The Whiskey Ring Podcast

Ep. 143: The Cotswolds Distillery with Founder Dan Szor, Part 1

An Expat, Jim Swan, and Outstanding Natural Beauty
Dan Szor is an expat, a native of New York City who has found a permanent home in the Cotswolds of England, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with rolling hills, flowers, and fruits. With a background in finance, Dan found whisky as a side passion, one he converted into a full-time role in the early 2010s by starting the Cotswolds Distillery. 
In Part 1 of our conversation, Dan and I discuss his inspirations - the hedonistic time in Paris getting exposed to whisky through the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and La Maison du Whisky, the barley revelation, and meeting Jim McEwan, that wizard of whisky whose time at Bruichladdich inspired Dan long before a distillery was in the cards. 
There's a lot to talk about on the Cotswolds, so we'll have a part two coming out next week to talk more about the distillery itself and the truly excellent single malts coming out. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Dan for entering the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
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. 
Cotswolds Distillery
Cotswolds Distillery Website
Cotswolds Distillery Instagram
Cotswolds Distillery Facebook
Cotswolds Distillery on Twitter/X
Cotswolds Distillery on YouTube
Cotswolds Distillery on LinkedIn
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
BAXUS on Facebook
BAXUS on Twitter/X
BAXUS on LinkedIn
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Ep. 142: Dingle Distillery with Elliot Hughes

The Wren Boy in the West
Sitting on the farthest spit of peninsula in Europe, Dingle Distillery is the first craft distillery in Ireland post-consolidation. From its place on the Wild Atlantic Way, Dingle set forth the path for the dozens of Irish distilleries that followed in the last decade-plus. 
Managing Director and son of the founder Elliot Hughes joins me to talk through Dingle's history and four expressions: Dingle Single Malt, Samhain, Bealtaine, and La Le Bride. Embracing the culture of their (and County Kerry's) Gaeltacht region, Dingle leans heavily into Celtic lore (try pronouncing the distillery's Gaelic name...I'll wait). 
We also talk about the significance of being the first craft distillery to open, joining the long-standing Midleton, Bushmills, and Cooley distilleries that pumped out all the Irish whiskey we drank for decades. It's more than just being the first, it's about setting an example, and they did. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Elliot for entering the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
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. 
Dingle Distillery
Dingle Distillery Website
Dingle Distillery Instagram
Dingle Distillery Facebook
Reviews
Dingle Distillery Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review
Dingle Distillery Samhain Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Ep. 141: MB Roland Distillery with Founder Paul Tomaszewski

White Corn + Amish Dairy Farm = Kentucky Craft
On my first trip to Kentucky in 2022, I needed one more distillery to visit before heading down to Nashville for the Tennessee portion of my trip. I could've gone to a heritage distillery - still haven't been to Jim Beam or Buffalo Trace - but instead, I took a chance on a small distillery in Christian County near the state line: MB Roland. 
I got to go on the first-ever Distiller's tour, led by Paul, where we got to fill our own bottles right out of the casks. From there, we went into a makeshift bar under the beautiful visitor's center and sampled many, many more products, from a rye and a single malt to Pink Lemonade Moonshine, a favorite of bachelorette parties (don't knock it - besides being a great revenue source, it does actually taste great!). 
What became clear was that this small distillery, founded by a husband and wife team in 2009 in the earliest days of craft distilling in the backyard of the biggest bourbon producers in the world, was trying to do something different. Spirits using local white corn, experimental mashbills, playing around with cask sizes (though most are 53 gallons), and most of all doing what they wanted. 
It's a great place to visit with many different whiskies and spirits to try. Take the drive off the beaten path, it's worth it. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and 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
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
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. 
MB Roland Distillery
MB Roland Distillery Website
MB Roland Distillery Instagram
MB Roland Distillery Facebook
MB Roland Distillery Twitter
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Ep. 140: Casey Jones Distillery with Cody Turner

Square Stills, Moonshine, and Two Total Eclipses
Ever seen a square pot still? No? Me neither. Apparently, for moonshiners in the Land Between the Rivers (now Land Between the Lakes) region, square stills were all the rage - they could be loaded into the back of a pickup truck, easily disassembled, and still put out high quality moonshine. And nobody did it better than Arlen Jones, better known as "Casey" because he only sold moonshine by the case. 
Casey ended up in prison twice, the final time leading to him getting out of the still-making business for good. Fast forward a few decades, and in a truly ironic twist, the government came calling for him to make one more still (a working one, no less!) for the Land Between the Lakes visitors center - and he did. That still stands today in the Casey Jones Distillery.
When Casey's grandson, AJ, discovered his family's history (it was a poorly held secret), he decided to get into the game himself, too. A decade or so later, they have four mashbills of whiskey, are growing rapidly, and are the official bourbon of not one but TWO eclipses (they were in the line of totality for the 2017 solar eclipse and just outside of it for the April 2024 one). 
Finally, they're also members of the State Line Trail with MB Roland in Kentucky and Old Glory Distilling in Tennessee - look for my episode with Paul at MB Roland next week!
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Cody for entering the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
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. 
Casey Jones Distillery
Casey Jones Distillery Website
Casey Jones Distillery Instagram
Casey Jones Distillery Facebook
Casey Jones Distillery Twitter
Casey Jones Distillery YouTube
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Ep. 139: Old Line Spirits Update with Mark McLaughlin

