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All things whiskey related. We will talk process, deep dives on distilleries and bottles. And the whiskey scene.
94: Hard Truth With Bryan Smith
Here we go again, and this time we are going hard. Get that lol. Bryan and I had a great chat about all the cool stuff they are doing. We talked Sweet mash, food, and the like. It was a great conversation really hope you enjoy. And now a word from our sponsors.
Hinterhausdistilling.com
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Hard Truth Distilling Co.
Hard Truth Distilling Co. began distilling in 2015 in the small upper rooms of Big Woods Pizza Co. in downtown Nashville, Indiana.
The tiny craft distillery quickly grew, and, by 2017, construction had begun on a new facility set on a rolling, wooded, 325-acre property about a mile away from Hard Truth’s original home.That property became the gorgeous Hard Truth campus, with the Hard Truth Tours & Tastings Center being the first building to open its doors to guests at the very end of 2017.
The following summer, the Restaurant at Hard Truth opened to hungry guests.
And, in the fall of 2018, Hard Truth Distilling Co. made the move to its brand new, state-of-the-art, sweet mash distillery, where it’s been producing Hard Truth spirits ever since.
Over the past few years, our teams have continued to develop the property that surrounds the Hard Truth distillery with new tours and activities, festivals, and a major expansion at Hard Truth on the Rocks — a terraced, outdoor area with a stage for live music, food truck, and bar that operate seasonally.
The Hard Truth distilling team continues to work diligently, crafting a range of premium spirits, including popular crowd-pleasers like Maple Bourbon Cream and Hard Truth Toasted Coconut Rum and, of course, remarkable sweet mash whiskeys — the first of which, Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey, was released in November 2021.
Hard Truth Distilling Co. is part of the BWQOHT, Inc. family of brands, which also includes Big Woods Restaurants and Quaff ON! Brewing Co.
Sweet Mash Bourbon
Sweet Mash Bourbon marks a new chapter for Hard Truth.
When we built our still in 2018, Bourbon was the first whiskey we barreled. It’s the one we’ve been waiting for the longest, and now, it’s here — Bourbon, authentically made from grain-to-glass by Hard Truth in Brown County, Indiana.
Nothing, from start to finish, was left to chance. From high-quality Indiana grains, our continuous column still custom-made by Vendome Copper & Brass Works, and barrels specifically produced for each unique mash bill — every step of our bourbon-making process was pioneered by Master Distiller Bryan Smith to bring you a whiskey unlike any other.
Why sweet mash?
Every batch of Hard Truth Sweet Mash Whiskey begins with entirely fresh ingredients, known as the sweet mash process. Where sour mash reuses a portion of each previous batch, it also mutes some of the flavor. By using sweet mash, we’re able to highlight the complexity and pleasant flavors from our grains and reach the peak flavor in our new, charred American oak barrels.
French Oak Harvest Rye
French Oak Harvest Rye is the third release in a limited, four-part, collectible series from Hard Truth Distilling Co. and Mellencamp Whiskey Company.
The unique mash bill was first featured in the original Harvest Rye (fall 2023) and is composed of 100% Indiana-grown rye and corn.
This expression, rested in new, charred French Oak barrels, offers additional dimension to that first release. The French Oak shifts the flavor dynamic, leaning into and highlighting fruit-forward notes within the whiskey.
Spirit Specs
Finished in French Oak
Mashbill of 72% Rye and 28% Corn
Bottled at 104 proof (52% ABV)
Small batch (36 barrels)
AppearanceAuburn
AromaToasted marshmallow, vanilla, rye spice, candied apricot
TasteRich brûléed sugar flows into apricot marmalade, cracked black pepper, and vanilla
FinishCitrus peel and clove fade to deep oak, cherry, and a warming black pepper finish
01:35:2823/11/2024
93: Patreon Sneak Peak
Alright here is a sneak peak of the pattern only episode for you free feed guys and gals. If you wanna learn more go to Patreon.com/the_whiskeyshaman
And thank you to our sponsors
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13:3818/11/2024
92: The Rickhouse Effect: How Placement Transforms Whiskey
So you got a barrel of whiskey where do you put it, in the attic, basement, garden. Rickhouses are the best bet, lets get into it but first our sponsors
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Barrel rickhouses are warehouses where barrels of aging whiskey are stored on wooden racks, or ricks, that are stacked vertically. The design of a rickhouse allows air to circulate around the barrels, so they don't need to be moved or rotated.
Rickhouses are important to the bourbon industry, and have been since the late 1700s in Ireland. The term "rick" may come from the Irish word for "king".
Here are some things to know about rickhouses:
Temperature
The temperature inside a rickhouse can vary significantly, with the top floors being hotter and drier, and the lower floors being cooler and more moist. These temperature fluctuations can accelerate the maturation process, which can enhance the whiskey's flavor.
Location
The location of the barrel in the building can affect the maturation process. For example, brick warehouses can create steadier climates than open-air rickhouses, which can allow for slower aging.
Cost
A rickhouse can cost around $7 million and house between 18,000 and 55,000 barrels.
Barrel storage
There are other types of barrel storage, including palletized warehouses and dunnage warehouses. Palletized warehouses are more modern and cost-effective, but rickhouses can be more innovative and efficient for storing barrels.
Great Insights:
A Closer Look at OurKentucky Rickhouses
HOW SIMPLE STRUCTURES PRODUCE COMPLEX FLAVORS
2019
High-quality charred oak barrels are essential to developing Elijah Craig's signature flavor. But where and how those barrels are stored are an essential part of the story. Discover the Greatness Within our open-air rickhouses.
Aging our Bourbon in Level 3 charred oak barrels is the first step to developing Elijah Craig’s signature flavor; but equally important is where those barrels are stored. For centuries, American distillers have aged whiskey in warehouses with styles ranging from converted barns to ornate, custom-built brick buildings. Today, we age our Bourbon in what are known as traditional open-air rickhouses.
These modest wood-frame structures, usually seven stories tall, have corrugated metal sides and roofs. Each floor is filled with wooden ricks, in which barrels are stacked three-high and stored throughout the aging process. The design allows the air to circulate around the barrels, which means they never need to be moved or rotated during their time in the rickhouse. According to Donald Blincoe, whose firm, Buzick Construction, Co., has been building rickhouses since 1937, very little about these buildings has changed over the past century for one main reason: the design works.
Apart from being simple to build, these storage spaces serve unheralded roles in the development of Elijah Craig. With only a thin sheet of metal separating them from Kentucky’s climate, our barrels experience drastic swings in temperature—which ultimately improves the flavor of the Bourbon they hold. Our rickhouses are not climate-controlled or insulated in any way; nature alone dictates how hot or cold the temperatures are inside. Temperatures can swing from below 0° F in winter to more than 100° F in just nine months.
Barrels stored on the highest floors endure the summer’s worst heat, which leads to more water evaporation and results in Bourbon with higher proofs. On the lowest floors, where temperatures are much cooler, the reverse happens: barrels often lose more alcohol than water, and proofs drop. The moderate temperatures of the middle floors form a sweet spot where maturation is most balanced.
Elijahcraig.com
54:3116/11/2024
91: Hinterhaus Distilling with Nate Randall
I know what your thinking, and yes I am burning through them. Today we have Nate from Hinterhaus Distilling, we talked all thinks from Tesla to Terroir. I really hope you enjoy it. And please check out there website. Hinterhausdistilling.com
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OUR STORY
HIN·TER·HAUSrear building, house at the back
Hinterhaus is named in honor of the hinterland at our doorstep - the vast Sierra Nevada wilderness that has long beckoned explorers and adventurers to this breathtaking mountain range. Our spirits are born beneath the long shadows and rustling needles of tall trees using fresh mountain water that flows just beyond our doors before bottling at our 4000 ft perch. We are proudly family operated, and we collaborate with our neighbors to source local ingredients and casks. Every spirit we produce reflects the pristine region we call home. Enjoy a taste of the Sierra with us, and we raise a dram to those who carve their own path.
EXPLORE OUR SPIRITS
At Hinterhaus Distilling we create our spirits using thoughtfully sourced, high quality ingredients. This results in a provenance and sense of place that you can nose and taste.
AMERICAN SINGLE MALT
WHISKEY - DISCOVERY
Distilled using thoughtfully sourced, high quality barley. Aged to perfection at our Sierra Nevada mountain home.
TRAPPER'S OATH
EXTRA AGED RYE WHISKEY
Extra aged rye whiskey finished in ex-bourbon ex-stout beer barrels.
CALAVERAS CASK FINISH
BOURBON
Interesting bourbon finished in an ever changing variety of local wine casks. Each batch stands on its own merit.
NORTH GROVE VODKA
Award-winning vodka made from Northern California wine.
CALAVERAS CASK STRENGTH
SINGLE BARREL RESERVE
BOURBON
Single barrel local wine barrel finished bourbon. Full proof, full flavor.
SOUTH GROVE GIN
Sierra Nevada Gin distilled from wine and vapor infused using botanicals native to the Sierra.
Ratings Best Buy
Hinterhaus Calaveras Cask Finish Bourbon
California, US
Rating
94
Price
$39
Brand
Hinterhaus
Category
American Whiskey/Bourbon
Alcohol
46%
Bottle Size
750 ml
Issue Date
7/1/2022
Print Shelf Talker
Buy Now
When you buy something through our link, we may earn a small commission from our affiliate partners. Wine Enthusiast maintains complete editorial independence and all wines are blind tasted. Read more about our policy.
The concept: a blend of bourbons finished in four California wine barrels, intended to replicate a popular wine blend. The result: allspice, cola and sarsaparilla aromas, leading into a bracing palate with burnt almond and oak. It finishes with a big, drying exhale of cinnamon and burnt orange peel. — Kara Newman
What Is Blind Tasting?
All tastings reported in the Buying Guide are performed blind. Typically, products are tasted in peer-group flights of from 5-8 samples. Reviewers may know general information about a flight to provide context—vintage, variety or appellation—but never the producer or retail price of any given selection. When possible, products considered flawed or uncustomary are retasted.
View Video
About The Scores
*Products deemed unacceptable (receving a rating below 80 points) are not reviewed.
98-100
ClassicThe Pinnacle of quality
94-97
SuperbA great achievement
90-93
ExcellentHighly recommended
87-89
Very GoodOften good value; well recommended
83-86
GoodSuitable for everyday consumption, often good value
80-82
AcceptableCan be employed
01:20:1109/11/2024
90: H K Young Bourbon Co. With Cole Hanna
Guys this was a great chat, Cole is a awesome dude. And the whiskey topnotch. We went deep into there WHY and what the brand is all about. Hope you enjoy, Have you checked out our sponsors
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Elevating the art of toasted barrel whiskey
Toasted barrel blend
What is the "toasted barrel blend?"
As a brand, we have committed ourselves to exploring toasted barrel finishes. We want to find how toasted barrels can influence, alter, and emphasize the aromas and flavors of whiskey. In teaming up with the brilliant people of Independent Stave Company (ISC) we found three types of toasted barrels (for now) that perfectly accomplish our goals:
Heavy Toast American Oak Barrels: Caramelized oak, toasted nuts, hints of dark chocolate, and coffee
Custom Spice Toast, Char #1 American Oak Barrels: Baking spice, subtle char, smoky note, coconut-like character
Medium Toast, Char #1 Hybrid Oak (American/French) Barrels: Vanilla, caramelized sugar, nutty aromas, fresh oak notes
Additionally, each of these barrels was seasoned for extended periods of 18 to 24 months, allowing ample time for oak extraction and oxidative maturation to occur, contributing to textural richness.Like any good blend, we start with a base. To create the base of our Toasted Barrel Blend (dramatic pause for the “eureka moment”), we develop a custom blend of our bourbons that were finished in these three different toasted oak barrels. It’s quite amazing to discover the different profiles you can create by using whiskey of the same mashbill but finished in three different toasted oak barrels. Once we’ve developed our base blend, we integrate other Kentucky straight bourbon whiskies to layer additional flavors into the blend, creating a final product that is sure to turn you into a believer.
What makes H.K Young Bourbon Co. THE toasted barrel finish bourbon company?We've committed our brand to exploring how toasted barrels change whiskey's profile. By meticulously selecting and blending whiskeys finished in our unique toasted barrels, each crafted to enhance specific notes, we create distinctive batches that showcase the extraordinary flavors and aromas toasted barrels provide.Join us in a toast to the extraordinary!
Batch #2: “Panacea”
In Greek mythology, Panacea is the goddess of cure. By modern definition, panacea means “a solution or remedy for all difficulties.” Now, it is the name for the second batch of our H.K. Young Toasted Barrel Blend. Batch #2 distinguishes itself from Batch #1 with its nearly medicinal-like, oily viscosity, reminiscent of the early apothecaries blending ingredients to ward off ailments, and the days when whiskey was considered a medicinal remedy. “Panacea” embodies the rich outcomes achievable when blending select whiskies finished in our toasted oak barrels. While Batch #1 focused on higher tannins for a drier mouthfeel, Batch #2 dramatically increases viscosity, aiming to provide an experience that is not only delicious but also evocative of a time when a sip of whiskey was a trusted remedy for both body and soul.On the nose, “Panacea” opens to delightful aromas of maraschino cherries, candied pecans, and vanilla, with hints of cigar smoke in the background. The palate is layered and viscous, offering notes of artisan chocolate-covered cherries, raw honeycomb, and babelutte toffee. As the flavors transition into the finish, notes of sweet oak, peanut brittle, and tobacco harmonize to create a memorable and incomparable pour
01:24:0002/11/2024
89: Whiskey Wraiths: Distillery Haunts and Legends 2024
Are you scared yet, well you will be. This is the spooky episode of TWSP and we found some new stories and legends. So sit back and relax, on second thought turn the lights on and grab a bottle. And enjoy after you visit our sponsors.
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Allow me to regale you instead with the story of the Glenrothes distillery in Scotland. The story actually starts many miles to the south of the town of Rothes, where the distillery is situated, and some years before its construction, by the Firth of Tay at Dundee.
