I welcome Mark from Waterford Whisky, an Irish whiskey brand known for their focus on terroir, traceability, and sustainability. The conversation delves into the unique approach of Waterford Whisky, which emphasizes the importance of barley as the origin of whiskey's flavor. Mark explains that Waterford is located in the southern coast of Ireland, where the best barley in the world grows. Mark also shares his background as a cereal brand creator and revivalist, having previously worked at Bruich...
Dec 12, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 108
In today's show, we had the incredible honor of speaking with Maureen Robinson, the new master blender at Kentucky Owl. Maureen has an impressive 45-year history in the Scotch whisky industry and has recently come out of retirement to join the bourbon world. Maureen shared her journey from studying to be a pharmacist to becoming a master blender, a transition fueled by her passion for the science of whisky. She discussed the similarities and differences between blending Scotch and bourbon, empha...
Dec 04, 2023•54 min•Ep. 107
I had the pleasure of chatting with Mark, one of the co-founders of Old Line Spirits, a distillery based in Baltimore, Maryland. Mark and his business partner, Arch Watkins, started Old Line almost a decade ago with the goal of producing bourbon and rye whiskey. However, their journey took an unexpected turn when they had the opportunity to learn from two gentlemen on the West Coast who were making exceptional American single malt whiskey. Mark shares the story of how they fell in love with the ...
Nov 27, 2023•37 min•Ep. 106
Back at the @kybourbonfestival there was an influencer panel that was 30 minutes long and had some really interesting topics. I knew the moment it closed that the conversation needed to be about three times as long and I wanted to see what I could do to recreate it. Luckily Chrissy and Ryan were willing to hop on with me and continue the conversation ranging from whiskey, to being a woman in the industry as well as Pork Roll/Taylor Ham. It was a fun conversation so be prepared for a couple of gr...
Nov 17, 2023•2 hr 6 min•Ep. 105
In this episode of The EmbellishPod, I had the pleasure of interviewing David Thomas Tao, a media entrepreneur, television and movie producer, and spirits reviewer and writer. David shared his journey from growing up in rural Kentucky to attending Harvard and eventually settling in New York City. He discussed his passion for whiskey and how he became involved in the spirits industry, including his role as a reviewer and writer for Vine Pair. We also delved into the topic of Bardstown's fight to ...
Nov 01, 2023•33 min•Ep. 104
I got the chance to sit down with Amine from Old Louisville Whiskey Company and chat through what they have going on in Louisville. I tasted some of their offerings at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and knew immediately that I wanted to have them hop on for an episode. We have so many more things to talk about with them so I hope we can get them back on in the next few months. https://oldlouisvillewhiskey.com/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Old-Louisville-Whiskey-Co/100076109330926/ https://www....
Oct 22, 2023•30 min•Ep. 103
This year I had the opportunity to attend the festival as a “media” person. I think it was another great year so I put together a video montage that I’m going to essentially narrate over so I can capture my own thoughts on it all. The weekend began before the festival for me though with an open House for Barrell Craft Spirits and then an evening with Broken Barrel at the Bardstown Motor Lodge. https://www.kybourbonfestival.com/ https://www.barrellbourbon.com/ https://www.pinhookbourbon.com/ http...
Sep 29, 2023•39 min•Ep. 102
For this weeks episode I have Lindsay Gulics the Northeast Regional Manager for Barrel Craft Spirits. We get a chance to talk about their evergreen lines, some Limited offerings their new batches of bourbon and rye, the pandemic, riding bikes and maybe even a little bit about wine. At just under an hour it feels like we talked about as many possible things as you could imagine in that time frame and we still didn’t get through it all. Hopefully I’ll get to catch up with her again and talk more a...
Sep 14, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 101
Tonights guest and I cross over in a lot of places around whiskey, food and beverage. Tonight we'll get a chance to talk about that and more. You can find him at the following links: Doug (DemiTastes): - http://DemiTastes.com - http://ASMWbook.com - DemiTastes on Discord https://discord.gg/KQGkBmtzPT - DemiTastes on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/demitastes - @DemiTastes on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/demitastes - @DemiTastes on Threads https://threads.net/@DemiTastes - @DemiTastes on Twit...
