embellish podcast: Recent Episodes
embellish podcast
Let’s explore the stories around products, places and people that make them inherently interesting. Stories full of drama and passion. Stories filled with history. New stories. True stories. Less than true stories.
We’ll mostly talk about bourbon and whiskey….but who knows what else might draw our attention.
I'll have a chance to talk with Jason Fruits of Old 55 and some of his friends from Beck's Seeds to talk about some projects they are working on. It's always a treat to talk to the distillery and the provider of the raw goods.
@old55distillery
https://old55distillery.com/
I've taken a couple of weeks off but it's time to get back on the airwaves. We'll talk 2022, State of the Podcast (SotP) and human connections. It'll be a real treat.
www.embellishpod.com
www.instagram.com/embellishpod/
https://www.youtube.com/@embellishpodcast
A few months ago Devin from American Mash and Grain reached out to David from Whiskey Ring and myself about doing an American Craft roundtable. Not one to shy away from running with someone else’s great idea we jumped into it and created a list of people that we thought needed to be here. We had representation from a blog turned retailer, a small distiller with a big name, an independent bottler of “craft” distillers and a website turned blending team. The conversation ranges around all things “craft” or small distillery for a couple of hours. There’s obviously so much more for us to talk over so maybe…just maybe there’s a whole other discussion waiting to be had.
Co-Host:
Wedding Ring Podcast
@whiskeyinmyweddingring
@whiskeyringpodcast
David Levine
www.whiskeyinmyweddingring.com/
Guests:
American Mash and Grain/Borrowed Page American Whiskey
@mashngrain
Chase and Devin
www.mashngrain.com
Lost Lantern Whiskey
@lostlanternwhiskey
Nora Ganley-Roper
www.lostlanternwhiskey.com
Seelbachs and Bourbonr
Blake Riber
www.bourbonr.com
@bourbonr
www.seelbachs.com
Kings County
Colin Spoelman
@kingscountydistillery
www.kingscountydistillery.com
David Jennings ( @rbird101 ) has done what so many people in the bourbon hobbyist dreams of doing converting their fun hobby into a real career. But it's not just as simple as that. It's work. Lots and lots of work. We'll sit down with David and talk about his most recent publication "Wild Turkey Musings", what it's like being an author and maybe we'll even get him to reveal where we can find some early years recordings of his musicianship.
The first thing I ever tasted that felt like it would elevate bourbon beyond what I had grown up to understand was a double oaked bourbon. It added a complexity and depth that some part of my lizard brain had been seeking for a very long time. Since then it’s evolved into Oak finishing, French Oak, etc. When 2XO was announced I immediately knew whatever would come out of the brand would be amazing. Dixon has that kind of reputation and I also knew I needed to have him on. Today we’ll chat Dixon, 2XO and anything else he happens to let me ask about.
Whiskey festivals are popping up all over the place. An even in New Orleans sticks out to me because the city holds a special place in my heart. I’ve had the opportunity to visit the city half a dozen times and there isn’t another one quite like it in the United States. Just the way it moves. The way it feels. So I wanted to explore a little deeper into what is happening with this Bourbon festival in a city with a street named after the drink(yeah I know it’s not exactly named after the drink). Tracy ( @nolaboubon ) was kind enough to spend 45 minutes running me through the ins and outs of the New Orleans Bourbon Festival ( @nobourbonfest ). He even drops in a discount code for tickets that is good until December 15th. Keep an eye on their social media and make sure you snag up a ticket while you can.
https://www.neworleansbourbonfestival.com/
Thanksgiving is a curious holiday to celebrate. For every non-indigineous person to the continent this holiday is a celebration of our arrival and eventual domination of native tribes to create a “new” space for us. We’ve been taught for eons that the first thanksgiving was one of peace and sharing but given what we have subsequently learned as adults…..is this the real truth? Now all of that is a little heavy for what I do here but I wanted to talk a couple of Turkey “Myth’s” that may or may not be true and how the power of the story is what really matters more than it’s veracity.
Innovation in the whiskey marketplace in the United States in my mind is going to increasingly come from likeminded craft distillers setting a path for a standard like this. Think American Single Malt, Indiana Rye and more importantly today’s conversation….Empire Rye. When I reached out to Black Button (@blackbuttondistilling) with interest in talking about this particular initiative Alex (alexblackbuttondistilling) responded quickly.
When I listened to @bourbonlens interview I knew I had to absolutely copy them. Today we will talk with the brains behind BRAND MYSTICISM, from the marketing mastermind behind mega-viral whiskies made with crab, venison, and beaver castoreum, as well as countless iconic booze labels, comes an irreverent and wide-ranging treatise on building and maintaining a standout brand in business and life: BRAND MYSTICISM, is penned by spirits maverick Steven Grasse(@stevengrasse) in collaboration with celebrated writer Aaron Goldfarb(@aarongoldfarb). Through his work in advertising and marketing on brands like Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Narragansett, Guinness, Miller High Life, and more, Grasse is an authority on building an authentic, enduring, and deeply beloved (viral) brands.
MB Roland Distillery has been around for more than a dozen years and has made a plethora of products both whiskey and non-whiskey based. I had an opportunity to visit them on a number of occasions and this little distillery is really growing on me. There's a portion of the Bourbon trail that is not actually part of the bourbon trail but certainly deserves to. We'll talk through this distillery and maybe a couple more that can put us through the paces for an off the beaten path bourbon weekend.
