The Whiskey Ring Podcast

Ep. 109: Lisa Roper Wicker

Lisa Roper Wicker. If you know bourbon (or American whiskey in general), you know her name. She's an industry legend whose humility and quiet nature belies an intensity for her work and a vast store of knowledge. 
Lisa has had stints at such spots as Limestone Branch, Widow Jane, Pearse Lyons, Samson & Surrey, and more, exploring a new facet of the industry at each step. Distiller, blender, brewer, president, it's all on the resume. 
Beyond that, though, Lisa is a wonderful human being. For this very special episode, she graciously invited me into her home in Bardstown for a live recording. We spoke for nearly three hours. In between many asides, stories, and connections, we found a commonality - a city boy from New York and a small-town woman who's traveled the world, me loving to visit her state and her having lived in mine for years. 
Oh - and there's a teaser about her next steps, too. 
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Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:
Ad-free listening is now available to $5/month patrons and above! Sign up or raise your pledge at the link below. 
The first three WRP barrel picks are in! The Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Ryes are available at the links below, and the Barrell Rye Finished in Armagnac Casks will be available October 2nd.
Patreon members get an exclusive discount for the Jack Daniel's barrels and free shipping for the Barrell pick - now's the time to up that subscription or join the Patreon if you haven't already!
Our Spirits of French Lick barrel pick is done! I won't spoil the surprise, only saying it is one of only 9 or 10 barrels ever made of this whiskey (and ours will be the first to come out!)
$25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one was on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.
The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks and shortly will have access to ad-free episodes. 
The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 
You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 
Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
https://impexbev.com
ImpEx on Instagram
ImpEx on Facebook
ImpEx on Twitter

Ep. 108: Trä-Kál Patagonian Spirit

THE SINGLE BARRELS ARE HERE! IF YOU'RE NOT ON PATREON YET, GET ON IT NOW OR YOU'RE LIKELY TO MISS OUT
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Ok, here's a new one - how often do you come across a whole new category of spirit? Something that needs new recognition by the TTB, EU, UK, and all regulatory agencies? 
Introducing Trä-Kál Patagonian Spirit. Think about a brandy base (distilled from fruit) using a gin-esque botanical and fruit mix with essential oils. This defies categorization. 
Great on its own, Trä-Kál can replace any mixer, any amaro, a vermouth, anything. It's versatile, it's delicious, and I'm glad I ran into it by accident at the Indie Spirits Expo in June. Listen for Sebastian Gomez's fascinating origin story and why we want to spread the gospel of this spirit everywhere. 
______________________________________________________
Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:
Ad-free listening is now available to $5/month patrons and above! Sign up or raise your pledge at the link below. 
The first WRP barrel pick is coming! I'm back from Tennessee after picking two barrels - that's right, two! - of Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Rye. Our Spirits of French Lick barrel pick is done! I won't spoil the surprise, only saying it is one of only 9 or 10 barrels ever made of this whiskey (and ours will be the first to come out!)
Our Barrell Rye pick done with Perry and Eric of This Is My Bourbon Podcast is just about ready, too, so keep an eye out on social media and on the mailing list for updates. 
$25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one was on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.
The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks and shortly will have access to ad-free episodes. 
The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 
You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 
Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Trä-Kál Patagonian Spirit
Trä-Kál Patagonian Spirit Website
Trä-Kál Patagonian Spirit on Instagram
Trä-Kál Patagonian Spirit on Facebook
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
https://impexbev.com
ImpEx on Instagram
ImpEx on Facebook
ImpEx on Twitter

Ep. 107: Cape Byron Distillery with Founder Eddie Brook

This week, we're back to whisky! Still without an E, but whisky nonetheless! 
We're going to the farthest east coast of Australia, the Gold Coast and Cape Byron to visit Cape Byron Distillery. 
Founded by Eddie Brook and nurtured by whisky legend Jim McEwan, Cape Byron is putting out whiskies, gins, and liqueurs that celebrate the land from which they come. The Brookie's gin has 25 botanicals, with 17 native species. The single malt is excellent, boasting the creamy, buttery notes of a great malt whisky in half or a third of the time it would take in Scotland. 
After the whisky and gin, they've got a macadamia-based liqueur, a slow gin (their version of a sloe using native Davidson plums in place of sloe berries), and many more products. Not all are available in the US, but I certainly hope they will be soon. 
And if you're a fan of Jim McEwan, you'll find some of his signature touches, from the still design to the fermentation, all customized to reflect the unique environment of Australia's east coast. It's halfway across the world, and you should be paying attention to it. 
______________________________________________________
Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:
Ad-free listening is now available to $5/month patrons and above! Sign up or raise your pledge at the link below. 
The first WRP barrel pick is coming! I'm back from Tennessee after picking two barrels - that's right, two! - of Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Rye. Our Spirits of French Lick barrel pick is done! I won't spoil the surprise, only saying it is one of only 9 or 10 barrels ever made of this whiskey (and ours will be the first to come out!)
Our Barrell Rye pick done with Perry and Eric of This Is My Bourbon Podcast is just about ready, too, so keep an eye out on social media and on the mailing list for updates. 
$25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one was on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.
The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks and shortly will have access to ad-free episodes. 
The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 
You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 
Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Cape Byron Distillery
Cape Byron Distillery Website
Cape Byron Distillery on Instagram
Cape Byron Distillery on Facebook
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
https://impexbev.com
ImpEx on Instagram
ImpEx on Facebook
ImpEx on Twitter

