In September 2020 Our Whisky co-founder Becky Paskin condemned the sexist language used to describe whiskies by one of the UK’s most well-known critics. It created a media storm, resulting in household brands such as Glenfiddich, The Whisky Exchange, Beam Suntory and the Scotch Whisky Association coming out in support of Becky’s comments, denouncing sexist language and sexism within the whisky trade.

In this panel event we talk to Becky herself, as well as industry experts about gender bias and discrimination in the whisky industry. The panel of speakers will be sharing thoughts and discussing if this was a standalone moment, or if this is widespread problem, and where do we go from here. We will be considering whether there are differences between hospitality, marketing, writing and production, in terms of how women are perceived? Is this, indeed, whisky’s #metoo moment and does the industry even need one?

Chair: Helen Foord - Just Festival

Panelists

• Ian Millar - Prestige Whiskies Specialist, William Grant & Sons Ltd, previously distillery manager at the Bladnoch, Mortlach, Blair Athol, Dalwhinnie, Linkwood and Glen Elgin Distilleries
• Meeghan Murdoch - Head of Distilling Operations at Glenrinnes Distillery
• Stephanie Murray - founding member of Shawfern Group Limited, operating boutique hotels such as The Dowans Hotel and Hotel 1881 in Speyside
• Becky Paskin - whisky journalist, co-founder of Our Whisky and former Scotchwhisky.com editor
• Irini Tzortzoglou - UK MasterChef Champion 2019

The session will be delivered by Zoom and will be free to attend. Questions can be posed by viewers via the Q&A section and will be moderated by one of the organisers.