When I think of Tennessee Whiskey and I’m not immediately singing Chris Stapleton I get one of two thoughts. Moonshine distilleries in the jewel of kitsch tourism in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge TN or Jack Daniels. But if you pay attention there’s a ton of TN commodity whiskey going into blends of some of the largest and most sought after brands. It’s also become a whiskey geek trope to poke fun at Dickel whiskey. In the early 2000’s there were so few distilleries in the state that you could count them two hands. Now…there’s a trail. Is Tennessee whiskey bourbon? It could be. Lets leave it there.
https://www.tnwhiskeytrail.com/
https://leipersforkdistillery.com/
https://www.georgedickel.com/
https://chattanoogawhiskey.com/
https://www.wheelersraiddistillery.com/
https://companydistilling.com/
Bourbon festivals aren't necessarily a new thing in the marketplace, but there are a handful of events that are doing unique things. I'm glad to have the folks from @bourbononthebanks join me for a conversation about their event, it's inception and it's future.
A little over a year ago I did a quick review of the 2021 Kentucky Bourbon Festival. 21 was the first year for the new in person format but still had a few COVID protocols in place. I largely enjoyed it but had a few notes for event organizers(I'm aware they likely did not watch or listen to me at all) and I wanted to revisit that list, compare to this year as well as talk about the event. We'll pop open the Knob Creek pick from the event, maybe even drink some of the Wilderness Trail batch that was sold at the event as well. If you feel inclined go listen to last years episode in preparation.
https://youtu.be/9du7pKyl3rU
@kybourbonfest
@Wilderness Trail Distillery
@Knob Creek
I met Eric at a whiskey event and we had some pretty fun conversations around whiskey and farming. Him from his personal background and mine from my current profession. I knew I needed to have him on so I could talk through a few farm distilleries and get educated from some folks that are in his backyard.
This week we'll have Lost Lantern joining us and talking about what it takes to be an independent bottler, how they came up with the idea for the business and maybe even some of their products from their most recent launch.
@lostlanternwhiskey
A curator and purveyor of Single Barrels for Peerless Distilling , an entrepreneur in the Coffee Industry and a Kentucky Colonel all walk into a bar. Thats John. If you've been around bourbon for 10 minutes you know exactly who he is. I was a huge fan of Peerless and in the first wave of orders for Stave and Bean. I'm super excited for this conversation...lets see what happens.
@kentuckypeerless
@bourbon_colonel86
RD1 as a brand may not be as recognizable to you today as it will be in three months, but if I mentioned the brand William Tarr you probably know exactly what I'm talking about. I've been interested in what this brand has going on since the KBF in 2021 so I'm more than excited to have Chris join me to tell me about what they have going on, and any potential future plans they might have.
If you believe what's popping up on the 24 hour news cycle we are on the precipice of another recession. Beyond that we've had some folks on the show recently that have indicated that the believe we are in the pre-stages of a bourbon decline. With either of these possible outcomes on the horizon how can you decide what safe and accessible pour you should follow? We'll talk about recession pours, AfroFusion, Whiskey Community and more as I ramble my way into the upcoming Kentucky Bourbon Festival event and so much more.
About a year and a half ago I was sitting in my office during the waning stages of quarantine watching this group of people just have a blast at Whiskey Weekend Batch 3 hosted by the Podcask. I kept seeing this guy running around with snack cakes talking about pairing. I'm not gonna lie, the fomo was turned up to 11. At the time I wasn't aware of who exactly he was but since then I've gotten to know Eric a little better and not only has his pairing gained some level of notorious repute, he's co-host to one of the best Bourbon Podcasts out there. We'll take an hour to talk about whatever comes up and maybe eat some snacks and drink some whiskey. @whiskeymutant
Smokewagon has been around for a while but they really entered my radar a couple of years ago when they were selling a single barrel through a specific online community and then that barrel disappeared. My curiosity was high enough that I was on the list before the barrel was redirected to a different retailer and a small subset lucked out to be able to purchase one of the 40ish remaining bottles. Watching the social media reaction to that particular situation solidified my want to talk to Aaron about what he is doing over there in Nevada.
I have a couple of different types of episodes. One is interview based(which is what we will do tonight) and the other is background info on distilleries or brands that somehow tie together in my sometimes erratic methodologies. These episodes take a good deal of research and when it comes to craft distilleries this can be difficult as many are not necessarily getting the press they deserve. I'm not afraid to admit I've used the website of tonights guest numerous times for that primary information. Chase and Devin have amassed a large quantity of information about craft distilleries and have now moved into blending their own expressions. Tonight we'll talk through Borrowed Page and their website....and anything else that happens to come up. @mashngrain mashandgrain.com
David and I have been circling the same guests and events pretty much since the beginning of both of our podcasts. I figured it was time for us to finally meet and decide who should quit first.
hint: it's probably me.
Sorry for the less than stellar audio but it was the only way I could get the fire to load for my audio podcast feed. If you want better quality audio, and some video hop over to youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnnkD_SxNOw
When I started this whole thing the idea was to have conversations with interesting people and fantastic storytellers. There’s a couple of musicians that I put on a list of moonshot guests. This is the first one of those. I’ve been a fan of Propaganda as a musician for probably 10 years, but then he took on the rest of the media world with podcasts, books, social media and more. If that wasn’t enough he headed down the path of coffee. Coffee may be the second or third passion behind whiskey when it comes to things I consume so it only made sense that I would reach out to him with zero expectation of something actually happening. In true podcasting fashion however, he agreed to spend some time with me. I really hope you enjoy this one as much as I did. We talked about pretty much everything that could be talked about from politics to travel to mennonite restaurants.
