Distilling diversity: unraveling the intersection of bourbon marketing, gender, quality assessment, and endorsement dynamics

Whiskey has long been associated with a masculine identity, epitomized by imagery of leather armchairs, cigars, and cowboys, positioning it as the ultimate “man’s drink.” However, with women now comprising about one-third of whiskey drinkers, questions are emerging about whether whiskey can still be considered a quintessentially masculine beverage. Historically, bourbon culture has been tied to a white-southern male identity, despite the profession’s female roots, and it was not until recently that the first female master distiller emerged. While women now make up approximately 37% of whiskey drinkers, female distillers remain underrepresented, and traditional gender roles continue to shape the industry. This study explores the relationship between the gender of bourbon distillers, perceptions of bourbon quality, and purchase intentions. Additionally, it examines how gendered endorsements might influence these perceptions. Of the six hypotheses tested, four were supported, offering partial empirical support for the proposed theoretical model. Masculine brand personality significantly influenced both perceived bourbon quality and purchase intention, reinforcing prior research on the power of gender-coded brand traits. The moderating effects of distiller and endorser gender on purchase intention further confirmed that gendered cues act as status signals influencing consumer behavior. However, neither distiller nor endorser gender significantly moderated perceived quality, suggesting that while affective responses like purchase intention are shaped by gendered expectations, cognitive evaluations of product quality may be less susceptible to such bias.