Molly Troupe
Co-Host of Spirits & Distilling Podcast
With a Bachelor degree in Chemistry (with an emphasis in forensics) and a Master degree in Brewing and Distilling from the legendary Heriot Watt University, Molly Troupe uses her education and experience to create products focused on localized ingredients and masterful flavor combinations. As Master Distiller and Partner at Freeland Spirits in Portland, Oregon, she has released six different products ranging from gin to whiskey to canned cocktails.
Molly Troupe has hosted 17 Episodes.
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31: Sara Sergent of Alpine Distilling Blends Science with Instinct and Flair in Botanical Spirits
April 29th, 2025 | 50 mins 15 secs
angelica, botanicals, distilling, gin, juniper, lemon, sourcing ingredients
Whether she’s engaging with the wide world of ingredients or sourcing those from her own high-mountain backyard, master distiller Sara Sergent combines well-honed sensory skills with a methodical process for testing how processes and treatments change aroma and flavor expression in her award-winning botanical spirits.
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29: Devon Trevathan of Liba Spirits and Trovador Rum Distills Spirits with Stories
April 1st, 2025 | 1 hr 1 min
aperitivo, distilling, gin, peated whisky
Whether she’s distilling in far-flung locales, blending beautiful spirits, or writing about others’ processes, Devon Trevathan crafts stories in both words and flavors.
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27: Ashley Barnes of The Blending House Uses Data to Drive Better Blends
March 4th, 2025 | 52 mins 2 secs
blending, blending whiskey, bourbon, spirits blending, spirits sensory, whiskey, whiskey blending
As a chemist with a background in pharmaceutical quality, Ashley Barnes developed scientific discipline and a data-driven approach. Now as master blender at the Blending House, she applies that same rigor to the subject of aging and blending spirits.
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25: Gian Nelson of Jano Spirits and Ruins Distillery is Exploring the Possibilities in California Agave
February 4th, 2025 | 48 mins 6 secs
agave spirit, california agave, distilling, tequila
There’s more to agave than Blue Weber, and Gian Nelson is on a mission to show just what’s possible with California agave through careful work with growers, adaptive fermentation processes, and an embrace of the inherent inefficiency of agave in general.
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23: Morgan McLachlan of AMASS and De Soi Builds Thoughtful Botanical Bases for Both Gin and Nonalcoholic Spirited Beverages
January 7th, 2025 | 48 mins 5 secs
distilling, gin. botanicals, nonalcoholic spirits
She’s not one for hard and fast rules, instead employing the deep strategies of fine fragrance makers and molecular gastronomy chefs to understand the chemical underpinnings of the layered, nuanced aroma and flavor compounds in her spirits.
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22: Spirits & Distilling Year in Review Special
December 24th, 2024 | 1 hr 5 mins
ai, distilling, gin, single malt, whiskey, whisky
Hosts Sydney Jones and Molly Troupe recount some of the most intriguing and thought provoking episodes of the past year, discuss developments like the American Single Malt designation, and look toward what 2025 has in store.
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21: David Fisher of Sydney’s Archie Rose Distilling Prizes Independence and Balance
December 10th, 2024 | 51 mins 42 secs
blending, distilling, elegance, sensory, spirits
The senior spirits blender at Sydney’s award-winning Archie Rose shares his perspectives on sensory analysis, blending, and producing distinctive spirits with Australia’s ingredients and climate.
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19: A Global Perspective on Gin With Olivier Ward of Everglow Spirits
November 12th, 2024 | 1 hr 7 mins
american gin, distilling, gin, juniper spirits, london dry gin, spirits
The world of gin, from the creative and technical side to marketing and sales, is experiencing the same flux that’s affecting the broader craft spirits world. But Ward— veteran spirits journalist, brand builder, and consultant—offers a broad look at the category, from evolving definitions and flavors to breakthrough marketing.
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16: Adam Spiegel of Corning & Company and Sonoma Distilling Takes a Reactive and Responsive Approach to an Evolving Spirits Market
October 1st, 2024 | 58 mins 36 secs
black truffle whiskey, bourbon, distilling, espresso martini, rye, smoked malt, smoked whiskey, whiskey
The president of Corning & Company reimagined and reconfigured Sonoma Distilling into a house of brands—some are owned, others are partnerships—but quality and experimentation are still top of mind for this award-winning master distiller.
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14: Nic Christiansen of Barrell Craft Spirits Pieces Together the Blended Whiskey Puzzle
September 3rd, 2024 | 53 mins 43 secs
bourbon, sourced bourbon, whiskey, whiskey blending
As blender and manager of blending operations for Barrell, a brand committed to sourcing and blending rather than distilling, Christiansen finds creative ways to marry distinct flavors in whiskey without muddling their individual characters.
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12: Christian Krogstad, Founder of Aviation Gin and Westward Whiskey, Designs Spirits That Stand the Test of Time
August 7th, 2024 | 59 mins 11 secs
aquavit, botanical spirits, brown spirits, distilling, gin, whiskey
Few acquisitions of spirit brands have been as high-profile as Ryan Reynolds’ purchase of the Aviation Gin brand, followed by its sale to Diageo. Yet even before the celebrity-fueled spotlight turned its way, Aviation was the work of an earnest distiller seeking to make the perfect pre-Prohibition-style gin for classic cocktails.
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10: Andy Nelson, Cofounder of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery and Belle Meade Bourbon, on the Life Cycle of a Modern Distillery
July 9th, 2024 | 59 mins 43 secs
bourbon, distillery business, distilling, tennessee, tennessee whiskey, whiskey, whiskey blending
Launching a whiskey distillery is a not for the faint of heart, and balancing the timing, financing, logistics, brand building, quality, creative expression, distillery construction, and legacy has left Andy Nelson feeling as much like a jack-of-all-trades as he feels like a head distiller.
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8: Clear Creek Master Distiller Caitlin Bartlemay Thrives on the Challenges of Fruit Brandy and American Single Malt
June 12th, 2024 | 1 hr 2 mins
american single malt, brandies, distilling, fruit brandy, fruit fermentation, whole fruit
Distilling fruit brandies from whole fruit is a technical and logistical challenge, but for Caitlin Bartlemay, it’s nowhere near as difficult as educating consumers about the process, ingredients, and history of this storied spirit.
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6: Andy Garrison of Stone Barn Brandyworks Takes a Value-Added Approach to Distilling Fruits and Vegetables
May 21st, 2024 | 55 mins 35 secs
carrots, distilling, eau de vie, fruit brandy, ramen, schnapps
The self-styled maker of “irrational fever dreams” and “peasant indulgences” shares his principled yet technical approach to making spirits from unusual ingredients like carrots, ramen noodles, and more.
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4: Reade Huddleston of Monster Brewing Shares Perspectives on RTDs, Water Quality, and More
April 17th, 2024 | 54 mins 55 secs
distilling, packaging, rtds, water chemistry, water testing
Through his career, Huddleston has bounced back back and forth in the brewing and distilling worlds, picking up valuable lessons along the way. Here, he shares important perspectives on packaging RTDs for long term stability, understanding the impacts of water chemistry throughout the distilling process, and much more.
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2: Ale Ochoa Takes a Scientific Approach to Sensory Evaluation and Whiskey Blending
March 26th, 2024 | 1 hr 12 mins
bourbon, distilling, sensory program, sensory testing, spirits blending, whiskey blending
Sensory scientist and experienced whiskey blender Ale Ochoa joins Molly to discuss the finer points of developing a palate, articulating flavor and aroma attributes, training a sensory team, testing and validating results, and more.