French Oak has been widely used by the wine industry for eons but is rapidly gaining popularity within the Bourbon and American Whiskey realms. Understanding what the actual impact of this oak variety might help you better understand if its a flavor profile you are interested in. We'll walk through a few offerings that are using french oak, some wood species characteristics and maybe even a tasting or two.
I've always been interested in "alternative" aging methods employed by different brands to achieve newer, faster, or alternative flavor profiles. When Bespoken Spirits reached out about their product line it was a no brainer to pick the brain of Martin Janousek and talk about the motivating factors behind creating a brand like this and what the identity happens to be. It's always interesting to hear from folks that were not born or steeped in the spirits(whiskey) tradition. Their perspectives can be refreshing in a culture that is often wary of new ideas and technologies.
I get the opportunity to talk with bestselling author of Drinking & Knowing Things, Michael Juergens. Not only is he an author he's a Certified Sommelier with the Guild of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Specialist of Wine, and a Master of Wine Candidate with the Institute of Masters of Wine. He is the founder of the Bhutan Wine Company, he owns the award-winning SoCal Rum company, is a professor at the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of CA, Irvine and has agreed to climb down to the dregs of social media and rub elbows with us cretins.
If you've been around the Whiskeygram for more than a few weeks you've probably seen Jake floating around pushing the wonders of his company Starward. I had the privilege months ago of being able to attend the first of many virtual Starward(and other spirits) tastings that Jake led and I can tell you it won me over to the Australian Single Malt market and solidified my core fandom of "Key in the Lake" one of his other ventures. Join me as we talk through his brand, podcast and any other thing that happens to come up.
I've been following Penelope as a brand for about as long as they have been a brand. They don't have a lineage or history with the spirits industry specifically, but their investment into this market is complete and whole. I've had occasion to meet Matt, Mike and Danny over the last year(even if they can't remember it) and really connected with the ethos behind the brand and the future vision of it. We'll talk through their inception, creation and launching of many different whiskey variations and whatever else happens to come up.
There have been a handful of highly anticipated releases in the last few months are there are more to come. If you aren't already following @comingwhiskey you probably should be and I know I use it to get myself hyped up for bottles that are on the horizon. Beyond that you should at least be on the mailing lists of all the distilleries you love. Thats how you get into the nitty gritty of the details. Tonight we talk about some things already released and some things to come.
Founding fathers had an interest in whiskey whether it be from a commerce or taxation perspective, and some brands carry the names today. I thought it fitting to talk about a few of these brands tonight considering I just returned from trips to Monticello, Mount Vernon and Washington DC.
I know almost zero things about Scotch. I've been a member of SMWS for over a year and that level of knowledge has grown tremendously. What they do with "demystifying" scotch is pretty damn amazing and those folks have agreed to join me for a chat tonight.
https://www.instagram.com/smwsamerica/
@smwsamerica
https://smwsa.com/
Writing a book is incredibly difficult. Writing a book on whisky while keeping an intact liver is probably even harder. Tonight's guest Shelley Sackier not only challenged the traditional boys club of whisky, but also the even more limited subset of whisk(e)y authors by publishing "Make it a Double". We'll talk about writing, whisky and whatever else comes up.
@shelleysackier
https://shelleysackier.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelleySackierBooks/
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Make-it-a-Double/Shelley-Sackier/9781639361793
@pegasusbooks
9:30 PM CST LIVESTREAM - Last week I had the chance to attend the TIMBP Weekend in Lexington and ended up at Michter's doing a tour with David from Whiskey in my Wedding Ring podcast. I picked up some Fort Nelson Select rye and thought it would be a good chance to compare it against the Micther's Single Barrel Rye I already have. And since we are doing a this or that I tossed in a comparison of Jack Daniels 10 year to Coy Hill. That seems a little unfair but this particular Coy Hill was aged 9 years in the same location as the 10 year JD offering. For it to be a fair comparison I attempted to proof down the Coy Hill to the same as the 10 year to see if they are even remotely similar as well as if the 1 year difference matters.
Foundational blocks like Rye, Corn, Wheat and Barley grain are often discussed as the beginning of whiskey, but if you've followed this podcast for more than 10 minutes you know those crops begin as ideas, then get nurtured before they can ever be mashed, fermented and distilled. Considering we are in the middle of the corn planting season for the majority of the United States lets have a quick refresher of the crops we covet, their impact on history, any initiatives that I could find and whatever else comes up along the way. I'll also be opening some bottles that I've picked up over the last few weeks and probably talking about them too.
