The idea that it’s just men who enjoy a stiff glass of scotch or bourbon on the rocks is a trite and antiquated stereotype (looking at you, Don Draper). The girlies can throw back an Old Fashioned at happy hour with the best of them. In fact, the international population of whiskey drinkers is made up of more than a third women (36%, if you want to get technical). The ad industry, however, is stuck in the Mad Men days: In 2020 alone, leading whiskey brands featured 228% more men in their social content than women.

As a whiskey drinker herself, Kelly Reilly is looking to change that. The Yellowstone star announced her partnership with Ammunition Wines & Whiskey in late November, joining forces with CEO and co-founder Andy Wahl and co-founder Bill Kerr.

Throughout her career as an actress, Reilly has remained in one lane—acting. That is, until now. “This is the first time [I’ve teamed up with a brand],” Reilly tells Delish. “I’ve always said no to selling [anything], or being on a board or an ambassador, because usually those things that were coming to me were things that I wouldn’t wear, eat, or drink. It’s a paycheck and I wasn’t interested in that.”

“This is the first time, out of the gates, I’m coming out as Kelly, not the character I play. It’s a new venture for me,” Reilly says.

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Ammunition

What Reilly was interested in was the creative exploration and creative conversation that she could envision with Ammunition. “I do like a challenge,” she says. “I like when people think out of the box.”

She felt an immediate connection with the brand, which she says shares her values—for craftmanship, quality, and making a space for women.

“There was something about having a good time with whiskey and embracing it and enjoying it, but elevating it and giving a shot at, like, ‘How do how do we represent and how do we encourage women to to drink it?'” Reilly continues. “I’m surrounded by men who sell bourbon me, and I am a bourbon drinker. Why is it always the guys? It’s all marketed to the guys.”

“I know so many women who drink whiskey … why are we not being represented?”

Ammunition’s new “Soil to Spirit” campaign, which also celebrates Reilly’s passion for land and natural resources, aims to change this underrepresentation of women in whiskey by inviting them to the table bar. Cheers to that.

Headshot of Megan Schaltegger

Megan Schaltegger is an NYC-based writer. She loves strong coffee, eating her way through the Manhattan food scene, and her dog, Murray. She promises not to talk about herself in third person IRL.


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