Millie Milliken: The double-edged experience of being a woman freelancer in whisky
The freelance community in whisky is ever-growing, but it can come with some insurmountable hurdles for women. Freelance whisky writer Millie Milliken knows this all too well.
Having worked as a freelancer in the spirits industry now for four years, it is clear that this space – especially in whisky – is growing apace. It’s a reflection of our times, particularly here in the UK, and seems to be a growing trend among women.
According to Money.co.uk, in 2014 an average of 1.44 million women were self-employed; by 2024, this figure had grown to 1.56 million (an 8% rise) compared to a decrease of around 12% for self-employed men in the same period (3.12 million in 2014 to 2.74 million in 2024).
It’s certainly true that in the past few years, freelance opportunities have been plentiful in this industry. I’ve been lucky enough to form a close community with a lot of people working in and outside of the whisky freelance space, from fellow writers and editors to PRs, consultants to educators – and everything else in between.
And yet, under the surface, numerous barriers still persist which mean that women often feel that they remain unseen or undervalued compared to men: be that eschewed of opportunities, unsure of fair pay, or seen as the token woman, rather than for their expertise.
“Numerous barriers still persist which mean that women often feel that they remain unseen or undervalued.”
There’s a well-trodden trope that women don’t like asking for more money, one which was cemented with the 2003 book Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide, where stats like the fact that female students were likely to take the first pay offer at a new job, whereas men are eight times more likely to negotiate a higher start salary, put the problem into perspective.
Thankfully, the last two decades have seen a shift, with research by the Academy of Management Discoveries finding that women are more likely to negotiate more than men for higher compensation. Sadly, though, it also found that men were still compensated more.
This feels like a very accurate portrayal of freelancing in whisky. While numerous jobs for things like hosting panels, running tastings, and taking part in brand content comes around on a regular basis, knowing what to pitch your fee at without having trusted peers to confide in is nigh on impossible to gauge.
I’ve been told on numerous occasions what younger women coming into the game have been charging for their work, and it has always fallen woefully behind on the numbers I’ve been lucky enough to be privy to.
According to the Academy of Management Discoveries, women are more likely to negotiate more than men for higher compensation.
Gaining the insights of those peers can be intimidating too. My own experience of going freelance was mainly positive. Male and female editors, fellow freelancers and PRs extended their support with commission offers, advice and a flurry of invites and opportunities for coverage. Men in the most part have been welcoming and played active roles in my development over the last four or so years and I am eternally grateful for that.
But the negatives can still temper one’s confidence. Quick-fire knowledge tests of the whisky category have been sprung on me in large groups (I can only assume as a way of publicly showing that I didn’t know what I was talking about); long-winded conversations about my credentials have still resulted in asking if I have a decent palate (and often for the contact of someone more important than me); and unsolicited DMs exerting unwanted or needed knowledge - all of which have come exclusively from men in the industry.
Breaking into the ‘boys club’ was - and still is - an intimidating feat. I’ve certainly noticed the gender split on press trips in particular evening out, but for a few years I would often find myself an island of one.
“There is room for all of us, and the industry – especially now – will benefit from the ingenuity and creativity that comes with the freelance mindset.”
I’ve always been a firm believer that single-sex trips or events aren’t always the most conducive approach when it comes to normalising women in whisky spaces, but I must say, a recent accidentally all-female trip to Bruichladdich eliminated a lot of the anxiety, tiptoeing and potential for inappropriate comments. It meant that I - and I think my fellow journalists - could relax and simply do their jobs without being on guard.
While I’m hugely grateful for all the opportunities I’ve grasped that have come my way, there is still an invisible set of rules that writers in particular seem to have to play by. National newspapers seem to favour men over women when it comes to spirits coverage in particular, while a mainstream book on whisky is yet to be written by a woman.
There is a certain ‘look’ that some luxury brands want when it comes to the people who portray their liquid to consumers at tastings, and if you’re a young woman, spoiler: you don’t have it. Shame, as according to Distill Ventures, in 2020 women made up 35% of whisky drinkers in the UK and US alone. Wouldn’t it be nice if they felt represented?
There is also the calling out of bad behaviour, something the whisky industry isn’t a stranger to, sadly – if your income relies on brands, or your network on the closeness of this industry, how can you report that behaviour freely without biting the hand that feeds you?
As more women come into this space I hope that us who’ve been at it for a little bit longer can offer a safe and trusting space for them to ask questions, seek advice and get honest answers to their questions. There is room for all of us, and the industry – especially now – will benefit from the ingenuity and creativity that comes with the freelance mindset.
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