Today we get the opportunity to talk to David Coors about the Coors Whiskey Company and its freshman offering into the whiskey marketplace. There isn't a shortage of new entries from a craft perspective into the bourbon marketplace or even the American Single Malt segment. It seems very few are trying to tackle the Blended American Whiskey market, but Coor's Whiskey has set its eyes directly on this.
https://www.fivetrail.com/
https://www.instagram.com/fivetrail/
https://www.instagram.com/dcoors/
Subscription services aren't anything new, but the folks over at Blind Barrels are working on a new subscription based service that's an amazing deal regardless of what your whiskey connoisseur status is. We'll talk through their offerings, the ethos of the company and anything else that happens to come up.
instagram.com/blindbarrels/
https://blindbarrels.com/
There are more than a few non-distilling producer brands popping up all over the whiskey marketplace. I challenge you to find many brands that have created as much buzz as Blue Run in the last year and a half. Mike was gracious enough to sit down with me and talk about Blue Run, their ethos, their future, their past and a host of other things. This conversation was shorter than either of us wanted it to be so I guess we'll just have to do part 2 in the near future.
https://www.bluerunspirits.com/
@bluerunspirits
@ellasdadmike
Last week I had the chance to talk with Doug Burke and Ari Sussman from Mammoth Distilling. We talked about the history of rye as a crop here in the United States, the history of the spirit pre-prohibition, farming, and passion. What I really love about these types of episodes is the opportunity to talk to people who are legitimately passionate about the work they are doing. What’s coming next? I’d imagine we’ll be talking to Ari and Doug again very soon.
https://www.instagram.com/arisussman/
https://www.instagram.com/mammoth_distilling
https://mammothdistilling.com/
Cannabis has a rich history in the state of Kentucky. It’s victim to prohibition currently but we can explore some history, brands and other forts to create a path of inclusion for both the prohibited version as well as the hemp strains currently grown in the Commonwealth.
Enjoy todays episode
I'm a big fan of what Bardstown Bourbon Company is doing both with their own distillate and with other peoples distillate. One of those efforts is finishing bourbon in different casks. This episode will focus on the finishes that I'm aware of that are related to grapes. Wine, Cognac and Armagnac. Call me a fanboy if you will but these are some damn tasty bottles. We'll stream at the regular time provided a tornado doesn't blow my house away tonight.
Last week(end) was the yearly Whiskey Weekend hosted by the guys over at the Podcask. Tonight we'll take a few minutes to talk over the good and the bad(if there was any) and anything else that comes up along the way.
There's a few podcasts I listened to regularly before I decided that what the internet needed was yet another voice in the audio podcast community. This Is My Bourbon Podcast was one of those. I enjoy it's whiskey and non-whiskey related content and I knew I'd want to have Perry on my podcast at some point....well that point is now.
Perry has a few things to talk about and so do I.
Comics, parenting, pandemic, movies, whiskey, life, music and about everything in between. This episode has something for everyone and at 3+ hours I’d hope it does.
So let me preface everything with…this was the longest episode I’ve done yet and if we had started earlier it would probably have been even longer. The version loaded here is the edited version. A full length stream is on YouTube and it ranges from whiskey, to therapy, to education, to travel and so so much more. Take some time to digest it and enjoy.
Around a year ago I did an episode talking about women in whiskey. I posted something on social media about trying to get a decent list before I recorded and Morgan from Female Whiskey Society was the first person to respond. So of course I included her in my list. If you have been around the WhiskeyGram for more than five minutes you've seen Morgan.
For a long time St. Patricks Day was just another holiday...sometimes it fell during college spring break. Now that we talk about Whiskey every week maybe it's time to talk about Irish Whiskey, St. Patricks Day and the impact the Irish might have had on Kentucky. And yes...the thumbnail is straight up terrifying.
I was introduced to Tim and Jack because of the wildly popular Instagram Live series called "Monday Night Sucks". Since then I've been able to spend time with them in real life and I consider them friends. Tonight we'll talk about social media creating real community, future projects and any other thing that comes up.
In 2020 Marianne Eaves began teasing her Eave's Blind subscription service. Given her notoriety and the marketing behind the effort, I was in. Now that we've completed the service it's time to do a review of it. Have a seat for 30 minutes and give it a listen.
Just what everyone needed. Another "How to Travel Bourbon Country" video. I've been in Kentucky most of my life, I've been to bourbon country a fair number of times. And I keep discovering things. But if you only have one shot at traveling here every few years I don't see any reason I shouldn't toss out my advice. This list is sponsored by no one and if you travel somewhere I tell you to go and you don't like it...well thats what you get for listening to a guy with 41 followers on Youtube.
Sometimes it's not just about whiskey. Sometimes beer becomes a part of the discussion too. When you aren't looking for a good summertime refreshment that you can drink copious amounts of, my go to is the stout. Anything dark and bitter. Those particular beers seem to have a high degree of correlation to the whiskey crowd too so we'll talk about Stouts and their interactions in the Whiskey world.
Celebrity endorsed brands are nothing new, but within the whiskey realm there is no shortage of those types of brands. Tonight we'll talk about the good, the bad, and the delicious of them. There are several angles to come at celebrity whiskey, some just lend a name, some are more involved in the process of making and blending and others are more involved in the marketing. Which is the best approach?
To start the year I made a list of people that I wanted to try and talk to on the podcast. Alan was at the top of that list and I wasn’t sure he’d agree to join me. This should be a fun one.
If you don’t know who Alan is, you probably need to just go ahead and hit up his Instagram, blog, The Spirits of French Lick and Distillers Talk Podcast.
Alan Bishop:
https://alchemistcabinet.wordpress.com/
https://instagram.com/thealchemistcabinet
http://www.spiritsoffrenchlick.com/
https://distillerstalk.libsyn.com/
Chris from Bourbon Charity agreed to come on the podcast to talk about their organization, some short and long term goals and to generally chat. I've been a supporter of the group for a couple of years from both the participating in giveaways and being a member of Bourbonhood. It's a great opportunity to hear about some good that's being done with the donations you give. The title is a common phrase in my day to day work that indicates what an ideal situation for any solution would be and what this team is doing is just that....
