I took my first sip of Scotch right out of my MBA program while working for a retail store design company in New York. Sales meetings were regularly held at a cigar bar on 6th Ave. and after that first sip of neat Lagavulin 16, I was sold. The initial curiosity grew into a desire to learn more and quickly became a passion. I continued working in retail store design for a few more years, all the while starting a small collection of whisky and taking spirits and wine classes on the weekends.

Although I loved the classes I was taking, I wasn’t getting the specific whisk(e)y education I wanted. I created my own study program and for the past 7 months have been traveling through Scotland, Ireland, Kentucky, Tennessee, Japan and Tasmania. I have visited just over 90 
distilleries worldwide and tasted hundreds of different whisk(e)y’s all while documenting my stories on my blog, Her Whisky Love. I also worked at Knockdhu Distillery for a week in the Highlands of Scotland where they produce anCnoc Scotch. The technical side of distillation and production is important to me as well, and I will sit for my General Certificate in Distillation through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling this month.

I find that the true beauty in whisky is the social and business aspect. Taking a sip of whisk(e)y allows you the experience of feeling like you are a part of where it is made. Jack Daniels can bring
 you to the humid back roads of Tennessee and Highland Park can bring you to the Scottish islands of the North Sea. This kind of experience is something to look forward to with friends and family, but also a way to build relationships in the business world. Via Instagram, I was discovered by Gordon’s Fine Wine & Spirits, a small retail chain with five locations based in Boston, Massachusetts. I now live in the Greater Boston area when I am not traveling. In this role I curate the selection and buy for the five retail locations. My role also includes hosting private tasting events, education classes, whisky and food pairings, selection of casks for Gordon’s Private Barrel Program and also running social media and marketing campaigns for the Gordon’s Whisk(e)y program. I also continue writing for my own blog, looking to share my passion with anyone that’s interested in learning more and exploring the world of whisk(e)y!