January 24, 2025

Inside Castle and Key with Brett Connors

1 hour

Welcome to another exciting episode of the EmbellishPod! In this episode, we sit down with Brett Connors from Castle & Key to delve into the fascinating world of whiskey, historic preservation, and innovative distilling practices.

Brett shares his journey from the hospitality industry to becoming a key player at Castle & Key, a distillery known for its unique blend of modern whiskey-making techniques and historic preservation. We discuss the challenges and rewards of reviving an old distillery site, the importance of maintaining a balance between tradition and innovation, and the meticulous process behind their latest releases, including the much-anticipated seven-year cask strength wheated bourbon.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction and housekeeping

00:00:44 - Brett Connors' background and journey to Castle & Key

00:01:56 - The significance of the Castle & Key site and its history

00:03:13 - The process of reviving a historic distillery

00:07:56 - Balancing modern whiskey-making with historical preservation

00:12:43 - Measuring success and future goals for Castle & Key

00:20:14 - Launching new products and the importance of age statements

00:24:02 - The role of rye whiskey and experimental series at Castle & Key

00:31:11 - The philosophy behind barrel finishing and future releases

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