Pioneering Black whiskey blender Eboni Major expands her reach

In the whiskey business, the distiller usually gets the credit for exceptional spirits. But behind the scenes in whiskey production, the blender is the gatekeeper of quality control.

“The blender is the one person who’s responsible (for whiskey) at every step,” said Eboni Major, the Birmingham-based former whiskey blender for Bulleit Bourbon.

A mind for chemistry and a passion for food led Major to pursue a bachelor’s degree in food science and technology, which led to a 2015 internship at Bulleit. She eventually became the bourbon maker’s first Black blender.