The world of whisky has been a man’s domain for most of its history. But a band of few spirited women is breaking that mould, as female distillers and master blenders lead the way. Stephanie MacLeod, Director of Blending, Scotch Whisky, Bacardi, is one such. One the occassion of World Whisky Day (May 18) — the Master Blender of the Year (awarded by the International Whisky Competition (IWC) every year since 2019 — discusses her blending journey, and the many accolades that have come her way.
Stephanie joined John Dewar’s and Son’s in 1998, after specialising in sensorial sophistication. “I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science ( University of Strathclyde, Glasgow), and was soon invited to join a research group as a sensory analyst to study the maturation and structure of scotch,” she explains.
Becoming Blender Designate in 2003, Stephanie initiated her official three-year training with the then Master Blender, Tom Aitken, before becoming the first female Master Blender for Dewar’s in 2006, and has since created six blended scotch whiskies, 21 single malt progressions, and numerous cask expressions.