Bourbon Charity:
https://bourboncharity.org/
https://bourbonhood.org/
Chris Blatner:
https://www.instagram.com/urbanbourbonist
Celebrating one year of pointless rambling, having fun with other channels and some degree of narcissism. Even assuming that any human being is interested in hearing what you have to say is pretty self centered, but to keep it going for a year. Lets talk about it.
The whiskey marketplace is a dynamic place and change is inevitable. Which can be problematic for distilleries that are steeped in tradition and an unchangeable nature. Working in product management is essentially change management.
If you've been around social media from a marketing perspective you've probably seen how easy it is to buy followers. How can you tell if the person on the other side of the channel is real or exploiting tools for likes/follows???
Shopping in a store can be a daunting task for us without having to take into consideration any one of the many spirits ratings or awards that might be touted by any brand. In this weeks live I'll be exploring some of the competitions and rankings out there and hopefully adding some clarity to your shopping experience.
Cole and Robbie from Chill Filtered join me as I walk them through a unique blind tasting experience and we shoot the breeze until we get bored of each other and stop the stream.
I've been waiting for TTB to take action on the Standards of Identity for American Single Malt Whiskey in the United States. The ASM Commission has been working on this for years and it appears we are on the precipice of getting this category regulated.
Chances to give:
https://givetomayfield.com/
https://leeinitiative.kindful.com/
Mayfield Rotary
https://one.bidpal.net/kybourbon/welcome
https://give.bourboncharity.org/tornadorelief2021/Campaign/Details
There have been a lot of tragic events in the last few years, but some hit closer to home than the others. Tonight we'll be talking about parts of the Whiskey Community that coordinate their efforts to do good for humanity.
Maker's Mark for a very long time prided themselves in making one product and making it well. While thats an honorable thing sometimes the itch to innovate is too great to ignore. What began with Maker's 46 led to the Wood Finishing series, the "License Plate" batches and more recently the Maker's DNA offerings. Lets talk about whether it's a gimmick or Greatness
It's hard not to hear North Carolina and not want to finish with "Take your shirt off, twist it 'round your hand" I'll find myself traveling for work several times over the next six months so I'm trying to work out the kinks in the rig I might carry with me and how do I create content from a mobile platform. Join me while I talk about Fainting Goat distillery, North Carolina and it's impact on whiskey and anything else that comes up.
Products Discussed:
Greensboro Distilling/Fainting Goat Spirits
Holiday’s with family can be hard for a lot of reasons. Each of us has our own special reason to need to take the edge off during a family gathering. In lieu of some commercial grade therapy a little help from the Russell’s can ease the transition.
It's the time of the year where you need to find a gift for a whiskey loving friend. Follow what I have to say and you'll certainly get them a present.
Whiskey Nosing Kits:
Nose Your Bourbon - https://noseyourbourbon.com/
Bourbon Real Talk - https://www.bourbonrealtalk.com/collections/aroma-kit-and-sample-storage/products/american
Aroma Academy -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A5OOA4M/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_V84637GN229PR22RE1XS
Whiskey Library Kit:
Boston Rounds - https://glassbottleoutlet.com/collections/multi-pack/products/2-oz-amber-boston-round-with-black-cone-cap-20-400-v4-v20
Box for Library - https://www.bourbonrealtalk.com/collections/storage/products/2-oz-whiskey-sample-bottle-decorative-storage-box
Whiskey Note Kit:
Scroll & Ink Notebook - https://www.scrollandink.com/collections/tasting-notebooks/products/bourbon-or-whiskey-tasting-book-handbound-in-leather
Fisher Space Pen - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WGD13U/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_4AKR210WG604PFSSF86Y Smoker Kit: https://foghatsmoker.com/
Drinkware:
Snute Neat - https://snuteglass.com/product/snute-neat/
Cuisivin Glendall - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0733VRB3M/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_R83JKGKBSAJH9FH62SNG
Acopa Select - https://www.therestaurantstore.com/items/233906
Kornbluh Handbown Glass - https://www.instagram.com/kornbluhglass/
Travel Accessories:
Aged and Ore Sample Bottle Flight - https://agedandore.com/collections/featured/products/bottle-flight
High Camp Flask - https://highcampflasks.com/
Ragproper Flask - https://ragproper.com/
There aren't many beverages that get people riled up quite as much as those from the spirits industry, but if you had to pick one non-alcoholic beverage that would divide households and friend groups it's probably coffee. This is what might be whiskey adjacent, but it's far more related.
Stave and Bean
https://www.staveandbean.com/
Few Cold Cut
https://www.fewspirits.com/
Mr. Black Espresso aged in Whistlepig Casks
https://mrblack.co/us/
Women of Whiskey
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1FYd2YFJD9ZyMSNtS1p53w
Pairing wine with food has been a thing for as long as wine has been a thing. Once Craft Brewing took off there was a resurgence of interest in pairing beer with food other than this is beer, drink it with your wings/pizza/steak. Now that Whiskey is center stage it's time to pair it with food...so how do we pair it and what can I do with this bag of candy I stole from my children.
