Whiskey Women of Tenth Ward
Written by Tenley Reeder, Marketing Intern, Tenth Ward Distilling Company
Hello avid Tenth Ward fans! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Tenley. I am a current senior at Hood College in Frederick, MD. I recently received an internship with the marketing department at Tenth Ward—and no I did not start working here because we both have “Ten” in our names, even though it’s a plus. Over the past three months I’ve worked closely with the strong women who make up the management team and support staff here at Tenth Ward. It’s been a pleasure working with each and every one of them, learning the ins and outs of each corner of this industry and business. And now without further adieu, allow me to introduce the whiskey women of Tenth Ward…
Monica: Founder & Boss Lady
Did you know that Tenth Ward is woman-owned? I’ve personally always valued that in brands, and considering the whiskey industry is predominantly male-owned, I was even more excited to meet Monica, the founder/owner of Tenth Ward. Monica fell in love with the industry after her first sip of scotch.
“Scotch to me is so classic and poetic,” Monica explains. “Each brand of Scotch tastes exactly like the region it is produced in from the style of distillation to the type of soil and climate it has.”
And it has become her personal mission to continue to facilitate opportunities for women and minorities in our industry that has historically been white-male dominated. Monica was inspired by the growth of the craft beverage industry, specifically breweries but then moved on to the “distillery boom.” Monica’s approach on distilling spirits has always been one of a kind. She strives to make the best and always unique spirits.
“It’s certainly been a fun, creative and dynamic industry to be a part of.”
I’ve always been intrigued with small business owners. I’ve witnessed her hard work that she puts into building her successful business. As a business owner, Monica describes the experience as, “fun and exciting yet stressful and scary.”
“When we started in year one, we used to joke about starting a tally of how many times we had said the ‘F’ word while getting the business off the ground,” Monica said. “Now we are starting to inch closer to year five and Tenth Ward runs like a well-oiled machine.”
Owning a business isn’t a walk in the park, but Monica sure makes it look effortless. This boss lady is so passionate about what she does and puts a lot of love into her work. From marketing the brand to designing cocktails for the Cocktail Lab, she always puts her customers first—and it shows. Cheers to this incredible business owner, I know we are all excited to see where this company goes!
Amanda: Marketing & Events Manager
Next up, we have Amanda. Amanda is the Marketing & Events Manager at Tenth Ward. She started working part-time 2.5 years ago taking a couple offsite events on the weekends.
“I quickly fell in love with the business and the products and soon after left my full-time marketing and PR job to work here full-time.”
When you see our cocktail and event photos in magazines or on your social media pages, this lady is responsible. Also, have you seen our amazing bottle labels and murals in our Cocktail Lab? Yup, that’s thanks to Amanda. If you are searching for an event space or wedding venue, Amanda is also the girl to chat with.
“You can also hire me as your Day-of Wedding Coordinator, which is also a pretty fun gig.”
I have had the pleasure of working closely under Amanda these past couple months, and I have learned so much about my desired career from her and her extensive experience.
After meeting Monica unexpectedly and agreeing to do some freelance graphic design work for the brand, Amanda found herself falling in love with the industry “and the camaraderie surrounding it.” She instantly wanted to be involved full-time and joined the team when Tenth Ward expanded to Patrick Street in downtown Frederick.
“I love our team at Tenth Ward,” Amanda said. “Everyone is so good at what they do, and I just love them so much as people. I definitely feel lucky I get to work alongside them every day.” Amanda has really enjoyed working for a woman-owned and majority woman-operated distillery.
“I love getting those raised eyebrows from men who expect us women not to know our shit when it comes to whiskey and spirits. I always like to surprise them with my knowledge.”
(All I have to say to that quote is “HELL YEAH.”)
Christene: Wholesale Sales Manager
And then we have Christene, our Wholesale Sales Manager. Christene is responsible for getting our products on shelves in liquor stores and bars and restaurants all around Maryland and DC. She also works with our distributor Legends Ltd.
She handles liquor store tastings and cocktail takeovers at Tenth Ward accounts. So she is basically the spirit angel that gets our products closer to your location! Let us all say a resounding “Thank you, Christene!”
And if you’re ever at a store that’s not carrying Tenth Ward, simply ask them to order it! That’s usually all it takes to get our delicious products through their doors!
Christene has worked in the food and beverage industry on and off for over 25 years now.
“Monica and I worked together as she was starting the distillery and she always said she wanted to hire me when the distillery grew. Whiskey and bourbon are my favorite things to drink so I was so excited to get that offer over 2 years ago!”
Christene is a joy to have on the team and she always lights up the room. It seems she has enjoyed her role here at Tenth Ward as much as we have enjoyed having her.
“I love that I am not confined to a desk. I am a people person and I love meeting new people and creating relationships with them. What better way to do that then through spirits!”
Kachentha: Assistant Distiller
Another powerful woman at Tenth Ward is Kachentha. Kachentha is the Assistant Distiller on our production team. She mashes up all of those delightful grains, runs distillations, and bottles up our one-of-a-kind spirits for sale. She also assists in barrel blending and recipe development. We’re looking forward to Kachentha’s first solo recipe creation! I mentioned a lot of love goes into every bottle we sell at Tenth Ward, and Kachentha helps bring that love to the customer.
Kachentha actually started her career in the alcohol industry on the beer side. She was a bartender and assisted in a local brewhouse before joining Tenth Ward.
“I was asked if I would consider distilling and thought it would be a great way to learn a new craft.”
We have all really enjoyed Kachentha’s presence on the team. She is a powerhouse at the stillhouse and shows her love for the craft.
“I love the great energy the team brings and the freedom to explore new ideas.”
Thanks to All our Whiskey Women!
At Tenth Ward we have a pretty small team, but it makes for a great, close-knit family. I would also like to do a quick shout-out for our incredible women in bartending and offsite events: Kaitlyn, Megan, Cari, Jen, and Morgan! We wouldn’t be able to do what we do on a daily basis without them as well.
Overall, women are making history. Whether it’s in the White House or in the business world, we are making our mark. I am proud to be a woman, and I am grateful to support and work for this amazing company.
Thanks for reading and supporting us your favorite woman-owned distillery! Cheers!
