Are you a delicate lady flower who can't handle regular masculine whiskey? Well now there's a special fruity pink whiskey for you and your vagina!
Every once in a while, I start to feel like Women Who Whiskey's mission is starting to come to fruition.
When I tell stories of condescending bartenders these days, I get more raised eyebrows than recognition; it seems that--thankfully!--my past experiences aren't so common anymore. Women are going to bars and being embraced rather than ostracized as whiskey drinkers. It's great!
But juuuust when I'm about to sing the praises of progress, something like this happens:
Heaven Hill Brands Launches Raven’s Lace PeachBerry Whiskey
"BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Raven’s Lace PeachBerry Whiskey is a flavored whiskey with both a wild and sweet side. Offering an alternative to masculine dominated flavored whiskeys, Raven’s Lace is a one-of-a-kind whiskey with a vibrant attitude and feminine touch with the juxtaposition of a darker side.
Available in June, Raven’s Lace PeachBerry Whiskey infuses juicy peach and sweet strawberry flavors with the smoothness of Bourbon whiskey at an approachable 60 proof. Raven’s Lace PeachBerry Whiskey primarily appeals to the growing segment of female consumers for whom traditional whiskey is not necessarily their drink of choice but are interested in the sweet taste of flavored whiskeys. By all accounts, flavored whiskey is growing tremendously and makes up 12% of whiskey sales according to the Wall Street Journal. And women are playing an increasingly important role in the whiskey category with about 40% of flavored whiskey consumed by females.
“We see tremendous opportunity for consumer diversification in flavored whiskey,” said Hannah Venhoff, Brand Manager for Raven’s Lace PeachBerry Whiskey. “Many of the flavored whiskeys on the market take a macho and assertive approach. Raven’s Lace features a trend-setting flavor profile targeting females looking for a sweet flavored whiskey with a bold color and package that is made for them.”
Raven’s Lace PeachBerry whiskey packaging features an intricate feminine lace design coupled with the Raven’s mysterious side incorporated in a unique label which dramatically contrasts the vibrant peach whiskey in the bottle."
I will stop there, because, well, I think that's all we need to read to see how obnoxiously condescending and pandering this kind of marketing toward women is. Bold emphasis mine, by the way.
"A vibrant attitude and feminine touch"
"At an accessible 60 proof"
"A trend-setting flavor profile targeting females"
What in the actual fuck? Apparently nothing over 60 proof is accessible to us delicate flowers. Our arms would probably snap in half under the weight of a glass of regular, manly whiskey! And apparently anything that doesn't have bold day-glo packaging is just to subtle for our girlish taste. Only pink drinks for me, please!
I'm having uncomfortable flashbacks to the Bic Pens for Her fiasco. Thankfully, the internet came through then with some of the most delightfully snarky responses, as it did in this case:
Juliet and Alex, of Glitter Kitten Industries, made this hilariously (tragically?) on point parody video in response to Heaven Hill's press release.
Raven's Lace: Whiskey Your Way? More like whiskey your vagina's way.
Thank you, ladies, for helping us get through the rage with some laughter.
Now who wants a Scotch?