I shamelessly stole this idea from "This is My Bourbon Podcast" https://www.youtube.com/c/ThisisMyBourbonPodcast
Links of Interest:
https://www.today.com/video/how-therapy-helped-a-war-veteran-launch-a-bourbon-empire-125271621815
Repeal Day Expo December:
Repealdayexpo.com
pairing candy articles:
https://uproxx.com/life/twelve-bourbons-to-pair-with-chocolate-according-to-bartenders/
https://huckberry.com/journal/posts/bourbon-was-made-for-halloween
https://www.whiskyadvocate.com/7-halloween-whisky-candy-pairings/
https://www.gobourbon.com/bourbon-halloween-candy-pairing/
This week I'm identifying these one off conversations that lack any real joining thought other than my own musings as Small Batch Sessions Also what the heck does Small Batch even mean. And Sour Mash. Does it really matter?
Alchemist Cabinet Article on Sour vs. Sweet Mash: https://alchemistcabinet.wordpress.com/2019/02/01/sweet-mash-vs-sour-mash/
Links of Interest:
Repeal Day Expo: https://repealdayexpo.com/
AfroFusion Event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/afrofusion-louisville-edition-tickets-196658660347?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Does the source of water really matter?
How is the water used? Is it just lore?
lets talk about this and more tonight.
Links of Interest:
Bourbon Turntable - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAK-6VNl2uI
Chill Filtered - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUT8G6kZ8P2cgnyu8q9rfaQ
Friends Book - https://www.amazon.com/Michael-W.-Glover/e/B01B775SA6?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000
Evergreen in Louisville - https://coxslouisville.com/locations/evergreen-liquors-nulu
Bourbon Turntable - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwaJFnKr8uj9WRHQj-dzB_g
There's a ton of content out there right now that alludes to the fact that Bourbon is broken or somehow on the verge of collapse. Lets take some time to talk about it.
There are a ton of words that really get on the nerves of Whiskey Snobs. This episode we talk about a bunch of them and ramble incoherently for about half an hour. Enjoy.
Growing up in Kentucky there’s only one type of whiskey, it has an E(unless your name is Maker’s Mark) and it has a legal definition because it’s Bourbon.
All Bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon. And that’s legally the truth now but it wasn’t always. Standards of identity in the United States insure that this particular appellation of whiskey is relatively similar no matter what you buy.
It also ensures that bad actors don’t come into play and color some pure grain alcohol, add some flavor and call it bourbon.
It would be nice to say that this is new concept that we developed here but that’s not really the case. Maybe we formalized it but the identity of spirits was more of a given than a regulation in the past.
Once I got older I learned about Rye, which is could be a sibling to the Bourbon appellation. Then there is Scotch. Scotch is the third cousin twice removed to early American whiskey concepts.
It similarly has standards of identity ensuring production methodologies that became formalized in the 80’s then revisited in the mid 2000’s.
There are a host of other whiskey versions, some regulated and some not regulated…..yet that are left out there for the rest of us to explore. Today’s episode is going to be an exercise in exploring some of these spirits.
Last week we talked about whiskey that wasn’t bourbon and we are going to do that again today.
Topics Discussed:
New World Whisky
Nikka
Kavalan
Starward
I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Festival for 2021. Last Wednesday I kicked off a YouTube Live to recap my experience and thoughts. Maybe it’s helpful to you as you think about attending next year or want to see what this year was all about.
This week…I want to talk about American Single Malt Whiskey. It’s pretty well known that Scotch is probably the biggest single spirit market in the World and the creation of American Single Malt whiskey might seem like an effort to capture that market, but to me it speaks of a want to take the cultures of our European friends and merge it with some more regional influences to create a new segment in the market. http://www.embellishpod.com http://www.americansinglemaltwhiskey.org/ https://www.stranahans.com/ https://cedarridgewhiskey.com/ https://www.whiskeydelbac.com/
For the final planned episode in this series we are going to talk about Stills.
Stills can come in many different arrangements or styles. Some styles and shapes are more purpose driven. Some are merely about artistry and others find some common ground between the two lines. You’ll find the more artistic folks waxing philosophical about how even the dents and dings on a still add to the uniqueness of the character of the spirit.
Maybe it’s better for us to start with what it exactly is that a still does before we talk about how the different designs impact the final product.
Brands/Topics Discussed:
Bardstown Bourbon Company
Golden Beaver Distillery
Leopold Bros Three Chamber Rye
291 Distillery
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
Historical Non-distilling producers had the ability to add compounds to the whiskey or grain distillate to make it taste something like whiskey. Caramel, coloration, tobacco juice and a whole host of other ideas were explored to make sure that supply could meet demand of the time.
The problem became that more legitimate and storied brands became reluctant to refer to their products as bourbon because of this effort to speed up the sales cycle. This brought around things like the “Bottled in Bond” act and the “Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906”. Traditional distillers and producers were pushing back against this “short cut” mindset that was running rampant in their market segment.
This helped to define not only the product segment within the spirits industry for American Whiskey, but it also helped to build a standard flavor profile of American Whiskey. Given the requirements for the distillation methods, aging requirements and other facets of American distilling we can identify what the taste of the United States is.
This seems pretty great, but in a process that is part wizardry and part artistic expression some times the creative person wants to expand beyond that.
Topics/Brands Discussed:
Finished Bourbon
Thomas Moore/1792/Barton
Belle Meade Honey Cask
Traverse City Whiskey Company Cherry Whisky
MB Roland Dark Fired Corn Bourbon
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
Over the last few weeks I’ve talked about foundational blocks to the whiskey making process and how they impact the overall outcome of the final product. As you can tell today is about yeast.
Yeast is one of those things that gets a highlight at every major distillery you visit. Most distilleries have their own yeast strain that they’ve cared for over the years. There’s even distillers that have captured their yeast from the DNA of a dead yeast strain from a family lineage.
