Day 1 | 12 Days of Barrel Picks. Andres Arias of Pernod Ricard joins the show to highlight a single barrel from the West Virginia distillery. We discuss the rise of the distillery and the demand for single barrels for their Old Scout label. Andres also shares how Pernod is investing into American whiskies, and how he’s personally devoting interest and time into whiskey.
Read MoreOld Elk’s new market manager, Eric Rosentreter returns to the show to talk about his new job with the Colorado distillery. Eric explains the rise of their single barrel program, and the responsibility of selling/representing a whiskey made by a living legend like Greg Metze.
Read MoreGarrett Turnquist of Maize + Mash and Steve Malloy of Malloy’s finest join the show to discuss their Pinhook True Small Batch Bourbon for their restaurants and retail shops. They share the intricacies of meeting with the Pinhook founders to make their personal blend from three different bourbon barrels, and how their individual customers are enjoying their selection.
Read MoreLive from Bitter Pops, our dear friends and many regular voices from our first 199 episodes help us celebrate 200 episodes of building community and sharing the stories behind label. In Part 2, the drinks start flowing through our gauntlets and taking a wild toll on our conversation. It’s fun.
Read MoreLive from Bitter Pops, our dear friends and many regular voices from our first 199 episodes help us celebrate 200 episodes of building community and sharing the stories behind label. This is part one of a two-part podcast.
Read MoreChris Blatner (Urban Bourbonist) joins the show to share whiskeys from his 13 Summer Whiskeys list. We drink and comment on Wood Creek Rye, Laws Henry Road Straight Malt Whiskey, Westward Single Malt Cask Strength, Pinhook Bourbondini and the 7-year Pinhook Single barrel that Chris and I chose on Episode 186. We also talk about the curiosity of American single malts, the purpose of being a listener and not an educator while drinking whiskey, and we review our notes while sampling the single barrel.
Read MoreLive from Wisconsin Whiskey Fest, we sit down Murphy Quint, Head Distiller of Cedar Ridge. Murphy explains how his parents started this Iowa-based distillery on the foundation of the great soil and grain of the Heartland. He also shares his personal story of growing up in the distillery, moving away and working at Stranahan’s Distillery, and coming back home to help grow their brand into the number one selling Bourbon in Iowa.
Read MoreLive from the Wisconsin Whiskey Festival, Dancing Goat Founder Nick Mass joins the show to update the progression of his distillery. Twenty minutes into the conversation, Dixon Dedman, Kentucky Owl and 2XO, crashes the show (in the very best way). The two founders and blenders share stories of how their techniques developed while creating their individual brands. We also get deep into true purpose of whiskey, the meaning of being man/friend/employer/loyal subject to the world we live in.
Read MoreLive From WI Whiskey Fest, Ross Graham, Director of Sales at Old Elk Distillery shares how Greg Metze, Old Elk’s Master Distiller is using his historic pedigree to shape the brand into one of the most emerging brands in America. Also, our good friend Eric Rosentreter of Woodinville Whiskey joins the conversation halfway through the episode to share his industry insights.
Read MorePinhook founder Sean Josephs returns. We discuss brand building with transparency and integrity, and how certain trends have dominated the whiskey industry, as of late, that may fall short of those two fundamentals. We also chat about the direction of craft and craftsmanship, along with the foundation of Pinhook beginning with an idea of blending whiskey but totally flipping on its head to follow a true path for Sean and his partners.
Read MoreWilson and Jake sit down to speak about what bourbon means to them as people and as employees of whiskey distilleries. They go deep on the purpose of life, and the balance between their professional and personal interaction with whiskey.
Read MoreWhiskey Acres cofounder Nick Nagele explains their “Seed to Spirit” approach of farming high quality grains on the very farm the distillery sits on. Whiskey Acres foundation begins with, varietals of corn builds success, and the exploration of those varietals represents the terroir in each pour after they’ve been distilled and aged on their farm. Their whiskey speaks to and represents the place that it comes from. Whiskey Acres’ comes from the heartland, the Midwest, Illinois, and they showcase what whiskey can be when a distillery precisely handles every aspect of grain –– from being placed in the soil to being emptied from the barrel and into the bottle.
Read MoreSteven Dragun, Lustau National Brand Ambassador, joins the show. Steven shares how exploring his dream of becoming a musician through studying and playing music across the world led him to the spirits’ industry. Currently with Lustau in Chicago, Steven previously worked for whiskey distilleries like Angel’s Envy and New York Distilling Co. and behind the stick at various great bars in New York. His personal story of discovering creative satisfaction in the spirits world, as music takes a slight backseat, is an inspiring uncovering for personal fulfillment.
Read MoreI sit down solo on the mics to share my experience from the road as a whisky brand ambassador. The "Where You Want To Be" series focuses on my visits to various markets across the US, documenting the distinctive details of an ambassador’s life in each city. I’ll also weave-in the lessons I’ve learned from my previous travels, while examining stories, essays and documents from notorious travelers/writers/authors.
Read MoreLive from New Orleans at Tales of The Cocktail, a special guest, Mickey Pinstripe aka The Bourbon and Rye Club, joins the show. Sagamore Spirit’s Brett Bauer cohosts with me to chat with Mikey about his journey through whiskey, and his landing on his love for rye whiskey. We also discuss the events of Tales and the good times we experienced during the 20th anniversary of the coveted spirits event.
Read MoreJake shares the details of his recent trip to Kentucky and The Bourbon Trail, which included a long anticipated visit to Castle & Key. He also shares his thoughts on the value the online space still holds in the whiskey industry.
Read MoreKyle Smith is a man that can’t rest. For the past eight years, Kyle has relentlessly ran around Chicago’s hospitality industry. He’s directed bar programs at Michelin awarded restaurants, worked for various whiskey distilleries, established multiple pop-up bars/events in every type of venue possible, and is currently working with Camp Yoshi. Camp Yoshi is Kyle’s respite from the city as he runs he spirits program for the outdoor company that combines adventure to reconnect with nature and a gourmet experience of food and beverage.
Read MoreEric Rosentreter of Woodinville Whiskey Co. and I sit down to discuss the rise and importance of single barrels and whiskey clubs. We run through the pros of selling single barrels across the country to grow a brand, and the potential downfall of attaching yourself to the wrong club—that can’t commit to the promises that they make. We run through it all.
Read MoreChris Blatner joins me and provides three delicious single barrel samples from Pinhook. Chris and I sit down at Wolf Point Distilling to select the next Pinhook Bourbon single barrel for Leo’s Mayfair. Chris guides us through the history of Pinhook’s vertical single barrel program as we taste through and choose a 7-year-old bourbon for Leo’s.
Read MoreJefferson’s founder Trey Zoeller joins the show to share how he’s “Pushing the boundaries of what bourbon can be, and the defintions without bastardizing it.” We also share a dram of Jefferson’s newest release Ocean Rye. Trey explains the origins of the Ocean series, and how he’s honoring tradition, history and adventure to create a whiskey apart from the rest of American distilleries.
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