Spirits & Distilling Podcast - Episodes Tagged with “Blending”

40: Joe O’Sullivan of Minden Mill Controls the Variables in Dry-Climate Whiskey Maturation

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 22:15:00 -0600

The romance of whiskey maturation meets environmental reality in many parts of the world these days—increasingly hot, dry climates can produce markedly different results than the humid environments of Scotland or Kentucky. That can leave distillers wrestling with the question of whether to lean into process- and environment-driven results, or to manipulate that environment to achieve intentional flavor goals.

For Joe O’Sullivan—master distiller at Minden Mill in Nevada’s high desert, just east of Lake Tahoe—the choice is clear: to prioritize consistency through distillation and maturation processes, so that they can let their estate-grown grain shine.

In this episode, O’Sullivan and host Sydney Jones discuss:

the impact of terroir on grain, and on distilled spirits made from that grain
losing 3 to 4 percent angel’s share per month in a very dry climate
building a distillery to optimize intended flavors in finished spirits
identifying signature flavor characteristics and optimizing whiskey blends to highlight them
controlling the rickhouse climate to mimic weather patterns in popular distilling centers such as Kentucky and Scotland

And more.

G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Hank Pressley, head distiller at Moon Drop Distillery says, “Early on, we made a decision to partner with quality American-made companies. One of those companies was G&D Chillers, and we are proud of that choice. Our equipment from them has run long and strong. We put our first barrel in our rickhouse in September 2021, and in the next 3 years we have put back more than another 540 barrels. What a great decision to team up with a company like G&D Chillers.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

38: Jonathan Goldberg of Black Velvet Seeks Harmony through Thoughtful Blending

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 11:00:00 -0600

Building a blend of aged spirits that feels effortless requires both art and craft, and for Jonathan Goldberg of Black Velvet in Alberta, Canada, the key to great blends is nailing the mix of contrasting components and optimizing each from the still through aging, then carefully maturing after blending. The goal isn’t singular standout barrels; the goal is a continuous process that produces quality at volume.

In this episode, Goldberg and host Sydney Jones discuss:

the art of balance in blending lighter and heavier whiskies
using high wines to create harmonious blends
pre-blend aging and evaluation as well as post-blend additional maturation
maintaining consistency and efficiency with a continuous still
the positive impact of used cooperage on lighter distillates

And more.

27: Ashley Barnes of The Blending House Uses Data to Drive Better Blends

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 16:00:00 -0700

Ashley Barnes, master blender at the Blending House, joins host Molly Troupe for an in-depth discussion of the scientific and sensorial approaches to building characterful blends. A former pharmaceutical quality chemist, Barnes was recruited by Buffalo Trace, later moved on to Four Roses, and has worked with (and learned from) some of the greats in the bourbon world. Now, at the Blending House, she works with nondistilling producers to carefully age and blend fine spirits using a variety of creative and data-driven techniques, while tracking environmental data such as temperature and evaporation to better understand long-term flavor development.

Over the course of the episode, they discuss:

Learning quality, flavor profiling, and profile maintenance from Four Roses master distiller Brent Elliott
The challenge of creating different flavors from the same barrel stock
Useful analogies for thinking about cohesive blends
Both negative and positive selection for minimizing distractions while maximizing cohesion
Controlling variables in rickhouse aging for more favorable flavor development
Ongoing research on yeast and other topics
The basics of labs for both blending quality and bottling quality
Sensory strategies for maintaining consistency through varying personal circumstances
Building the right lexicon for sensory description

And more.

G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Sid Dilawri from Filibuster Distillery says, “From the design and engineering to installation and start-up, G&D was easy to work with. We’ve had great customer service since commissioning our chiller, and I’d highly recommend them for any distillery system.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com.

21: David Fisher of Sydney’s Archie Rose Distilling Prizes Independence and Balance

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0700

David Fisher’s love of spirits started with bartending in London and followed a winding path, eventually passing through pandemic-era New York City into sensory analysis and blending back home in Australia. Now the senior spirits blender at award-winning Archie Rose Distilling in Sydney, Fisher has one of the most respected noses in the business.

In this discussion with host Molly Troupe, Fisher shares his thoughts on the importance of confidence to sensory and blending, and knowing your weaknesses as well as your strengths. He also discusses:

stopping to smell the flowers (and everything else) in collecting sense memories
the aromatic purity of gin botanicals versus the integrated matrix of whiskey
the overarching importance of balance
bridging New World flavors and Old World elegance
the effects of Australian temperature swings on barrel aging
backing up sensory data with numbers, and making the connections with production choices making distinctive whiskey with malts smoked by unusual local woods

And more.

