The Whiskey Lore® Podcast

Welcome back to a former guest, John Campbell, who we met back in Interview 63 when we chronicled his 27 years at the legendary Laphroaig Distillery on Islay. Back then, he was taking on the challenge of making Lowland Scotch at Lochlea. Today, he's making an even bigger jump, leaving the island of malt whisky for a chance to make California Bourbon.

There are few who have made the modern journey from Scotland to America, so today's interview affords me the great opportunity to pepper John with questions about the move to Sespe Creek in Oxnard, California.

John will discuss the personal and professional changes involved in moving from Laphroaig to a distillery making mesquite-smoked Bourbon, vodka, and rum. He'll reveal the reason he was approached for the COO and Master Distiller position, and we'll talk about making Bourbon in pot stills, his five-year plan, and capturing the brand's "Southwest" identity in a spirit.

Enjoy the episode and if you'd like a deeper dive, catch a longer episode in the Whiskey Lore Speakeasy with a 7-day free trial at patreon.com/whiskeylore

Join me as I welcome back Jerry Daniels of Stone Fences Tours for a step beyond distillery visits and into the heart of Bourbon history. We'll tackle the question who truly belongs in the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame that has been left behind?

We go back and forth in a snake draft, each bringing our own list of seven candidates, building a case for the overlooked figures who shaped the industry. From early pioneers and 19th-century power players to scientific minds and modern innovators, this discussion uncovers the foundations of Bourbon that often get overshadowed. If you think you know the names that define the industry, this episode might make you rethink the list, and have you guessing who we believe deserves a place among the greats.

Want to offer your own suggestions of who is missing? Post your choices on my Instagram feed at instagram.com/whiskeylore or on the episode post at patreon.com/whiskeylore

Join me as I sit down with Brent Manning, co-founder of Riverbend Malt House, to uncover how two self-described "sustainability geeks" learned the science of malting, helped support the rise of "Beer City U.S.A.," while starting humbly with a one-ton floor malting setup in Asheville.

We'll dive deep into the mechanics of malting, from steeping and germination to kilning, and explore how subtle adjustments at each stage can dramatically shape flavor. Brent also breaks down the divide between brewers' and distillers' malts, and how Riverbend is working to close that gap by developing grains that deliver both high enzyme potential and rich, distinctive character.

In 1894, a bloody confrontation at a South Carolina railroad depot left four men dead, an angry governor demanding military intervention, and soldiers refusing to take up arms against their fellow citizens. What could possibly have brought the state to the brink of rebellion? It all began with an unusual experiment in controlling the sale of whiskey. But how did a law intended to settle the debate over Prohibition turn into a battle over government power, personal liberty, and the right to sell a drink?

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: https://www.whiskeylore.org/episodes/when-whiskey-sparked-a-riot-south-carolinas-forgotten-war

MORE WHISKEY HISTORY: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore

Not too long ago, I was on my way up to Kentucky to check out the Beam Conference and when I contacted my friend Todd Ritter to see if we could sync up, he offered me a guest spot on the Bourbon Road Podcast. Enjoy this simulcasted edition of The Bourbon Road, hosted by my friends Todd and Jim. If you haven't heard the show before, beyond having great guests on, they also do tasting episodes. And here we try four craft whiskeys including selections from Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Missouri. Hear what we taste and find out how we rank them.

Find the Bourbon Road on your favorite podcast app.

Cheers! Drew

Join me as I chat with Gary Mills, the Award-winning Brand Ambassador and Visitor's Experience Manager for Loch Lomond Distillery - a whisky that is making its way across the U.S. thanks to the Foley Family's distribution. We'll dive into the unique history of the distillery, the stills that set it apart from the rest of Scotland, and I'll ask about how the Scotch Whisky Association put the breaks on how they labeled one of their whiskies. We'll also learn the origins of the Lomond still and find out what the difference is between that and the unique column still at Loch Lomond distillery.

We'll finish with a tasting of the 12 year and 18 year expressions and chat about the uniqueness of having a cooperage on site.

🌟 If you want bonus content, make sure you're a member of the Whiskey Lore Speakeasy, where this interview contains 20 more minutes that goes into the devil's cut, more details about the historic Littlemill Distillery, and the distillery's yeast focus.

Take a tour of Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and you're likely to hear that it was America's first registered distillery, dating all the way back to 1866. The claim even appears in the National Register of Historic Places. But how did a young distiller in post-Civil War Tennessee earn such a distinction when whiskey was already being made legally across the country? And what happens when you start comparing the familiar story with nineteenth-century tax records, newspaper advertisements, and the government's own documents? The answer may change how you look at one of America's most recognizable whiskey brands.

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: https://www.whiskeylore.org/episodes/is-jack-daniels-the-oldest-registered-distillery-in-the-united-states

MORE WHISKEY HISTORY: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore

Let's mix two of my favorite subjects today - music and whiskey - as I stop by Tommy Townsend's North Georgia distillery Grandaddy Mimms. As a musician, Tommy has many ties to Waylon Jennings, we'll chat about that (and there is a bonus episode with even more conversation around music, free for Patreon subscribers at patreon.com/whiskeylore ), and we'll talk about the development of the distillery, the use of two thumpers, the problem with high proof flavored moonshine, how moonshine and city hall got together, and Tommy with tap into plenty of stories.

Enjoy this episode, that started out to be a Whiskey Flights episode, but we just had so much to talk about. Cheers! Drew

The story of Jack Daniel and Nathan "Uncle Nearest" Green has become one of the most talked-about chapters in American whiskey history. According to the familiar account, an enslaved distiller named Nearest taught a young Jack Daniel how to make whiskey, setting the stage for one of the world's most recognizable brands. But what happens when you compare that story with nineteenth-century census records, courthouse documents, and tax records? The dates don't seem to line up. So how much of the story we've been told can actually be supported by history?

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: https://www.whiskeylore.org/episodes/reexamining-the-jack-daniel-and-uncle-nearest-green-story

MORE WHISKEY HISTORY: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeylore

Last week, I hit the road and headed up to Lexington, KY and attended my first James B. Beam Institute Industry Conference. It was a fantastic opportunity to shake the hands of some great people who I've either met through visits to their distilleries or by zoom interviews. During the event, I sat down with Landon Borders and Alexa Narel of the Estate Whiskey Alliance to talk about this new certification. On today's podcast, we'll chat about the origins of the alliance, how it builds transparency for whiskey drinkers, what it takes for distilleries or products to qualify for the Estate whiskey designation, and we'll drop some names of current members. Make sure you're subscribed to the Whiskey Lore Podcast so you don't miss any great stories, interviews, or flights. It's available on your favorite podcast app. Cheers and slainte mhath, Drew