The Whiskey Ring Podcast

Ep. 181: Brenne Whisky with Founder Allison Parc

Blueberry Muffins in Cognac and an Ice Cream Collab Waiting To Happen
Allison Parc began as a ballet dancer, and nearly 20 years after leaving that career behind, she still exudes the confidence and posture of one about to assume first position. Her new career, embarked upon at just 23 years old, was wildly different: one grounded in a product of indulgence and imbibing. Even she was unsure if she'd succeed - yet succeed she has, going from renting a Citi-bike and riding around NYC selling Brenne by the bottle to multiple acquisitions and international acclaim. 
Brenne is the first French whisky to grace the podcast, and that was purposeful. France has thousands of distilleries making whiskies and brandies, many of them as small as the smallest craft producers in the US yet putting out incredibly unique spirits. For Allison, Brenne was born of a partnership with a cognac-maker who spent a few weeks every year making spirit from malt rather than grapes. The stills, the terroir, the maker all combine into a flavor profile that is so recognizable I'd argue it can't be blinded (blueberry pancakes or muffin tops are shared notes by everyone I know who has tasted it). 
Whether the soft approachability of the Brenne Estate Cask or the more assertive reward of the Brenne 10 Year Old, this is a beautiful pair of whiskies. These profiles were built on years of testing the market, sending bottles on a barrel-by-barrel basis to see which ones hit the consumer the best (the first time I've heard of this method, and one requiring great patience).
Singular. Unique. These words are overused, but here I found them more appropriate than for most. 
As Allison steps back from full-time work at Brenne toward her next chapter, she joined me to reflect on the steps taken and her own journey. Allison's candid reflections on the challenges of entrepreneurship, including the realities of burnout and the need for self-care in a demanding industry will resonate with you as with me. Most of all, remember these two thoughts of wisdom from Allison: we all have trauma, and it is our responsibility to deal with it, and that only you can achieve your dreams. Take the first step, and the support net will grow. 
Thank you to Allison for entering to the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
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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 dibs if a $25/month member retires. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Brenne Whisky
Brenne Whisky Website
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Ep. 180: Kanosuke Distillery with Roland Ng

Shochu Tradition Meets The New Japanese Whisky
In Kagoshima, along one of the longest beaches in Japan, lies Kanosuke Distillery. Though the family has been distilling shochu for 140+ years, they hadn't entered the whisky sphere. That changed in 2017, with the first products coming out in 2021. 
This is a new standard for Japanese whisky, making grain whisky on shochu stills and using Japanese stills to distill the malt. They've aged as much as 40% of their new make in their own shochu casks, and the component series I've tasted with just the shochu cask-aged spirit is as different a Japanese whisky as I've had in years. 
As they enter the US market more fully, the Kanosuke team is led by Roland Ng, a techie-turned-whiskyphile who serves as General Manager for the Americas and is also a founder of Fog City Social. He's a guy who knows his whisky (and is a great hang out!), and I'm glad to call him a friend. 
Thank you to Roland for entering to the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
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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 dibs if a $25/month member retires. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Kanosuke Distillery
Kanosuke Distillery. Website
Kanosuke Distillery on Instagram
Kanosuke Distillery on Facebook

Ep. 179: Alan Bishop Returns with Old Homestead Distilling Co.

He's ozonating spirits, y'all - what the hell. 
I'm thrilled to welcome back my friend, distilling guru, alchemist, historian, artist, swearer, and so many more things, Alan Bishop. 
There's no need for long show notes on this one. It's a wild ride, from injecting ozone into sunflower spirit to what it means to be the face and embodiment of a brand. Everything else in the middle is a bonus. 
Yes there's cursing. Yes there's dirt dished. Unclench your ass, strap in, and enjoy the ride. 
Thank you to Alan for returning to the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
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BAXUS on Facebook
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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 dibs if a $25/month member retires. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Old Homestead Distilling Co.
Old Homestead Distilling Co. Website
Old Homestead Distilling Co. on Instagram
Old Homestead Distilling Co. on Facebook
 

