She just celebrated ten years in the industry and realizes the importance of balance by prioritizing her health and relationships. Now that she is a mom, she realizes even
always lead to follow through. Blue Run commits to backing up their talk and she hopes this approach is infectious. Hiring women in roles they can strive in and elevating their expert opinions is a great place to start. This creates less roadblocks and open doors wider for other women. The industry can only benefit from embracing the diversity it’s creating by letting it evolve. She knows she wouldn’t be where she is today had it not been for role models like the incomparable Peggy Noe Stevens, living legend, that has gone out of her way to support her in numerous ways. Working alongside fellow scientist Meghan Mattingly at Bardstown Bourbon Company is also inspiring and keeps it fun. The future is bright now that Molson Coors has acquired Blue Run, creating new opportunities to expand in the US, international and particularly Canada. She is excited to introduce intriguing new whiskeys in the coming year including a bourbon slated for Q4. The always-changing landscape of the whiskey industry is witnessing applaudable surges in the new leaders of tomorrow. With trailblazers at the helm like Shaylyn Gammon, the whisky industry has not only started celebrating the craftsmanship of women but also convey a promising future where diversity and innovation truly continues to flourish in every pour of exceptional whiskey. Having had the opportunity to interview her has given me much more confidence in my own voice, and maybe to hit that PUBLISH button after all.
more that carving out time to do rejuvenating things = an optimal employee. I asked what she wished she would have known earlier in her career, she responded: “That most things are in fact, not a big deal and many obstacles can be overcome with a simple
phone call.” There is something about working in whiskey, particularly in Kentucky, that is just infectious and she finds everyone is so gracious with their help and advice. She does face challenges too – like not having a dedicated space to create in Kentucky, so they borrow from their co-producer Bardstown Bourbon Company. The advice she gives for those looking to get into the industry is don’t wait for the dream job to come along, take the entry level position even if it isn’t the first choice or focus on creating a podcast, vlog or something as simple as tastings. Shaylyn is happy to see more women in leadership roles today compared to even five years ago and her advice is to be uncompromisingly proud of being yourself. Don’t conform to what others want to see or hear. Those who can look past gender are the ones who fully appreciate your knowledge and abilities.
“Be uncompromisingly proud of being
yourself. Don’t conform to what others
want to see or hear. Those who can look
past gender are the ones who fully appre-
ciate your knowledge and abilities.”
The biggest disconnect she still sees is companies publicly saying the right thing, likely with best intentions, but it doesn’t
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the whisky explorer magazine
WINTER 2024
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