Ep. 106: Holmes Cay Rum with Founder Eric Kaye

We're taking another diversion from whiskey this week to talk rum! I'm joined by my favorite rum guru, Eric Kaye, to talk Holmes Cay Rum, single barrels, and origin series rums from around the world. 
Eric spends half the year traveling around the world, trying rums from Barbados and Jamaica to Mauritius, Japan, and Fiji. Dozens of countries, all making their own styles of rum for exploration. 
And that's why Holmes Cay is the best way to get into the rum game. It's not all Bacardi, sugared and colored sugarcane distillate, and mixed drinks - rum is incredibly diverse, can handle years of aging both continentally and tropically, and varies far more from country to country than anything you'll see in whiskey. 
I caught a new rum bug recently and I genuinely think it may be more exciting than whiskey at the moment. At minimum, it's something new to explore. Glad I've got someone like Eric to guide me through the journey. 
______________________________________________________
Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:
Ad-free listening is now available to $5/month patrons and above! Sign up or raise your pledge at the link below. 
The first WRP barrel pick is coming! I'm back from Tennessee after picking two barrels - that's right, two! - of Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Rye. Our Spirits of French Lick barrel pick is done! I won't spoil the surprise, only saying it is one of only 9 or 10 barrels ever made of this whiskey (and ours will be the first to come out!)
Our Barrell Rye pick done with Perry and Eric of This Is My Bourbon Podcast is just about ready, too, so keep an eye out on social media and on the mailing list for updates. 
$25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one was on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.
The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks and shortly will have access to ad-free episodes. 
The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 
You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 
Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Holmes Cay
Holmes Cay Website
Holmes Cay on Instagram
Holmes Cay on Facebook
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
https://impexbev.com
ImpEx on Instagram
ImpEx on Facebook
ImpEx on Twitter

Ep. 105: Jack Daniel’s Distillery with Lexie Phillips

Let's be honest - if you don't know who or what Jack Daniel's is, you probably aren't old enough to listen to this podcast. 
ANYWAY - I'm thrilled to be joined by Lexie Phillips, Assistant Distiller. Lexie is not only the first woman in this position, she's also an accomplished distiller and taster in her own right with a background in agriculture. Oh, and she led the barrel pick that resulted in TWO barrels for podcast listeners!
Lexie and I talk the parts of Jack that you don't always hear about, including the rye, the single malt, how Jack became Jack, and how one of the world's largest distilleries is managing to put out innovative (and good!) releases multiple times per year. 
I can't tell you how excited I was to get this podcast in the books. Thank you to Lexie and the entire Jack Daniel's and FINN Partners group for making this happen. Special shout out to Hillary, without whom none of this was possible. 
______________________________________________________
Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:
Ad-free listening is now available to $5/month patrons and above! Sign up or raise your pledge at the link below. 
The first WRP barrel pick is coming! I'm back from Tennessee after picking two barrels - that's right, two! - of Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Rye. Our Spirits of French Lick barrel pick is done! I won't spoil the surprise, only saying it is one of only 9 or 10 barrels ever made of this whiskey (and ours will be the first to come out!)
Our Barrell Rye pick done with Perry and Eric of This Is My Bourbon Podcast is just about ready, too, so keep an eye out on social media and on the mailing list for updates. 
$25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one was on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.
The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks and shortly will have access to ad-free episodes. 
The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 
You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 
Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Jack Daniel's Distillery
Jack Daniel's Distillery Website
Jack Daniel's Distillery on Instagram
Jack Daniel's Distillery on Facebook
Jack Daniel's Distillery on YouTube
Jack Daniel's Distillery on Twitter/X
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
https://impexbev.com
ImpEx on Instagram
ImpEx on Facebook
ImpEx on Twitter