Ep. 178: Leiper's Fork Distillery with Founder Lee Kennedy

Where I Spent More Time With A Cat Than In The Distillery
Though I really ought to return! 
Leiper's Fork Distillery was founded by Lee Kennedy, who had a long-standing fascination with the history and science of whiskey production (starting with a Fox Fire book series I'd never heard of, all about Appalachian life). After experimenting with home distilling as a teenager, Kennedy pursued establishing the distillery in Williamson County, Tennessee, facing the same hurdles faced by recent and past guests such as Chattanooga Whiskey and even Jack Daniel's. 
The distillery's design and production methods are heavily influenced by the Scots-Irish heritage of whiskey making, with a focus on using local ingredients and traditional pot still techniques and designs to create a singular new make spirit while still playing with things like Vienna malt. The distillery has found unexpected success in attracting tourists, with close to 30,000 paid tours per year, leveraging the scenic rural setting and historic buildings to return to pre-COVID levels of foot traffic. 
Finally, something I love to highlight whenever possible: beyond whiskey production, Leiper's Fork Distillery is actively involved in the local community and has established the Freedom Whiskey Foundation to support transitioning Special Operations veterans, providing scholarships, networking, and entrepreneurial assistance. 
Thank you to Lee for entering the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
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BAXUS on LinkedIn
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are two (2) spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. These are the last spots that will ever be opened without a current member retiring - if you've been waiting, now's the time! 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Leiper's Fork Distillery
Leiper's Fork Distillery Website
Leiper's Fork Distillery on Instagram
Leiper's Fork Distillery on Facebook
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Ep. 177: Isle of Harris Distillery with Shona Macleod and Iona Cairns

Sugar Kelp, A Little Peat, And A Vision For The Future
I first heard about - well, read about - Isle of Harris Distillery in Dave Broom's A Sense of Place. A small community known for its beauty, its tweed, and its declining population, its would-be savior was not a Scot at all, but an American who had grown fond of the area (owning an island nearby) and wanted to save it. 
How though? A distillery - not one that would fall into the cycle of boom and bust that had doomed so many previous ventures seeking to draw people back to the island, but one built for generational growth. It would be of the island - Hearach - and for the Hearach, the islanders. 
Its gin shocked the market, being both simple and elegant. Flavored with sugar kelp harvested by hand nearby and in a Stranger & Stranger-designed waveform bottle, it rode the wave of gins right at the crest to such success that the whisky could continue to age.
In 2023, The Hearach Single Malt debuted to stunning fanfare. The Tarbert Ten - the original 10 employees - had grown to 50, with more growth ahead and long-term sustainability in mind. If that's not enticing enough, just take a listen - there's something to love here, a great deal, in fact, and I'm thrilled to have taken the time to bring you their story. 
Thank you to Shona and Iona for entering the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
BAXUS on Facebook
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BAXUS on LinkedIn
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are four (4) spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. These are the last spots that will ever be opened without a current member retiring - if you've been waiting, now's the time! 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Isle of Harris Distillery
Isle of Harris Distillery Website
Isle of Harris Distillery on Instagram
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Ep. 176: Finger Lakes Distilling with Brian McKenzie

An OG New York Distiller - But You May Know Them From Elsewhere
Finger Lakes Distilling is one of the oldest distilleries in New York, having started in 2007. They're part of the Empire Rye collaborative, and are producing whiskies, brandies, vodka, and a soju spirit. 
But you probably know them for a serendipitous partnership: Pursuit Spirits, from Kenny and Ryan at Bourbon Pursuit, who used Finger Lakes Distilling bourbon and rye in their single barrels and, later, their blends. Finger Lakes - also going by FLX - is a component in Barrell blends, too, but that's not for the parties to say (no NDA for me!). 
I'm joined by Brian McKenzie, founder and the original distiller. When they started, there were no manuals, few people they could talk to to figure out how to distill, but they did it - and now, they pass that knowledge on to new distillers. There's no greater legacy than that. 
Thank you to Brian for entering the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
BAXUS on Facebook
BAXUS on Twitter/X
BAXUS on LinkedIn
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are four (4) spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. These are the last spots that will ever be opened without a current member retiring - if you've been waiting, now's the time! 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Finger Lakes Distillery
Finger Lakes Distillery Website
Finger Lakes Distillery on Instagram
Finger Lakes Distillery on Facebook
 

