The Whiskey Ring Podcast

Germany's Ryes, with Napoleon's Help

Show Notes

Thank you to Bastian for entering the whiskey ring! 

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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring

The Bottle Share Club - the $25/month Patreon level - is SOLD OUT! You can still support the podcast for as little as $1/month, and $5/month patrons will have first...

Whisky is just grown up beer!

Show Notes

Thank you to Max for entering the whiskey ring! 

_________________________________________________________

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring

The Bottle Share Club - the $25/month Patreon level - is SOLD OUT! You can still support the podcast for as little as $1/month, and $5/month patrons will have first dibs if a ...

OG of Craft Meets OG FEW of Prohibition

Show Notes

Thank you to Paul for entering the whiskey ring! 

_________________________________________________________

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring

The Bottle Share Club - the $25/month Patreon level - is SOLD OUT! You can still support the podcast for as little as $1/month, and $5/month patrons will have first...

Get In The Spirit!

Show Notes

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring

The Bottle Share Club - the $25/month Patreon level - is SOLD OUT! You can still support the podcast for as little as $1/month, and $5/month patrons will have first dibs if a $25/month member retires. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast ...

Spirits of San Francisco: Inside Hotaling & Co with Kevin Aslan

Have you tried or heard of Old Potrero Rye? What about Junipero Gin? Surely you've heard of Hirsch American Whiskey, right? If not, Kevin Aslan, head distiller for Hotaling & Co. in San Francisco, is here to re-introduce these under-the-radar giants of American craft whiskey. 

Old Potrero, when it first arrived in 1996 (distilled in 1993) was the first fully po...

The First South Korean Single Malt, or, An Eagle, a Unicorn, and a Tiger Walk Into a Bar

Ki One (formerly known as Three Societies) was founded in 2020 with a simple goal: be the first Korean single malt distillery and set a benchmark for what Korean single malt could be. Given the reaction to their releases, one can only say well done. They are the first Korean single malt on the market, with three core expressions (the Eagle, Uni...

Heritage, Grain, and Grit: Matt McKay Revives the London Distillery Company

The London Distillery Company - TLDC - has, TLDR, had a rather rough two centuries. Two failed ventures, one in the early 1800s and one in the 2010s, the last ending in 2020 with a few dozen casks remaining, sitting in a warehouse for several years unloved. 

Enter Matt McKay, a Whiskey Ring Podcast guest way back in Episode 70. Having recently departed Bimb...

La Maison du Whisky, Version Française, and Everything About French Whisky

I love "visiting" new countries through the podcast. Granted, France we had technically touched before through Brenne, but I'd heard that there was so much more to learn about the French culture of drinking and spirit production - so who better to talk to than Marion Attardi and Matthieu Acar, of La Maison & Velier and La Maison du Whisky, respectively. 

Scottish Born, Colorodo Bred

Show Notes and Reviews

Colorado was long a bastion of the craft beer scene, and out of that grew a now-booming craft whiskey industry. Among the first of those whiskeymakers was Boulder Spirits (part of Vapor Distillery), who imported Alastair Brogan in 2012. His vision was clear: to create the best American single malt whiskey possible, while honoring traditional methods and embracing the distinctive C...

Why Not, What If?

Georgie Bell and husband Fabrizio Leoni co-founded The Heart Cut, an independent bottler, with an eye towards the world. The question is relatively simple: how can we connect whisky enthusiasts with some of the most exciting, innovative, and deserving-of-attention distilleries? More than half of which - in a telling coincidence - have been Whiskey Ring Podcast guests?

Georgie and Fab are globe-trotting whiskey hun...

Leading the Revival of Maryland Rye

This week on the Whiskey Ring Podcast, I got to cross off another long-awaited guest: Sagamore Spirit. Situated harborside in downtown Baltimore, Sagamore's campus is among the more beautiful I've visited. The 5-acre plot centers around Penny, their 40' copper column still, which has (almost) single-handedly managed their transition from MGP-sourced rye to 100% Maryland-distilled rye, which now f...

Waves, Whiskey, and Wild Tasmania: The Waubs Harbour Story

Nestled on the rugged East Coast of Tasmania, Waubs Harbour Distillery emerges as a maritime whiskey revelation that challenges everything you thought you knew about Tasmanian spirits. Founded by Tim and Bec Polmear, with distiller (and Tim's brother) Rob bringing scientific precision and deep industry experience, this distillery is a testament to the power of provenance an...

Our First Venture To South Dakota

Black Fork Farms' roots trace back to Gordon Omen's great-great-grandfather, Poppy J Omen, who immigrated from Germany and farmed in Southwest Minnesota. The distillery operates on the same land where Gordon grew up, now primarily dedicated to distilling operations. Gordon's inspiration came during a trip to Budapest, where he experienced a field-to-glass bourbon that sparked his vision for creatin...

A Weirdly Timed Episode...

Let's get the awkwardness out of the way - I had the pleasure of interviewing Mel Maddox, now-former Master Blender for Old Elk, on May 2nd. A few days later, it was announced that Old Elk had been acquired by Middle West Spirits (a previous guest!) and, subsequently, all workings at their Fort Collins, Colorado location were ceasing. This included laying off all production staff, including Mel. 

This was...

Geese, Barley, and Peat At The First New Islay Distillery in 124 Years

In this brand new episode of the Whiskey Ring Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with James Wills, son of founder Anthony Wills and a worldwide face of Kilchoman Distillery on Islay. This episode marks a significant milestone as it is my first interview with an Islay distillery (I was surprised too!), and I was excited to delve into the unique aspects of Ki...

One Distillery, Two Time Zones, and Corsets and Whips, Oh My!

Husband-and-wife team BIll and Johanna Welter came to whiskey through very different paths - thankfully, their union has produced not one, but two distilleries from which Journeyman's whiskies and spirits spring forth. Bill's passion for golf led him to St. Andrews, Scotland; Johanna's path led through hospitality, drinking whiskey at a time when "most women were drinkin...

Bourbon Pursuit and Pursuit Spirits Enter the Whiskey Ring

What do you ask when your guests have over 1,000 podcast episodes over three shows and 10 years? That was my task this week - let me know how I did! 

My guests are Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil, hosts of the Bourbon Pursuit podcast and founders of Pursuit Spirits, an NDP grown out of their love of bourbon and rye and, in my mind, the dream that many of us on this side of th...

From Neighbors to Distillers: The Story Behind Oaklore Distilling Co.

In this episode of the Whiskey Ring Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Matt Simpkins and Tom Bogan, the co-founders of Oaklore Distilling in North Carolina. Their journey began as neighbors bonding over their shared passion for whiskey while walking their kids to the bus stop. What started as casual "Tuesday drinking" sessions evolved into a deep dive...

Whiskey, Rum, and Community: St. Augustine Distillery

In this episode of the Whiskey Ring Podcast, we take a deep dive into the world of craft distilling in Florida, featuring two key figures from the St. Augustine Distillery: Will Hensler, the COO, and Rick deMontmollin, the VP of Production. As we explore the unique landscape of distilling in the Sunshine State, we uncover the rich history and innovative practices that have shap...