An ambitious construction project to build a rail bridge over a nearly 3 mile-long stretch of the fifth began in 1871. Due to challenges and necessary redesigns, there were significant delays, and the construction was only completed in early 1878, after which the first engine successfully crossed the bridge. Queen Victoria herself used the bridge in June of 1879.
In the same year in which the bridge was completed, the construction of Glenrothes began, and it was not very long until it was ready for production. On the evening of Sunday, 28 December 1879, the first distillation run occurred. On that very same evening, one of the greatest structural disasters in all of the British Isles occurred when a violent storm blew at the precise angles and strength to cause a collapse, just as a train carrying roughly 70 passengers was passing over it. There were no survivors.
Just as the first spirit flowing out of the stills at Glenrothes was being collected, so too did the spirits of those ill-fated travellers depart from this world. Though initially prosperous, the future of Glenrothes would be very turbulent indeed. A fire which raged throughout the distillery 18 years later caused major damage and losses, threatening closure, but they managed to scrape through. Just six years later, in 1903, there was a massive explosion that caused serious damage. In 1922, the second great fire to ravage the distillery burnt down warehouse number 1 and destroyed over 200 000 gallons of maturing whisky. That was not the end of Glenrothes' trial by fire, though, as another significant one occurred in 1962 and prompted the owners to rebuild the damaged structure and also expand the distillery to increase production.
The distillery, by the way, is situated right next to a graveyard. One can't help but think of the staff who worked late shifts throughout the years and caught a glimpse of the tombstones illuminated by the cold glow of a winter moon and reminisced about that tragic day, which some thought to be the cause of all the distillery's woes.
But like an undying spectre, the spirit of Glenrothes has always endured, and they have made and continue to make some good Speyside whisky, though they are quite often overlooked or maybe just regarded as best forgotten, lest some unfortunate series of events be summoned. Better to just let some things lie undisturbed.
Haunted Distilleries: Spirits of a Different Kind
October 31, 2023 –––––– Julia Higgins
Over the centuries, the distilling business has produced famous figures, legends, outright myths, and even ghosts—more than a few of them, in fact. Reports of spectral sightings and other phantom phenomena have occurred so often that they’re almost the rule rather than the exception. Some distilleries have conjured up so much spooky notoriety that paranormal experts have visited, often affirming suspicions that unseen forces are at play. To toast Halloween, we’ve rounded up a handful of distilleries around the world where spirits—the liquid and the otherworldly kind—are both part of the story.
01:11:1126/10/2024
88: Blind Challenge Showdown 2.0
This is the blind challenge I did with Nora from Lost Lantern. It was a awesome time, check it out.
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Whiskey blinds are a way to taste whiskey without knowing what it is, which helps remove biases and develop your palate. Blind tasting can help you learn to taste the whiskey more objectively, and to rely on your senses to identify its characteristics.
Here are some tips for setting up a blind whiskey tasting:
Arrange bottles randomly: Cover the bottles with numbered sleeves or bags to hide their identities.
Prepare tasting glasses: Provide a tasting glass for each participant.
Have water and palate cleansers: Provide water and palate cleansers for participants.
Bring a notepad and pen: Have a notepad and pen available for taking notes.
You can also buy blind tasting kits, which can include whiskies, instructions, and tasting sheets. Some examples include:
Whiskies of the World: A package that includes four different whiskies, instructions, a tasting sheet, and hints to help you guess which whiskey is which
Blind Barrels: A subscription service that provides four 50 ml samples of American whiskey each quarter, along with a tasting led by a spirits guide
Great Whiskey Challenge: A premium blind taste testing kit that you can use with family and friends
01:06:3019/10/2024
87: Still Austin With Jason Harry
Man oh man i'm so excited to bring this episode to y'all. Today we have Jason with Still Austin Whiskey. We had a great conversation about the brand and the spirit. Lets get into it. Have you checked out our sponsors yet.
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It all started in 2012. Cleveland Seals was looking for a post-retirement project to occupy his time and had the wild idea to start a whiskey distillery. Cleveland shared his dream with his son, Chris, and asked for his help.
Chris —a longtime economist and risk manager— knew all too well how difficult it would be to bring his Dad's dream to life. Looking at the risks, Chris thought that the chances of success were pretty low, but he liked the idea of spending time with his dad, so he suggested to Cleveland that they do a “feasibility study.” The supposed “study” would ostensibly determine the chances of success in starting an Austin-based whiskey distillery, but secretly, Chris’s real plan was just to spend time with his dad, get him settled into retirement, and after having a lot of fun, decide not to actually do it.
Over the course of the next year, that is exactly what Cleveland and Chris did. The two traveled together, visited whiskey distilleries, and had a lot of fun drinking whiskey together. Prior to this “study” the father-son duo rarely talked with one another, but they soon found themselves talking every day. And not just talking about business. After a few whiskeys they were talking about everything -- even their feelings! As Chris says, “it was the best thing that ever happened to me and my dad.”
Then, as fate should have it, in 2013 state laws in Texas changed. The changes made it easier to open a craft Bourbon distillery in Texas, and also made it likely that a Texas Whiskey category would emerge. Having devoted a year to studying the market, the two realized they just might be at the right place at the right time. They assembled a team of local farmers, whiskey experts, local artists, and crazy co-conspirators — and together with the support of their whole community, Still Austin Whiskey Co was born.
The distillery broke ground in 2014 and began distilling in 2017 (yes, it took three years to build this special distillery). In 2020, Still Austin's first straight bourbon whiskey was released. Over the past decade, Cleveland and Chris discovered the power of believing in a special future - especially for someone you love. Cleveland's dream came to life as an authentic Texas whiskey, made from grain to glass in Austin, Texas. Together we make whiskey for everyone: the musicians, the visionaries, the lovers, the scientists, the oddballs, the artists, and the everyday dreamers.
Everybody knows that really great whiskey HAS to come from Kentucky, right?
And everybody knows bourbon HAS to come from Bourbon County, right? Right?
Everybody is wrong.
The truth is great whiskey can come from anywhere, and great bourbon can come from anywhere in the United States (as long as you follow the rules).
Dozens of fantastic whiskeys have popped up over the last few years from all over the world, even from places as far away from the U.S. as Australia. As whiskey making has grown more popular, people from all over the world have learned how to make great
whiskey, and Texas is leading the way.
01:07:1112/10/2024
86: 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirits with Ryan Thompson
Here we go again, this was an awesome talk with Ryan. He is a wealth of knowledge for his brand and I can't wait for y'all to see it.
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A RICH HISTORY
The patriotic men of the 10th brought diversity, courage, and hope to the Rocky Mountains when they arrived in the 1940s to train just a few miles south of what is now Vail.
They were part of the greatest generation of men, wanting to make each day count and each day better than the last. The mentality they had was strong after being shaped from the rigors of mountain warfare, their egos humble.
Camp Hale, the legendary home of the 10th Mountain Division, was constructed in 1942, located 22 miles west of Vail between Leadville and Minturn in the Pando Valley. The initial population of Camp Hale included 15,000 soldiers, 3,000 administrative, medical, and other non-skiing staff, 5,000 mules, and 200 dogs.
In January of 1945, the 10th deployed to Italy’s Apennines Mountains, where they would battle the German army for the next two and a half months. On May 2, 1945, Germany surrendered to the Allies in Florence, Italy, ending the 10th’s Italian Campaign.
After World War 2, many of the 10th Mountain Division warriors came home to the USA and continued skiing. The 10th Mountain Division veterans started many of the US ski areas we now love. At least 62 ski resorts have been founded and managed by former 10th Mountain Division veterans.
The tradition of excellence established by the original 10th Mountain Division continues with today’s 10th Mountain Division Light Infantry (LI). Now based at Ft. Drum in Watertown, New York, the 10th Mountain Division LI has the distinction of being the most deployed military unit when a humanitarian, natural disaster, or conflict arises in the world.
the mountain lifestyle
The 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company is an extension of the mountain lifestyle, bringing together the old with the new. Generation after generation, men and women alike, all share this same passion, enjoying it for a day, a weekend, a lifetime, or somewhere in between. No matter how long it’s embraced the combination of friends, mountains, memories, and spirits, brings people together like no other.
To encourage these relationships, to embrace the mountain lifestyle, and to honor the 10th Mountain soldiers who inspired our way of life, we created a tribute spirit company in Vail Colorado. Not only is it a tribute to the 10th Mountain soldier, but it is also a tribute to those that enjoy the mountain lifestyle, living it fully, every day.
Hero to Hero Bourbon
Hero to Hero focuses on connecting qualified military personnel with first responder careers.
This bottle's purchase helps defray the costs of requisite training and associated living and travel expenses, eliminating undue financial stress from this transitional period.
AGED: 2 years
PROOF: 116
ABV: 58
APPEARANCE: Rich Copper and Bronze
NOSE: Brown Sugar, Caramel, a Hint of Strawberry
PALATE: Less sweet than the nose would have you believe. Toffee, Vanilla and Oak. Buttery mouthfeel
FINISH: Slightly hot, but all the palate’s flavors come bouncing back at the end
10th Mountain Rye Whiskey is an award-winning spirit that is sure to please. Distilled with the finest rye grain, this 750mL whiskey has a smooth, balanced taste and a pleasing aroma, making it an amazing drinking experience.
MASH BILL 69% Rye with Corn and Malted BarleyAPPEARANCE golden amberNOSE aromas of oak, dark fruit and light caramel with a hint of cinnamonPALATE spicy, full-bodied, touch of toffeeFINISH dry finish with lingering spice and oak notesAGED new charred oak barrel
01:10:0605/10/2024
85: Found North With Nick Taylor
Alright this was such a fun talk. Today we chatted with Nick founder of Found North Whisky. These guys are doing some amazing things I can't wait for yall to see it.
Make sure you sign up for there mailing list there last Batch sold out in 90 seconds.
But first a word from our sponsors.
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FOUND NORTH
Each batch of Found North whisky is a careful selection of casks blended to bring out the best and most distinctive qualities of the chosen whiskies. Every release is unique, but each also builds on previous batches and fits into the unfolding saga of Found North. All our whiskies are non-chill filtered with no coloring or additives. Batch 001 and Batch 002 were released in April 2021 and both received Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Batch 003 was awarded Double Gold and Batch 004 won "Best Canadian Whisky" and was awarded Double Gold at the John Barleycorn Awards Spring 2022.
Found North Hell DiverFirst Flight
Description
Hell Diver First Flight is the newest addition to our High Altitude Collection. Unlike our Batches where we blend fully matured whiskies, our High Altitude Collection is defined by the process of blend, finish, reblend. Adhering to this creation philosophy, Hell Diver started as a blend of 15, 22 and 23 year old corn with 18 and 19 year old rye, which we recasked into Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Cognac, and New American oak casks. Over the following year, we meticulously tracked these casks’ progression, pulling and vatting them as they reached their peak maturation. To achieve the correct balance, we only used two-thirds of these casks in the final blend.We designed the original blend with Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks in mind. Sherry casks are heavy-handed and prone to overwhelm meek-spirited whisky. A domineering cask requires an imperious spirit. As such, we created a deep, rich and viscous original blend with prominent orchard fruit preserves, earthy rye spice and pronounced rose blossom water top notes. We believed this foundation would handle the sweet and dry resonance of PX Sherry casks.
Flavor Notes
A swirling aura of fig preserves, chocolate pound cake and straight cacao waft from the glass as the first pour flows from the bottle. The nose evolves into caramel, shortbread wafer and candied apricot with coffee ice cream and chocolate covered raspberries.Hell Diver lands like a power chord, strumming cinnamon, dark chocolate and wood spice on the front palate. This whisky is a maelstrom of layered flavor and texture. Like the wind and the tide, the oily-sweet viscosity on the tongue merges with the crackling nutmeg spice on the roof of the palate, meeting in the middle to create a tempest of tannin, graham cracker, vanilla and allspice, all tinged a deep shade of ruby red fruit. If your palate had eyes it would see claret. The flavors coalesce, the sea calms and the finish leaves you with reverberating notes of candied dates and cloves.
Why We Made This Whisky
For us, Found North is an ongoing journey, an unfolding story. When we made Peregrine, we had a vision for an elegant, elevated whisky; a bird, a blend and a style that could wear the crown of the High Altitude Collection. The resulting whisky embodied the high-soaring Peregrine Falcon that reaches for the heavens.As we contemplated the next chapter in the collection, we wanted to create Peregrine’s counterpart. Though the loon is a great flier, traveling upwards of 500 miles in a single day, it is known for its aquatic prowess and its eerie nighttime call that haunts the foggy northern lakes of North America. Nicknamed the Hell Diver, the Common Loon is an uncommonly heavy bird allowing it to propel itself below the water’s surface.
And if you read this far Batch 10 release is right now so get it while you can.
01:39:0728/09/2024
84: Whiskey House Colab live.
This is a impromptu live I did with Dylan over at Whiskey House Pub House.
https://open.spotify.com/show/7zR1lKeyjR7WCOTO9hkxW3?si=0e14c04fa1214fc0
And Psychman Joined as well.
Such a good time with whiskey family.
https://www.instagram.com/whiskeyhousepubhouse?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
https://youtube.com/@whiskeyhousepubhouse?si=NAjMrTW_xusAJVIQ
And psych man is MIA
01:31:0626/09/2024
83: The Master of Wild Turkey : Jimmy Russell's 70 Year Reign
Bourbon heritage month is upon us and a big milestone happened. Jimmy Russell just passed 70 years at Wild Turkey, this is such a epic event they are releasing a special bottle for the event. But first a word from our sponsors.
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JIMMY RUSSELL’S70th ANNIVERSARY8-YEAR-OLD RELEASE
Commemorative bourbon release honoring Master Distiller Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary with Wild Turkey making him the longest-tenured spirits Master Distiller in the world.