A Navy Strength Rebrand...And a Rye???
Old Line Spirits returns with some new looks! Since Mark and Old Line Spirits were last on the podcast back in Episode 54, they've made several changes to their brand. An updated label, a bumped-up proof (86 to 95) for the core single malt, and hints of a rye coming sometime in 2024...
Mark and Arch are two Navy buddies who founded Old Line in Baltimore, playing into the rise of American Single Malt. This was one of my favorite distillery visits, and if you find yourself in the DMV area, definitely hit them up for a tour and tasting!
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Mark for returning to the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
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. 
Old Line Spirits
Old Line Spirits Website
Old Line Spirits Instagram
Old Line Spirits Facebook
Old Line Spirits Twitter
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Ep. 138: New Riff Distillery with Master Distiller Brian Sprance

A Master Distiller Who's Earned His Stripes
Brian Sprance is New Riff's new master distiller! Aside from some good-natured ribbing from his colleagues, though, you would never know it. 
New Riff named Brian Master Distiller after getting the blessing from Ebersold and co-founders Ken Lewis and Jay Erisman. Ten years after he started, he is now at the top. 
Brian has been with New Riff since before they started producing, joining in 2013 during the final phase of installation. He's been mentored by some of the best in the industry, including Larry Ebersold of Seagram's/LDI/MGP. His story is exactly what you want in a master distiller - start at the bottom, learn every nook and cranny of the distillery, go through the expansions and changes, ultimately learning the ropes on the job at a single place. 
His title is a recognition of the work he's put in - remember, this is a guy who ended up at a distillery because he had a non-compete that blocked him from joining a brewery, and had never distilled before. We as consumers are fortunate that we don't have to wait to taste his mark on the product - it's been there all along. 
Whether it's playing with different grains, different malting levels, using peated casks, or sharing those whiskies with legends of the industry (Jim McEwan and John Glaser, anyone?), Brian knows how the New Riff plant will react. He shares his story, how he's grown, and - in my favorite question of the interview - whether he would accept the title of Master Distiller if he joined another distillery. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Brian for entering the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
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 Riff Distillery
New Riff Distillery Website
New Riff Distillery on Instagram
New Riff Distillery on Facebook
New Riff Distillery on Twitter
New Riff Distillery on YouTube
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Bonus Episode: Old Dominick Distilling with Master Distiller Alex Castle

A Rooster, A Family, and Memphis Barbecue
Old Dominick isn't the oldest distillery in Tennessee, but it's no spring chicken either. The brand itself - including a stint as a whiskey blending house - goes back to 1866, the same year a Mr. Jasper "Jack" Daniel was setting up his own stillhouse a few hours east. 
158 years later, D. Canale & Co. no longer has a food distribution business, but they do have a thriving distillery. Overseen by their energetic, Kentucky-born Master Distiller Alex Castle, Old Dominick has risen to quickly be one of Tennessee's premier craft distilleries. 
Shortly after our interview, Alex announced that she was leaving Old Dominick for her next adventure. In the eight years she spent there, the distillery became a go-to destination in Memphis, putting out world-class Tennessee Whiskey as well as sourced products under their Huling Station line (an homage to the station near which the original D. Canale was based). 
The bottom line is this: Old Dominick will of course miss Alex, and she has left her founding imprimatur on the entire portfolio. It is also in a fantastic position to go forward into its next chapter. 
Congratulations to Alex on her next move, and best wishes to Old Dominick as they move forward - the great future is just beginning, and this is a distillery you need to watch and visit next time you're craving barbecue. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Alex for entering the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
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. 
Old Dominick Distillery
Old Dominick Distillery Website
Old Dominick Distillery on Instagram
Old Dominick Distillery on Facebook
Old Dominick Distillery on Twitter
Old Dominick Distillery on YouTube
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Ep. 137: Whiskey Jypsi Explorer with Ari Sussman

Exploring French and American Oak
Whiskey Jypsi's newest release - Explorer - seeks to show how the core identities of French and American oak species affect flavor in whiskey. They take the consumer on a world tour, stopping both in Eric Church's backyard (North Carolinian American white oak near to where Church grew up) and French oak from the Tronçais forest. 
Neither wood is entirely new to American whiskey drinkers (especially white oak...it's what almost everyone uses as a new cask, right?), and French oak has been used enough to have a passing familiarity.
The difference here is how Ari and the Whiskey Jypsi team use the wood - and, most importantly, the use of new French oak rather than ex-wine casks or other used cooperage. By toasting and charring staves and inserting them to finish the whiskey - using the entirety of the stave, not just the thin layer that's been charred on the inside of a cask - much more flavor is extracted. 
Note: I said flavor. Not oakiness. For all the wood exploration in this release, woodiness and tannins are not among the explorations. And thank heavens for that. 
The story is intriguing - blend the influence of Tronçais forest's wood, formerly overseen by the Duke of Bourbon and the origin point for the troubadour tradition, with American oak from the home of the country artist behind the blend. As a plus, at least in media kits, we got small pieces of each wood type to smell and see, a sensory experience that greatly helped me in discerning which note was from which wood. 
Ultimately, though, it comes down to the product at hand. After all, anyone can write a good story - it takes skill to translate that through the art of blending into a good whiskey. Enter: Ari Sussman, frequent friend of the podcast and all-around good source of whiskey knowledge. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Ari for returning to the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
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. 
Whiskey JYPSI
Whiskey JYPSI Website
Whiskey JYPSI on Instagram
Whiskey JYPSI on Facebook
Whiskey JYPSI on Twitter
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram