The Whiskey Lore® Podcast

Time to take a trek off the beaten path to a family run distillery that defines what it means to run a craft distillery business. For 10 years, Craig and Meredith Amick have grown the business from moonshine made on a flame fed pot still to a line of Bourbon's that are showing, even in South Carolina heat, the right craftsman can make a unique Bourbon filled with complexity.

Join me as we chat about Craig's family's 9 generations in South Carolina and how they've incorporated that history into their spirits. We'll also tackle the idea of making things you might not initially have excitement about and then excelling at them. And I'll reveal the first flavored vodka I ever fell in love with and on the extended Patreon version of this interview, I'll give my impressions of Hollow Creek's 8 1/2 year Bourbon that is still aging in its cask.

Find this distillery and more at whiskey-lore.com/flights

Rock Town Distillery (Little Rock, AR) WF0043

Today, I'm off on the last stop of my first swing through the country. The destination is Rock Town Distillery, where cocktails have become a specialty, and where you can taste the difference between column still and pot still whiskey - and maybe even taste some peated Bourbon and single malt.

Join me today as I chat with Phil Brandon, founder of Rock Town, as we talk about the distillery's 15th anniversary, getting started in non-traditional places, and some of the things people can experience at the distillery and around Little Rock.

Want no commercial interruptions, 10 extra minutes to this interview, and a higher quality file, become a Whiskey Lore Patreon member, get access to exclusive video interview archives, Bracketology voting, and more. Join the Speakeasy for as little as $5 per month and support whiskey history and the promotion of great craft distilleries. I look forward to seeing you.

patreon.com/whiskeylore

Cheers and slainte mhath, Drew

Hochatown Distilling Co (Broken Bow, OK) WF0042

What do you think of when you think of Oklahoma? Probably not beautiful green hills and Bourbon whiskey. Well, it is time to discover, along with me, one of the most beautiful parts of the state of Oklahoma, near the tourist town of Broken Bow, to learn about a distillery built on science.

Meet Blue McDaniel, co-founder of the Hochatown Distilling Company, a distillery that embraces the unique weather, local grains and lumber, and started with a scientific approach. It's a distillery that will help get you into the concept of distilling in a state long associated with temperance.

And to learn more about this and other distilleries featured on the show, check out the nearly 600 distillery profiles at whiskey-lore.com/travel

Ironroot Republic Distillery (Denison, TX) WF0041

The Great 48 Tour heads to a family run distillery that is celebrating 10 years of mixing French distilling techniques with Bourbon and other spirits. Join me as I chat with Robert Likarish, co-founder of Ironroot. We'll talk about the distillery's origins, working with barrels in Texas heat, and how they set their distillery experience apart from the rest.

Find details about Ironroot and all of the other distilleries we profile on the show at whiskey-lore.com/flights (and make sure to sign up for the free wish list feature, to keep track of your favorites).

Old Dominick Distillery (Memphis, TN) WF040

Welcome to Memphis, the second stop on my Great 48 Tour of the United States and its amazingly creative craft distilleries. Today, we're skipping Graceland and heading straight downtown to Front Street, a couple stops from Beale, to enjoy some whiskey and Memphis history through the eyes of the Old Dominick Distillery.

Join me as I visit one of my favorite distilleries in the state, talk about the tour experience, the legends of Boss Crump and Prohibition, the grocer turned whiskey producer from Italy, and all the things you could pair with a trip to this very engaging distillery. It's time to get a taste of Memphis while I share plenty of travel tips for a Bluff City visit.

Find this and all past episodes and distillery profiles at: https://whiskey-lore.com/flights

Bard Distillery (Graham, KY) WF039

It's time for the "Great 48 Tour" as I make my way across the country, visiting a craft distillery in each of the 48 contiguous states.

It seems appropriate to start this kind of journey in Kentucky, the state that helped bring whiskey back after Prohibition. But so many distilleries in east and central Kentucky are well established. Heading to Western Kentucky is like seeing the rebirth of distilling all over again.

