Welcome to the Whisk(e)y Warrior Award!
On the first of every month, someone is awarded the prodigious title of Whisk(e)y Warrior. A question and answer interview is conducted with the valiant warrior, and then distributed to the world in a special Whisk(e)y Warrior Release. What is a Whisk(e)y Warrior? Find out more by clicking here.
And now, we proudly present your Whisk(e)y Warrior.
She’s a newcomer to the whiskey world, but that just means her fire and zeal for whiskey is hot enough to melt steel. She consumes whiskey knowledge the way a sumo wrestler chows down on rice. With a three-foot-tall stack of whiskey books on her nightstand, her intellect and palate slice like a razor. Being a whiskey ninja, her true identity is shrouded in mystery and intrigue. She is…
Alice in Whiskyland, Whisk(e)y Warrior!
Alice in Whiskyland August 2017
Interview
Zac: So where did your moniker “Alice in Whiskyland” come from?
Alice: I was going to whiskey school. I really didn’t know much about Bourbon to begin with and I literally felt like Alice falling down the rabbit hole into this world of whiskey.
Zac: Wait. Back up. Did you say whiskey school?
Alice: I go to whiskey school here locally in Richmond, VA. It’s a place called McCormack's Big Whisky Grill. It turned out the owner is actually a neighbor of mine which I didn’t know at the time until we became friends. I was hanging out there and he introduced me to his whiskey school that he has once a week. I’ve been tasting all sorts of Bourbons and, you know, falling in love with the world of whiskey.
Zac: How long have you been going to whiskey school?
Alice: About a year.
Zac: Have you always been a whiskey drinker?
Alice: No, I used to drink Vodka believe it or not. I can’t imagine drinking Vodka now.
Zac: So what got you started with whiskey?
Alice: Before I started going to the Whisky Grill, all I knew about whiskey was Jack Daniels back in the day. I really had no idea how big the world of whiskey is. I didn’t know anything about the history of it or any of that. But I got bitten by the bug.
Zac: Welcome. You’re among friends. We’ve all been bitten…gosh that sounded cultish. Ok…moving on…
Zac: Do you find that the more you learn about whiskey the more you enjoy it?
Alice: Yes. Yes, absolutely.
Zac: Is there anyone who inspires you in the whiskey community?
Alice: The school at the Whisky Grill has definitely inspired me to learn about whiskey. On Instagram, all of them inspire me, the whole whiskey community. There are some fabulous people posting all sorts of great content which really helps me fall down the rabbit hole more. I had no idea that world even existed on Instagram.
Zac: What prompted you to launch your own whiskey based Instagram page?
Alice: I just started my Instagram on a whim because it was fun. And really to take pictures of what I drank and what I liked. And to get the pictures off my phone because I had like five-million pictures of Bourbon. And once I started my account I started coming across all the podcast people, the ABV Network, and I found just a really cool group of people.
Zac: That’s true. It is a really cool group of people.
Alice: I also find that, you know, I didn’t realize there are a lot of women who are whiskey drinkers. Instagram has definitely shown me that. There are a lot of women whiskey drinkers out there, but we’re in the minority. I think that’s changing fast though.
Zac: You’re right, it is changing fast and I think it’s wonderful. How are you generally received as a woman whiskey drinker?
Alice: In the Instagram community I walked right in and was completely accepted. There are a lot more women, I think, on Instagram than there are out in the “wild” that get together. In the “wild” when I’m at a bar and I order whiskey it’s literally like I’m an albino deer. Men tend to be fascinated that I order whiskey. They’re very inquisitive. I have to laugh because of their reactions. They’re usually very surprised I want whiskey, and then they get excited because they want to talk to you about whiskey. It’s really funny.
Zac: So when you’re not being a whiskey drinking albino deer, what’s your day job?
Alice: I have an office job. Very boring. Has absolutely nothing to do with whiskey.
Zac: I know you’ve done a lot of self-educating with whiskey. What’s a favorite whiskey book you’ve read?
Alice: I’m reading the one by Heather Greene, Whisk(e)y Distilled. It’s really good. I like it because it’s a woman’s perspective. You know, I hate to keep throwing the “woman’s” thing around because I think whiskey is a drink. It’s not male or female. But it’s one of the few whiskey books out there written by a woman.
Zac: What have been the rewards since you’ve started your whiskey journey?
Alice: I have met some AMAZING people that I probably never would’ve encountered. Just amazing. The people are so into it and so welcoming.
Zac: Are you Team Scotch or Team Bourbon?
Alice: At the moment I’m Team Bourbon, working my way through and tasting all the Bourbons. But I have had a few Scotches that are slowly stealing my heart. My goal is to work through Bourbons, and then start trying all the Scotches.
Zac: That’s awesome. It’s good to have goals.
Alice: Gotta have goals.
Zac: Where can people find you if they want to connect?
Alice: Instagram! I’m @alice.in.whiskyland
Zac: Alice, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us. Keep your awesome whiskey pics coming and we wish you the best in your whiskey travels!
The next award will be released September first. We’ll see you then, and remember to nominate your favorite Whisk(e)y Warriors by clicking here!
— Zac Smith