Topics/Brands Discussed:
Wild Yeast
Alan Bishop and The Spirits of French Lick
Todd Leopold and Leopold Bros Spirits
TX Bourbon and Firestone & Robertson Distilling
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
There’s tons of lore around how the first bourbon came to be. The idea to char the barrel before putting the distillate in it is something that we’d largely like to claim. The use of new oak containers and the laws around bourbon are likely the only things we can legitimatly lay claim to. But we can rely on American Whiskey companies to continue to push the boundaries of what the landscape of offerings will look like. They will continue to innovate on the simple American oak barrel. They will explore casks that contain exotic woods. They will explore different ways for that distillate to interact with wood. If we keep drinking it they will keep making it and that’s exactly what this is all about. Finding new and unique ways to enhance our enjoyment of what some might already dub a perfect spirit. But how will we know it’s a perfect spirit if we don’t keep making more of these offerings to prove ourselves wrong.
Topics/Brands Discussed:
Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project
Woodford Double (Double) Oaked
Maker’s 46
Daviess County French Oak
Broken Barrel Mizunara Cask
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
In the last episode we spent the better part of 20 minutes talking about estate operations and their attention to detail in regards to stewarding a crop from pre-planning stages and all the way into the barrel.
The connection between farming and whiskey, the source of the grain, the care and consideration. It’s all a magnificent part of the development of the United States.
This week we’ll pivot to a discussion about what happens after the grain is harvested. The grain being a foundational aspect of the whiskey, and the creation of the mash and how the mash impacts the final product.
Topics/Brands Discussed:Jim Beam Rice BourbonKoval Millet WhiskeyDry Fly Triticale Whiskey"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”Music By The Passion HiFiwww.thepassionhifi.com
Estate distillers are moving to the forefront of craft distilling. It’s a growing sector within the market that is gaining credence. The idea of on farm distilling is turning back the hands of time. To it’s inception the spirits and their true nature.
There are a host of challenges and benefits that the estate distiller faces here in the United States and we’ll talk about three different estate brands that navigate these challenges and bring forward innovative products to the marketplace.
Topics/Brands Discussed:
Far North Spirits
Frey Ranch Distillery
Hillrock Estate Distilling
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
Today we will talk about the brands and bottles that are a result of what many deem to be gimmicky aging techniques. Bourbon godfathers will often say there’s no replacement for time and weather. And largely they are right. These aging techniques in today’s episode aren’t meant to replace time, they are meant to be an experiment to see what happens if you do something different. It doesn’t make anything better, just different. And without folks coloring outside the lines we wouldn’t have single barrel offerings or barrel finished bourbons. We wouldn’t be reaping the benefits of mechanization of bottling operations and a whole host of other options that have been made available to the modern distiller.
Topics/Brands Discussed:
Jefferson’s Bourbon Aged at Sea
Ingram River Aged Whiskey
Blackened Whiskey
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
This weeks episode is born purely out of the confusing and intertwined relationships that play within the Bourbon ancestry of Kentucky. This confusing maze of relationships is birthed from of the necessary and obstructionist nature of litigation and trademark protection.
All of that however can create a degree of confusion for the end consumer. It bubbles up the proverbial question…..”What is in a name”. And no we aren’t talking about Four Roses today. The famous quote has transfigured into a much used idiom illustrating a greater weight given to the content of an objects character rather than the given name.
In a Marketplace filled with history and ancestry a name can carry great significance. So much significance that they are bought and sold regularly. Large sums of money are doled out to family operations as large corporate conglomerates gobble up market presence and notoriety in service to their bottom lines.
Inevitably those large corporate entities eventually start making decisions with finances in mind. Sometimes that approach works, and others….it’s catastrophically a failure.
Topics/Brands Discussed:
Yellowstone
Limestone Branch
Beam Family
Log Still Distilling
Dant Family
Rolling Fork Distillery
Wathen Family
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
Today’s episode is going to be more of a state of the podcast type offering. I’m going lay out some changes I’m planning to bring to the podcast hopefully for the better. I appreciate each and every person joining me on this journey. Because of your connection to what I am doing here I wanted to take a moment to talk to all 7 of you about the future of this podcast.
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
Covid and quarantine took a lot of things from us as a population. But it also brought us a new understanding of how community can be created, nurtured and grown. I’ll challenge that nothing can ever be a complete replacement for in human interaction, but with the technology at our fingertips we can continue to interact with people from across the world in a meaningful way. Hell it even presents us with an opportunity to connect with like minded folks that may be more preferential to our tastes than what is available locally.
Topics Discussed:
Whiskey Tribe
It’s Bourbon Night
Bourbon Junkies
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
It feels a bit disingenuous to even try and speak with any degree of authority about women in whiskey from a male perspective. The need for groups like Female Whiskey Society and Women Bourbon Society to even exist speaks to the fact that men have largely owned the marketing and educational spaces of whiskey for eons. What has traditionally been “your father’s beverage of choice” has virtually built in a masculine language.
I’ve already talked to some degree about Marianne Eaves and her innovation in the whiskey marketplace. I’ve mentioned Fawn Weaver and her instrumental work in the telling of the Nearest Green Story. Anyone would be hard pressed to find any better ambassador to this spirit. But they aren’t alone. Today’s episode is going to be about several others in this space. I’ll talk about some historical figures, some ladies that are trying to create communities for women to gather in and further their understanding of whiskey and finally some women who are actively participating in the production of the spirit. We are celebrating their achievements in a hyper-masculine marketplace. And why shouldn’t we. Women scientifically are far better suited to lead this industry. They have better palates, better organizational skills and a stronger fortitude when it comes to adversity. So today’s episode is the queens of bourbon….or maybe distillHer.
