Interview with Olivia J. Ripy, January 29, 2014

Interview Summary

Olivia Ripy is the granddaughter of T.B. Ripy who operated a distillery in Tyrone, Kentucky. In this interview she discusses how she became involved in the bourbon industry when she began working at the Wild Turkey Distillery. She talks about the various jobs she has held including working on the bottling lines and in the visitors center. She talks about other women who worked in the bourbon industry and gives advice for women who want to join the industry.

She talks about tourism in the bourbon industry and how it has grown since she began working in the gift shop at the Wild Turkey Distillery. She talks about the future of the bourbon industry and bourbon tourism and the possibilities for expansion. She talks about how bourbon advertising has changed over the years.

She talks about the Master Distillers she has worked with over the years including members of her own family as well as Bill Hughes and Jimmy Russell.

She talks about her encounters with ghosts at the Wild Turkey Distillery and at the T.B. Ripy House.

Interview Keyword

Distilleries--Kentucky Distillers. Ghosts Wild Turkey Distillery whisky whiskey

Interview LC Subject

Bourbon whiskey Families. Genealogy Tourism Whiskey industry--Kentucky Women in the whiskey industry

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.