Spirited Women launches in Sydney

This weekend Sydney will play host to Spirited Women, the inaugural senior leadership mentor program sponsored by Women of Australian Distilling at the International Women’s Day lunch to be hosted at Bloodwood Restaurant, Newtown.

Eveline Albarracin (Managing Director, Brown-Forman ANZPI), Andrea Parker (Managing Director, Beam Suntory Oceania) and Amanda Lampe (Chair of Bundaberg Distilling Company) are inaugural mentors for the program, which is sponsored by Spirits & Cocktails Australia, and have come on board with the program to support the growing pool of female talent working in the spirits industry.

Mentor Ms Albarracin said: “I am delighted to be a mentor in the inaugural Women of Australian Distilling’s Senior Leadership Mentor Program. It’s so important that we recognise and nurture emerging female talent to ensure women continue to aspire to leadership positions in this growing industry."

Women of Australian Distilling founder Kathleen Davies (also founder of Nip of Courage) said long-term trends in alcohol consumption showed Australians overall were drinking less but better-quality products, with women leading the shift in patterns, but the industry was tarnished by outdated stereotypes.

Ms Davis says: “Government figures show almost three times as many Australian women choose to enjoy spirits rather than beer, but all we ever hear from our politicians in the media is about the importance of supporting beer. So we’ve done what women always do when faced with a challenge. We’ve united to support each other.” 

“So rather than hang around and whinge, women distillers are doing what Australian women have always done when we face a challenge. We’ve united to support each other.

“Alcohol is traditionally a male-dominated industry but I see no reason why women can’t dominate in craft distilling. As consumers, women are leading the premiumisation charge, looking for quality products and local ingredients. So it makes sense that women should be making those products. They understand the market.”

Women of Australian Distilling’s mentorship program will pair experienced women leaders from large spirits manufacturers with craft distillers, blenders and others working in the industry.

It will be formally launched at a sold-out International Women’s Day lunch and “cocktail degustation” at Newtown’s Bloodwood restaurant on Sunday, with some of the pioneers of craft distilling flying in to attend.

Women of Australian Distilling is also supported by the industry’s peak bodies including Spirits & Cocktails Australia, Australian Distillers Association, the Australian Gin Distillers Association and Women in Hospitality (WOHO), with an advisory board drawn from this group as well as craft distillers.