WILD TURKEY JIMMY RUSSELL’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY
To honor Jimmy’s incredible impact on the bourbon world, Wild Turkey is proud to present the limited-edition Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell’s 70th Anniversary 8-Year-Old Bourbon.
This collector-worthy release is an 8-Year-Old, 101-proof bourbon, with an additional blend of 8- to 9-year-old whiskeys, hand-selected from a few of Jimmy’s favorite Rickhouses. Best enjoyed neat or over ice, this bourbon is a true tribute to Jimmy’s legacy
From his earliest days at the distillery sweeping the floors at age 18 to rising through the ranks to become Master Distiller, Jimmy has remained committed to crafting bourbon one way, the right way, even when it wasn’t popular. In the 1970’s and 80’s when the bourbon industry was close to collapse, Jimmy stayed the course.
1855
Wholesale grocer Austin Nichols begins selling wine and spirits. The business would later go on to own and sell Wild Turkey.
1869
The Ripy brothers open their family distillery on Wild Turkey Hill in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
1893
The Ripy Brothers’ bourbon represents Kentucky at the World’s Fair in Chicago, Illinois.
1940
Wild Turkey Bourbon gets its name after a distillery executive shares his bourbon with friends on an annual hunting trip — of course, they were after wild turkey.
THE RUSSELL EFFECT
1954
Master Distiller Jimmy Russell joins Wild Turkey. He learns his craft from becomes the third in a line of master distillers for the brand which includes second master distiller, Bill Hughes, and Ernest W. Ripy, son of the original distiller.
1976
Wild Turkey introduces the world’s first bourbon liqueur, introducing a broader audience and attracting even more drinkers to the bourbon world. The liqueur would eventually lead to the creation of American Honey.
1981
Eddie Russell, son of Jimmy Russell, joins Wild Turkey as a relief operator and begins to work his way up the distillery ladder.
1991
Wild Turkey introduces our premium Rare Breed bourbon, one of the first barrel proof bourbons to hit the market.
1995
Wild Turkey follows it up with the launch of Kentucky Spirit, a single-barrel 101-proof bourbon, one of the only single barrel American whiskey offerings of the time.
THE NEW VISION
2000
Master Distiller Jimmy Russell is inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.
2004
Jimmy Russell celebrates his 50th year at the Wild Turkey distillery.
2010
Eddie Russell is inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame by his father, Jimmy Russell.
2015
Eddie Russell is officially given the title of Master Distiller, then making Jimmy and Eddie the only active father and son duo of bourbon Master Distillers in the world.
2016
Famed actor and bourbon enthusiast Matthew McConaughey joins Wild Turkey as Creative Director.
2018
Wild Turkey introduces Longbranch, a small-batch bourbon refined with Texas Mesquite and American Oak charcoals, and the first co-creation from Master Distiller Eddie Russell and Creative Director Matthew McConaughey.
2020
Wild Turkey introduces Rare Breed Rye, our premium quality, masterfully crafted barrel proof rye.
47:1621/09/2024
82: Ranger Creek With Josh Gardner
Alright guys I got a great story for y'all. Today we chatted with Josh with Ranger Creek Distilling. They are based in San Antonio Texas, they are also a brewery. We dipped into a couple samples, and talked of process and backstory.
Lets get into it, but first a word from our sponsors
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SAn antonio's Brewstillery
Ranger Creek is a combined brewery/distillery proudly located in San Antonio, TX. Established in 2010, we make beer and whiskey in our “brewstillery”, and we make it by hand one batch at a time with lots of love and attention.
handcrafted texas Whiskey
Award-winning Texas bourbon, single malt and rye whiskey. Grain-to-glass spirits made in small batches using Texas ingredients.
RANGER CREEK .36 TEXAS STRAIGHT BOURBON
.36 Texas Straight Bourbon is our flagship whiskey, handcrafted in small batches, aged in traditional large oak casks and matured under the Texas sun. It’s an award-winning sipping bourbon that’s also cocktail friendly.
Originally crafted by our Co-Founder and Head Distiller emeritus, TJ Miller, each batch follows our grain-to-glass philosophy. Texas corn is milled, mashed, fermented, and our whiskey is distilled and aged at our San Antonio distillery, That same traditional process is carried on today by our current head distiller, Josh Gardner, and assistant distiller Tim Crofton.
RANGER CREEK .36 TEXAS Cask Strength
This is Texas Bourbon in all its grandeur. Directly out of the barrel. Uncut. Unfiltered.
Our .36 Texas Cask Strength Bourbon is a rare release, using only a few barrels hand-selected by our head distiller. Handcrafted at our San Antonio distillery, aged and matured in the Texas heat, this whiskey is a unique and bold expression with Texas terroir.
The finish is smooth. The flavor is bold. The craftsmanship is uncompromising.
RANGER CREEK .44 TEXAS RYE
Ranger Creek .44 Texas Rye Whiskey is made from 100% malted rye and matured in our used .36 Texas Straight Bourbon barrels. The process highlights the complexity of the rye grain, resulting in a spirit-forward whiskey. It pours a rich gold with a nose of cinnamon, mint and toffee. At 94 proof, the taste is strong but mellow with notes of clove and spice. The taste ultimately gives way to a clean, warming finish with lingering notes of fresh bread.
True and authentic to our brand, .44 Texas Rye is a premium whiskey made from grain to glass in our hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Enjoy it neat or on the rocks. It also works great in a classic Old Fashioned or Manhattan cocktail.
RANGER CREEK RUM
This original rum was inspired by the positive response to our limited small-batch release. Made with the finest molasses and twice distilled in copper pots, this rum offers a smooth yet complex flavor profile. Our approach to crafting spirits is forged in authenticity and the desire to create products Texans are proud to call their own. Cheers!
01:11:4014/09/2024
81: Birthday Bash Livestream
Bonus Episode this is the live stream I did September 7th it was a lot of fun. Note all giveaways are already done.
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2023 Birthday Bourbon
In 1870, George Garvin Brown was the first to seal his whisky, Old Forester, in a glass bottle. To commemorate his birthday, the First Bottled BourbonTM annually releases a limited edition, vintage-dated expression: Birthday Bourbon. The September 2nd release markets the 23rd limited edition expression. Hand selected by Master Distiller- Emeritus Chris Morris and Master Taster Melissa Rift, this small batch bourbon offers a unique character and flavor profile that will never be replicated.
The 2023 Birthday Bourbon is presented at 96 proof. After showing exceptionally unique character during a tasting panel, the 12-year old barrels were chosen specifically for Birthday Bourbon. The full allotment of product represents barrels that come from the same day of production.
Aroma
Bright candied citrus and floral overtones give way to rich turbinado sugar and roasted coffee beans as slight cedar and charred oak round out the nose.
Taste
Subtle citrus with heavy notes of dark honey, molasses and charred oak.
Finish
A dry toasty oaked caramel with lingering bittersweet tannins.
Respect to theaging process.
PLEASE SIP RESPONSIBLY
Old Forester Straight Bourbon Whisky, 43-63.5% Alc. by Vol., Old Forester Mint Julep Cocktail, 30% Alc./Vol. Old Forester Distilling Company at Louisville in Kentucky. OLD FORESTER is a registered trademark. “AMERICA’S FIRST BOTTLED BOURBON’ is a trademark. ©2024 Brown-Forman Distillers. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
Please do not share or forward this content to anyone under the legal drinking age.
To find out more about responsible consumption, visit Responsibility.org and OurThinkingAboutDrinking.com
A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage.
Many religions celebrate the birth of their founders or religious figures with special holidays (e.g. Christmas, Mawlid, Buddha's Birthday, Krishna Janmashtami and Gurpurb).
There is a distinction between birthday and birthdate (also known as date of birth): the former, except for February 29, occurs each year (e.g. January 15), while the latter is the complete date when a person was born (e.g. January 15, 2001).
Legal conventions
In most legal systems, one becomes a legal adult on a particular birthday when they reach the age of majority (usually between 12 and 21), and reaching age-specific milestones confers particular rights and responsibilities. At certain ages, one may become eligible to leave full-time education, become subject to military conscription or to enlist in the military, to consent to sexual intercourse, to marry with parental consent, to marry without parental consent, to vote, to run for elected office, to legally purchase (or consume) alcohol and tobacco products, to purchase lottery tickets, or to obtain a driver's licence. The age of majority is the age when minors cease to legally be considered children and assume control over their persons, actions, and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of their parents or guardians over and for them. Most countries set the age of majority at 18, though it varies by jurisdiction.
01:43:0112/09/2024
80: What Is The Deal With Bourbon Part 3
We are back again for round 3. This time we dive into some bourbon stories and lore. We get into Pappygate and a lot of stuff, hope you enjoy.
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Whether we’re choosing thousands of barrels to make a batch of our most popular bourbon or picking just a few for a limited release, it takes a lot of veteran employees and a bit of technology to find exactly what we want. Currently, we have over 1.2 million barrels of whiskey aging in 54 rickhouses at six sites throughout Central Kentucky. If you’re thinking that’s a lot of whiskey to monitor, you’re right. But by using computers to track those barrels’ locations, our experienced crews can quickly target the exact ricks where the best whiskeys lie waiting. Technology helps, of course, but when it comes to taste, humans make the decisions at Heaven Hill.
“When we do a bottling run for Evan Williams black label, we’re typically going to dump a few thousand barrels,” says Heaven Hill Distillery Master Distiller Denny Potter. Using proprietary barrel inventory control software (known to us as “BIC”), Denny starts the search for 5- to 6-year-old barrels of our bourbon rye mashbill. And while he could select that number of barrels from within any of our 20,000-plus barrel rickhouses, he never pulls the entire lot from just one.
“We spread what we choose out across multiple warehouses, because you get so much variation in flavor from different warehouses and even warehouse sites,” he says. “For Evan Williams black, we like to take a cross-section of those barrels from three to four sites because we’re mingling the whiskey in those barrels to create a consistent flavor profile. “If we pulled all of the barrels out of our Deatsville location at one time, and pulled just from a Bardstown warehouse the next, every batch of that whiskey would taste different.”
BIC is also used to identify each barrel’s specific location in every rickhouse. If located on the highest floors, where Kentucky summers heat the air to 115 degrees, water evaporates from the whiskey and boosts its alcohol content well above its initial 125 proof at barreling. By contrast, barrels resting on lower levels can see proof decrease. There, in the damp coolness of the rickhouse, water stays behind while some of the alcohol evaporates. Barrels in the middle levels, as you might expect, yield a balance of water, alcohol and flavors from the wood.
Recently, Denny let a small group of guests taste these weather-influenced changes for themselves by sampling barrels from multiple rickhouses and locations. One bourbon came from the first floor, another from a middle floor, and another six stories up near the ceiling.
“The one from the sixth floor was 150 proof, while the whiskey from the bottom floor was 99-a 51 proof difference!” Denny says. “That 99 proof was a 16-year-old wheated bourbon, and I’m telling you, it was one of the best whiskies I’ve ever had. The 150 proof was really good, but really hot.”
Barrels chosen for our small batch whiskeys are more tightly scrutinized-first by experienced individuals looking through BIC, then by our onsite crews. An Elijah Craig or Larceny hunt will cull out 200 barrels or less to be dumped and mingled. For Henry McKenna 10-Year-Old Bottled-In-Bond, about 30 barrels are identified and segregated as single barrels, without batching, from rickhouse to bottle. With batches ranging from two to 200 barrels, the need to have their actual flavor sampled by tasting panels increases.
“It’s tougher to blend less whiskey to achieve the final flavor you want when the dump is that small,” Denny says. “Say it’s part of our Parker’s Heritage Collection, a 24-year Bottled-in-Bond, the number of barrels we choose for that is a really small amount, and every barrel is sampled.”
Heavenhilldistillery.com
01:21:0807/09/2024
79: Bendt Distilling With Raleigh Hughes
Welcome back guys this was a lot of fun. Today we have Raleigh Hughes the sales lead for Bendt. We talked backstory, we talked process, we talked submarine stills. Use the coupon code GETBENDT24 to get a discount ot there website Bendtdistillingco.com And now a word from our sponsors
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A native Texan, Raleigh loves golfing, Dallas sports, and sipping cocktails under the big Texas sky. He learned to golf from his grandfather, and actually spent some time playing professionally. He enjoys hanging out on local patios with his pup, Maggie, and spending time with his family. Raleigh joined #teambendt in March 2020.
How does Raleigh #getbendt? BENDT + Lemonade
2011
Before the distillery was born, the DeHarts were homebrewing up a storm in their Dallas home, and Quentin Witherspoon was making rum on the side. A chance visit to Dallas by a mutual US Marine Corps friend of Ryan & Quentin brought the original partners together, and after a night of drinking whiskey and plotting an exciting venture into craft distilling,a plan was formed.
2012
A warehouse was leased, permits were applied for, and a still was being built by hand. And Witherspoon Distillery had become a party of four - Quentin Witherspoon, Ryan DeHart, Natasha DeHart and Laurent Spamer formed the founding management, production, sales and marketing teams. By late summer 2012, Witherspoon Distillery was approved as a fully legal and operational craft distillery. The learning process had begun, a small distributor was on board, and Quentin’s River Rum was making its way into the market. Before long, the crew discovered what would become a never-ending issue - growth in the distilling industry comes with a need for space. And whatever space you think you need, you’ll need significantly more by next year.
2013
Distillery intern Christy Cockrell became the first of several additions to the WD team in the summer of 2013. Little did we know at the time that her project, a grain-to-glass malt whiskey that was later branded as “Cross Timbers”, would eventually alter the direction of the distillery from rum to whiskey.
On September 1, 2013, Texas law changed to allow distillers to pour samples, and on a limited basis, sell cocktails and bottles directly to consumers. That week was spent constructing a bar from fencing remnants, creating a limited cocktail menu, and inviting friends and family for the first ever Witherspoon Distillery tour. On Saturday, September 7th, the first distillery tour took place, the Maple Old Fashioned and Hemingway cocktails were served, and the first official guests visited.
