NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For Lexie Phillips, whiskey runs through her veins. “I think passion is definitely the key,” she said.
She is one of several generations in her family working at Jack Daniel’s, so it was only natural that her first job out of college would be in the family business.
“Walking in that door on the first day I was scared to death. I was walking on to a team of five men that I’d never met before,” she says being stubborn got her through, “I would not ask them to come help me lift anything or anything and, you know, I think that really did help them gain a little bit of respect for me.”
Now Phillips is making history. She was just named Jack Daniel’s first female assistant distiller.
“It’s crazy, I think it’s still sinking in. I think it’s absolutely wild to be in a position that’s been held in such high regard,” she said.
Contrary to what you may think, the job entails more than just sipping whiskey.
“We work hand in hand to oversee the quality of our process from start to finish.” Although she does admit some whiskey tasting is involved, she also serves as a brand ambassador, works on the innovation team, and helps back in the Still House- it's one of her favorite parts, where the fermented mixture is distilled into whiskey.
“Women have been in this industry for thousands of years, but it is huge here in Lynchburg- this is amazing.”
It's passion, she said, that makes a great distiller.
“If you find something you’ll love you’ll never work a day in your life- I feel like that’s what I’m doing and I hope other people can find that because it is the best feeling the world.”