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
Joining this hobby can be incredibly daunting for anyone that does not already have a tie into a mentor. It leaves you with the need to seek out some degree of guidance. Just randomly selecting a bottle off a shelf is a terrible way to explore what you want to learn. Price ranges vary greatly and if you pay attention to the news or anything online you’ll know that you aren’t really a part of the community until you start the hunt for allotted bottles. And I think that’s where it all breaks. Allotted bottles are often like unobtainium and are very expensive. It leaves someone who is new to bourbon with a search for something they might never find, and if they do find it they’ll shell out quite a few dollars without even having any remote idea of whether or not they’ll like it.
Topics Discussed:
Bourbon Assholes
Bourbon Classholes
Bourbon Hipsters
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
A Master Blender is a position that Scotch and Irish Whiskey drinkers know much about. It holds a much higher esteem in their ranks than currently in the world of bourbon. If the Master Distiller is a Science Degree, then the Master Blender is a Arts degree. It relies more heavily on palette and the ability to identify complimentary flavor profiles, appropriate measures to achieve an intended result and some degree of soothsaying to understand that a particular barrel has reached it’s peak and will begin to decline in quality if left alone.
While the job function is essential in large scale bourbon operations the idea of buying already aged bourbon and blending it to create a new brand is rapidly growing in the US.
Topics and Brands Discussed:
Master Blenders
MGP
Nevada H & C Distilling (Smoke Wagon Bourbon)
Barrell Craft Spirits
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
The common thread that seems to run between bourbon and cigars is one of craftsmanship, storytelling, and legacy.
Acknowledging the legacy left behind by hand rollers is the least we can do. Lectors were such an integral part of cigar culture that even the brand Montecristo takes its name from the most popular of stories that were read. Local shops that offer demonstrations of how hand rolled cigars are even made speaks to the craftsmanship of the product and the ability to articulate what makes your product unique is pervasive in the story of cigars.
Without these stories to add color to the marketplace we are left with a bland tapestry of consumer goods and no idea how to parse out which one suits your particular tastes.
Topics Discussed:
Nativo Cigars - 2:26
Lectores - 5:06
Reserve De La Guardia - 9:24
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
Revival brands tend to attract a certain amount of negative attention within the deeps seeded bourbon community. It’s becoming trendy to poke fun at the stories of discovered old recipes. And if your focus is exclusively on the contents of the bottle I’d say cheers to you. But I think that misses some of the beauty of this particular spirit. It’s one steeped in tradition with rich and wonderful stories. It’s a starting point for learning about history. It’s a true enhancement to your enjoyment of a product. While the contents of the bottle reign supreme it’s hard to dismiss the impact a wonderful label, cool bottle design or great backstory has on your individual enjoyment.
Topics/Brands Discussed:
Legacy Brand Revival
Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
Peerless Distilling Company
Old Pogue Distillery
Music Credits:
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
One of the most difficult things a company can do is attract a new customer. The product story they carefully craft is an intrinsic piece of their business, but what do you do once you have the story. How do you get and keep the customer. The best customers are often the most educated ones. This weeks episode is going to explore all three of these subjects. What are some unique ways brands attract new customers, how do they convert those customers to disciples and then how do they ensure the customer has the most information available to them all the time. We’ll talk about Freddie Johnson, Ambassador programs and avenues for Bourbon education.
Topics discussed:
Freddie Johnson
Makers Mark Ambassador Program
Stave and Thief
Whiskey University
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
In today’s episode I’ll talk about both the history and the future of minority representation within the Bourbon marketplace. First I’ll cover a brand that is forging a new path for minorities both within the Bourbon space as well as within the childhood community of the brands founders.
In the second half of the episode I’ll discuss a brand that is born out of rich tradition within the foundations of whiskey in the United States and the single driving force behind re-discovering a long forgotten family of whiskey royalty.
Topics/Brands Discussed:
Brough Brothers
Uncle Nearest
Fawn Weaver
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
The bourbon world is filled with stories of Second Acts. Second Acts are often confused with redemption stories or second chances. Nothing could be further from the truth. Second Acts are all about a person or brand taking control of their narrative and writing their own future. Sometimes that future looks very different from their past.
Topics discussed:Angels Envy - Lincoln Henderson
Old Rip Van Winkle - Julian Van Winkle III
Consultant - Marianne Eaves
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
If Episode 000 is the Who of the project this episode is the Why of it.
Why are product stories interesting to me?
Why is storytelling intrinsic to humanity?
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
It's a weird thing to believe the world is interested in hearing what you have to say. It's even weirder to actually sit in a room alone talking into a microphone thinking people will see you as an authority.
Audio Attributions
"Grave Robbers With a Degree" - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/grave-robbers-with-a-dregree?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“Pushing The Pianist Down the Stairs” - Andri from Pagefire Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
https://soundcloud.com/nerdymetalhead202/pushing-the-pianist-down-the-stairs-free-download?in=nerdymetalhead202/sets/nerdys-creative-common-free-to
“So Glad I Found You”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com
“Oh Lord”
Music By The Passion HiFi
www.thepassionhifi.com