On International Women’s Day every year, the voices and stories of women across the world are celebrated, as we address the issues that cause gender inequality and diversity. But despite these issues remaining, such voices and stories take a backseat once the day is done.
We think it’s worth doing the opposite and actively challenging the issues that create these gaps in our industry, which is why we launched our weekly Wednesday Women series, where we profile the stories of the inspiring women in this great and wide industry.
Today we speak with one of Archie Rose’s spirits blenders, Silvia Segato. Though originally from Italy, it was a chapter in London that set Segato on her path to spirits blending, after a decade working in hospitality around the world.
While working for the Zetter group and Drink Factory, Segato began developing innovative flavours and products for the bar. Without any creative boundaries, she began to explore how spirits are made, and how they can be transformed, sparking a curiosity that now defines her career.
That spirit of experimentation eventually drew Segato back to Australia, where she stepped into the world of distilling with Lark.
“I was working for Lark as a supervisor at the cellar door, and after a while I was like ‘guys I really want to know how spirits are made’. I knew the theory but I wanted to see the practical side, and I got thrown into making gin and whisky at Lark Distillery.
“At Lark, I got interested in gin because you can modify the way you want it. It’s a very versatile spirit, especially the contemporary style. But then whisky was also very interesting – these days, it’s less restricted by rules and it’s fun to play around with.”
Even at this point, becoming a spirits blender wasn’t part of Segato’s plan. When a move to Sydney left her figuring out her next step she connected with Archie Rose’s master distiller Dave Withers when he was looking for a distiller, and when a blending role later opened, he felt she was the perfect fit.
“I got thrown into blending, it’s funny. I didn’t really apply for this job, but the distilling job at Archie Rose was the only job I applied for in Sydney, so it was a lucky coincidence and a combination of the right time and place – I was really fortunate,” Segato told The Shout.
Freedom to create
At Archie Rose, Segato works across whisky and white spirit. She describes two sides to her job – the standard day-to-day which requires daily checks, tool calibration, bottling line checks and sample preparations; and the more flexible side of her role, such as screening tasks, preparing mature blends, and developing new products.
“My day-to-day is never the same, and that’s the beauty of my job. The key is to organise my work, but also to keep a flexible mindset.”
It’s a colourful role that keeps Segato busy, but the one thing she always looks forward to is creating new blends and working with a free canvas.
Describing the process behind developing a new blend, Segato says: “When we have a new product in mind, we set some key attributes. We define what we want to showcase in spirit and start from there.
“The rest is all about finding the right ingredients, like the right cask type or the right botanicals, and from there it’s all about balance and elegance. You have to define and refine those characteristics that you want in your final product.
“Eventually, there is always an approval. Dave approves all of our blends, and we have to be able to argue our choice and explain why it’s the best way to go, or why you didn’t choose another option. You always have to keep assessing your work and communicate what you’re trying to achieve,” Segato explains.
Nurturing your skillset
Before Segato began her journey with Archie Rose, she had already undertaken several formal qualifications. Not only does she have a WSET qualification in both wine and spirits, she has studied with the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, and also studied perfumery.
There’s no doubt that these studies have helped shape Segato’s path, but she doesn’t feel that a career in spirits blending is dependent on formal qualifications. In fact, she believes it’s an innate skill, if you choose to nurture it.
“When you’re talking about how to become a spirit blender, a lot of it comes out of your own experiences. For example, I was always involved in cooking with my family when I was young and exposed to food, and during my hospitality time I developed my understanding of flavour pairing and balancing cocktails.
“But the best experience that you can have comes from being a curious person. There is no limit on our senses, we have it available 24/7 – it’s about paying attention to it and exploring. It’s free to smell, and free to taste most of the time too, it’s about the curiosity you have and how much attention you pay to your senses,” she stated.
“There are obviously limitations or unfortunate situations where it’s not possible for people to smell, and some people have a more acute sense of smell than others, but it’s a matter of building your memory muscles and building an archive in your head where you recognise certain smells.”
Creating a platform for other women
Segato is passionate about her position as a spirits blender and making it accessible to others who share a similar curiosity for the craft – particularly other women.
“I have to admit, as a woman, I found some obstacles in the past, but I’m a persistent person, and I am lucky to work in a very inclusive environment where I can be free to express myself. But I have found obstacles in the past and these days my approach is to be more supportive for everybody.
“We’re lucky here in Australia that we have very good associations like the Australian Women in Distilling Association and the Women of Australian Distilling – two very important associations. It’s empowerment for women that want to enter in this industry. It’s definitely not easy, but it’s good to knock at every door before you give up, because you never know when the door will open.”
There have been many women play an influential role in Segato’s career as a colleague or role model, including her fellow Archie Rose spirits blender Ev Liong. Notably, in conversation with The Shout, Segato acknowledged the contributions Lyn Lark has made to the industry.
“When I started working at Lark Distillery, I realised that Bill is everything – if you talk about Lark Distillery you think of Bill Lark. But in reality, Lyn Lark has always been the muscles behind the distillery itself, so I always took example from her.
“She’s never been the face of the distillery, but she was always the nose and palate behind it. She’s a very strong woman that I admire so much and I’m glad we crossed paths,” Segato concluded.