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What would you do if your family had lived on the same land for 900+ years in the most beautiful area of Ireland, have a history of bootlegging then going legit, and a passion for action?
You start a whiskey brand, that's what, and you name it for Daniel O'Connell, your ancestor and one of the most famous Irishmen to ever live.
Sir Maurice O'Connell is the man behind Wayward Irish Spirits and The Liberator, a new Irish whiskey brand named for his noted forebear. He is humble, genuine, and quietly putting out one of the best new Irish whiskies I've had in quite some time.
Whether it's history or just damn good whiskey, you'll find what you want in this fantastic, Emerald Isle-filled episode of the Whiskey Ring Podcast.
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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 SOLD OUT, and the Barrell Rye Finished in Armagnac Casks is now live!
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!
There are now two more spots open in the Barrel Club and 10 spots open at the $15 level for those who want to experience more of the whiskies I get to try every month (or every other month).
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 2 Spots Remain in the Barrel Club.
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.
Wayward Irish Spirits
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
Welcome! This week I'm joined by two people at the heart of the Rosen rye and heritage grain movements: Laura Fields, head of the Delaware Valley Fields Foundation, and Bob McDonald, owner and farmer at Dancing Star Farm in central PA.
These two know more about farming and grain history than I will ever forget, and the passion is evident. If you don't already, follow Laura and Bob on Facebook - Laura posts on American Whiskey History DAILY and Bob nearly as regularly posts about the new grains being harvested, planted, and tended to on his farm.
This episode is heavy on the nerdiness, and I love it.
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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 SOLD OUT, and the Barrell Rye Finished in Armagnac Casks is now live!
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!
There are now two more spots open in the Barrel Club and 10 spots open at the $15 level for those who want to experience more of the whiskies I get to try every month (or every other month).
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 2 Spots Remain in the Barrel Club.
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.
Dancing Star Farms
Laura Fields
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
Live from New York it's Black Button Distillery!
Black Button has just opened a brand new facility, 6 times the size of its former one and with 10 times the capacity! They're now producing between 10-15% of all the bourbon in New York, all while promoting New York whiskey, Empire rye, and knowing where your grains are from.
I'm joined by founder Jason Barrett, Director of Marketing Gregg Stacy, and Alex Hunnell, the first guy I met from Black Button and how I'm now obsessed with their products.
This is recorded live, on-site, before any production had started. It'll be posted with great photos from behind-the-scenes, including new stills, new equipment in every room, and a high-proof alcohol room that I had never heard of let alone seen before.
Oh - and one more thing - The Whiskey Ring Podcast is now PROUDLY sponsored by Black Button!
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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 SOLD OUT, and the Barrell Rye Finished in Armagnac Casks is now live!
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!
There are now two more spots open in the Barrel Club and 10 spots open at the $15 level for those who want to experience more of the whiskies I get to try every month (or every other month).
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 2 Spots Remain in the Barrel Club.
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.
Black Button Distillery (Our Newest Sponsor!)
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
Hood River, Clear Creek, McCarthy's Single Malt, and Trail's End Bourbon - all are the same family, the same facilities, and part of a whole.
Hood River Distillers, founded in 1934, was one of the first distilleries to come online post-Prohibition. Clear Creek was founded by Steve McCarthy in 1985, first to produce fruit brandies and later (starting in the '90s) a peated single malt that paid homage to his newfound love of Islay Scotch.
Today, McCarthy's (which, though a brand, is the name by which many would call the family of distilleries) is a leading voice in American Single Malt and one of the OG producers. I'm joined by distiller Caitlin Bartlemay to talk through the history, the future, and the present growth of this fascinating distillery (in between bursts of air from the nearby vodka still!)
Clear Creek and Hood River Research Playlist
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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 SOLD OUT, and the Barrell Rye Finished in Armagnac Casks is now live!
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!
There are now two more spots open in the Barrel Club and 10 spots open at the $15 level for those who want to experience more of the whiskies I get to try every month (or every other month).
Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 2 Spots Remain in the Barrel Club.
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.
Clear Creek Distillery, Hood River, and McCarthy's
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
Ardnamurchan Scotch Whiskey, out of Adelphi Distillery, is not-so-quietly putting out a delicious new style of Scotch, marrying peated and unseated spirit (with peated water right off the peated hills nearby) into a gentle, smoky spirit with huge body and oiliness.
Ardnamurchan is an extension of Adelphi, an independent bottler with a history dating to the 1820s. This (relatively) new distillery is focused on quality over quantity, leaning into their remote location on the Scottish coast and learning from nearby Campbeltown.
With homages to legend Charlie MacLean and QR-coded blockchain technology, there is a perfect blend of old and new.
Ardnamurchan Research Playlist
______________________________________________________
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 SOLD OUT, and the Barrell Rye Finished in Armagnac Casks is now live!
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.
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.
Ardnamurchan and Adelphi Distillery
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
The Barrell Rye pick is in! A Barrell Rye blend finished for 12 months in Armagnac casks - this is an incredible pick.
To help us launch it, I invited Barrell's own Tripp Stimson to talk about this pick in particular and the goings on at Barrell as they expand around their 10th anniversary.
I'll leave the rest for the episode - oh, btw, Patreon members get an exclusive benefit. Join today!
______________________________________________________
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 SOLD OUT, and the Barrell Rye Finished in Armagnac Casks is now live!
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
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.
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
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
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.
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
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages
From the publisher's feed
Join Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and my guests to talk about all things whiskey and spirits! Support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring

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