We were fortunate enough to speak to an instagram whisk(e)y influencer Jenna Elie or as most of you know her by her instagram handle the Whiskyagogirl. We asked her a lot of fun yet hard hitting questions, and she answered them like a pro.
Jenna, please tell us a little about yourself. How did you find yourself immersed in the world of whisky?
J: I’m a southerner who found my way to Los Angeles by way of Atlanta! I’ve worked in mostly public relations for most of my working career and now work in real estate! I kind of fell into the world of whisk(e)y by accident! I grew a small vintage resale business through Instagram a few years ago as a hobby and learned there that the communities within Instagram were really amazing and full of wonderful people! When I started getting into whisk(e)y, I knew that Instagram was great place to learn and meet people who had the same interests. I started the account to really learn about the whisk(e)y and it has somewhat snowballed into what it is today!
Everyone has that one story of how they got involved with Whisky. Do you remember yours? Please share with our readers.
J: I was never really into whisk(e)y, and would rather have a good craft beer or a glass of Two Buck Chuck, back when it was actually $2, and one day my husband walked in with a few crates of whisk(e)y that he had acquired, and I rolled my eyes and griped about how we didn’t have room for them in our house. He has always enjoyed whisk(e)y and was sipping on a glass of Macallan 18 one night, and I finally gave in and tried it and it was like the gates of sensory bliss opened up and I was hooked. I was so shocked at how complex and delicious it was, and I wanted to know why I liked it so much, thus beginning the journey I’m on now!
Lately we are seeing more and more women like yourself getting immersed in the whiskey/whisky world. What do you think is responsible for this sudden movement?
J: Wow, this is a loaded question! The answer to this would take a book’s worth of pages! There are generations of women who have gone unrecognized for their contributions to the world of distilled spirits. Women were distilling in their kitchens during the colonial period as the whisk(e)y was used for medicinal purposes and over time, the impact that women have had on the industry has been so profound. You had women such as Bessie Williamson who was a typist for Laphroaig who then became the distillery manager and owner in the 1950’s, as well as Helen and Elizabeth Cumming who put Cardhu on the map in the late 1800’s.
The industry has also shifted and you have more women whisk(e)y ambassadors, master distillers, and some distilleries that are solely run by women! The list of women powerhouses in the business today is stacked with so many brilliant, forward thinking and savvy women, such as Heather Greene, Allison Parc, Pamela Heilmann, Marianne Barnes, Joanne Haruta, and the list just goes on and on. The accessibility of the product has played a huge role, where you can buy whisk(e)y almost anywhere now, including Target (so exciting!), in many different price ranges. With more women sharing their experiences with whisk(e)y on social media, and in books, and at tastings, I feel like its encouraged more women to try whisk(e)y and explore what it has to offer.
I am sure over the years, you’ve tasted some amazing whisky, share your top 3 with us. Also what is your everyday go to dram.
J: Gosh, thats a tough one! At this moment, my top 3 would be Ben Nevis 16 Years Dun Bheagan, Talisker 30, and an Octomore aged in Rivesaltes Casks from Bruichladdich’s MP6 tasting. As far as my everyday go to drams, I really enjoy Heaven Hill’s Henry McKenna, Oban 14, and as of late, I’ve really been enjoying Teeling Single Malt, but that rotation is always changing!
Many people would consider you an Instagram Influencer for the whisky world. Give us some info on the tips or secrets others can use to grow their instagram following. Is it mostly content, time of day, type of content, etc.
J: This is still something I am am trying to wrap my head around. My biggest piece of advice would be to interact on a real human level. People take time out of their busy days to read my posts and to ask me questions, and make recommendations or just to leave a nice comment, and I really do appreciate that. I try and answer as many DMs or questions as I can, and I try and make the content educational, but fun and approachable. Whisk(e)y shouldn’t be intimidating or fussy and I’ve tried to create a space that is both welcoming and informative for everyone! As far as the technical side of how this works, I haven’t quite mastered the algorithm, but it seems that my feed is the busiest right around lunch time!
There are currently over 3500 different craft distilleries in the US, who are all making some different and fantastic whisky. There is also many standard distilleries, i.e. Balcones, Four Roses, Westland, Kings County, etc. And obviously even more Scotch and Irish, Japanese, Taiwanese and all other parts of the world whisky. Do you feel the US is currently too saturated for the small craft distillers to showcase their products, or is this the perfect time for the smaller guys to shine?
J: I’m a big fan of small craft distilleries!! I love that there are so many options and distilleries pushing the boundaries and really exploring with some fun and unusual bottles. My first experience with a craft distillery was with Seven Stills Whipnose thats made from a double IPA, and it really intrigued me! I’ve been through a few of their releases, including my favorite, Chocasmoke, which is made from a chocolate oatmeal stout with peat smoked malted barley! My love for those bottles led me to discover some of the other greats such as Kings County, Napa Valley Distillery, Lost Spirits, and a long list of other craft distilleries that are making some unique and delicious whiskies!
Let’s touch a little on millennials. As a millennial yourself (guessing), do you think the brand ambassadors for whisky are doing enough to target folks like yourself, or do you think they are still targeting the older business industry crowd. If so, do you believe in the quote “if you don’t change you will be left behind?”. Should whisky brands target more millennials and the genx population to be successful?
J: I do feel as though brand ambassadors are doing a great job at that. From my personal experiences with a few different ambassadors, I have learned that they are so on top of the game, and are so knowledgeable on the whisk(e)y and have the ability to break it down to its most basic of forms, or explain it in the most intricate of details, as well as put the package together so perfectly that they can really appeal to every target market, from beginner to expert. They also have a strong presence on social media platforms and really engage with the consumers, making themselves available for feedback and to answer any questions!
I cant say that this is true for all, but I do feel as though most companies have caught on to this new wave of people getting into whisk(e)y, and are adapting their marketing tactics to appeal to a much broader range of people, mostly through social media, events, tastings and television advertising. As far as brands targeting more millennials, I feel like they don’t really have a choice. Millennials are the largest generational group in the US and we are literally reshaping the way companies have done business for so many years, so I do think that there has to be an increased effort of understanding and targeting millennials.
Anything else you want to share with our readers?
J: You can find me on Instagram @whiskyagogirl , and that’s whisky without the “e” !
