Jacquelyn Marie Zykan

Born in 1984 in St. Louis, MO Jacquelyn Marie Zykan has blazed a path through the bourbon industry. She wasn’t always into whiskey. At a young age, Jackie was always interested in science and chemistry. She had long considered a career in the medical field. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy and pursued her dreams by attending the University of Missouri-St. Louis. There Jackie studied biology and chemistry, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

During her time at college Jackie worked as a bartender and mixologist. She also tried a job at a hospital and then a veterinary clinic and decided that neither of these jobs were for her. She moved to Louisville when her at the time husband accepted a job in the town. Unsure of her career path she decided to go back to what she knew, which was working behind the bar.

Jackie took on many challenges working at a multitude of bars before settling in at Doc Crow’s in downtown Louisville. In 2010 she was promoted to the Beverage Director for Falls City Hospitality, overseeing four different bars and restaurants beverage programs. As a bartender in Louisville, her skills were frequently in demand for special events hosted by the distilleries. While working at those events she got a reputation for, let’s say, having a very discriminating palate. Not one to sit still Jackie was also networking herself by accepting and executing many bartending jobs and cocktail developments for various bourbon brands such as Four Roses, Heaven Hill and Woodford Reserve.

In 2015 Jackie was hired as a spokeswoman for Old Forester. Her first day on the job was July 6th, 2015, ironically the same day as the Whiskey Row fire at the new Old Forester distillery being built on Main Street. Originally carrying the title of Master Bourbon Specialist, the position was one of PR and marketing, but when she learned the extent of the project for the new distillery on Whiskey Row, she boldly told Campbell Brown, President of Brown-Forman, that by the time the new distillery opened, she’d be Master Taster for the Old Forester brand. Then she got down to work doing all the necessary training and championed herself for the role. When the distillery opened, she was, indeed, promoted to Master Taster.

Since her move into her new role Jackie has had a direct hand in many Old Forester products. She has been integral in the MTS (Master Tasters Selection) line of distillery only releases, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, President’s Choice, Old Forester 1910, Old Forester Statesman, Old Forester Rye Old Forester 150th Anniversary releases and the 117 Series. Jackie’s signature adorns the label for the 117 series, a first to have a woman’s signature on the label in the company’s 150 year history. Jackie was also fully responsible for the single barrel program. She led the charge for consumers by discontinuing the 90 proof offering of single barrels and moving to 100 proof and barrel proof single barrels. She also was instrumental in the development of the Old Forester Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey.

While on a ski trip to Colorado, a trip that was focused on playing in the snow with friends, she heard about this new startup. During a ride in the car to do some cross-country skiing, a trip that should have taken 45 minutes turned into a 5.5-hour white knuckle wintery drive. That gave everyone in the car a lot of time to talk. The person behind the wheel that day was Nate Winegar Co-Founder of The 5280 Whiskey Society. As Winegar talked, he shared that he along with Matt Dankner and Royce Neeley Co-Founder of Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Kentucky, were thinking of starting a whiskey brand. In July of 2022 Jackie left Old Forester to partner with them to start Hidden Barn Whiskey.

Jackie married her firefighter boyfriend Chris on her last day at Old Forester, which coincidentally was her first day at Hidden Barn Whiskey.

Contributed By: Paul Eggerding, Chicago, Illinois

with support from Daniel Snyder, Whiskey Founders Committee Chair, Champaign, Illinois