01:13:1031/08/2024
78: Weird Whiskey
This is a fun episode talking about all the unique process and mash bills. Everything from cherry smoke to sheep dung smoked. The possibilities are end less.
There is a lot of cool stuff out there, let me know some of the weird whiskey you have ran into. Lets get into it, but first a word from our sponsors
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Stauning Danish Rye Whisky, an exceptional alternative to traditional American rye whiskey. Made with Danish rye which hasbeen growing in the tranquil Danish nature for over 2,000 years. Stauning whisky offers a unique flavor profile that’s rich, nuanced, and perfectly balanced. Discover a new dimension of rye whisky with Stauning Danish Rye Whisky.Skål!
Local Danish rye & barley
100% floor-malted for maximum flavor
Direct-fired small copper pot stills (24 of them)
Bottled on-site, natural colour, non-chill filtered
Flóki Single Malt Sheep Dung Smoked
Our Sheep Dung Smoked Reserve is a truly unique smoked malt. Here we apply an old traditional Icelandic smoking style using sheep dung to smoke the barley.For centuries, Icelanders used this smoking method to preserve food and heat houses; to this day it is used for traditional food preparation and Icelandic malt crafting.The result is truly a unique whisky with a complex flavor profile. Sweet smoky notes compliment the intense flavor of the Icelandic barley and a rich, lingering aftertaste that brings you back to the farm you worked on decades ago.Flóki Sheep Dung Smoked Single Malt is handcrafted and produced from 100% locally farmed Icelandic barley, smoked using traditional Icelandic methods and materials. It is a Single barrel whisky aged for 3 years in ex-Flóki Young Malt barrels under the base of mount Hekla.Sheep dung smoked Icelandic single malt is available at the Duty Free Store in Iceland, most local liquor stores in Iceland and through our distributors world wide.
Whisky Advocate’s Artisan Whiskey of the Year – The whis- key that put us on the map.
We use three individually smoked malts (cherrywood from Wisconsin, beechwood from Germany, and peat from Scotland) to craft this deep and complex whiskey. Using 3 distinct smokes provides consistent and balanced smoke from nose to the pallet and throughout the finish.
Corsair never uses artificial flavors or colors, achieving superior flavor and color through quality malted barley, innovative distillation and small barrel maturation.
Tasting Notes
Smoke and notes of cherry pervade the palate, finished by a slight brininess from the mossy peat. Pot distilled then aged in new American charred oak, Triple Smoke has the sweetness of an American whiskey with the rich smoke of an Islay single malt scotch.
Adventurous Stills is a craft distillery located in Tempe, Arizona. Founded by Kelly Lattig in 2015, Adventurous Stills handcrafts premium award-winning whiskey & spirits using locally grown grains and traditional distilling practices. Our mission is to craft unique and flavorful spirits that express the adventurous spirit of Arizona.Adventurous Stills is committed to using sustainable processes and delivering an exceptional line of spirits without any compromises. All our whiskey and spirits are 100% natural with all their flavors coming from the grains and the barrels - Never sourced, flavored, or colored! We offer:
Bottle sales online, at our distillery & select local establishments
Distillery tours & handcrafted cocktails at our Distillery & Tasting Room
Membership Program with access to our limited releases
Special Services like group events & tours, private barrel/white label program and more
Stauningwhiskey.com
Flokiwhisky.is
Corsairdistilling.com
Adventurousstills.com
01:04:4324/08/2024
77: Holladay Distilling with Kyle Merklein
Guys I'm so excited to have this ready for y'all. I have been waiting a minute to release this one, through scheduling conflicts and having a backup of guests. Hope you enjoy because i did.
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Who was Ben Holladay?
Ben Holladay is one of the greatest unknown figures in American history. Born in Kentucky, he moved to Weston, Missouri, as a teenager to seek his fame and fortune.
He became the original transportation tycoon, famed as the “Stagecoach King” for creating the Overland Express stagecoach lines that were ultimately sold to Wells Fargo, just one piece of a transportation portfolio that also included steamships, streetcars, and a railroad. He even owned the Pony Express for part of its brief history.
With everything from silver mines to saloons also under his domain, he was the largest individual employer in the US in the late 1800s and kept close counsel with everyone from President Lincoln to Brigham Young. He built an empire that spanned the entire country, and this distillery is the only piece left standing. Little did he know that whiskey would be the lasting legacy that carried the Holladay name well into the future.
Where it all began
The Holladay Distillery was established over 166 years ago, but the history of the property goes back even further. Over fifty years before founder Ben Holladay acquired the land, Lewis and Clark passed through in 1804 during their famed expedition to the West. They discovered and charted the limestone springs that run abundantly throughout the property and traveled through what would later become Weston, Missouri.
It wasn’t until 1837 that the town of Weston was officially established, earning its name by virtue of being the “farthermost town west in trade” of that era. It was a small town of fewer than 300 people, but it was the second-largest port on the Missouri River at the time, surpassing both Kansas City and St. Joseph.
Ben Holladay purchased the land in 1849. The site consisted of several acres of land and a stone building that had served as a meatpacking house. Upon discovery of the site’s limestone springs, the idea for Ben’s next business venture was born. As a Kentucky native, Ben knew that limestone water was optimal for bourbon production and he and his brother, David, went to work on acquiring the necessary items needed for distillation.
In 1856, Ben and David distilled their first batch of bourbon under what they had named the Blue Springs Distillery. The barrels were stored in an ancient cave on site that had previously been used for meat curing and preservation. To this day, the same cave is intact and continues to be a fan favorite along the tour route of the facility.
After a short year of aging, the first batch of whiskey from the Blue Springs Distillery was sold for 35 cents per gallon. Shortly after, Ben transferred ownership of the distillery to his brother, Major David Holladay. The business stayed in the Holladay family through the end of the 1800s, passing from David Holladay to his son and son-in-law to become Barton & Holladay in 1894.
Drink like a distiller with Holladay Rickhouse Proof
When Kyle begins the process of crafting a batch of Ben Holladay or Holladay Soft Red Wheat, he blends bourbon from different barrels and tastes them in their original form – at Rickhouse Proof. Each expression of Holladay Rickhouse Proof is bottled at the exact proof from the bourbon barrel yield after a minimum of six years aging in one of the original Holladay Rickhouses. No two releases will ever be exactly the same, but every bottle of Rickhouse has one important commonality – full proof, full flavor.
01:20:2317/08/2024
76: What's the deal with bourbon part 2
We are back at it again. The bourbon flows on this one, we talk about history. Theres a distillery story and some gossip. Then we talk about Bottled in Bond, there is a lot going on.
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Bottled-in-Bond (BIB) is a standard for American whiskey that has been aged and bottled in accordance with a set of legal regulations initially outlined in the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. To be labeled Bottled-in-Bond, a whiskey must originate from a single distillery, produced during a single season—either spring (January to June) or fall (July to December)—aged for a minimum of 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at 100 Proof (50% ABV). The label on the bottled product must indicate the distillery where it was distilled and, if different, where it was bottled.
Bottled-in-Bond stands as the world's first and highest standard for whiskey, and Colonel James E. Pepper played a crucial role in advocating for its creation and its implementation.
One of the primary goals of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was to establish a quality standard for bourbon whiskey. Prior to the act's passage, much of the whiskey sold as straight whiskey was far from genuine. A significant portion of the product was adulterated, being flavored and colored with substances like iodine, tobacco, and more. This led to a widespread belief that there was a pressing need for a system to verify and assure the quality of the whiskey.
Michael Veach, Bourbon Hall of Fame Author & Historian:
"This was a controversial piece of legislation opposed by many rectifiers. The two sides of the argument included E.H. Taylor Jr., and James E. Pepper, who argued on the side of the straight whiskey producers, and George Garvin Brown and Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who argued on the side of the rectifiers."
01:12:1810/08/2024
75: Real Spirits With Davin Topel
Got a good one for yall today. We got Davin Topel from Real Spirits, and we have a great conversation about life, whiskey, real estate. Hope you enjoy
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From Grain to Glass:The Real Spirits Way
Real Spirits emerged from deep roots of craft brewing in the Texas Hill Country.
After 21 years of building a solid foundation of beer, we launched the Real Spirits Distilling program in 2017. Our owner, Brad Farbstein, is as passionate about unique handmade spirits as he has always been about craft beer. In October 2014 he filed for a distillery permit and began tinkering away to create what would become Real Spirits. In April 2017, after years of experimentation and fine-tuning, we launched Real Spirits to the public out of our tap room with Texas Hill Country Signature Whiskey, Grain to Glass Gin, and the highly limited first batch of Single Barrel Whiskey.
See Our Spirits
It starts with beer
All Real Spirits starts with – of course – a foundation of Real Ale beer. Currently, Real Ale’s Devil’s Backbone Belgian-style Tripel and the award-winning Real Heavy Scotch Ale are used to make our signature and single barrel whiskey, and White, a Belgian-style wheat ale, is the base beer for our gin. This means we make all Real Spirits liquors grain-to-glass. They are brewed, fermented, aged, bottled, and served on-site at the brewery and distillery in Blanco.
Distilling the good stuff
Real Spirit’s whiskey process begins as any other day at the brewery. Our brewers brew beer for distilling the way they normally would. The only difference is that they forgo the addition of hops during the brewing stage. This is then fermented to about an 8% ABV beer. Our distiller fills the 1100 liter hand-hammered copper pot still with the beer and brings it to the boiling point of ethanol (around 170F degrees). The steam that is generated is then pushed through the lyne arm into the condenser where it is introduced to a cold environment, turning the steam back into a liquid. This liquid is cut into three portions, heads, hearts and tails (beginning, middle, and end of the distillation). Only the hearts are collected and barreled for a determined period of time. As the whiskey ages, we taste each barrel and determine when the spirit has matured. Finally, the spirit is harvested from each barrel and mingled together for bottling.
Whiskey Sour
A whiskey sour is yours for the making year-round. It’s refreshing enough to keep up with a spritz during the warm summer months, but appropriate during the colder seasons of the year as well.
Ingredients
2 oz. Real Spirits Texas Hill Country Whiskey
Juice from 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp agave nectar
Cherry
Lemon wedge
cocktail glass
ice
Directions
Pour Signature whiskey into a shaker of ice.
Add lemon juice and agave necatar
Shake lightly
Strain into a cocktail glass full of ice.
Garnish with a cherry and lemon wedge
Enjoy!
Ginger’d Ass
Finish with the ginger beer of your choice. We like Maine Root Ginger Brew.
Ingredients
2 oz. Real Spirits Texas Hill Country Whiskey
1 sprig of rosemary
1 lime wedge
ginger beer
cocktail glass
ice
Directions
Pour Signature whiskey into a shaker of ice.
Add rosemary and lime wedge
Shake well.
Strain into a cocktail glass full of ice.
Top with ginger beer.
Enjoy.
01:26:4103/08/2024
74: What's The Deal With Bourbon Part 1
Long over due episode about bourbon, what it is why it is. This is part 1 which means we didn't get very far. Habanero candy simple syrup, and merica got in the way. hope you enjoy.
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WHAT IS BOURBON?
Bourbon is an American Whiskey produced mainly in the southern part of Kentucky State.
What Is Bourbon?
According to US Trade Legislation, “bourbon” is a type of whiskey where the “mashbill”—the recipe of grains used to produce the whiskey—consists of 51% - 80% corn. Typically, distillers use approximately 70% corn content and can choose other grains for the remainder of the mashbill. The type of grain used will affect the style and flavors of the whiskey.
There are specific guidelines that distillers must follow to put the word bourbon on the label.
The Process - Most bourbon starts with sour mash. It is taken from a previous batch of mash (crushed grain going through the fermentation process), set out to sour overnight, and then added to a new batch. The process is much like that of starting a sourdough bread.The Recipe - Bourbon is distilled from a fermented mash of grain, yeast and water. The “mash bill” must have a minimum of 51% corn. For most bourbons, the average is about 70%. Other grains such as rye, malted barley, and wheat are considered “flavor” grains.Length of Aging - Bourbon must be aged for at least two years. Many premium bourbons on the market are aged between 5 and 12, with some as long as 27 years.The Barrel - Bourbon must be aged in brand-new barrels made of white oak and charred on the inside. Brands determine the varying char levels for their barrels from 1 to 4.Flavor – By law, nothing can be added at bottling except water. Nothing is added that might enhance flavor, add sweetness or alter color.Proof - Bourbon is bottled at between 80 and 125 proof. Only water may be used to lower the proof of the alcohol.Location – Bourbon can be made anywhere in the US. Only whiskey produced in the State of Kentucky can be called labeled Kentucky Straight Whiskey.
Traditional Bourbon
Knob Creek (rye content approx. 30%)
Jim Beam
Wild Turkey
Evan Williams
High-Rye Bourbons
Rye is the second grain used in Bourbon, it adds dry, spicy, peppery flavors to the whiskey's character. Examples of Bourbons with high rye content include
Basil Hayden’s
Bulleit
Buffalo Trace
Eagle Rare
George T. Stagg
Old Forester
Old Grand-Dad
Woodford Reserve
Four Roses Single Barrel
High-Wheat Bourbons
Wheat adds elegance and a soft, smooth character, often with hints of nuts and cinnamon. Whiskeys with high wheat content include
Maker’s Mark
Old Fitzgerald
Old Rip Van Winkle, or Pappy Van Winkle
Rebel Yell
WL Weller
A bourbon is also distinct from a whiskey in other ways:
The bourbon leaves the still at no higher than 80% alcohol by volume.
The bourbon enters new charred white oak casks for aging at no higher than 62.5% abv.
The bourbon is bottled at no less than 40% abv.
The bourbon is flavored by nothing other than water—this means the Jack Daniel’s is not a bourbon!
The bourbon must state its age on the label if the maturation time is less than four years.
