The Whiskey Ring Podcast

BONUS EPISODE TIME! Jesse Parker reenters the Whiskey Ring to talk the new suite of Doc Swinson's finishes and what he's been up to in the last year (hint: lots of experiments and lots of well-deserved awards/nominations!)

Just for Whiskey Ring Podcast listeners, Doc Swinson's is providing a discount code through October 3rd. Visit Docswhiskey.com and use code WEDDINGRING10 for 10% off your order, only through October 3rd! 

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Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has:

• access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing.

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 for reading! Now here’s Jesse Parker of Doc Swinson's.

Doc Swinson's

• Doc Swinson's Website

Doc Swinson's Reviews

• Doc Swinson’s “Funky Drummer” Rye Whiskey Finished In Jamaican Rum Casks

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

RD1 Spirits (you might know them as W. M. Tarr) has officially launched their new brand as of September 10th. W. M. Tarr was an excellent blended whiskey, but was always meant as a limited edition while the RD1 bourbons became ready. 

Now, they are. 

I talk with Barry Brinegar, National Brand Ambassador, face of the brand, and now a friend, all about the origins of Registered Distillery 1, Ashland, the brands that have come and gone from the label, what they're experimenting with next, and more. At time of publication, there might be some W. M. Tarr bottles still available, but your best bet is to visit the brand's center at Lexington's Distillery District. 

One other note: Barry is one of the hardest working people in the industry, and that's really saying something. In my mind, only Alex Clark at Fort Hamilton is at the same level in terms of pounding the pavement for his product. And that passion shows. 

W. M. Tarr was excellent. The RD1 Bourbons are excellent. Go visit and give them a try!

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Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

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 for reading! Now here’s Barry Brinegar of RD1 Spirits.

RD1 Spirits

• RD1 Spirits Website

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

This week we're celebrating the people who make your night better - the bar managers and whiskey/spirits guides who help you choose that next drink or the next thing to explore. 

Joining me are Darron Foy of The Flatiron Room and Jose Guzman of Fine & Rare, both part of The Goodnight Group in New York City. These are whiskey paradises, high-end speakeasies with whiskey literally lining the walls. 

My favorite part of this interview is learning about how they learn and how the establishments teach their staff. We've all been to liquor stores, bars, retail establishments, where the staff are undertrained on the range of whiskies/liquors available. That's not to disparage, it's just a fact, and it's a recognition that not every place has the resources, time, and interest in investing in their staff like that. 

Goodnight Group puts more into training their staff on what's behind the bar than any place I've heard of or been to. It's insane. They travel to distilleries, to different countries, to experience what they'll be serving. 

These are two of the finest whiskey houses in New York, and two of the best nights out you can have. Make sure to stop by!

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

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 for reading! Now here’s Darron Foy and Jose Guzman of The Goodnight Group, The Flatiron Room, and Fine & Rare. 

The Flatiron Room

• The Flatiron Room Website

Fine & Rare

• Fine & Rare Website

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Episode 56 brings us back home to Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood, an industrial zone close to the Gowanus canal, to Van Brunt Stillhouse. 

I'm joined by founder and distiller Daric Schlesselman, whose vision for a distillery in Red Hook spans a decade and who has, over that decade, remained true to the small-scale distilling model. Daric is someone driven to experiment - look no further than the White Rye, a reposado-style rye made from 100% New York-grown Danko rye. 

Over all of Van Brunt's product portfolio, Daric uses a dozen different malt styles, multiple mashbills, and varied cask sizes to achieve a uniquely creamy, vanilla-forward flavor profile that I loved. That 10th Anniversary Bourbon linked below is like a cream soda float - heavily spiked, of course!

Check out my tasting notes on some of Van Brunt's products below.

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

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 for reading! Now here’s Daric Schlesselman, Founder of Van Brunt Distillery.

Van Brunt Stillhouse

• Van Brunt Stillhouse Website

Van Brunt Stillhouse Reviews

• Van Brunt Stillhouse White Rye Whiskey Review

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Episode 55 is a round-the-world journey with the one and only @whiskyraj, Raj Sabharwal. (It's also the first with our new sponsor, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society!) 

Raj is one of the nicest, most personable guys you'll ever meet in whisky. I met him at - you guessed it - Travel Bar in Brooklyn, NY, where we tasted through a set of Bimber Whiskies, Rest and Be Thankful Rums, and a pair of Japanese whiskies that had me begging for another ounce. 

For this podcast, Raj brought four countries' worth of whiskies - two Amruts from India, Waterford from Ireland, Bimber from England, and Mr. Peat and Blackadder Peat Reek from Scotland. Don't be afraid of those last two - peat can be friendly! Waterford shows off local Irish barley in ways not seen before, and Amrut is what I think of as the classic Indian Single Malt flavor profile. It's a thrilling journey and I know you'll enjoy listening along with us as we taste through. 

Check out my tasting notes on all six pours from Raj below and follow him everywhere @whiskyraj. 

A quick reminder - no episode next week! I'm traveling to Kentucky and Tennessee and will have lots of content (and samples!) to bring back to you the following week. 

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

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 for reading! Now here’s the one and only Raj Sabharwal.

