Both of us are logging in for the Bourbon Women virtual session. Bourbon Women’s mission lines up directly with what Chasing the Unicorn cares about: women in American whiskey, learning communities, and growing the industry through education. The virtual events are where that work happens between in-person gatherings.

What is Bourbon Women?

Bourbon Women is the national consumer organization advancing women in American whiskey through education, mentorship, networking, and community. Founded in 2011 by Peggy Noe Stevens — the world’s first female master bourbon taster and a Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame inductee — the organization is the first women’s consumer organization in the beverage industry. Bourbon Women is headquartered in Louisville and operates regional Branches (chapters) across the country, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, California, Florida, DC, and Atlanta.

The flagship annual conference is SIPosium, billed as the only consumer-based, female-focused whiskey conference in the U.S., drawing roughly four hundred to five hundred women for distillery tours, tastings, master classes, and industry programming. The SIP Scholars program is the professional development and mentorship initiative for women pursuing careers in the spirits industry. 2026 marks Bourbon Women’s fifteenth anniversary.