Bourbon is so intrinsically linked to the ‘Bluegrass State’ that it’s easy to think the spirit is exclusively made there. What’s more, according to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, 95 per cent of the world’s supply comes from Kentucky. The reality is, however, that it can be produced anywhere in America, and new bourbon distillers are cropping up across the country all the time.
01:21:1327/07/2024
73: Olde Raleigh Distilling
Welcome back, Alright guys today we are chatting with Brandon over at Olde Raleigh. They are doing some amazing things, they are based in North Carolina.
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OUR STORY
The Dedication Of A Blender's Dream
In January 2017, Olde Raleigh Distillery was established in Zebulon, N.C. Though at the time, the hope was to open within three to four months, Master Blender Brandon McCraney officially opened the doors four years later, in January 2021. Doing so required McCraney to overcome county change orders, a 401k liquidation and 12 lender rejections.
McCraney credits his perseverance to his military background. This, along with strong local support, helped Olde Raleigh succeed in building a business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within its first operating year, Olde Raleigh Distillery grew from a bar and tasting room, having not yet produced a batch, to a true gathering space, eventually holding celebrations for the five batches it rolled out later that year. Olde Raleigh Distillery is proud to be a part of the charge to revitalize Zebulon, NC.
About Olde Raleigh Distillery
Olde Raleigh Distillery is on a mission to simply make unforgettable and damn good whiskey. With a laser focus on the art of blending and distilling spirits, our attention to detail is noticeable in every drop of our small batch bourbon blends.
Find us located in downtown Zebulon, NC, in an abandoned 10,000-square-foot brick building that we hand crafted with the same passion we do our whiskey. Our venue is a family-owned and operated distillery, tasting room and popular event space in The Triangle. We want to share our passion with you. Visit us today to taste our unique blend or book a tour to explore the art of making whiskey.
Meet The Man Behind The Bourbon
OUR DISTILLER & MASTER BLENDER
Brandon McCraney has spent years immersing himself in the spirits industry to dissect the world of whiskey. As Blender, he hand-selects and ages each barrel using a vigorous process known as élevage to identify the perfect point in the time to harvest our distinct and flavorful small batch spirits. When not working on production or sampling barrels, he leads Olde Raleigh’s workshops and Whiskey Master Classes. In the pursuit in mastering the art of blending whiskey, follow Olde Raleigh’s journey as we release blended whiskies from around the world.
Brandon’s role extends beyond the distillery’s walls, fostering partnerships with local farmers and introducing heirloom grains in the heart of Old Tobacco country. As a Raleigh resident, he aims to build a meaningful brand that gives back to the community he loves. The goal is to showcase the positive environmental and economic impacts distilleries contribute from farm to glass.
This desire to have a broad impact stemmed from his experience as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force, where he proudly served for four years. Brandon’s education includes a Bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and Master’s Degrees from the University of Cincinnati and Harvard University. He is a certified Executive Bourbon Steward, Whiskey Sommelier, teaches at the Whiskey Marketing School and has industry affiliations with Moonshine University, the American Distilling Institute and the U.K.’s Institute of Brewing and Distilling.
As the sole owner and operator, Brandon has his sights set on making his family name one to be reckoned with in the craft whiskey world.
54:1720/07/2024
72: Whiskey horror stories/ Home distilling law change/ problem child
This is a strange one. i hope its acceptable. Not much else to say i think i said it all.
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More than 2.1 million barrels of Bourbon flowed through Kentucky distilleries last year, accounting for 95 percent of the world’s production.
Keeping the world awash in Bourbon requires more than just the best quality grains and pure limestone water. The mechanics of distilling require tons of piping, heating, cooling, and other equipment to get the classic taste.
And the reality of machinery is that things break and result in facility issues that impact production, quality, and flavor.
It’s important to understand where mechanical issues in distilleries can happen and when to call for repairs. Let’s look at the most common problems that can happen to your pipes, ventilation, and plumbing.
Pipes serve as the arteries of the enterprise, moving mash from the cooker to the fermentor and spirits from the tank to the cask. They twist, bend, and join in a lot of places along the path making them vulnerable to springing leaks.
Age, corrosion, and pressure strain your pipes and can lead to leaks over time. Inspecting your pipes should be a daily habit to catch distillery issues before they become big problems.
Don’t think you’ve dodged this bullet because you’ve gone with copper piping rather than stainless steel or galvanized. Copper can still corrode and leak at the seams, despite its superiority in other ways.
A clog in the piping can show up in a couple of different ways, the most common being that you notice a decreased flow rate between elements of the system. But an increase in pressure in the still can also mean a blockage down the line. Adding glass balls to your column helps to increase surface area, but it can unintentionally result in over-pressurization of the still if you’re careful.
The heart of a distillery is its boiler. A reliable boiler should give you consistent heat and steam pressure quickly and on-demand.
Most modern boilers require little maintenance beyond blowing down at the end of the day to clear sediment that collects at the bottom. Not taking this simple step can result in facility issues that damage your drains and plumbing.
Beyond that, your regular distillery maintenance checks should include looking for any holes in the drums or clogging of the condensate line. Boiler accessories like copper coils for potable hot water should also be checked regularly for holes or clogs.
If your boiler starts getting noisy or inconsistent, it’s time for a thorough checkup to make sure you don’t need a new boiler.
When you’re making a grain-based beverage like whiskey or vodka, there’s going to be a lot of grain dust in the air, which is highly explosive. Moving all that out requires good ventilation and air filtration with a backup manual system in case something breaks.
The ventilation needs to extend to the fermentation room and cask storage as well. Fermenting releases carbon dioxide while alcohol vapors come off the still and casks. Both create an unhealthy breathing environment for your workers.
Like the HVAC in a home, you should check your system to replace air filters and ensure the parts are clean and humming along nicely. You can do this sort of maintenance yourself monthly and have a professional check the system annually.
Humidity control allows for consistency and conformity in your product. The many temperature changes in the distillation process result in a lot of humidity. If you’ve noticed trouble maintaining the proper moisture levels, check for a clog in the line moving condensation out of the building or a dirty filter.
01:07:3613/07/2024
71: Whisky Mentors
Welcome back guys today i got to have a chat with Irene Tan. if you dont know her your missing out. This was a fantastic conversation and dont click off i did a tasting of the Kings Code "Touch Of Bessie " at the end. Hope you enjoy
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WHISKY MENTORS is a consulting company started by Irene Tan in the spring of 2018 after she graduated from the Whiskey Marketing School as a Level 1 Whiskey Sommelier. It was evident that the whiskey world was on the brink of explosive growth, and it was a timely entry into the industry. Irene is now a Level 4 Whiskey Sommelier and her industry related qualifications include WSET 2 Wine and Spirits Certification passed with Distinction, Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS), Certified Sherry Wine Specialist, Executive Bourbon Steward, Certified Whisky Ambassador, Diploma in Single Malt Whisky and Diploma in the Art of Tasting Whisky from the Edinburgh Whisky Academy In the summer of 2022, she completed a week-long whisky course at Springbank Whisky School in Campbeltown, Scotland. She has created a whiskey line called Kings Code for Kings County Distillery which launched in the fall of 2023..In her role as the Spirit Hunter for the Crowded Barrel Whiskey Company, she’s the chief blender and hunts for single barrels for the Alliance Series.
Whisky Mentors is well-respected in the industry and highly sought after by brands and distilleries to carry their products. While it’s not just about the knowledge Irene has about the whiskies she carries, or how she picks winning single barrels, it’s about the passion that exudes from her veins when you meet her to talk about whiskies. She listens to her customers and helps them find that special bottle to share with family and friends. Her innate and acute sense of smell and taste paired with an uncanny ability to create blends in her head that she knows are going to work, puts her in a unique position to help create whiskies and other spirits that consumers will seek.
Whisky Mentors created a bespoke blend of 15 year cask strength Rye at Whistle Pig for Canterbury Liquors.
Whisky Mentors’ consulting services are offered to both consumers and producers.
Whisky Mentors also offers private in-house tasting events as well as offsite events.
Whisky Mentors offers consulting services to craft distilleries to help them understand what the market trends are. Whisky Mentors will also help create new product lines by occasionally sourcing domestically and internationally to make unique and delicious blends to help with brand recognition and to help distilleries stay competitive.
Whisky Mentors has embarked on making barrel-aged gins with a couple of distilleries. Each release will be sold exclusively at the distillery and at Canterbury Liquors.
Follow Irene on FB or IG @whiskymentors.
01:09:5906/07/2024
70: Whiskey VS Moonshine
Welcome back this is a tale as old as time, a cinderella story if you will. Today we are gonna find out which is better moonshine or whiskey. Thank you to our sponsors
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Moonshine is high-proof liquor, traditionally made or distributed illegally.[1][2][3] Its clandestine distribution is known as bootlegging.[4] The name was derived from a tradition of distilling the alcohol at night to avoid detection. In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial distilleries have adopted the term for its outlaw cachet and begun producing their own legal "moonshine", including many novelty flavored varieties, that are said to continue the tradition by using a similar method and/or locale of production.[5]
Terminology[edit]
Not to be confused with Mountain Dew, Hooper's Hooch, or White spirit.
Different languages and countries have their own terms for moonshine (see Moonshine by country).
In English, moonshine is also known as mountain dew, choop, hooch (abbreviation of hoochinoo, name of a specific liquor, from Tlingit), homebrew, mulekick, shine, sneaky pete, white dog, white lightning, white/corn liquor, white/corn whiskey, pass around, firewater, and bootleg.[6][5]
In some countries, moonshine stills are illegal to sell, import, and own without permission. However, enthusiasts explain on internet forums how to obtain equipment and assemble it into a still.[10] To cut costs, stainless steel vessels are often replaced with plastic stills, vessels made from polypropylene that can withstand relatively high heat.
A column still, or a spiral still, can achieve a vapor alcohol content of 95% ABV.
Moonshine is usually distilled to 40% ABV, and seldom above 66% based on 48 samples.[11] For example, conventional pot stills commonly produce 40% ABV, and top out between 60% and 80% ABV after multiple distillations. However, ethanol can be dried to 95% ABV by heating 3A molecular sieves such as 3A zeolite.[12][13][14][15][16]
The preferred heat source for plastic stills or spiral stills is sous vide sticks; these control temperature, time, and circulation, and are therefore preferred over immersion heaters. Multiple units can be used to increase the wattage. Also, sous vide sticks, commonly sold in 1200 W and generally temperature regulated up to 90 °C (194 °F) (ethanol boils at 78 °C (172 °F)), will evaporate the ethanol faster than an immersion heater, commonly sold in 300 W. Electrical injury may occur if immersion heaters are modified, as if a 35 °C (95 °F) thermostat is removed from an aquarium heater (because doing so may break its waterproofing), or if an immersion heater is disassembled from an electric water boiler.
A typical jar of moonshine, with a sample being ignited to produce a blue flame. It was once wrongly believed that the blue flame meant that it was safe to drink.
A common folk test for the quality of moonshine was to pour a small quantity of it into a spoon and set it on fire. The theory was that a safe distillate burns with a blue flame, but a tainted distillate burns with a yellow flame. Practitioners of this simple test also held that if a radiator coil had been used as a condenser, then there would be lead in the distillate, which would give a reddish flame. This led to the mnemonic, "Lead burns red and makes you dead," or simply, "Red means dead."
Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.
01:02:3829/06/2024
69: An Evening With Daniel Whittington
Welcome back today we have The Master Yoda Whiskey Somm himself. This was a great conversation and flowed very well. Hope you enjoy it .
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Daniel Whittington is the founder of Whisky Marketing School. He’s also the Chancellor at Wizard Academy, co-owner of Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co, co-founder of The Whiskey Vault and Whiskey Tribe, founding member of the Texas Whiskey Association and President Emeritus of the Texas Whiskey Association.
With Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co, he was the first to create a blended whiskey using only Texas distilleries and the first to release a Texas Craft focused Independent Bottling series.
Also, WSET II and EWA Scotch Diploma Graduate and Instructor as well as Executive Bourbon Steward and instructor.
He also plays music sometimes.
Daniel Whittington is our Approved Course Provider in Austin, Texas. He teaches EWA courses on the campus of Wizard Academy and Whisky Marketing School.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your role in the industry.
I’m the Chancellor of Wizard Academy, a business school for entrepreneurs. In 2015, we founded Whisky Marketing School to train and educate whisky sommeliers. In 2016, I co-founded what became the two largest whisky focused YouTube channels: the Whisky Vault and the Whiskey Tribe.
In 2018 I co-founded Crowded Barrel Whiskey Company, the world’s first crowd sourced whiskey distillery where I eventually operated as Head Distiller and Head Blender until October 2023. In that capacity, I also helped start the Texas Whiskey Association and served as its third President.
In 2022, I reached out to both Stave and Thief and Edinburgh Whisky Academy to partner with them in offering their courses at Wizard Academy.
How did you get into spirit education?
I began studying wine and sprits when living in California in the early 2000’s. It eventually led me to the whisky industry where I found a spirit I truly loved. I studied under various programs like WSET and smaller localized certifications before I ended up at Wizard Academy in 2013. I tend to study and analyze anything I find interesting, and Whisky was a rabbit hole that just never ended. And because teaching is one of my core drivers, I started finding small ways to share the knowledge and information I was learning. After two years at Wizard Academy, I realized that the whisky industry could benefit from a whisky education program with our focus on communications, marketing, and public speaking. And that’s what led me down this current path.
What do you love about teaching?
Teaching is a gift. First, I love having the honor and privilege of opening doors and shining the light on new and interesting things for students. I love watching their love and passion grow with knowledge and support. I love seeing what students go out into the world and do with what they learn.
But I’ve also found that you don’t truly understand something until you try to teach it. I’ve learned more about whisky in the last 8 years by teaching it than I ever did by simply studying it on my own. It took head knowledge and transformed it to a deeper level of understanding.
What excites you most about EWA?
Edinburgh Whisky Academy has done a truly wonderful job of making courses on whisky that are both challenging, highly in depth, and at the same time accessible and practical. They are one of the best in the world at understanding how to make information meaningful beyond facts and data and taking it into the realm of practical knowledge and true understanding. And they have some of the best and most knowledgeable instructors in the world.
