fruity cocktails, then tried some whiskey in a fruity cocktail, then eventually found a really sweet bourbon I loved and then from there started wanting to try all kinds of whiskey!
What are you doing to ensure you’re continuing to grow and develop your palate?
Try new things whenever I can, and when I tasting things, no matter what it is, I really try to focus on the flavour. It’s part of maintaining that palate memory… being able to identify flavours without a visual — for instance finding apple and cherry in a whiskey isn’t uncommon, but for some those same notes might taste like plum and pear. Also you can’t describe what something tastes like, or identify a flavour, if you’ve never tried it!
What would be your top tip(s) for people looking to get into your profession?
Be patient and passionate, and know that there is always more to learn. That’s the one thing I know for sure, that I definitely don’t know everything.
What’s next for you?
Going to be spending some time working on other spirits outside of whiskey, while continuing to do some whiskey blending to keep up my palate and stay present in the industry. Excited for an overseas opportunity, and a traveling project of my own that I will hopefully kick off this year!
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