Ep. 175: Chattanooga Whiskey with Founder Tim Piersant

High Malt Bourbon and Community Support, No LCP Needed: The Story Behind Chattanooga Whiskey
A few years is a lifetime in craft whiskey, and few brands epitomize this more to me than Chattanooga Whiskey. When I first tried them - most likely their now-gone 1816, which was sourced transparently but not representative of where they are today - I was not a fan. Something was off, and I resisted revisiting the brand for years. Then, The Whiskey Bard himself, Nino Kilgore-Marchetti, reached out asking if I wanted to try their new Islay Cask finish.
Why not - it's been a few years, and by my estimation, that's time for a retasting. And bravo to Chattanooga - their "new" whiskey, that is their Tennessee High Malt Bourbon, is excellent, and the Islay Cask finishing series release added to that.
There's a lot to cover in this episode, from uncovering Chattanooga's distilling past to a rip-the-band-aid-off brand transition, all the way to their wins for Craft Producer of the Year 2023 for both the US and the world. Throughout, this episode is a celebration of the craft whiskey movement and the passion driving its revival in Chattanooga. No Lincoln County Process here, folks - this is a Tennessee High Malt Bourbon, loud and proud.
Thank you to Tim for entering the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
BAXUS on Facebook
BAXUS on Twitter/X
BAXUS on LinkedIn
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are four (4) spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. These are the last spots that will ever be opened without a current member retiring - if you've been waiting, now's the time! 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Chattanooga Whiskey
Chattanooga Whiskey Website
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Chattanooga Whiskey on YouTube

Ep. 174: Peat and Whisky Author Mike Billett

From Bogs to Bottles: Peat's Unbreakable Bond With Whiskey
This one's for you, Bill.
In this episode of the Whiskey Ring Podcast, I had the pleasure of welcoming Mike Billett, a peatland specialist and researcher, to discuss his newly released book, Peat and Whiskey: The Unbreakable Bond. His passion for peat led him to write a popular science book that not only highlights the scientific aspects of peat but also intertwines it with the cultural and historical significance of whiskey.
There is so much more than can be covered in a single episode or writeup, but we touch on: 
Peat's significance as a fuel source and how that brought it together with whisky
The changing uses and applications of peat as coal and oil overtook peat as a fuel source
How peat forms, is stripped, and how it occurs on all 7 continents and a landmass equal to about 3% of the total surface of the earth
How regionality of peat in whisky is, at best, a red herring, particularly in modern whisky
The importance of peat in climate change, carbon capture, and why conservation and reconstruction of peatlands are crucial to our future
I cannot recommend Mike's book highly enough. Even if you're not a whisky drinker, you'll have plenty to learn about peat. If you don't love peat, you'll still get a better sense of how the modern whisky landscape developed, through the lenses of taxes, regulations, consolidation and expansion cycles, and the subtle globalization that led Scottish peat to reach Australia, New York, Belgium, and elsewhere all at the same time. Scientifically-interested folks wiil also love the dive into cresols, phenols, and guaiacols. There's more than one PhD thesis I want to read after this interview. 
Pick up the book on Amazon or wherever you get your books!
Thank you to Mike for entering the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
BAXUS on Facebook
BAXUS on Twitter/X
BAXUS on LinkedIn
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are four (4) spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. These are the last spots that will ever be opened without a current member retiring - if you've been waiting, now's the time! 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Peat and Whisky 
Purchase Peat and Whisky