01:00:2522/06/2024
68: Manufactured Scarcity
Welcome back, today we get into the touchy subject of manufactured scarcity. Hope that it is enjoyed.
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Artificial scarcity is scarcity of items despite the technology for production or the sufficient capacity for sharing. The most common causes are monopoly pricing structures, such as those enabled by laws that restrict competition or by high fixed costs in a particular marketplace. The inefficiency associated with artificial scarcity is formally known as a deadweight loss.
In a capitalist system, an enterprise is judged to be successful and efficient if it is profitable. To obtain maximum profits, producers may restrict production rather than ensure the maximum utilisation of resources. This strategy of restricting production by firms in order to obtain profits in a capitalist system or mixed economy is known as creating artificial scarcity.[1]
Artificial scarcity essentially describes situations where the producers or owners of a good restrict its availability to others beyond what is strictly necessary. Ideas and information are prime examples of unnecessarily scarce products given artificial scarcity
After the recent announcement from Buffalo Trace about a general tightening of bourbon supplies -- a 'shortage,' if you will -- many people chose to comment (here and elsewhere) by pointing out that the stores they shop are still well-supplied with the brands in question.While this at first blush simply seems funny -- how blinkered is your world view that you don't think something is happening unless it's happening to you? -- it suggests that many people don't understand how a whiskey shortage works.First, it's important to remember the three-tier system. By law, producers sell to distributors and distributors sell to retailers. In many states, merchandise can't flow in the other direction. Even chain retailers can't move stock from store to store to equalize availability. This can lead to one store in a market being out of a certain product, while others in the same market have plenty.To a whiskey producer such as Buffalo Trace, there is a shortage whenever they receive orders they can't fill. Sometimes this is a very short term problem. For example, there are no more finished goods in the finished goods warehouse ('finished' means bottled, cased, and ready to ship) and there is a gap in time before that particular product is scheduled for another bottling run, but there is sufficient whiskey available, so that a normal bottling can be done at the next opportunity. That's not really a shortage, although it can result in a few very limited out-of-stock situations at retail.Another situation might be that the producer's finished goods warehouse is bare and there's nothing suitable that's available to bottle -- so there's a shortage as far as the producer is concerned -- but the distributors have sufficient stock that the shortage never reaches retail. A point is reached where everything is on the shelf somewhere -- the producer and distributor stocks are depleted -- but they are able to be replenished before bare shelves appear at retail.For the consumer, a real shortage occurs when the finished goods warehouse is bare and there is no suitable whiskey available to bottle until the next batch reaches maturity. For several months, distributors and retailers are unable to replenish their stocks of that particular item, leading to multiple retail out-of-stock situations market-wide. That's the kind of shortage consumers notice, because they may have to visit several stores to find the item in question.
Posted by Chuck Cowderyat 1:26 PM
47:4515/06/2024
67: Blending With Emma
Welcome back today chat with Emma Crandall, blender at Balcones Whiskey. This was a fantastic talk, and i'm so excited for yall to hear this.
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IN 2008, BALCONES WAS DRIVEN TO CREATE SOMETHING
ORIGINAL AND AUTHENTIC
In 2008, Balcones was nothing more than an idea driven by a passion to create something original and authentic, right here in the Heart of Texas. It all started in an old welding shop under a bridge in Waco. For the next year, we replaced the roofing, knocked out walls, laid brick, cut pipes, installed copper pot stills from Portugal, and shoehorned a whisky distillery inside that quaint building. Proud of what we had accomplished on our own, we began distilling in 2009.
Our reflection on the sacred trance driven out of a solar eclipse inspires our newest release: Balcones Mirador Eclipse Texas Single Malt. An eclipse is the loss of our sun, yet it signifies new beginnings. We can anticipate an eclipse, but we cannot change it. They are out of our control - exquisite and specific to each moment and each place. This is exactly what we worked to reflect in our newest American Single Malt.
TASTING NOTES
ON THE NOSE, sun-kissed notes of poised pressed flowers & clover hay are engulfed by mango meringue & pineapple gum drops, while dense notes of almond biscotti and honeydew rind round out the bunch.
ON THE PALATE, blush lemon custard & white chocolate raspberry tart neighbor more reserved notes of guava pound cake and prairie sage, before a long and confident finish of dried thyme and honeyed jasmine tea.
Whisky Blending
What is blending? What is its purpose?
A number of distilleries bottle and sell some of the whisky they distil for consumption as single or unblended whiskies. By far the greater part of their production, however, is used for the well-known blended Scotch whiskies that are sold all over the world.
Blending whisky is a considerable art acquired only after years of experience.
A blend will consist of anything from 15 to 50 different single whiskies, combined in the proportions of a formula that is the secret of the blending company concerned.
Whiskies from different distilleries have a character of their own and, just as people of different temperaments are often incompatible, so some whiskies will not blend happily with certain others. The Malts and Grains in a blend must therefore, be chosen to complement and enhance their respective flavours. Blending is in no sense a dilution. The blender’s task is to combine different single whiskies, to produce a blend which brings out the best qualities of each of its constituent parts.
The aim of the blender is first to produce a whisky of a definite and recognisable character.
It is of the greatest importance that their blend should never vary from this standard, which customers all over the world will have come to expect. Their second aim is, therefore, to achieve consistency.
The blender must also decide when the different single whiskies are ready to be used in their blend. They are brought from the warehouse where they have been maturing to the blending establishment, where they are mixed together in a blending vat. They are usually returned to cask and left to ‘marry’ for a period of months, before bottling. Some companies prefer to vat their Malts and Grains separately and only bring the two together before bottling.
The combining of Malt with Malt or Grain with Grain is known as vatting.
When was blending introduced?
Blending was pioneered by Andrew Usher in Edinburgh in the early 1860s. It was only after this practice became common that a taste for Scotch Whisky spread first to England and then throughout the world.
01:13:5008/06/2024
66: Good Cop / Bad Cop
Special Release episode.
Today we have Jerm from Freedom Malts, bringing some special single barrel picks. These special Cask Strength
Rye Whiskies, are a treat to have. Lets talk about the distillery, but first our sponsors.
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Rye Whiskey PROOF: 96
Our rye whiskey is made in an old east coast style, reminiscent of a Maryland style rye. Different than a Kentucky rye, we use a higher proportion of raw rye grain, rye malt rather than barley malt which gives a more savory rye flavor rather than the sharpness of the barley, and just a touch of corn to round out the edges. Great Northern rye whiskey is savory and complex with prominent floral notes, subtle rye spice and a very long, smoky finish. Surprisingly smooth for its age and high proof.
· GOLD MEDAL 93 POINTS “EXCEPTIONAL” – BEVERAGE TESTING INSTITUTE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SPIRITS · SILVER MEDAL - SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION · SILVER MEDAL – AMERICAN CRAFT SPIRITS COMPETITION
RYE WHISKEYSAZERAC
3 oz Great Norther Rye Whiskey
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
5 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
1 Dash Orange Bitters
Combine ingredients with ice and store. Strain over a large ice cube and enjoy!
39:4505/06/2024
65: Texas Whiskey THE EPISODE
Alright guys welcome back. This was a hard one for me, and I hope you enjoy. But I heavily edited this episode took a lot of housekeeping and a couple rants. Hope it is not too choppy. Thank you for the continued support
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We love Texas Whiskeys and let’s face it. Texas is a great state! From El Paso to Texarkana, from the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast, we claim some of the most beautiful landscapes, proudest people and grandest cities in the USA. We also distill some of the most excellent whiskey in the world. While they all do it a bit different, they all embody what it means to be Texan! Below is a list of distilleries that we have identified as being distilled, bottled, or a brand based in Texas. We will update the list as we learn more. This list was updated 1/9/2024.
Texas Whiskey Association Members
Texas Distilleries that are members of the Texas Whiskey Association. The TXWA is made up of distillers whose purpose is to educate consumers and support distilleries that produce whiskey all within the territorial boundaries of the State of Texas. Encouraging truth and transparency in labeling and setting certification standards that assure quality and authenticity are among many of their focuses.
1845 DISTILLING COMPANY
Acre Distilling Co.
Andalusia Whiskey Co.
Balcones Distilling
Bendt Distilling Co.
Bomb City Distillling
Crowded Barrel Whiskey
Devils River Whiskey
Distillery at Kiepersol
Fierce Whiskers Distillery
Garrison Brothers Distillery
Giant Texas Distillery
Ironroot Republic
Johnny Pickles Distillery
K. Spoetzl Distillery
Lone Elm Whiskey
Maverick Whiskey Co.
Milam and Greene Whiskey
Modisett & Sons
Oak and Eden
Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling
Real Spirits Distilling
Rebecca Creek Distillery
Shire Distilling Co.
Spirit of Texas Distillery
Still Austin Whiskey Co.
Tahwahkaro Distilling
Treaty Oak Distilling
William Price Distilling
Yellow Rose Distilling
Wilson Valley Mercantile
Texas-based distilleries, blenders, and bottliers that are not TXWA members.Many of these distillers are producing grain to glass product or a combination of sorts. Many are barreling and aging in our great state so that our Texas climate can do its part before bottling. Either way, there is some fine whiskey being produced and sold.
1876 Texas Straight Bourbon
Alamo Distilling
American Badass Whiskey
Austin Craft Spirits (Austin 101)
Austonian Spirits
BAHNBRËCKER
Banner Distilling Co.
Big Spring Distilling
Blackland Distillery
Blue Flag Distillery
Bone Bourbon
Box Car Texas Whiskey
Coastal Bend Distilling
Copper Shot Distillery
Fire Oak Distillery
Firestone and Roberston Distilling
Herman Marshall Distillery
Iron Wolf Ranch and Distillery
Kooper Family Rye
Lockwood Distilling
Martin Greer Distillery
Merica Bourbon
Moonshine Ridge
Nine Banded Whiskey
Old Humble Distilling Company
Rek Hill Distillery
Remington Family Distillers
Republic Whiskey
Saint Liberty Whiskey
Silver Star Spirits
Sisterdale Whiskey
Sixth Street Spirits
Sun City Distillery
Swift Distillery
Texas Hearland Whiskey
Texas Rivers Distilling Co.
Texas Tail Distilling
Title No 21
Whitmeyer’s Distilling Co.
TEXAS WHISKEY MAKERS
JARED HIMSTEDT, BALCONES DISTILLING HEAD DISTILLER
HEATHER GREENE, MILAM & GREENE MASTER BLENDER
JONATHAN LIKARISH, IRONROOT REPUBLIC HEAD DISTILLER
JOHN SCHREPEL, STILL AUSTIN HEAD DISTILLER
SAM OLVERA, GARRISON BROS DISTILLER
JACOB PERAZA, BENDT DISTILLING CO. LEAD DISTILLER
NATASHA DEHART, BENDT DISTILLING CO. BLENDER
TIM RAINES, SHIRE DISTILLING HEAD DISTILLER
DONNIS TODD, GARRISON BROTHERS MASTER DISTILLER
JULIAN GIRALDO, GIANT TEXAS HEAD DISTILLER
MIGUEL PEREZ, 1845 DISTILLING LEAD DISTILLER
MARLENE HOLMES, MILAM & GREEN MASTER DISTILLER
01:18:0101/06/2024
64: J T Meleck
Howdy folks here is the episode with Mia at Jt Meleck. This was a great Story and Mia is on fire for her brand. She brings excitment in big ways to rice whiskey hope you enjoy.
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One family, one farm, one great idea… It begins in 1896, when John Meleck had the crazy idea to grow his 1st rice on 20 acres of marshland in s. Louisiana. Against the odds, the name J.T. Meleck became synonymous with Louisiana rice, but to us he is great, great uncle John. Five generations later we still grow rice – and now crawfish – on the same 20 acres as our Uncle John. We’ve grown since then but we are still as connected to the dirt as J.T. Meleck.
I began thinking, what if we could make a great spirit from our rice? It would make our Uncle John proud. The result is something truly special. It’s American Rice, born right here on our farm, just off hwy 35 in Branch, LA. We´re proud to take our rice from grain to bottle.
We work the dirt and grow the seed, just like Uncle John did. That’s why we’ve named it J.T. Meleck. Because our crazy idea has managed to create a whole new Louisiana classic. One that goes straight from our farm to your front porch.
We present to you
In 2018, J.T. Meleck Distillers launched it's Louisiana Rice Vodka made 100% from the rice we harvest on our farm in Branch, Louisiana. This rice spirit reaches 191 proof in the distillation process, and then brought down to 80 proof for consumption. A clear spirit with a touch of sweetness on the nose and slight vanilla characteristics on the palate. Beautiful viscosity and a clean spirit.
Released in 2022, this is J.T. Meleck’s staple and long talked about American Rice Whiskey. Aged in new American oak barrels for almost 5 years our whiskey is amber in color and deep in intensity.
J.T. Meleck's Single Barrel Program was launched in October of 2022 with picks dropping at Nunu's Market and Champagnes Market in Lafayette, LA. We decided to launch this program after discovering that some barrels were not like the others. They were meant to be enjoyed separately. Whether it be the nose, flavor or finish, we knew these barrels were special and need to be shared with our fans. Select groups or retailers are invited to our distillery for a tour & tasting where they choose a barrel that will become their single barrel pick. Each pick varies in flavor, yield and proof, making each bottle unique. No barrel is the same so each single barrel pick is its own experience. Personalized stickers are present on each bottle identifying the group or retailer who picked, the bottle number, barrel number, proof and ABV. Aged 4-5 years in new American Oak 53-gallon barrels with proofs having ranged from 118.2-123.9
Our Founder’s Edition was the first ever soft launch of our American Rice whiskey in November of 2021. Aged in 30-gallon barrels for 4 years, this small batch release yielded only 1000 bottles at 96-proof. An explosion of vanilla and charred oak on the nose creating a smoky chocolate taste.