Ep. 104: Dread River Part 2 with Joshua Goins

Part 2 of our episode with Dread River Distilling in Alabama gets down to the nuts and bolts with new distiller Joshua Goins. Founder John Cubelic stole Joshua down to Birmingham to take over the distilling, and just a month and a half into the job he entered the Whiskey Ring. 
I must say, he did an amazing job. 
This episode works best with Part 1 (Episode 98) but is set as a standalone, too. Enjoy!
______________________________________________________
Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:
Ad-free listening is now available to $5/month patrons and above! Sign up or raise your pledge at the link below. 
The first WRP barrel pick is coming! I'm back from Tennessee after picking two barrels - that's right, two! - of Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Rye. Our Spirits of French Lick barrel pick is done! I won't spoil the surprise, only saying it is one of only 9 or 10 barrels ever made of this whiskey (and ours will be the first to come out!)
Our Barrell Rye pick done with Perry and Eric of This Is My Bourbon Podcast is just about ready, too, so keep an eye out on social media and on the mailing list for updates. 
$25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one was on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.
The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks and shortly will have access to ad-free episodes. 
The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 
You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 
Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Dread River Distillery
Dread River Distillery Website
Dread River Distillery on Instagram
Dread River Distillery on Facebook
Dread River Distillery on YouTube
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
https://impexbev.com
ImpEx on Instagram
ImpEx on Facebook
ImpEx on Twitter

Ep. 103: New York Distilling Co. with Allen Katz

Back to whiskey! Driving down to Brooklyn, we're visiting New York Distilling Co. (NYDC) with founder Allen Katz. 
NYDC was one of the first distilleries back in NY after the craft movement started. It devoted itself to only one type of whiskey: rye. Gins, too, but only rye on the whiskey side. And that rye is Empire Rye - a minimum of 75% rye grown in New York. 
NYDC is a fascinating study in focus and length. A decade-plus in its history and multiple rye variations later, it stays true to that mission: rye is, and always will be, the driver behind NYDC's growth. 
After a move from its longtime home in Williamsburg to a new, larger site in Bushwick, NYDC is ready to keep growing. With its founder still at the helm, this is a NY distillery to discover, revisit, and enjoy. 
______________________________________________________
Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:
Ad-free listening is now available to $5/month patrons and above! Sign up or raise your pledge at the link below. 
The first WRP barrel pick is coming! I'm back from Tennessee after picking two barrels - that's right, two! - of Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Rye. Our Spirits of French Lick barrel pick is done! I won't spoil the surprise, only saying it is one of only 9 or 10 barrels ever made of this whiskey (and ours will be the first to come out!)
Our Barrell Rye pick done with Perry and Eric of This Is My Bourbon Podcast is just about ready, too, so keep an eye out on social media and on the mailing list for updates. 
$25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one was on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.
The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks and shortly will have access to ad-free episodes. 
The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 
You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 
Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
New York Distilling Co. 
New York Distilling Co. Website
New York Distilling Co. Facebook
New York Distilling Co. Instagram
New York Distilling Co. Twitter
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
https://impexbev.com
ImpEx on Instagram
ImpEx on Facebook
ImpEx on Twitter

Ep. 102: Bertha’s Revenge Gin with Founders Justin Green and Antony Jackson

I know what you're thinking: Gin? That bitter, juniper-heavy, cocktail drink? 
Yes, gin. But gin is so much more than a mixing spirit. 
Gins have been a low-key favorite spirit of mine for a while now. The most interesting ones differentiate themselves with local botanicals (read: plants, spices, etc.) that create a profile unique to that place. Some, like this week's guest, start before that, using the base as a differentiator. 
I didn't know this, but apparently whey-based alcohol is a thing and a growing thing at that. Basically, take the whey off of cheese-making/dairy production, ferment and distill it, and you get a base alcohol just like if you distilled fruit or grain or potatoes. The difference is the mouthfeel, and boy is there a difference. 
Bertha's Revenge is the best of both worlds: a gin that has the botanical profile of provenance with a mouthfeel that's unmistakably viscous. It's a gin that works perfectly well in a cocktail and as a standalone (especially that navy strength - wow!). Add in the sloe gin (Slow Bertha, a fantastic name) and founders Justin and Antony have a winning combo. 
This is a flat-out fun episode, bouncing around between a London gin trip to the brand's namesake, a 49-year-old cow (deceased in 1993) who had a mind-boggling 39 calves in her lifetime. 39!!! My god...that Droimeann must be proud of the gin that's adopted her name and likeness. If you have 39 kids and don't drink, you're listening to the wrong podcast. 
______________________________________________________
Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:
The first WRP barrel pick is coming! I'm back from Tennessee after picking two barrels - that's right, two! - of Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Rye. Our Spirits of French Lick barrel pick is done! I won't spoil the surprise, only saying it is one of only 9 or 10 barrels ever made of this whiskey (and ours will be the first to come out!)
Our Barrell Rye pick done with Perry and Eric of This Is My Bourbon Podcast is just about ready, too, so keep an eye out on social media and on the mailing list for updates. 
$25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one was on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.
The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks and shortly will have access to ad-free episodes. 
The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 
You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 
Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Bertha's Revenge Distillery
Bertha's Revenge Website
Bertha's Revenge on Facebook
Bertha's Revenge on Instagram
Bertha's Revenge on Twitter
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
https://impexbev.com
ImpEx on Instagram
ImpEx on Facebook
ImpEx on Twitter