Today's stop is the Bard Distillery (Stop #1), where Tom and Kim Bard established a distillery in the very schoolhouse where Tom got his education. During this visit, he gives us an education about the founding of Bardstown, how the couple met on the racing circuit, and how they are looking to evolve their distillery with the recent addition of a column still and development of a full-fledged visitor's center. All sorts of travel advice and This Week In Whiskey Lore in this episode.

Find this and past Whiskey Flights at whiskey-lore.com/flights

The unedited interview (with 11 extra minutes) available to members at patreon.com/whiskeylore

Kiwi Spirit (Golden Bay, New Zealand) WF038

(A special extended version is available at whiskey-lore.com/patreon - available with the 7-day free trial)

It's time to head to the land of the Kiwi's - New Zealander's fun nickname. A few weeks ago, Kiwi Spirit was flying in the Whiskey Lore "Craft Distillery Fan Favorite" competition and reached the Sweet 16. I felt it was time to get to know them and their spirits better.

What I found out is that the distillery is on the edge of one of the most beautiful places in the world and is crafting some really fun and unique spirits. Their whiskey spends time barrels that once housed their honey mead - and if you heard our Ethanology episode, you'll know that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be tasting honey from these barrels. We'll learn about that, get travel advice and more.

Plus, on The Week In Whiskey Lore, I'll talk about a major historical accomplishment that Rev. Elijah Craig may be closer to than being the Father of Bourbon.

Make sure to check out this and our past flights all around the world at whiskey-lore.com/flights

Hellyers Road Distillery (Burnie, Tasmania) WF037

How many distilleries are there on the island of Tasmania? Wow, really?

It is time to take our first steps onto whisky island. So you thought that was Islay, right? Well, maybe by volume, but for the sheer number of distilleries, Tasmania has them by a mile.

Today, let's get a sense of what is going on in Tasmania, the flavors, the styles, the experiences, and the people. Join me as I chat with CEO Derek Charge or our Head Distiller Fiona Coutts of Hellyers Road Distillery to learn how a milk farm turned into a distillery and dive into details about the distillery fans drove up into our Sweet 16 Fan Favorite Craft Distilleries competition.

Plus, on This Week in Whiskey Lore, we'll see why whisky advertising in the US was non-existent for multiple generations. Plus, I'll give away what next year's Great 48 Tour will encompass.

Cheers! Drew

Hard Truth Spirits (Nashville, Indiana) WF036

Over the years, I've been to a few distilleries that consider themselves "destination distilleries." On the way up through Indiana, I saw Hard Truth suggesting they were a "Top" destination distillery. In this episode, Gerry, Bryan, and Travis are out to convince me of it.

Join me on my last stop along the Midwest Great Lakes Tour 2024 as I visit the hill country of Indiana. And also find out about one of Canada's legendary distillers that time forgot - on This Week In Whiskey Lore.

And make sure to check out other great distillery locations at whiskey-lore.com/travel - I now have almost 600 featured.

O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co. (Minneapolis, MN) WF035

The Midwest Great Lakes Tour 2024 is winding down, but not before we hit a jewel of the Midwest, Minneapolis and the distillery that is bringing together Irish and American spirit traditions. The distillery is O'Shaughnessy the home of Keeper's Heart. I'll chat with former brewer, now lead distiller Chris Sliber about how he and Irish distiller Brian Nation are building the perfect infusion of Irish Pot Still, grain, and American Bourbon and rye. We'll talk about pot stills, deconstructing whiskey, and what to expect while on tour.

Plus, fans of Prince will get a chance to be Prince for a Day and the latest edition of This Week In Whiskey Lore will go back 139 years to one of the ties to Tennessee's distilling history. We'll do it in honor of my Lost History of Tennessee Whiskey audiobook making it to Audible, iTunes, and Amazon.

Find this and 600 other distilleries on the Whiskey Lore Distillery Travel Guide

whiskey-lore.com/travelguide