Brought to you by:
G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Jim Kuhr, VP of Manufacturing at Red Boot Beverages says, “G&D has been with us since the early days. Their knowledgeable engineers and service techs are there when we need them. We’re in the midst of a large expansion, and they have been right there with us to select chiller solutions for today and the future.” Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com

13: Widow Jane Head Distiller and Blender Sienna Jevremov Directs the Delicate Dance of Urban Distilling and Blending

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 13:00:00 -0600

New York City’s Widow Jane Distillery may be one of the better known craft-spirits brands, with a relatively wide distribution footprint earned through the incredible reputation built by former distillers such as Lisa Wicker (hear her perspective on Episode 3). Now, under the guidance of head distiller and blender Sienna Jevremov, the distillery continues to grow despite the functional challenge of producing spirits in tight urban spaces, and the results of their work capture a certain artful tension and energy.

In this episode, Jevremov and host Sydney Jones explore the challenges Widow Jane faces and the creative solutions those necessitate. Along the way, they discuss:

The challenges of distilling in an urban environment where the distilling and blending process takes place across five different addresses
Predicting the future of white-dog whiskey flavors and testing predictions against aged batches
Finding harmony in distillate from different sites
Making bourbon with a hybrid of two heirloom corn varieties
Articulating the hand of the distiller in column distillation
Creative approaches to blending while identifying personalities within the blending team
Using woods such as applewood and amburana for aging while testing and predicting its effects over time

And more.

Brought to you by:
G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Rebecca Harris, president and head distiller of Catoctin Creek recently shared, “Service after the sale is what really separates the quality of a supplier relationship. G&D Chillers has always been a phone call away when we needed them. For a small business like mine, that partnership makes all the difference.” Whether you distill batch by batch or in a continuous operation, for more than 30 years, G&D has had the proven solution. Visit them today at gdchillers.com.

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Brewery & Distillery Workshop: IIf you’re planning a distillery or brewery launch, adding a distillery to your brewery, or considering purchasing an existing brewing or distilling business, then visit breweryworkshop.com for more information about the Brewery and Distillery workshop brought to you by Craft Spirits & Distilling and Craft Beer & Brewing. Over four days, you’ll learn what it takes to get a successful craft beverage business off the ground, through panel discussions, working group sessions, technical tours, and more. Get your ticket now at breweryworkshop.com.

9: Nicole Austin of George Dickel Takes a Thoughtful and Contextual Approach to Blending Beautiful Whiskies

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Nicole Austin has spent time in distilleries around the world, but if there’s one thing she’s learned from producing at distilleries both tiny and very large, it’s that no single blending strategy works at every scale, for every product, or with each kind of spirit. Today, as director of George Dickel and luxury American whiskey for Diageo, she has extensive tools at her disposal—from deep stocks of long-aged Tennessee whiskey to modern lab equipment. The nexus of that deeper palette of whiskies with which to blend—and deeper knowledge of those whiskies and how they age—is paying off with a number of releases that are piquing the interest of whiskey lovers.

In this episode, Austin sits down with host Sydney Jones for a distiller-to-distiller conversation on the intricacies of blending. Along the way, they discuss:

how rigorous approaches to blending can lead you astray
altering the blending approach based on the age of the spirit and ultimate intention for the release
managing blends with very small casks
safe assumptions and techniques for validating them
understanding gas chromatography and its place in the blending process
the challenge in discovering and delivering “house character” that speaks to the blender while resonating with drinkers
building a sustainable business structure
contemporary projects, including the three-chamber rye blend with Leopold Brothers
the multimode consumption of truly great whiskey

And more.

Brought to you by:
G&D Chillers: G&D Chillers understands that each distillery’s chilling requirements are unique. On every distillery project, G&D offers the front-end design and engineering your team needs at no cost to you. Rebecca Harris, president and head distiller of Catoctin Creek recently shared, “Service after the sale is what really separates the quality of a supplier relationship. G&D Chillers has always been a phone call away when we needed them. For a small business like mine, that partnership makes all the difference.” Whether you distill batch by batch or in a continuous operation, for more than 30 years, G&D has had the proven solution. Visit them today at gdchillers.com.