Laissez Bon Temps Rouler
Let the Good Times Roll the RICE Way!
Ingredients Include:
2 oz. J.T Meleck American Rice Whiskey
1/4 oz. orange curacao
1 teaspoon maraschino liqueur
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
Lemon twist for garnish
Instructions: add all ingredients to a glass of your choosing, stir, add ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.
Louisiana Rice VodkaAmerican Rice WhiskeySingle Barrel Cask Strength American Rice WhiskeyRice Whiskey, Founder's Edition
01:19:3425/05/2024
63: Harmony in the glass pt. 2 Celebrity Whiskey Edition
We are back with more music and whiskey. Today we dive into 3 whiskies and see if celebrity whiskey can be good.
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And today Whiskeydecisions.beehive.com
Celebrity liquor brands are a real gray area when it comes to endorsements. As whiskey grows more popular, and more celebrities hop on the bandwagon, it can be hard to distinguish who’s just taking a paycheck, and who cares about what you’re drinking. But the good news is that increasingly, the big names attached to these bottles really care about the brand and the people who drink it. Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, who recently announced their new Dos Hombres mezcal, are just the latest in a series of famous people taking time out of their artistic careers to make artful beverages.
What happens when a heavy metal band makes a whiskey? It’s certainly not a quiet process. The Blackened American Whiskey is pummeled with low-hertz sound waves from a Metallica-curated playlist. It might sound like a marketing ploy, but distillers insist the sonic-enhancement process drives the whiskey deeper into the wood of the barrel where it picks up extra flavor. As for the tasting notes, expect honey, cinnamon, allspice, and some lingering apricot.
New year, new you, right? Okay, by mid-January a bit of the luster has worn off those shiny new resolutions. In fact, National Today says that January 17 is actually the official Ditch New Year's Resolution Day. Still, even if all your grand plans to walk 5 miles a day, save half your paycheck, and subside off nothing but kale, quinoa, and spring water have come to naught, that doesn't mean you can't make some revised resolutions that will be both easier and more fun to follow. Like, how about you simply resolve to try a few new things? This is hardly likely to hurt, particularly if you choose things you already enjoy, such as sampling a few new bourbons.
Single Barrel
Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Heaven’s Door and retailers across the country selected barrels that vary in age, mashbill, and warehousing locations, in order to select their own Cask Strength Single Barrel Bourbon.This limited release will be hand numbered and adorned with our partners name, offering a distinctive experience.
750 ML, 49.5% ABV (99 PROOF)
A blend of 4-5 yr. old straight rye and straight bourbon mashed, fermented, distilled and aged at the Cedar Ridge Distillery.
Direct shipping is available in select markets. Unfortunately we do not ship to the states of AK, AL, HI, ID, MI, MS, OK, UT.
Mashbill: 51% Corn, 35% Malted Rye, 14% Malted Barley
“Think cinnamon, clove, butter and oak. As it hits the palate, it coats it with this goodness, buttery almost, dripping down the side of the cheeks and warms all throughout. There’s a comfort here, cornbread-like, with notes of fried apple pie, apricot and macaroon. It finishes medium to long with a hint of bananas foster.”
WAIT AND BLEED
Ingredients:
2 oz No. 9 Reserve Whiskey
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Equipment:
Mixing glass
Stirring spoon
Strainer
Chilled cocktail glass
Instructions:
Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes.
Pour 2 ounces of No. 9 Reserve Whiskey into the mixing glass.
Add 1 ounce of Sweet Vermouth to the glass.
Add 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters to the mixture.
Stir the ingredients gently but thoroughly using a stirring spoon for about 30 seconds to chill and combine them.
Place a strainer over a chilled cocktail glass and strain the mixture into the glass.
Optionally, garnish with a orange twist or cherry if desired.
Sip and savor the bold and balanced flavors of Wait and Bleed.
Enjoy responsibly!
01:08:4918/05/2024
62: Natterjack Irish Whiskey
What can i say one of the best interview so far. Aiden is a super cool person, and got hit by a bus. You just have to listen. Make sure you use code Aidenspecial @natterjack.com to get a discount.
Thank you to the sponsors
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An Irish Whiskey with an American Accent
Natterjack is for people who want to try something a little different. Mixing the craft of Irish whiskey with the aging techniques of a bourbon. Enjoy it however you like - neat, on the rocks, in a cocktail - Natterjack, like the Irish, is versatile and mixes well.
NATTERJACK
Natterjack Irish Whiskey is a unique blend, triple distilled in true Irish spirit and carefully crafted using Irish and American techniques.
Triple Distilled
Finish: Virgin American Oak
700ml
40%Alc. / Vol.
Blend No. 1
NATTERJACK
Bottled at 63% straight from a char 4 virgin American oak cask, Natterjack Cask Strength is the truest expression of our whiskey.Pure, Natural and Uncut
Rare Specimen
Captured & Bottled in
2023
700ml
63%Alc. / Vol.
Blend No. 1
Natterjack Irish whiskey was born of a quest for adventure, to leave the beaten track and create a new one for ourselves.
As a group of pioneering spirits, driven by a passion to make whiskey, we left all we knew behind to create something different, to build something.
Independent of industry shackles and corporate ownership has been liberating, but it has not been easy getting here. Building something great takes mettle, sweat and an ounce of terror…
You’ll taste the true authenticity of adventure and fear in our whiskey. Live Deliberately is our mantra, and that is what we set out to do every day.
We set out to make new whiskey traditions for a generation that is challenging the status quo. We stand on the shoulders of giants to create something interesting, adventurous and new.
Natterjack is the result of our adventure - an adventure that we are still on, and like any good adventure, it is full of twists and turns and has a hero you can believe in at its core - the Natterjack toad.
Introducing Natterjack Toad.It’s an intriguing character.Its distinctive yellow stripe sets it apart from other toads. While all around it are hopping, it walks. It chooses its own course.
With a call that can be heard from two kilometres away, you will hear it before you see it, it’s not shy. The only toad native to Ireland, a tendency to roam and love of a story shared are buried deep in its DNA. Like the Irish, it travels well, and is shaped by the places it goes and people it meets along the way.
What better namesake for our whiskey. Join it on the journey, everyone is welcome. You never know where you may end up.
01:09:1311/05/2024
61: Dad's Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey
Welcome back, today we talked with Herman owner of Dads Hat. They are doing some really cool things, like the. process of gathering the rye. They are doing the old pre prohibition style of rye, 80% rye 15% malted rye 5% malt.
Stick around at the end I included my review video.
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OUR STORY
Our mission is to distill and deliver classic Pennsylvania Rye spirits following over 200 years of American distilling tradition. Working with our community and giving back to the whiskey-loving public is a big part of what truly keeps Dad’s Hat “Pennsylvania Proud”.
Our Heritage
Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey is truly America’s original whiskey. In the 18th century, many Pennsylvania farmers were using their surplus rye grain to distill homemade whiskey.
RYE HISTORY IN THE MAKING
American farmers saw homemade distilling as their right and when, in 1791, the new United States Federal Government imposed a whiskey tax these same farmers threatened to secede from the union. This incident, known as the Whiskey Rebellion, was obviously not successful, but it was surely an indication of how important rye whiskey was to our country’s early history. Pennsylvania rye was known not just for the independent nature of its makers, but also for the quality of the product itself.
WHISKEY REVOLUTION
As early as 1810, Pennsylvania’s distillers were making over 6 million gallons of rye whiskey annually. Throughout the 1800’s the size and reputation of Pennsylvania’s rye whiskey producers continued to grow. By the end of the 1800s individual distilleries in Pennsylvania were making hundreds of thousands, and some over a million gallons of whiskey per year. Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey was prized across the United States and around the world.
DISAPPEARING ACT
Through the early part of the 20th century, rye whiskey continued to enjoy great success. Unfortunately, 1920 brought the passage of the 18th Amendment and Prohibition, which was a disaster for Pennsylvania’s rye whiskey makers. To fill the void during the 1920s bootleggers made a hastily contrived, and poorly made, blended substitute that was called rye whiskey. After Prohibition Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey and its distillers never fully recovered from the damage.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Rye whiskey was a particular specialty served at the Mihalich family’s tavern in Monessen, PA. As a child, Dad’s Hat Founder Herman Mihalich lived with his family above the bar, and both his father and grandfather were fond of the all-American spirit. Inspired by a 2006 story about the reemergence of rye, Mihalich, along with his friend John Cooper, would later go on to found Mountain Laurel Spirits in 2011 in Bristol becoming the first Pennsylvania distillery to make rye whiskey since 1990.
BRING ON THE WHISKEY REVIVAL!
Our mission is to distill and deliver classic Pennsylvania Rye spirits following over 200 years of American distilling tradition. After spending several decades in the wilderness, Rye Whiskey has been rediscovered by whiskey lovers. Dad’s Hat supports local charitable events and embraces our Pennsylvania heritage. Our distillery in Bristol, Bucks County is located just five miles from where the Philadelphia Pure Rye Whiskey Distilling Company was located until 1920 in Eddington, PA. We are very pleased to be a part of renewing the proud tradition of fine Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey for years to come.
01:33:1404/05/2024
60: Is TX. whiskey coming into its prime/ Old man anger/ Can whiskey make you dumber
Welcome back to another episode, this one is a great time. let me know if you like the new intros
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When you hear “Texas” and “whiskey” together, what comes to mind? Do the words conjure an image of John Wayne sauntering into a West Texas frontier saloon? Or maybe you think of one of the many country songs about whiskey recorded by Texans, like Kris Kristofferson’s “Whiskey, Whiskey” or Willie Nelson’s “Whiskey River.” Given how closely tied whiskey and Texas are in the public imagination, it might surprise you to know that twenty years ago, there were no whiskey distilleries at all in the Lone Star State.
The history of whiskey in Texas is one of long gaps, pervasive struggles, and underground bootleggers. During the 19th century, there were a number of distilleries in Texas, some legal and others . . . less so. But that all changed with Prohibition, when the state’s distilling traditions were almost stamped out for good. Distilling became legal in Texas again in 1935, but the state’s whiskey distilleries quite simply never recovered from the Volstead Act. Not until recently, that is.
It’s remarkable how things can change in a couple of decades.
When Texas decides to do something, there are no half-measures—and whiskey distilling is no exception. Since the founding of Texas’s first two distilleries in Central Texas in the late aughts, Texas bourbons, ryes and single malts have exploded onto the world stage.
As a matter of fact, it took only a handful of years after those first distilleries were founded before Texas distilleries began to win major awards alongside stalwarts from Kentucky and Scotland and Ireland—and these days the Lone Star State is now being spoken of as a major world center for top-shelf craft whiskey. In 2012, a Balcones Single Malt won first prize at London’s prestigious “Best in Glass” competition, beating out rivals from storied Scottish houses like The Macallan and Glenmorangie. In the years since that historic upset, Texas distilleries have continued their string of upsets. In 2020, Ironroot Republic’s Harbinger Bourbon Whiskey was named the “World’s Best Bourbon,” and in 2022, Acre Distilling’s Longhair Jim Bourbon took home gold at the US Open Whiskey and Spirits Competition.
Am I just grumpy, or is it something else?
The stereotype of the grumpy old man could have its roots in a condition known as irritable male syndrome. It’s clinically referred to as andropause, or male menopause. Like female menopause, andropause includes physical and emotional changes that also seem dependent on changes in hormone levels.
Irritable male syndrome can have a big impact on your relationships. To know whether you’re experiencing irritable male syndrome, and how you might treat it and improve your relationships, it’s important to recognize some of the more obvious symptoms.
01:11:2127/04/2024
59: 45th Parallel
Welcome back today we talk to midwest distillery 45th Parallel Distillery. They are doing some really cool stuff, and on the day of recording released there 10 year bourbon.
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THE 45TH STORY
In 2007, 45th Parallel became one of only 50 Craft Distilleries in the United States. Dedicated to traditional slow, small batch, we have grown to 2 locations and an event center.
PROCESS
GRAIN TO GLASS PRODUCTION
45th Parallel's process is a full circle local production and it begins at the Rusmar farm.
CONTRACT DISTILLING
WE DO THE WORK JUST IN YOUR BOTTLE
We are a full service contract production facility offering bulk production and private label bottled spirits. We craft whiskey, aged spirits, vodka, gin, other infused spirits, liqueurs, rum, brandy, and more.
45th Parallel Whiskey
Our whiskeys are truly small batch in every detail. The whole grains come to us from Rusmar Farms, located just 8 miles from the distillery. From there, the entire process – milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, aging, and bottling – is done within our facility. Our whiskey is aged for at least five years in Ozark White Oak barrels from a family-owned cooperage before it goes into a bottle.
Border Bourbon92 proofMASH:62% corn + rye + wheat + malted barleyVARIATIONS:100 Proof Bottled in Bond, 120 Proof Cask Strength
"W" Wheat96 proof
MASH:67% wheat + corn + malted barley
Richmond Rye92 proof
MASH:67% rye + corn + malted barley
VARIATIONS:100 Proof Bottled in Bond, 120 Proof Cask Strength
Whiskey
Classic Old Fashioned
2 oz Whiskey
1/4 oz Demerara
Dash Bitters
Garnish w/Flamed Orange Coin
Lakeside Old Fashioned
2 oz Whiskey
1 oz Orangecello
Grenadine
Dash Bitters
Top with Club Soda/Sprite
Davis Manhattan
2 oz Whiskey
1/2 oz Holiday AquavitDash Bitters
1/4 oz Demerara
1/4 oz Grenadine
Stir Down and Strain
41:0020/04/2024
58: Lost Lantern
Welcome back today we are talking to Nora andAdam of lost Lantern. They have just released there midwest series, we talked about that and a lot more hope you enjoy.
