We thought there was no better way to close out the week than to introduce you to one of our team members. First up in our ‘Meet the Team’ series is Maggie Kimberl, newly appointed President of Bourbon Women, content editor for American Whiskey Magazine, and writer and spirits educator extraordinaire.
American Whiskey Magazine (AWM): What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given in life/career?
Maggie Kimberl (MK): Act like you belong. It’s such a great universal piece of advice that I even give it to my kids, too. If you aren’t sure what you should be doing, look around and see what other people are doing. It’s great for all the different types of social and work situations I find myself in.
AWM: What would you describe as your perfect Sunday morning?
MK: I love sipping my coffee in no particular hurry and watching the previous night’s Saturday Night Live with my kids. It’s an opportunity to just relax and spend time together as a family - and we get to laugh and talk about current events, too!
AWM: What did you do in your pre-whisk(e)y life?
MK: I was a stay-at-home mom with two little ones. That was how I ended up working part time in the liquor store at night - there were no kids there! But I always find a way to turn any situation into a learning experience so now here we are.
AWM: How did you find yourself working in the spirits world and what has kept you here?
MK: I worked part-time at the liquor store at a time when Master Distillers would sit in a store and sign bottles and no one really knew who they were. I met Chris Morris, Jimmy Russell, and Jim Rutledge all while I was working. Jim Rutledge took the time to educate me about the Four Roses brand as well as the proper whiskey tasting technique and it lit a fire in me. I knew I needed to tell the whole world about this “Bourbon” stuff.
AWM: What occasion or moment has you reaching for a whisk(e)y?
MK: Happy occasions are an obvious one. I also love to take the time to educate people about the whiskey world. Sometimes a friend will stop by and I will share something they haven’t had before. Sometimes I will have a bottle that is surprising or different in some way and I will quiz them on it. It’s all about sharing love and knowledge.
AWM: If you were a whisk(e)y, what would you be?
MK: The Kentucky Bourbon industry has been through a lot and it always comes out stronger and better than before. I’ve also been through a lot and I use those experiences as stepping stones to even greater strength. I’m a Kentucky Bourbon all the way.