Exclusive Interview with Marianne Eaves, Master Distiller, Eaves LLC based in Lexington, Kentucky

by ,

Q: What is your full name, title, company name and company location?

Marianne Eaves, Master Distiller, Eaves LLC based in Lexington, Kentucky

Q: You earned a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Louisville in Kentucky.  Did this degree fully prepare you for the distilled spirits industry or did you need to obtain industry-specific knowledge elsewhere?

I believe that my chemical engineering degree was absolutely necessary to coming into the industry the way I did (as a process research and development engineer) and developing the depth of understanding of not just the surface actions that are followed to make spirits, but the underlying chemical processes and reactions that make every single decision a flavor changing one. I will say that in my time at Brown-Forman, with some of the finest engineers and distillers as mentors, my understanding of the artistic aspect of spirits really flourished. I had very little appreciation for this aspect as an engineering student. As a young graduate I could have planned and built a very clean and high yielding distillery, but it really took some time working with industry vets to understand how to make it taste good!

Q: You’ve definitely proven your skills in the Bourbon world, being recognized by your peers and by trade publications (Forbes and Whiskey Advocate) as a leading industry figure.  You also made history as the first Female Bourbon Master Distiller since prohibition, this is fantastic!  Can you tell us more about this journey, the challenges you faced and your accomplishments?

I came into the world of Bourbon as someone who knew absolutely nothing about the spirit, but found a passion for it along the way. I raced up the rungs of the corporate ladder because I was not afraid of hard work and knew the value I could bring to the table. I think much of this early confidence came from my early failures as a business owner. I helped my mom open a business when I was right out of high school and we didn’t make it very long, but I learned a lot of lessons and some of it was a confidence in decision making and my ability to learn new skills quickly that set me apart from my younger traditional college age peers. The experience I gained in 6 years working for one of the world’s largest spirit makers, felt like the equivalent of double that. I was relentless in my pursuit of knowledge, my boss at the time called me a “voracious learner. I was offered the chance to train to become Brown-Forman’s Master Taster, which I achieved in what they assessed as “record time”. And a year after that I was listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 for Food and Beverage and then had the chance to make my mark in history in becoming Kentucky’s First Female Master Distiller.

Q: Our readers may be wondering why I am interviewing you for our magazine, but you definitely are no stranger to Rum.  Can you please tell us what made you decide to venture into the world of Rum?  What can you share about your most recent Rum project?

Having worked for Brown-Forman who had owned a Rum prior to my employment, I wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with it, but was still very focused on their active and growing Bourbon portfolio. I have had a fascination with Rum for a long time, my father was a Rum lover and would occasionally bring samples of new bottles he found to the distillery where I worked from time to time. When I was approached later as a consultant to be a part of building a new American Rum brand I was so excited! For my client, Otherland Society, I have produced a Rum blend of Caribbean and South American Rums. The long term goal is to use the owner’s family’s own Florida grown sugar cane to create their own proprietary style. 

Q: This sounds fantastic!  How did you approach the blending for this Rum?  Did you have a particular end goal in mind from the beginning or did you let your artistic side inspire and guide you along the way?

Rum Central was an enormous help with my approach and this process was actually VERY different from my normal Bourbon blending process. My clients had a particular product that they wanted to target a similar profile. Using 4 profiles from Rum Central I created multiple blends in a couple rounds, each round they preferred my blends to their original preferred off the shelf product, and we eventually narrowed down to what is now their Wild Hare Dark Rum. It was very much about the final quality and flavor and how the product would express itself in a cocktail.

Q: Do you think there are many parallels between Rum and Bourbon or are they completely different spirits?

Rum and Bourbon have parallels, and I actually have been told that what I created was the “Bourbon drinkers Rum,” and yet at the same time folks have also told me that they would never drink Bourbon and they like it a lot. So it’s still very much a Rum, but you can sip it neat like a Bourbon and still enjoy it very much. 

Q: How about cocktails?  Do you think Rum is more or less versatile than Bourbon?  Do you have a favorite Rum cocktail?

I think they are both very versatile in cocktails, perhaps leaning a little towards different styles, I honestly just can’t see a Bourbon forward tiki cocktail, but I’m sure someone will prove me wrong there! I am no mixologist, but I do think that the Rum that I created goes great in traditional Rum recipes as well as traditional Bourbon recipe drinks.

Q: Rum producers use primarily ex-Whiskey barrels to age Rum, often without much distinction between the different Whiskey types that previously filled the casks.  As someone with intimate knowledge of both worlds, what advice can you give those aging Rum about the importance of differentiating, for example, between ex-Rye Whiskey barrels and ex-Bourbon barrels or between the different char levels?

The most important part of using an ex- anything barrel is understanding the age the product was when it was removed and then how “fresh” your barrel is. If it’s been sitting around for a year after being dumped it really isn’t going to offer much from whatever it contained, and the barrel regardless of the recipe will probably be quite neutral (especially if the Whiskey was 5 years or less).

Q: I understand you spend a lot of time on the road now.  Does the constant change of scenery help you to remain flexible and curious?

I am so grateful for the time I have spent touring around the country. It has absolutely opened my eyes and my mind to flavors and production methods that I had never thought of before!

Q: I’m sure your story will inspire many young people who want to get into the distilled spirits industry.  What guidance can you offer someone new, who doesn’t know where or how to get started?

Just start! In whatever way you can. Take time to discover what you are really passionate about, production, story telling, etc… and start picking up books, make friends, join clubs, volunteer (at a distillery) and find openings.

Q: If people want to contact you, how may they reach you? 

MarianneEaves.com, instragram @mariannebmd or @eavesblind

Margaret: Again Marianne, thank you so much for this opportunity and I wish you all the best.