Sep 07, 2023•3 hr 6 min•Ep. 100
I had the great opportunity to hang out with Michael "Woody" Dombrowsky (@distillerwoody). As the head distiller for Yardley Distilling (@yardleydistilleryofficial) and consultant to so many more in the Distilling, Beer making, Winemaking industries his expertise is deep and wide. We got a chance to talk about almost everything distilling related. We might have even diverged into having fun in college, education, language acquisition and what the hell Boilo is. I always look forward to conversat...
Aug 18, 2023•59 min•Ep. 99
I’ve been following Broken Barrel Whiskey Company since their first launch of the “Cask of Amontillado” finish. What self respecting Poe fan wouldn’t know about that and if you were into whiskey at the time, even more reason to know. I’ve been able to watch this company transform and the fact that they partnered with a “West Kentucky” distillery for their contract distillation engendered them even more to me. Follow along as I have a conversation with Seth Benhaim talking about the ethos of the ...
Aug 01, 2023•58 min•Ep. 98
In this episode of the Embellish podcast, the host welcomes guest Jackie Zykan, a partner at Hidden Barn Whiskey. The conversation goes beyond whiskey and delves into topics such as mental health, the impact of social media, and the challenges of being in the spotlight. Jackie shares her experiences in the whiskey industry, discussing the pressures of always being "on" and the need for transparency. She also talks about her passion project, Oduoak, a fragrance brand that captures the aromatics o...
Jul 10, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 97
I spent a little bit of time away from podcasting and content creating and after some distinct soul searching here is what came out the other end.
Jul 04, 2023•3 min
In this episode of EmbellishPod, I had the pleasure of chatting with Devin and Chase from American Mash and Grain and Borrowed Page. They started American Mash and Grain as a whiskey website that features a new craft whiskey distillery each month, diving deep into their history, process, and brand storytelling. They also released their own whiskey called Borrowed Page Volume 1 and recently released Volume 2. Devin and Chase explained that Borrowed Page is a series of blends where they work with ...
Jun 20, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 95
I've been working on this episode for a month and a half, but life and work often gets in the way. I really thought about blaming everyone else that decided to do an Irish Whiskey episode in the month of March but the reality is it's a busy month and I had to come in sideways with three flat tires and an engine on fire to be able to complete this episode. It's got a lot to do with Drew Hannush from Whiskey Lore, Irish Whiskey, history and maybe even good whiskey friends. Links of Interest: https...
Apr 01, 2023•36 min•Ep. 94
@291distillery has been making some great whiskey for a while and I've had the chance to try several things from their inventory. But brand new to their line is the "All Rye" whiskey which is a 100% malted rye whiskey finished with Aspen Staves. 291 All Rye 100% Rye Malt Colorado Whiskey Finished with Aspen Wood Staves, Batch #1 is made up of 50% Colorado Malted Rye (Root Shoot Malting) and 50% German Rye Malt (Weyermann® Specialty Malting). 291 All Rye 132.6 Proof Mentions: @bourbonlens @hoodso...
Mar 16, 2023•19 min•Ep. 93
President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society Links: https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a32957916/black-owned-liquor-company-experience-jackie-summers-sorel/ https://www...
Feb 28, 2023•33 min•Ep. 92
I'll have a chance to talk with Jason Fruits of Old 55 and some of his friends from Beck's Seeds to talk about some projects they are working on. It's always a treat to talk to the distillery and the provider of the raw goods. @old55distillery https://old55distillery.com/
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 91
I've taken a couple of weeks off but it's time to get back on the airwaves. We'll talk 2022, State of the Podcast (SotP) and human connections. It'll be a real treat. www.embellishpod.com www.instagram.com/embellishpod/ https://www.youtube.com/@embellishpodcast
Jan 17, 2023•36 min•Ep. 90
Join us in this special episode of Embellishpod where we dive deep into the world of craft whiskey.David Levine of the Whiskey Ring Podcast and myself, this roundtable discussion brings together a panel of experts from the whiskey industry to explore the nuances of craft whiskey. Our panelists include Blake from Seelbach's, Colin from Kings County Distillery, Nora from Lost Lantern, and the team from American Mash & Grain, Devin and Chase. Together, they tackle the complexities of defining c...
