Whisky Makers Talk Motherhood

Ahead of Mother’s Day, we asked a handful of whisky makers how motherhood has influenced their work—and what the ins and outs of blending and/or distilling have brought to their parenting. They also offer up the bottles they’ve gifted (or will be gifting!) to their children, and what they’ll be drinking on the special day.

Rachel Barrie, master blender and senior leader of scotch at Brown-Forman

Are there expressions you’ve made, or collected, that you’ve saved for your child(ren)?

I try to keep three bottles of every whisky I have created—one for each of my three sons. Over my nearly 35 years in whisky making, I have collected quite a few. These are my legacy and will be passed on to my sons in the years to come.

Has whisky-making taught you anything about motherhood?

Whisky making combines hard work, discipline, and patience with the freedom of creative expression. It requires building a deep connection and “listening” to how each cask matures. These are qualities I continuously seek to master in motherhood; just as with each cask, I listen to each of my sons to understand their nature, endeavoring to nurture and guide them to become the best they can be.

On the flip side, has motherhood lent anything to your whisky making?

Motherhood has brought me untold joy, enabling me to cultivate a joie de vivre in my work. I learn from my sons’ ideas and experiences as they grow, and that richness informs the whiskies I am fortunate to create.

Whisky can often turn into a family business. Do your kids express interest in it?

My sons are rapidly becoming single malt aficionados. Since reaching adulthood, they have learned about the craft from my collection and the distilleries where I’ve worked. They often travel with me to distilleries and events, meeting connoisseurs from all over the globe and learning about production, flavor, and cultural nuances.

What would be the first whisky you’d gift your kid with when they turn 21?

My two oldest sons are over 21, and my youngest turns 21 next month. Each has received a bottle of The Glendronach Kingsman Edition on their 21st birthday to mark their “coming of age.”

Is there a bottle you crack open on Mother's Day?

Mother's Day involves the sublime combination of fine chocolate and The Glendronach 12 year old enjoyed from a wine glass. It is a time to slow down and indulge in appreciating relaxing, mellow vibes.

Marianne Eaves, master distiller and founder of Forbidden Bourbon

Are there bottles you’ve made, or collected, that you’ve saved for your child(ren)?
When I made the first release of Sweetens Cove bourbon in 2019, I worked with an incredible team that included Peyton Manning, and he signed a special bottle of the very first batch for me to save. Because I was pregnant at the time I made the first release, I like to say that my oldest daughter Andi helped me make it. It’s an important memento from a special time in my life that I will definitely give to her one day.

Has whisky-making taught you anything about motherhood?
Like children, each barrel of whisky has its own unique character, and I treat each one individually and put it into products that are best suited to its nuances. I’m not trying to force any barrel to fit any particular product. I’m using the uniqueness of each barrel to find a place where its best qualities will be highlighted and celebrated. I think that directly relates to how I am with my children. They’re still little, but I’m always looking for ways to put my two girls into situations where they will shine in their own unique ways.

On the flip side, has motherhood lent anything to your whisky making?
My ability to blend shifted during pregnancy, having that heightened sense of smell, just going by nose. It was cool to see that it’s possible, not only possible but maybe even a superpower to be able to exist in this job. I can still approach whiskey that way. I created successful and delicious products while pregnant, when I couldn’t consume the whiskey. This showed me that even people who are sober and who don’t drink alcohol can succeed in this industry. Back when I started, people always said “drinking is a job requirement,” but really, it’s not. You don’t have to consume it to create a successful product.

Whisky can often turn into a family business. Do your kids know what you do/express interest in it?
My oldest daughter’s understanding of what I do is that her mom is a scientist, which I hope opens up a world of possibilities. Both of my girls have seen what I do—blending, creating, and tasting—and have visited distilleries with me.

What would be the first whiskey you'd gift your kid with when they turn 21?
I’d definitely gift something that I made, such as Forbidden bourbon, which has significance for the female audience because of my role as Kentucky’s first female master distiller, and the name Forbidden which alludes to women being prohibited from making whisky in Kentucky until the 1970s. There’s actually a law that was in place until 1974 that specifically stated that “no woman shall make, serve, or mix alcohol.” It’s also a great gift because of the flavor profile. Forbidden is broadly approachable, sweeter and softer than most high-end releases. Even though it’s complex and sophisticated, Forbidden is an easy starter bottle for someone who is just beginning to explore bourbon.

Is there whisky you like to crack open on the day itself?
Again, it would be a bottle of Forbidden because of this product’s significance for women due to its flavor profile. My mom is not a whiskey drinker, but I know she’d share a glass of Forbidden with me on Mother’s Day to celebrate how far my career in has come since I first became a mother in 2020.

Stephanie Macleod, director of blending, scotch whisky at Bacardi

Are there bottles you’ve made that you’ve saved for your child(ren)?

When they turn 21, I’ll give my twin girls a bottle of Double Double 21, not only because it’s a beautiful and elegant dram, but Double Double really makes sense when you have twins!

Has whisky-making taught you anything about motherhood?

I like to believe I’ve shown my girls that nothing should stop you from doing what you love. When I started at Dewar’s, I was often the only woman in the room, and it taught me that you must gently but firmly stand your ground and speak your truth. I hope my own journey, and the honors I’ve been so fortunate to receive, serve as a quiet reminder to them that they never have to limit themselves to succeed. Much like whisky, children need time, the right environment, and a lot of patience to find their own way. You guide them as best you can, but then you have to trust the beauty of the wait. In my experience, both in the warehouse and at home, it truly does turn out just right.

On the flip side, has motherhood lent anything to your whisky making?