Glass Rev Imports and their Imported Brands

• Glass Revolution Imports 

Episode 55 (Raj Sabharwal) Reviews

• Amrut Indian Single Malt Review

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Episode 54 is a trip to Baltimore! Old Line Spirits sits in Highlandtown, Baltimore, producing some of the best American single malt I've had yet. They're not afraid of both using friends to make their whiskey better - distilling the majority of their spirit at Middle West Spirits, where they operated out of for a time during their learning - and exploring new finishes that are familiar yet made new. 

Thank you to Mark McLaughlin and Arch Watkins, co-founders, for their hospitality during my visit and for providing their products for me to try. 

Check out my tasting notes on their Single Malt, Cask Strength Single Malt, and Sauternes-Finish Double Cask Single Malt below.

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Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so. It's Episode 54! 

• The $5 tier will have access to the new, Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk about a topic that’s under their skin in whiskey. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

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 for reading! Now here’s Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, co-founders of Lost Lantern Whiskey.

Old Line Spirits

Old Line Spirits Website

Old Line Spirits Instagram

Old Line Spirits Facebook

Old Line Spirits Twitter

Old Line Spirits Reviews

Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey

Old Line Spirits Cask Strength American Single Malt Whiskey

Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey Sauternes Finish

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

https://impexbev.com

ImpEx on Instagram

ImpEx on Facebook

ImpEx on Twitter

Episode 53 brings a new category to the Whiskey Ring Podcast: American Independent Bottlers. My guests are Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, co-founders of Lost Lantern Whiskey and independent bottlers of American whiskey from all over the country. 

Both founders have deep whiskey experience, Nora from Astor Wine and Spirits in New York and Adam from Whiskey Advocate, and both wanted to bring the two-century-old Scottish tradition of independent bottling to America. But they're not content bottling the big guys - they want to bottle and bring to market less-known distilleries from underrepresented regions all over the US. 

Just a few of the distilleries they've bottled so far:

- Frey Ranch in Nevada

- Spirit Works in California

- Starlight in Indiana

- Cedar Ridge in Iowa

And, they have their own in-house blend, the American Vatted Malt Edition 1 that brings together 6 distilleries' American single malts into perhaps the first American Blended Malt to seriously enter the market. I loved it. 

Check out my tasting notes on four of their products farther down in this description.

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Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so. It's Episode 53! 

• The $5 tier will have access to the new, Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk about a topic that’s under their skin in whiskey. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

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 for reading! Now here’s Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, co-founders of Lost Lantern Whiskey.

Lost Lantern Whiskey

Lost Lantern Whiskey Website

Lost Lantern Whiskey Instagram

Lost Lantern Whiskey Facebook

Lost Lantern Whiskey Reviews

Lost Lantern American Vatted Malt Whiskey Edition No. 1

Lost Lantern 2022 Single Cask #4: Spirit Works California Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in a Sloe Gin Cask

Lost Lantern 2022 Single Cask #6: Frey Ranch

Lost Lantern 2021 Single Cask #1: Cedar Ridge 

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

https://impexbev.com

ImpEx on Instagram

ImpEx on Facebook

ImpEx on Twitter

Episode 52! We're jumping back to the Midwest with Middle West Spirits. Co-founder and head distiller Ryan Lang joins the Whiskey Ring Podcast to talk distilling in Ohio, heavy and light grains, and how to properly pronounce "Michelone".

Middle West puts out some spectacular whiskies, and my favorite of the core lineup might just be their Pumpernickel Rye. 

Don't miss out on the wheat whiskey or the wheated bourbon, though. Middle West Spirits is having the conversation about wheat that other distilleries are having about rye - what can wheat be and what can it bring to the table.  Check out my tasting notes on all their products farther down in this description.

Who knows - Wheat Whiskey might just be the next boom after Rye. 

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so. It's Episode 52! 

• The $5 tier will have access to the new, Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk about a topic that’s under their skin in whiskey. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

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 for listening! Now here’s Ryan Lang, co-founder and head distiller of Middle West Spirits.

Middle West Spirits

Middle West Spirits Website

Middle West Spirits Instagram

Middle West Spirits Facebook

Middle West Spirits Twitter

Middle West Spirits Reviews

Middle West Spirits Straight Wheat Whiskey

Middle West Spirits Straight Wheated Bourbon "Michelone Reserve"

Middle West Spirits Dark Pumpernickel Rye (Coming later today!)

Middle West Spirits Straight Wheated Bourbon "Michelone Reserve" TSR Pick Stagg Smasher

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

https://impexbev.com

ImpEx on Instagram

ImpEx on Facebook

ImpEx on Twitter

Hey Whiskey Ringers, thanks for tuning in to another episode of the Whiskey Ring Podcast. This week's guests are Glen Sauer and Ryan Scheswohl of Village Garage Distillery in Vermont. 

Village Garage is located in Bennington, VT, within 3 hours of multiple major markets. Despite this, they're starting small and want to stay small, producing what they like and experimenting how they want to. This was a super fun interview - we chat about starting a distillery, operating in a liquor control state, and much more. 

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so. It's Episode 51! 

• The $5 tier will have access to the new, Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk about a topic that’s under their skin in whiskey. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

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 for listening! Now here’s Glen and Ryan of Village Garage Distillery.

Village Garage Distillery

Village Garage Distillery Website

Village Garage Distillery Instagram

Thanks to our Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

https://impexbev.com

ImpEx on Instagram

ImpEx on Facebook

ImpEx on Twitter