Dec 31, 2022•1 hr 49 min•Season 1Ep. 89
In this episode of the Embellish podcast, I interview David Jennings, also known as @rarebird101, who is a renowned expert on Wild Turkey whiskey. We discuss David's journey into the world of whiskey, his passion for Wild Turkey, and his experience writing books on the subject. We also touch on the importance of being passionate about what you write, the process of designing and publishing a book, and the interactive nature of David's latest book, "Wild Turkey Musings." We delve into the concept...
Dec 20, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 88
Join us in this captivating episode of EmbellisPod as we sit down with the renowned Dixon Dedman, the mastermind behind 2XO and the former force of Kentucky Owl. Dive into the art of whiskey blending, the ethos behind 2XO, and Dixon's personal journey through the industry. 🥃 Episode Highlights: Discover the intricate process and philosophy behind Dixon Dedman's approach to whiskey blending. Learn about the creation of 2XO and the unique story of its first blend, The Phoenix. Get a glimpse into ...
Dec 15, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 87
Whiskey festivals are popping up all over the place. An even in New Orleans sticks out to me because the city holds a special place in my heart. I’ve had the opportunity to visit the city half a dozen times and there isn’t another one quite like it in the United States. Just the way it moves. The way it feels. So I wanted to explore a little deeper into what is happening with this Bourbon festival in a city with a street named after the drink(yeah I know it’s not exactly named after the drink). ...
Dec 13, 2022•44 min•Ep. 86
Thanksgiving is a curious holiday to celebrate. For every non-indigineous person to the continent this holiday is a celebration of our arrival and eventual domination of native tribes to create a “new” space for us. We’ve been taught for eons that the first thanksgiving was one of peace and sharing but given what we have subsequently learned as adults…..is this the real truth? Now all of that is a little heavy for what I do here but I wanted to talk a couple of Turkey “Myth’s” that may or may no...
Dec 06, 2022•22 min•Ep. 85
Innovation in the whiskey marketplace in the United States in my mind is going to increasingly come from likeminded craft distillers setting a path for a standard like this. Think American Single Malt, Indiana Rye and more importantly today’s conversation….Empire Rye. When I reached out to Black Button (@blackbuttondistilling) with interest in talking about this particular initiative Alex (alexblackbuttondistilling) responded quickly.
Nov 29, 2022•54 min•Ep. 84
When I listened to @bourbonlens interview I knew I had to absolutely copy them. Today we will talk with the brains behind BRAND MYSTICISM, from the marketing mastermind behind mega-viral whiskies made with crab, venison, and beaver castoreum, as well as countless iconic booze labels, comes an irreverent and wide-ranging treatise on building and maintaining a standout brand in business and life: BRAND MYSTICISM, is penned by spirits maverick Steven Grasse(@stevengrasse) in collaboration with cele...
Nov 22, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 83
MB Roland Distillery has been around for more than a dozen years and has made a plethora of products both whiskey and non-whiskey based. I had an opportunity to visit them on a number of occasions and this little distillery is really growing on me. There's a portion of the Bourbon trail that is not actually part of the bourbon trail but certainly deserves to. We'll talk through this distillery and maybe a couple more that can put us through the paces for an off the beaten path bourbon weekend....
Nov 15, 2022•21 min•Ep. 82
When I think of Tennessee Whiskey and I’m not immediately singing Chris Stapleton I get one of two thoughts. Moonshine distilleries in the jewel of kitsch tourism in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge TN or Jack Daniels. But if you pay attention there’s a ton of TN commodity whiskey going into blends of some of the largest and most sought after brands. It’s also become a whiskey geek trope to poke fun at Dickel whiskey. In the early 2000’s there were so few distilleries in the state that you could count th...
Nov 08, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 81
Bourbon festivals aren't necessarily a new thing in the marketplace, but there are a handful of events that are doing unique things. I'm glad to have the folks from @bourbononthebanks join me for a conversation about their event, it's inception and it's future.
Nov 01, 2022•41 min•Ep. 80
A little over a year ago I did a quick review of the 2021 Kentucky Bourbon Festival. 21 was the first year for the new in person format but still had a few COVID protocols in place. I largely enjoyed it but had a few notes for event organizers(I'm aware they likely did not watch or listen to me at all) and I wanted to revisit that list, compare to this year as well as talk about the event. We'll pop open the Creek pick from the event, maybe even drink some of the Wilderness Trail batch that was ...
Oct 27, 2022•37 min•Ep. 79