To be honest, motherhood has helped me become a leader with more empathy. When raising children, you can recognize your strengths but also the fact that you simply don’t know everything and can’t do everything without support. It has also helped me to prioritize and when to delegate, which are important skills in my day-to-day as a master blender.

Whisky can often turn into a family business. Do your kids express interest in it?

They are proud of me and appreciate all the experiences they have had as a result of my role within Bacardi/Dewar’s. I have encouraged them to follow their own path and passions, and as a result, they are interested in pursuing careers in engineering and law.

Joyce Nethery, master distiller at Jeptha Creed Distillery

Are there bottles you’ve made that you’ve saved for your child(ren)?

I haven’t necessarily set aside bottles in a formal way for my children, but we do hold back a few cases of meaningful releases for family milestones and future generations. That includes our very first barrel—the first legal barrel of bourbon distilled and barreled in Shelby County since before Prohibition, which Jeptha Creed laid down in August 2016. Many of the bottles we make end up becoming part of our family’s special occasions, whether as gifts, celebrations, or moments we know we’ll always remember. For me, that’s part of what makes whiskey so meaningful: It naturally becomes woven into the story of a family over time.

Has whisky-making taught you anything about motherhood? On the flip side, has motherhood lent anything to your whisky making?

Raising children and aging bourbon share a lot in common. When children are toddlers and just starting to walk and talk, it reminds me of bourbon in its earliest stage, maybe in that first year in the barrel, when it’s only beginning to develop its character. Then there’s that more difficult teenage phase, which I’d compare to bourbon around 2 to 2 1/2 years old: it can be frustrating, a little rough around the edges, and makes you question the process. But once both a child and a bourbon mature—4, 5 years, and beyond for bourbon—you begin to see what all that time, care, and patience were working toward. In both motherhood and whisky-making, I’ve learned to appreciate the process, trust the stages of development, and understand that something truly special takes time. Motherhood has also shaped the way I think about quality, care, and what you’re really giving to people.

Whisky can often turn into a family business, like yours at Jeptha Creed … What made your kids want to get involved?
For my daughter Autumn, it grew very naturally out of both family and interest. Once we entered the distilling business in the early 2010s, she became one of Kentucky’s youngest distillery owners and gained hands-on experience across the business. She later spent a school year at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland studying distilling, which gave her a deeper understanding of the craft. But she had a real talent for sales, marketing, and brand building. That combination of education and firsthand experience helped prepare her to take on a meaningful leadership role within Jeptha Creed. My son Hunter has been involved in a different but equally important way, helping in other areas of the business and continuing to stay connected to the family’s work. For us, that’s what makes this so special—it’s not just about building a distillery for today, but about creating a legacy our children can carry forward in whatever way feels right to them, and hopefully one day something that can be there for future generations as well.

What was the first whiskey you gifted your kids with when they turned 21?

For Hunter, the most meaningful whiskey was what we’ve always thought of as “Hunter’s barrel,” which is the first barrel of bourbon legally distilled in Shelby County since Prohibition. On his 21st birthday, we cracked it open together, which made the moment especially meaningful for both our family and the distillery. It wasn’t just about giving him a bottle; it was about sharing a milestone and creating a memory that felt deeply personal to our family’s distilling journey. Autumn’s experience was a little different. By the time she turned 21, she was in Scotland, learning about distilling firsthand and preparing for her future role at Jeptha Creed. Since the legal drinking age there is 18, she had already been immersed in the culture and education around spirits for some time. So rather than one particular bottle standing out, her 21st was marked more by the experience itself—traveling abroad, gaining hands-on knowledge, and deepening her connection to the craft in a way that felt especially meaningful.

Lisa Wicker, director of distilling at Whiskey Thief Distilling Co.

Are there bottles you’ve made that you’ve saved for your child(ren)?

Yes! I have a bottle from every run under my watch as senior consulting distiller from the historic George Washington Distillery at Mount Vernon in Virginia. It is a couple dozen, mostly rye whiskey, but brandy and rum, too. I have most of my first runs at Widow Jane, Batch 1/bottle 1, that may be around for them!

Has whisky-making taught you anything about motherhood?

How amazing my kids have been on my crazy path into distilling. In the middle of it all, I had no idea where the drive to make whiskey would land. They were all almost grown when I moved from winemaking to distilling. There have certainly been difficult days with all the travel and work obligations. Whiskey making, like motherhood, does not wait for a convenient schedule.

On the flip side, has motherhood lent anything to your whisky making?
This makes me laugh! So many things I learned raising my kids…mostly keeping cool! (Most days in craft [distilling] do not follow a script.) Is anyone hurt, and what is on fire? Expecting the unexpected. Patience, flexibility, and a sense of humor go far in raising kids, running equipment, and managing a team.

Whisky can often turn into a family business. Do your kids express interest in it?
I have three very grown children, all married, all with children. I am the grandmother of five beautiful boys. My oldest and her husband and brother-in-law own a cocktail bar, Mr. Tubs and Scout & Scholar Brewery in Bardstown. My son and his wife live and work on Capitol Hill in D.C. He had a cocktail podcast for a few years and judges World Whiskey Awards and has been invited to judge others. My youngest and her husband live in Nashville, she was in coffee for several years and both are crazy knowledgeable in coffee and whiskey. All three of my kids and my kids-in-law are excellent cooks and fantastic “tasters & smellers.” I just brought my two oldest grandsons to work with me over spring break.

What would be the first whiskey you’d gift your kid with when they turn 21?
This will be my grandsons! Definitely some of the distillate we are making now at Whiskey Thief Distilling Co.!

What whisky will you be drinking on Mother’s Day?
You know, I will be inspired by this article to drink something made by another mom friend. I’ll get back to you!