The New Face of Scotch

Scotch Chix, the new image of the single malt whisky industry? Maybe.

The whisky industry is booming and changes are expected. While reading the most recent Malt Advocate magazine (Second Quarter 2008) DC Scotch Chick was intrigued by the comments of Paul Walsh, the new chairman of the Scotch Whisky Association. He believes the industry has depended too heavily on "bagpipes, heather, and tartan."

The Scotch Chix propose a different image: one of sexy, sophisticated women. Such an image would be sure to attract men, who when they are not thinking of whisky are thinking about sexy, sophisticated women, and it would address the largest gap in the whisky market - its appeal to women.

For too long women have been blind to the beauties of the single malt whisky. Only a quarter of the whisky drinkers in the UK are women, and from what we can tell in the US the situation is just as abominable over here. Part of the problem, as the Scotch Chix see it, lies in a traditional image that is as prevalent as tartan and bagpipes, that of the hard core unfeminine woman whisky drinker. This is pure balderdash, and until it is dispelled, the huge market of women whisky drinkers will be forever closed to the industry.

This negative stereotype of the woman whisky drinker has an historic foundation. In past centuries, it was somewhat acceptable for women in the middle and upper classes to drink whisky in the privacy of their own homes, but any public consumption was considered to be a breach of etiquette. This prejudice has lingered. The Scotch Chix invariable get "The Look" when men see us drinking whisky.

In addition, this stereotype has been perpetuated by literature, movies, and some super uber-no sh*^ chicks such as Jean Macgregor and Bessie Willamson, who both ran distilleries with iron hands, and Margaret Thatcher, who basically ran the free world as we know it (although she does violate Scotch Chix Rule #2 by adulterating the scotch with soda).

All this baggage is quite burdensome. Single malt whisky is a sophisticated and sexy drink. It belongs in the hands of sophisticated, sexy women. In fact, some of the sexiest and/or most feminine women in the world are single malt whisky drinkers: Julia Roberts, Lisa Kudrow (from Friends), Madonna, Sharleen Spiteri (from the rock band, Texas), and, of course, the Scotch Chix come to mind right away.

It is time to dispel the myth of the woman whisky drinker and give scotch a new face. Why not let the Scotch Chix educate the masses and have a little fun along the way? What do you say Mr. Walsh? Do you think the Scotch Chix can lend a hand?