A dozen women, including Whiskey Network’s own Kerry Moynahan, were recently honored with WOW (Women of Whiskey) Awards by Bourbon Women. The awards “recognize exceptional women leaders who have made indelible marks in the whiskey industry.” The awards ceremony was part of the annual four-day Bourbon Women SIPosium in Louisville, Kentucky.
Moynahan, the Los Angeles-based host of the Barrel Room Chronicles, was named the Spirits Influencer/Podcaster of the Year.
Bourbon Women said, “Finalists were nominated by their companies, their peers and their communities as they have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence in their craft, making invaluable contributions to the whiskey industry.”
The 2024 WOW (Women of Whiskey) award winners are:
- Legacy Achievement Award: Erica Fields (Fields Kentucky Spirit)
- Master Distiller/Production Manager of the Year: Marlene K. Holmes (Milam & Greene Whiskey)
- Master Blender of the Year: Nancy Fraley (Nosing Services)
- Brand Ambassador of the Year: Creola Dickerson (New Riff Distilling)
- Woman-Owned Brand of the Year: Whiskey Sisters Supply
- Bartender of the Year: Amie Ward (Camp Runamok)
- Spirits Influencer/Podcaster of the Year: Kerry Moynahan (Barrel Room Chronicles)
- Spirits Writer of the Year: Maggie Kimberl (American Whiskey Magazine)
Other award recipients:
- Lois Mateus Networking Award: Susan Westrom
- Spirits-Diversity Program of the Year: Camp Runamok
- Mike Keyes Champion/Ally of the Year: Dr Janice Fernheimer (University of Kentucky)
- Peggy Noe Stevens Trailblazer Award: Ms. Elmer Lucille Allen
"These awards are a celebration of the resilience, creativity, and leadership that women bring to the whiskey industry. The honorees exemplify the very spirit of Bourbon Women—a community that empowers and uplifts each other in pursuit of excellence. We are proud to stand alongside these remarkable women as they continue to drive change and foster a more inclusive and vibrant future for all in the world of whiskey.”
I was fortunate to attend the award with Kerry Moynahan. Afterwards, I asked her what she thought when she heard her name called. “I was actually kind of shocked, Moynahan said. “It’s really an honor.”
I asked why it was important for her to be at an event with hundreds of other women exploring and celebrating the world of whiskey.
“One of the things I try to do on the podcast is to promote as many women as I can,” Moynhan said. “This (Bourbon Women) is a good organization to get the word out and to help people know that women do like whiskey. Our minds, and our engineering skills, and our abilities to make whiskey and to promote whiskey are just as good as, if not better than, guys.”
While attending the Bourbon Women SIPosium, Moynahan wasn’t resting on her laurels. In addition to attending the awards ceremonies and a variety of workshops, she used the opportunity to interview guests for future Barrel Room Chronicles episodes. They included Marianne Eves (first female Master Distiller since before Prohibition), the Jeptha Creed Distillery mother-daugher dynamic duo of Joyce and Autumn Nethery, and Spirits Writer of the Year Maggie Kimberl.
For nearly a year, Whiskey Network has been proud to share episodes of the popular Barrel Room Chronicles video podcast. It is also available on YouTube, Zencastr, and Spotify.