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The Lost Lantern Process
We will only work with places that make great whiskey, but that’s just table stakes. With more than 2,000 distilleries operating in the U.S., there are more places making whiskey than we could possibly work with. That’s why we spent eight months driving across the countryvisiting distilleries, seeing for ourselves how they did things, and hunting down the hidden gems that aren’t as widely known. That means we can be very selective and have an extensive screening process when it comes to selecting our partners. Finding the right distilleries to work with is one of the most time-consuming and important parts of our process.
THE VISITWe carefully research distilleries before visiting them and once we’re onsite, we strive to understand exactly how they make their whiskey. We look at their stills, their barrelhouse, and everything in between.
THE STORYThe vast majority of American distilleries are only around 10 years old, if not less. The founders are usually still in charge. We want to know what drives them: what their vision is for their whiskey now and in the future.
THE WHISKEYWe don’t just want great whiskey. We want exciting whiskey. Our partners are inventing new techniques, reviving old ones, experimenting with new ideas. They are driving American whiskey forward.
01:15:4514/04/2024
57: Diving into regions of Scotland Islay
Here is the smoky bits if your ready for it.
Islay is the last region we are diving into, the best maybe, my favorite possibly.
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Islay (/ˈaɪlə/ ⓘ EYE-lə; Scottish Gaelic: Ìle, Scots: Ila) is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Known as "The Queen of the Hebrides",[8] it lies in Argyll just south west of Jura and around 40 kilometres (22 nautical miles) north of the Northern Irish coast. The is
land's capital is Bowmore where the distinctive round Kilarrow Parish Church and a distillery are located.[9] Port Ellen is the main port.[10]
Islay is the fifth-largest Scottish island and the eighth-largest island of the British Isles, with a total area of almost 620 square kilometres (240 sq mi).[Note 1] There is ample evidence of the prehistoric settlement of Islay and the first written reference may have come in the first century AD. The island had become part of the Gaelic Kingdom of Dál Riata during the Early Middle Ages before being absorbed into the Norse Kingdom of the Isles.
The later medieval period marked a "cultural high point" with the transfer of the Hebrides to the Kingdom of Scotland and the emergence of the Clan Donald Lordship of the Isles, originally centred at Finlaggan.[13] During the 17th century the power of Clan Donald waned, but improvements to agriculture and transport led to a rising population, which peaked in the mid-19th century.[3] This was followed by substantial forced displacements and declining resident numbers.
Today, Islay has over 3,000 inhabitants, and the main commercial activities are agriculture, malt whisky distillation and tourism. The island has a long history of religious observance, and Scottish Gaelic is spoken by about a quarter of the population.[14] Its landscapes have been celebrated through various art forms, and there is a growing interest in renewable energy in the form of wave power. Islay is home to many bird species such as the wintering populations of Greenland white-fronted and barnacle goose, and is a popular destination throughout the year for birdwatchers. The climate is mild and ameliorated by the Gulf Stream.
The region is characterised by whiskies with a peat smoke aroma, such as Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. In total, there are nine active distilleries on this island which measures only 25 by 15 miles (40 by 24 kilometres), and the industry is Islay's second largest employer after agriculture.Islay is a centre of "whisky tourism", and hosts a "Festival of Malt and Music" known as Fèis Ìle each year on the last week of May, with events and tastings celebrating the cultural heritage of the island.
01:04:0113/04/2024
56: Jake with The Texas Whiskey Festival
Welcome back today we talk to Jake with the Texas Whiskey Festival. This was such a fun time hope you enjoy.
Jake is really excited about the future of Texas Whiskey and passionate about its name in the whiskey world.
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7th Annual Texas Whiskey Festival
Saturday, April 20, 2024
4:30 PM 10:00 PM
Star Hill Ranch
15000 Hamilton Pool Road Austin, TX, 78738
Gather your friends and families for a night of fun and Texas Whiskey. With a lively atmosphere, welcoming community, and plenty of whiskey to taste.We're bringing together the finest distillers from the Lone Star State for a night of flavors and stories and to discover the unique tastes of Texas whiskeys.
Raffle giveaways
Exclusive tastings.
Food trucks.
Cigars.
Live music.
And more.
Located just outside of Austin, close to the Hill Country Galleria, with plenty of shopping, restaurants, and places to lay your head.We are adding distilleries and merchants every week and expect a great lineup!
Single Barrel TicketsYou get early access starting at 4:30 p.m., a complimentary cigar from Ohana Nui, special releases, and food while it lasts.Small Batch TicketsA Small Batch ticket gets you entry at 5:30 p.m.
More to come!
TEXAS WHISKEYS
Bold.Unique.Texan.
We love Texas Whiskeys and let’s face it. Texas is a great state! From El Paso to Texarkana, from the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast, we claim some of the most beautiful landscapes, proudest people and grandest cities in the USA. We also distill some of the most excellent whiskey in the world. While they all do it a bit different, they all embody what it means to be Texan! Below is a list of distilleries that we have identified as being distilled, bottled, or a brand based in Texas. We will update the list as we learn more. This list was updated 1/9/2024.
Texas distillers are making great whiskey of all kinds. From single malts to corn whiskeys these distilleries are exploring the possible. We believe the hallmark of whiskey-making in the state is creativity, collaboration and a general lack of pretense for what it should be. The same maverick spirit of the first Texas settlers and wildcatters is embodied in the Texas distillers. To showcase that spirit and their whiskey we are collaborating with distillers across the state to release blends and other unique finishes.
Tejas Collaboration Series
Tejas, the Spanish spelling of the ancient Caddo word for “friend” or “ally,” is a collaboration between the festival and Texas distillers to create unique offerings that showcase their methods and character. Each bottling will be a limited release available only through the respective distiller
Best Texas Whiskey of 2023
Grain to Glass Bourbon
Silver Star Spirits 1849 Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Balcones Blue Corn Bourbon Finished in Wine Casks
Yellow Rose Harris County Bourbon
Bottled/Aged in Texas Bourbon
Treaty Oak 16 yr Tennessee Whiskey
Oak and Eden Anthro Series: Forrie J Smith
Dime Box Distilling - Single Barrel 6yr Sixth Street Bourbon
Grain to Glass Rye
Balcones Distilling Texas Rye Bottled in Bond
Giant Texas Distillers Cask Strength Rye
Shire Distilling Rye Whiskey
Bottled/Aged in Texas Rye
Blackland Distilling Rye Whiskey
Old Humble Distilling Double OakStraight Rye Whiskey
Yellow Rose Distilling Rye Whiskey
Grain to Glass Malt Whiskey
Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co. Single Mom Single Malt
Andalusia Whiskey Co. Bottled in Bond Single Malt
William Price Distilling Single Malt Sherry Finished
Flavored Whiskey
Blackland Distilling Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon
Treaty Oak Distilling Old Fashioned Cocktail
Silver Star Spirits Texas Honey
Peoples Choice Award
Silver Star Spirits
Ironroot Republic Distilling
Texas Tail Distilling
01:15:4306/04/2024
55: One Year Celebration
Ok tonite we talk about where we have been and where we are going. We listened to the first episode and did a reaction piece. Then we talked about the future and the cool stuff to come. Its pretty much all house keeping so if your not into that the next one will be better for you.
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Why Podcasts Fail: Lack of Consistency
Most podcasters quit after the first three episodes. Starting a podcast and not sticking to a schedule is how most podcasts fail. You probably expect to succeed after you have published your first few episodes. However, you published an episode on Monday this week, posted another on Tuesday the following week, and then waited a whole month before you dropped a new episode. It shows a lack of commitment and consistency.
Whether it is a daily, weekly, or monthly episode, you cannot have loyal fans without a working schedule. If you promise to update bi-weekly, then you must deliver. Podcasting requires a lot of work. Before you record, edit and publish, other things in your life might get in the way. Get a co-host or an assistant if you cannot do it alone. Use automation software. More importantly, tell your audience about any change in your schedule.
About four million podcasts are released monthly, listened to by 116 million people. Do you think they have never heard what you are going to say before? Think again. If you drone on and put your audience to sleep, or you imitate what others have produced without any originality, you are going to lose listeners fast
Stay Focused and CommittedLack of Authenticity
How many podcasts fail?
83% of podcasts could be considered inactive or potentially failed within the first year and 90% don’t publish more than 3 episodes.
So just 17% will still be active next year! That also applies to all the legendary, well-known podcasts that have been around for a while.
The truth is that it’s challenging to become a successful podcast in this ever-growing creative industry.
Even if new podcast episodes are released daily, the number of active podcasts has strangely stopped growing.
01:12:4630/03/2024
54: San Diego Distilling
We are at it again, we got some good stuff for ya. Ryan with San Diego Distilling he gives us the low down on all the cool things there doing. It was a great conversation.
Sddistillery.com
Badmotivatorbarrels.com/shop/?aff=3
Instagram.com/Z.smithwhiskeyandmixology
IMAGINATION IS THE BEGINNING OF CRAFT CREATION
Our primary aim in distilling is to blend the realm of craft ingredients with that of spirits. To achieve this, we infuse our recipes with a diverse array of non-standard malts, often used in the creation of other spirits. Our specialized on-grain fermentation and distilling methods yield an exceptional range of spirits, each with a unique character and depth of flavor.
In our pursuit of excellence, we have recently established a sourcing program to procure premium aged whiskeys from around the globe. This initiative has enabled us to expand our repertoire and craft the most exquisite spirits San Diego has to offer.
NOTES FROM HEAD DISTILLER T. TRENT TILTON
Over 20 years ago, T. Trent Tilton began his journey as a homebrewer of craft beer, laying the groundwork for his approach to creating spirits. In 2012, Trent became one of the pioneering members of the craft distilling movement in San Diego, and shortly after, he founded San Diego Distillery. Drawing on his background in beer-making, Trent's innovative use of non-traditional ingredients has made San Diego Distillery's specialty spirits highly sought after across the country.
59:1423/03/2024
53: Devils River
We are back at it again, and this time we got Mike from Devils River Whiskey. They are based out of San Antonio Texas, right next to the Alamo.
In the heart of downtown San Antonio lies the home of Devils River Whiskey Distillery. Just about a block away from the Alamo and the San Antonio River Walk, Devils River Distillery is conveniently located for all area thrill seekers, night owls and spirits enthusiasts. Nestled in the old Burns Building, a registered historic place in San Antonio, our distillery and barroom offers not only a great time but majestic beauty.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
Devils River Whiskey owes its unique taste to our meticulous attention to detail. We begin with select grains, carefully chosen to bring out the warm, golden notes of Devils River Whiskey. We ferment our whiskey with proprietary yeast designed to bring out the bold flavors of Devils River. The mash is distilled in traditional copper pot stills and then our whiskey is aged in dark #4 charred oak barrels, which enriches the deep amber color and the bold flavor.
DEVILS RIVER WATER
At the heart of the process, the whiskey is combined with the pure, limestone-filtered spring water of the whiskey’s namesake Devils River. It’s the excellent water quality of the Devils River that unmasks all of the pristine nuances that we worked tirelessly to get into our small batch whiskey. The world’s Master Distillers agree: pure, limestone-filtered water is essential in producing the highest quality whiskey.
FINISHING DEVILS RIVER WHISKEY
Our proprietary chill filtration process lends the whiskey its signature smoothness and removes any harshness that might distract from the warm mouth-feel and flavorful notes of Devils River Whiskey.
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AWARD-WINNING FLAVOR
Devils River Rye has been recognized as one of the best Rye Whiskeys aged less than 10 years. Our Rye Whiskey has been awarded 14 medals from some of the most prestigious spirits competitions. Devils River Rye has won 6 Gold medals, 1 Double Gold Medal from the San Diego International Spirits Competition and recognized as Rye of the Year by the New York International Spirits Competition.
57:0416/03/2024
52: Harmony in a glass: Whiskey tunes
Welcome back guys, tonite we dive into whiskey and music.
everybody from Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan. We get into special drinks that some had and the influence of whiskey in music and vise versa. I think this will have multiple parts so if you have any stories or bottles that are musician influenced let me know.
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MzIxNw==
And don't forget the Patreon
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01:04:4609/03/2024
51: Never go full Wettle
Hello again and welcome back. Today we a talking to none other the Mitch Wettle, the man the myth the legend. Mitch is a super cool dude, and is doing cool things in the whiskey community. So sit back and relax and let Mitch's smooth voice intoxicate your ear hole. we had a great conversation and could have talked for hours. Wettle has a vast whiskey background that you will hear about. He is part of the YouTube channel www.youtube.com/@MyWhiskeyDen
Thank you so much for the support and the love, make sure you check out the sponsors
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01:08:2102/03/2024
50: Diving into regions of Scotch Part 2
Alright today we are diving back into the cool waters of Scotch.
We start in Speyside region and talk about notable distilleries up there. Then we move down to the peninsula of Campbelltown where the salt air can spray us. Thank you so much for following me along on this journey. Make sure you check out our sponsors.
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01:11:0824/02/2024
49: Taconic Distilling
We are back again. This was a fun interview. Hope you enjoy it.
Make sure you check out or sponsors:
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Z. Smith Whiskey and Mixology
[email protected]
33:5217/02/2024
Free & Clear Livestream
Ok guys we got something a little different for ya. I did a livestream and thought y'all might wanna hear it. Hope you enjoy.
badmotivatorbarrels.com/shop/?aff=3
[email protected]
make sure you check out my buddy Zach Smith below
zsmithwhiskeyandmixology
02:33:4210/02/2024
48: etOH spirits
We are back, today we are chatting with Tobias with etOH spirits.
This is some cool stuff, we are talking reactor whiskey.
You can find them here.
etoh.dk
badmotivatorbarrels.com/shop/?aff=3
[email protected]
01:06:1103/02/2024
47: Dry Janu(what). / Touchy subject.
How is it going today we talk about Dry January. What, why, does it work. Then we get into a topic that is overlooked in the whiskey community. Hope you get something out of it. Baotivatorbarrels.com/shop/?aff=3. [email protected]
01:24:0827/01/2024
46: Liquor store mistakes part 3. The Texas edition
Today we get back into common liquor store mistakes and how to spot a real Texas whiskey.
01:36:0720/01/2024