Bulleit Master Blender Eboni Major Delivers
Eboni Major is delivering phenomenal spirit profiles in a bourbon industry over-crowded by male leadership.
Bulleit Bourbon’s Whiskey Quality Blender Eboni Major is exactly the kind of person we like to highlight to show the modern reality of the bourbon industry. It seems that the image of the cigar and leather chairs good ol’ boys club still dominates people’s minds when they think of who’s running the show at the major distilleries in Kentucky. And while some of that culture remains, people like Eboni are the present and future.
Eboni’s job is to ensure that every batch of Bulleit to be put in a bottle and eventually served to you tastes like Bulleit. Her degree from Alabama A&M University in Food Science & Technology focused on food chemistry, sensory science and product development -- an ideal resume for the bourbon makers who are ramping up production of a liquid that is notoriously prone to absorbing shifts in the weather and wood to remain consistent by the time it supplies the booming demand.
Bulleit’s popularity in the bourbon world has soared since Eboni’s entrance into their labs in 2015. Having a young woman at the helm of quality assurance is a wise choice, not just a progressive one. A study from Yale University, found that 35% of women fall into the “supertaster” category as opposed to 15% of men, have 43% more cells in their olfactory bulb and generally have more taste buds on their tongues.
And while more and more women are filling STEM positions in the spirits industry, you still don’t see many black women. Just this past year, Eboni’s expert palette blended a batch of Bulleit to be their first release in a new line called Blenders’ Select with her name right on the bottle. One small step for Eboni is one giant leap industry wide.
“I personally believe brands should take a stance, but ultimately everything in life is about choices. I think the question is simple, what side of history do you want to be on? How do you want to be remembered? African Americans have historically been excluded from an industry we built. And it is the responsibility of this industry to establish positive, long standing change.
We deserve more than a seat at the table. Give qualified talent the seat, the mic, the recognition, the respect, and the value they deserve. Treat everyone equal and stop moving the finish line for people of color.”
- Eboni Major
