Beyond the Bo YAKSHA Club

From master blenders to distillery managers, women are at the centre of how whisky is being made, marketed, and experienced

-  Anushka Manik

For decades, whisky has been wrapped in a certain kind of mythology - dimly lit bars and a very specific, very male gaze. But step into the industry today, and that narrative feels outdated. Research by organisations like the Scotch Whisky Association and consumer studies by Bacardi indicate that women now account for roughly 30-40% of whisky consumers globally, a sharp rise from just over 15% in the 1990s.

From master blenders to distillery managers, women are at the centre of how whisky is being made, marketed, and experienced.

In India, a country that remains one of the world’s largest consumers of the spirit, this shift feels even more layered. From founders building alco-bev platforms to curators shaping tasting cultures, the idea of whisky is being rediscovered. What’s interesting is that this isn’t a one-sided evolution. Brands too are recalibrating, rethinking everything from packaging and language to the spaces in which whisky is served. The old codes of masculinity are giving way to times where personal identity takes precedence over stereotypes.

Because if whisky once thrived on tradition, it now thrives on inclusion.

Rebalancing the Barrel