LIKE BOSSES Boss Molly Showcases the Strength of Women who Whiskey Written by Rich Manning Photography by Owen Donovan
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ome brands have an origin story that feels predestined. Boss Molly bourbon is one of those brands. It all started with a group of whiskey-loving women at a poker table. For six years, co-founders Brandi Bowles, Victoria Horn, and Katie Rosante were part of a monthly women-only group that gathered to play poker and geek out about bourbon. Over time, discussions about appreciating the juice they sipped between sessions evolved into thoughts of making their own. These thoughts would turn into action, and, eventually, a bourbon with a mission that goes beyond tippling was born.
A BOLD STEP INTO A NEW INDUSTRY The notion of a bourbon hatched around a poker game is a cool story that organically ties into whiskey’s Wild West romanticism. However, it’s just a blip in Boss Molly’s narrative. “We probably don’t lean into this story enough,” Bowles stated. “There is a gambling metaphor tied to this brand.” The journey from idea to bottle was a roll of the dice. While Bowles grew up around grain, none of the women had any industry experience. They were outsiders who never made whiskey before, aiming to bring a women-owned bourbon to a market that, despite game-changers like Peggy Noe Stevens, Nicole Austin, and Becky Harris, sometimes still falls into the trap of treating female whiskey drinkers as a novelty. They make no bones about it being a daunting task: On the Boss Molly website, they admit that bringing the juice from idea to market “scared the shit of us.” 74
Despite the lack of experience, the trio possessed sharp palates, confidence in knowing exactly what they liked, and a drive to absorb as much as they could about making whiskey and the spirits industry. Research, distillery tours, and whiskey tasting ensued. Sometimes, their R&D happened in unique environments. “We were visiting Louisville and Brandi introduced us to her grandparents,” Horn said. “Her grandmother pulled us aside and said, ‘let me pour you my favorite new whiskey.’ It was a bottle from the Collaborative Series between Bardstown and Copper & Kings — I think it was around 110 proof. We really liked the uniqueness of the flavor profile.” Copper & Kings would turn into a key component of their finished product, literally. After copious amounts of experimentation, they landed on producing a wheated bourbon finished W W W . ARTISANSPIRITMAG . C O M